Result: Barton Classic – Neil White Memorial Road Race

Kit Gilham & Martin Gibson winners in the Barton Classic – Neil White Memorial Road Races in North Yorkshire (Sunday)

Chapters — ‘Neil White’ Memorial RR 2012 (by Marcus Smith)

With Fratello’s, Flowers by Edwina, MuleBar, King William IV Bar and Ocuis Nutrition.

Above: Podium smiles: winner Kit Gilham (Herbal Life), Dan Smith (Velo29) and Alastair Kay (Herbal Life)

Kill ‘em… Gilham
Kit Gilham (Herbal Life 24, Leisure Lakes), the hard riding, hill eating beast from York, secured his first win for 2012 in the Neil White Memorial based on the tough loop round Barton and Middleton Tyas, out-riding his breakaway compatriots Dan Smith (Velo29) and Alastair Kay (Herbal Life 24, Leisure Lakes ).

Carnage
The King William IV Restaurant and Bar on Barton’s main street saw the E/1/2 Trophy Hunters depart under a hazy mid-morning sun. Five minutes later the support race of 3rd and 4th cat riders took to the tarmac, spectators at the prime tent being treated to two sets of sprints each lap.

Drinks were being served, the sun was out and the village locals were joining in the fun. Everything pointed to a lovely day ahead. Two laps had ticked by on the 11 mile loop, the constantly rolling roads doing little to diffuse the speed and ferocity of attacks.

An average of 27 mph hinted to the pain in the peloton, but nothing would hint to the carnage that would unfold on the third lap. Maybe it was the heat coupled with one hour’s pedalling torment that delayed reactions to that of snail-like speed.

Deviant
Imagine a long line of dominoes speeding along in tranquil fluidity, flicking along nicely – joyfully resplendent under the summer sun. All is right with the world, but for one deviant domino…. His momentary lapse sees him downed, and within a couple of blinks, the whole sorry line is tangled in a mangled mess of metal, tarmac and domino skin.

At this point, Gilham and his two side-kicks are ahead at 25 seconds, their lead rapidly growing to a minute as mayhem obliterates the confused pack of pedalling bones. One sharp disaster dodging domino was the visiting Aussie Andrew Martin (Godley’s Cycles), quick to tear off in chase of the disappearing trio, but his tenacious effort was not enough, and later was caught by a chasing splinter group.

Above: Victory for Kit Gilham (Herbal Life)

Second rate side-kicks
So… the three trophy hunting musketeers had the race in the bag, all that remained was to see about the £50 Fratello’s Restaurant Course des Primes and who would get their name etched on the trophy and hands on the MuleBar goodie box. Kay looked strong, the pocket sized lightweight back in form after a nasty early season crash.

Smith was happy enough tapping through, but Gilham was a cut above, taking maximum points in the Fratello’s sprints and the £30 cash too, and just to prove a point, he soloed away with a lap remaining, taking a minute out of his second rate side-kicks, making sure there was just himself with no slackers in tow to spoil his victory photo shot.

Sleeping snail
In danger of being caught by the fast moving Martin quartet, the tiring side-kicks arrived at the line just 30 seconds in hand, Smith, kicking for the flag with the speed of an elderly grandmother, not quite believing that he might win a sprint.

But win he did, the pocket-sized Kay having as much to offer as a sleeping snail. A fast moving, but disappointed Martin grabbed the first non-podium place, his race-long aggressive riding taking care of the Godley’s Cycles Combative prize.

Support race

Wheel barrow
Martin Gibson (Adept Precision) removed his fast hat, took off his aero socks and, license in hand, returned to the north east peloton victorious in his first outing for several years.

Using his time trial strength to good effect, he bravely attacked with just a scant few miles remaining, put his head down and rode out a solid measured effort to take a popular 20 second triumph, bagging himself the £100 prize, the Godley’s vouchers, the MuleBar Café Cortado gels, the Flowers by Edwina, and the best 4th cat prize.

“That’s the most I’ve ever won in a bike race, ever”, enthused Gibson whilst pushing his wheel barrow back to his car.

The remaining podium places were nabbed in the bunch gallop by ex first cat man and Gibson’s team mate Shaun Tyson and Blackhawk Bikes rider Tony Fawcett.

Aggression
Carl Donaldson (Breeze Bikes) was aggressive and fast in the intermediate sprints, taking the King William IV dinner for two course des primes, and the £20 Alan Topp Prime. Showing age is no barrier for attitude and strength, Paul Stubbs (Ferryhill Wheelers) took 4th overall and also the Godley’s Cycles Combative award.

Thank you to our fantastic sponsors for supporting the race:

Chapters Hotel, Stokesley High Street
Godley’s Cycles, Nunthorpe High Street
Fratello’s Restaurant, Scotch Corner
King William IV Restaurant and Bar, Barton Village,
Flowers by Edwina, Marton Road, Middlesbrough
MuleBar Café Cortado gels – with 100 mg natural caffeine. From Godley’s Cycles.

RESULT

E/1/2
1. Kit Gilham Herbalife-Leisure Lakes
2. Daniel Smith Velo29-OTR-Vankru
3. Alastair Kay Herbalife-Leisure Lakes
4. Adam Martin Cestria Cycles RT
5. Andrew Hawdon Herbalife-Leisure Lakes
6. Scott McCrossan Rock to Roll Cycles Ltd
7. Andrew Whitehall Equipe Velo Ecosse/Montpeliers
8. Benjamin Kellett V S Cycles, Brighouse
9. David Shackleton Wilsons Wheels Race Team
10. Simon Baxter Herbalife-Leisure Lakes

11. Rob Carter Velo29-OTR-Vankru
12. Ian Taylor Adept Precision Racing Team
13. James Alder VC Briganti – Cycleways RT
14. James Anderson Blackhawk Bikes
15. Jack Cutsforth Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com
16. Matty Cooper Achievecyclecoaching.co.uk
17. Marcus Smith Blackhawk Bikes
18. Luke Price Fietsen Tempo
19. David Griffiths Glasgow Whls

3/4
1. Martin Gibson Adept Precision Racing Team/North East Healthcare Solutions
2. Shaun Tyson Adept Precision Racing Team/North East Healthcare Solutions
3. Tony Fawcett Blackhawk Bikes
4. Paul Stubbs Ferryhill Wheelers CC
5. Mike Salkeld Crosstrax
6. Paul Lamb Harrogate Nova CC
7. Steve Wilson MTS Cycle Sport/ Inkland / Elvet RT
8. Giovanni Asoni Kyklos/Edco Race Team
9. Robert Shields Gosforth RC
10. Aidan MacDermott GS Metro