Location: Centre Vale Park, Todmorden
Event: 29 December 2013
Report: Clare Crabtree/Snowdon Sports
National Junior MTB XC Champion Michael Thompson (Hope Factory Racing) secured victory in round nine of the Yorkshire Points Series at Todmorden, West Yorkshire, on Sunday.
The 18-year-old Teesside rider crossed the line almost two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, and to underline the quality of the young riders in the region, second spot went to Orange Monkey pro Billy Harding, who at 17 years old was also top junior.
Thompson and Harding got away on first lap and opened a gap heading into the second circuit, but Thompson soon broke clear and never looked back.
Ian Taylor (Jedi Cycle Sport) was third on lap one but had chain trouble and dropped back to ninth, and spent the rest of the race battling back. He closed down Harding and had his sights set on second, but in a thrilling sprint finish Harding just held on.
Mike Simpson (GS Henley) stormed to victory in the veterans race, leading from start to finish. Mike Young (Pedalsport CC) and Chris Taylor (Pedalsport CC) were together for most of the race until three laps to go when Young got a gap and powered on.
Annie Simpson was top woman for much of the race while Tracey Moseley (Timo Racing) was gaining on her, but mechanical problems ended Simpson’s race and left Moseley to take the win.
With muddy conditions across the course the pit men were kept busy as the top riders switched bikes almost every lap, and there were several rear mechs which bit the dust because of the thick mud.
Results:
Seniors:
1 Mike Thompson (Hope Factory Racing) 55:47
2 Billy Harding (Orange Monkey) @ 1:59 Jun
3 Ian Taylor (Jedi Cycle Sport) @ 1:59
4 Rob Watson (Paul Milnes RT)
5 John Hopkinson (Aire Valley)
6 Ben Cooper (Hargroves Cycles)
7 Edwin Oliver-Evans (CX Magazine.com)
8 Tom Hooper (All Terrain Cycles)
9 James Dalton (Pedalsport CC)
10 Matthew Downes (Paul Milnes RT)
Veterans:
1 Mike Simpson (GS Henley) 49:30
2 Mike Young (Pedalsport CC) @ 2:14
3 Chris Taylor (Pedalsport CC) @ 3:21
4 Marcus Spencer (Hargroves Cycles)
5 Jough Watson (Charge Bikes)
6 Pete Fielding-Smith (Wilson’s Wheels)
7 Dave Johnson (PH Mass Cycling)
8 Alan Dorrington (Planet X)
9 Paul Lehan (Harrogate Nova)
10 Nick Dawsey (Hargroves Cycles)
Over-50s: Wayne Nicholson (York Cycleworks)
Women: Tracey Moseley (Timo Racing).
Youth:
1 Alfie Moses (Paul Milnes RT) 26:44
2 Rob Scott (Pedalsport CC) @ 21sec
3 Harry Hardcastle (Kirklees CA) @ 1:53
4 Ben Turner (Dinnington RC)
5 Ewan Cameron (East Bradford CC)
Girls: Connie Hurton (Beacon Wheelers).
Under-8: Will Lambkin (unattached). Girls: Katie Shaw (Huddersfield Star Wheelers).
Under-10s: Toby Kershaw (Pedalsport CC). Girls: Holly Devon (Pedalsport CC).
Under-12s: Henry Hollyman (Kirklees CA). Girls: Eva Oxley (Sowerby Bros).
Please credit www.britishcycling.org.uk and link back if you use any of our race results.
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
