Ian Field and Annie Simpson took victory in the first round of the 2014-15 British Cycling National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series at Sundorne Sports Village in Shrewsbury on Sunday.
Field crossed the line unopposed after a faultless performance, the reigning British national champion taking victory by 47 seconds from Liam Killeen (Malvern Cycle Sport) with team mate Jody Crawforth in third at Sundorne Sports Village.
In the women’s race, the absence of Hannah Payton opened the way for a new champion and Annie Simpson showed her intentions by taking top spot in the first round.
The Hope Factory rider finished ahead of Abergavenny RC’s Ffion James and Amira Mellor of Paul Milnes Cycles.
Elite men
It was Ben Sumner who scampered away from the start line heading a huge field up the long tarmac road and past the finish line for the first time, Field, riding his first Sundorne race, in close contact a few bike lengths behind.
Killeen, suffering from cramp at the start, was half the field down on the leaders and Hope's Paul Oldham fairing no better after his recent crash. The tight wooded area proving not the place to pass and Sumner appeared out of the gloom still heading up Field, with Hargrove's Jody Crawforth was sitting in third spot with Luke Gray and Jack Ravenscroft amongst a small group in close attention.
Oldham, obviously in pain was holding a top twenty place but it was Killeen who was on a mission, tearing through the field.
By the second lap it was Field who had taken the lead from Sumner, the national champion's jersey heading the race and making a useful gap on the rest of the field.
Crawforth was alongside the now second place rider and the two would spend most of the race wheel on wheel.
The gaps were beginning to form with Gray, Tom Van Den Bosch, Alex Paton, Jack Clarkson amongst the chasing group, although Killeen was still charging through the field and passing Oldham who wasn't having the best of days.
With 20 minutes gone Field was dominating the race, pulling a big gap back to the chasers while Sumner and Crawforth were still locked together and Van Den Bosch, Paton and Clarkson were also in a group with Steve James.
With half the race gone it was Killeen who was impressing, and having moved up to fourth place the question was – could he catch the leader? Meanwhile Oldham had called on his experience and was now into the top ten.
With three laps remaining, it was Killeen who was exciting the crowd as the Malvern rider had worked through the field and was now sitting in second place with Crawforth on his wheel.
Sumner, feeling the effects of his early efforts, was now in fourth with Van Den Bosch and Paton breathing down the youngster’s neck.
By the bell lap Field had a lead which arguably was unbeatable barring any incidents but all eyes were now on the battle for second place. Killeen and Crawforth were swapping places coming into the final technical section but it was Killeen who came out of the final bend just ahead of Crawforth and, able to take the best line, took the sprint for second, almost a minute behind race winner Field.
Van Den Bosch took fourth and Sumner fifth overall and fastest under-23.
“A week ago I wasn't going to ride here, I was down to ride in Belgium at the BPost but a few things happened which meant I had the opportunity to race here,” said Field afterwards.
“It has been good to come here and be wanted to be honest. It’s been good to be able to show the national champion's jersey off and it means I will get an overall position because I'm racing five out of the six rounds this year.
“I've never won the National Trophy overall so it’s kind of a goal for me. I felt good today, reasonably comfortable and it’s a cracking course. It’s the first time I've done Shrewsbury so it’s all new to me, but I really enjoyed racing here.”
Elite women
Annie Simpson secured victory in the elite women’s race, the Hope Factory Racing rider capitalised on her early season form in a hard-fought four-way tussle and punching the air as she crossed the line on a slippy Sundorne circuit.
It was Amira Mellor who led the race away from the start on the road section, although Simpson looked comfortable on her wheel in second spot going into the tricky wooded section with Ffion James and Merce Pacios Pujado in close attendance.
Simpson appeared out of the gloom ahead of Mellor and with a clear course ahead she looked as though she would dictate the race. But it wasn't to be as strong riding by the three chasers saw the lead change hands throughout. This victory would be down to strength – and a bit of luck.
With 30 minutes gone it was Simpson who got the better of the group and crept clear. Pujado dug deep to get the gap back but was brought back in the technical section.
All eyes were on the lead four, and although a steady ride by Isla Rowntree in fifth had the potential to upset the apple cart it would be the younger legs that decided the results.
With the bell ringing it was Simpson and the national champion's jersey of Ffion James who were away, with Mellor and Pujado chasing in third and fourth.
James and Simpson kept the chasing pair at bay and it would be the final technical section that played its part again, Simpson jumping James to take a well-deserved victory.
“I was really happy with that,” said Simpson afterwards. “With Hannah [Payton] going to Belgium this season I was hoping that I could step up and take her place this year.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself today but the junior girls were amazing through the woods and I clearly wasn't as good as they were so I used them to drag me through.
“I had to ride with my head and I did sit in quite a lot but I thought if I kicked at the right time it would be enough to win. I've realised I have to ride a bit more with my head and not my heart.
“The training has been going well this year, We have a really good group to train with who get me out when it’s raining and I don't feel like it, I'm so lucky to live where I do.”
Other categories
Veteran men
Jedi Cycle Sport's Ian Taylor took the opening race of the 2014 National Trophy in the over-40 veterans’ event at a fog laden Sundorne circuit. Taylor, runner up to second place Darren Atkins in last year’s campaign made no mistake with a flying start from the whistle stringing out the huge field on the opening road section, a lead he would not relinquish.
Atkins couldn't seem to find any answer to Taylor and at times didn't look comfortable on the slippery grass sections but nonetheless the Coventry rider called on an experienced head to take the valuable points for second spot.
The Zepnat pairing of Dan Alexander and Pete Middleton fought a race-long battle to take third and fourth respectively, a mere five seconds splitting the two team mates. Taylor's team mate Andrew Peace held onto fifth, two seconds to the good of Mike Simpson.
Phil Roach took the national champion’s jersey to victory in the over-50 race, the Team Jewson rider rode an impeccable race from the front, cutting through the backmarkers with relative ease to take the full points.
The talk though was about the race between the 80's 'stars', Tim Gould, Steve Douce and Chris Young, Young getting the better of the three finishing second to Roach. Gould, riding for Zepnat finishing in sixth place behind team mate Steve Barnes and Douce finishing a very respectable eighth.
Youth
The name Dan Tullett had been sitting at the top of the youth standings for a couple of years and under-14 riders must have breathed a sigh of relief when the Specialized rider moved up to the under-16s, but younger brother Ben looks to be following in his elder sibling's footsteps.
The youngster took his first victory in a National Trophy race holding off Lichfield's Lewis Askey in a close race that could gone either way, Tullett crossing the line a mere 10 seconds ahead of Askey. Pedalsport's Jenson Young took the third step of the podium.
Elder brother Dan Tullett again dominated the under-16 race, the Specialized Racing youngster pulling away from the rest of the field on the opening lap, no one able to respond to his attack.
The race behind between Tom Mein and Dougal Toms for second and third proved a close-run thing; the two were wheel-to-wheel for the majority off the race eventually settled the result in a sprint finish, Mien just proving the stronger of the two.
Poppy Wildman took the victory in the under-14 girls’ race, opening up a big lead on the opening lap that no one could respond to, the Nottingham Clarion youngster crossing line ahead of Elena Smith and Nicole Clarke. Hope Factory's Lucy Horrocks took her first victory in the under-16 race, the first-year rider held off a strong attack from Megan James to open up the season’s account. Emily Wadsworth completed the podium.
Alfie Moses got the better of the junior field to secure his first National Trophy victory of the series, the Paul Milnes Cycles rider, easily mistaken for older brother Tom in riding style held off Josh Waters and Will Gascoyne to take the top step of the podium.
Full results (with lap splits)
Overall points (after one round)
