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Ballantyne Memorial Trophy Road Race

8 May 2011 | Cambo, Northumberland
Promoted By: Barnesbury Cycling Club

Riders at the 2011 Ballantyne Memorial Trophy endured a meteorologically bizarre day, the race starting fine, but with standing water on the roads from overnight rain. The sun came out eventually, but on the third of three laps of the Sharperton circuit the heavens opened.

Early in the race, the bunch let a break of ten riders drift clear and they briefly held a gap of 30 seconds or so until they were gradually reeled in and the field re-grouped.

The rain did not dampen the spirits of Mick Mallen of G S Metro, who made the next significant move and attacked the bunch on the first climb on the circuit. He was joined a couple of miles later by John Cann, Infinity Cycles, who shared the work as they held off the bunch.

Cann and Mallen battled up Bilsmoor with the rain abating somewhat, but the skies remained black. The rain continued on and off and on the climb of Winters Gibbet and the pair were soon being pulled back very rapidly by Adam Martin, a junior who appears to be a natural climber. He caught the two escapers at the top, by the scaffold, and the three leaders then worked together to hold off the chasing peloton.

At the finish the logical winner should have been the very strong Mick Mallen or John Cann who maybe should have attacked his companions on the last rise with 1km to go, but he didn't and paid the price when the Martin out jumped his two companions and pulled off a good win by 10 bike lengths or so. He was understandably ecstatic when he crossed the line.

The rest of the field came in spread out over ten minutes or so, proving that it had been a very hard and demanding race run under very inclement conditions, with the rain on the third lap, which washed gravel and stones onto the circuit, making racing very hairy indeed.

Two riders did, in fact, crash on the descent of Bilsmoor going out to the circuit, but sustained only minor grazes. Chris Gray did another fantastic job of organizing, congratulations and well done.

Results

1. Adam Martin Cestria Cycles RT 53 miles 2 hours 23 mins
2. John Cann Infinity Cycles at 4 secs
3. Michael Mallen GS Metro at 10 secs
4. Michael Wright Fietsen Tempo at 16 secs
5. Andrew Miles Durham University CC at 16 sec
6. Craig Berry Infinity Cycles same time
7. Paul Watson Activ Cycles same time
8. William Brown Fietsen Tempo same time
9. Adam Pratt Border City Wheelers same time
10. Richard Beckley Border City Wheelers same time

1st Junior: Adam Martin, Cestria Cycles Rt
Winner King of The Mountains: Michael Mallen GS Metro
winner prime at Bilsmoor (outward): Michael Mallen
Winner prime at Bilsmoor return: Michael Mallen
Winer prime the gibbet: Adam Martin
Winner the Dave walton memorial sprint: Michael Mallen
Winner the Maureen Bain memorial Sprint: Calun McLean, Edinburgh Road Race.

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.