Report: Blackhawkbikes.com Prissick Autumn Cup

Harry Tanfield (Team Wallis Cycles) showed his undoubted class by taking victory in the opening Elite event in the Blackhawkbikes.com Prissick Autumn Cup four race series

Event One Race Report by Marcus Smith
(supported by www.Subzerobikesco.co.uk and www.GodleysCycles.com)
Saturday 3rd September 2011

Action started early with younger brother Charlie Tanfield (Velo 29) and Will Brown (Fietsen Tempo) displaying impressive spirit to forge a 35 s gap over the confused peloton. The promoting club’s Craig Anderson (Blackhawkbikes.com) put in a flurry of furious attacks to halt the damage being meted out by the daring duo, but nothing stuck until Harry Tanfield and Taylor Cardus (Velo 29) escaped the clutches of the seething bunch. The big legs of Cardus and the fluid power of Big Tanfield got stuck into the task and were soon lapping 2 seconds quicker than the tiring train of Brown and Little Tanfield.

Junction was made with 15 to go and the pitiful peloton was mopped up soon after. A testing attack by young Alex Hopper (Velo29) kept him on the same lap as the fearless four and a guaranteed 5th place for his bravery. In the finale, Big Tanfield took a close sprint from Brown and a slightly disappointing Big-legged Cardus. TLI Croft Series winner Anderson kept alive his hopes of a high place finish in the series by nailing the bunch gallop for 6th place. The fine selection of cakes by Eve, Belgian Ardennes Pate baguettes and all manner of snacks proved popular with the riders and spectators, Cardus being first in the queue to refuel his big sprinters legs.

Alex Clayton (Durham University) taught his rivals a first class lesson in bike racing during the well-attended ‘Mule Bar Stakes’ 3rd/4th category event. The degree of his class and form was first class material, and the manner in which he brought back a truant group that had sloped off without his permission was masterful. He later threw down a blistering lecture in speed and aggression – only understood by experienced racer Martin Hopkinson (Fietsen Tempo), which led to a two-up sprint between the hard working pair. Hopkinson has won several sprints this season in the Velo29 Crits and also in the Croft Crits and was many spectators favourite, but in the final test, Clayton kept his cool, calmly took out his metaphorical cane, and thrashed his opponent on the line. The final podium step was expertly claimed by Daniel Plant (Ferryhill Wheelers) in a hugely exciting bunch rumble.

In the Youth races, Alice Grieve (Stockton Wheelers) showed female intuition and hard work is worth a bunch of flowers and a Cream Tea for four at Fletcher Farm Coffee Shop as she won both the girls A race and the Super Sweepstake in the Elite race. Will Stavely (Clifton Cycles) showed both strength and speed to take the Boys A victory, Jake Dobson (Newcastle Phoenix) the Boys B, Tiny Tanfield (Cleveland Wheelers) the Boys C, Patrick Lally (One Life Racing) the Boys D. Lauren Kilcullen was victorious in the Girls A group, Patrick Kilcullen in the Boys E, and Roisin Lally in the Girls group E.

Superb ‘Flowers by Edwina’ (Marton Road, Middlesbrough) were presented to all winners and sweepstake prizes were provided by official coffee shop sponsor Fletchers Farm Coffee Shop (Great Ayoton). Commentary was seamlessly delivered by the excellent Tony McGouran. Primes and prizes were provided by Godley’s Cycles of Nunthorpe, Subzerobikeco.co.uk (for the coolest components), Mule Bar (natural & organic nutrition) and Il Sasso training camps, and www.Blackhwakbikes.com.

Overall Results from Round 1

Senior Open
1.    Harry Tanfield Team Wallis
2.    Charlie Tanfield Velo 29
3.    William Brown Fietsen Tempo
4.    Taylor Cardus Velo 29
5.    Criag Anderson Blackhawk Bikes
6.    Alex Hopper Velo 29
7.    James King Columba CC
8.    Rich Semple Team Cyclelane
9.    Oliver Pearce Phian Carbon
10.    Paul Anderson Phian Carbon
11.    Michael Dales Velo 29
12.    Rob Wheeler Velo 29
13.    Andrew Cox Bicycle Works
14.    Tony Rees GLG/SteelRiver
15.    Matthew Smithson Leeds Mercury

Senior 3/4 Category Race
1.    Alex Clayton Durham Uni
2.    Martin Hopkinson Fiesten Tempo
3.    Andrew Cox Blackhawk Bikes
4.    Daniel Plant Ferryhill Wheelers
5.    James Anderson Blackhawk Bikes
6.    Oliver Pearce Phian Carbon
7.    Rich Semple Team Cyclelane
8.    Ed Garrett Durham Uni
9.    Gert Gammelin Ferryhill Wheelers
10.    Michael Smart Velo 29
11.    Matthew Smithson Leeds Mercury
12.    Chris Glass Cestria Cycles RT
13.    Joe Larner Edinburgh RC
14.    Philip Spright
15.    Gary Taylor Ferryhill Wheelers
16.    Bradley Naughton Stockton Wheelers
17.    Iain Turnbull Ferryhill Wheelers
18.    Ian Brown Whitby Wheelers
19.    Tom Harcourt Blackhawk Bikes
20.    Stewart Tanfield Cleveland Wheelers
21.    Tony Rees
22.    James McGhee
23.    Chris Barnard Sunderland CC
24.    Michael Slamkic Sunderland CC
25.    Chris Wilson Sunderland CC

YOUTH

Cat A
1. Will Staveley Clifton CC

Girls
1. Alice Grieve Stockton Wheelers

Cat B
1. Jake Dobson Newcastle Phoenix
2. Ben Honeysett Cleveland Wheelers
3. Joe Howard Cleveland Wheelers
4. Thomas Horton Newcastle Phoenix

Cat C
1. Richie Allen Newcastle Phoenix
2. Aaron Preston Cleveland Wheelers
3. Toby Tanfield Cleveland Wheelers
4. Martin Leng Stockton Wheelers
5. Ross Turner Cleveland Wheelers

Cat D
1. Patrick Lally One Life Racing
2. Joe McKenna Unattached
3. Robert Forrest Unattached
4. Joe Wilson Stockton Wheelers

Girls
1. Lauren Kilcullen Stockton Wheelers

Cat E
1. Patrick Kilcullen Stockton Wheelers
2. Paul Errington Hetton Hawks
3. Zac Johnstone Stockton Wheelers

Girls
1. Roisin Lally One Life Racing

 

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