Another win for Michael Cotty in Wessex while first woman is Ruth Eyles at the Wessex League at Didcot
The STFC RAL Cyclo-Cross at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Mike Cotty — another victory in Wessex. Photo: Graham Robins
Today’s race was held within the vast grounds of the Harwell Laboratory just to the south of Didcot in Oxfordshire. The course was laid out on a hilly course with plenty of climbs and some tricky off camber knife edges to negotiate. Once the rain started just after the start of the Vet/Women/Junior race the course got very slippery and a few riders soon found themselves picking on the ground. The event was the second round organised by Swindon RC and with a lot of co operation of the management of Harwell.
The latest round of the Wessex League was won by Michael Cotty (Wheelbase/Cannondale) his fifth of the season. Michael led from the start soon opening up a large gap over Dan Lewis (RAF) and a group of riders INCLUDING Chris Minter Karl Norfolk and Nick Onslow (PedalOn),Mike Simpson (GS Henley) and Peter Kench (Team GWR).
Gridded at the front Michael soon took the race by the scruff and opened up nearly a minute lead on the opening lap. Dan was next up closely followed by Mike. By the third lap Michael’s gap to Dan was now 1min 6secs, with Chris a further 30secs back. Chris was trying hard to close the gap to Dan but had to watch his back as Karl and Mike were close by. Nick had started to drop back and it was soon evident that he was having trouble, and a bike change confirmed he had rolled a tub on one of the many off cambers on the course.
Over the next few laps the only significant change was Mike who was slipping back and loosing places first to Chris and then to Karl but he was riding well within himself and managed to hold station on fifth place. Another rider losing ground on the tricky slippery course was Peter Kench, and he was soon on his own with only a hard chasing Onslow anywhere near him.
At the finish all riders hold station and Michael sits up to salute his fifth win of the season.
The combined vet/women/junior race started just before the rain started and soon Robin Wilmott (GA Cycles) had a narrow lead over David Phillips (Swindon RC), David Wadsworth (Beeline Cycles) and Anthony Green (GA Cycles). The leading women was Ruth Eyles (Beacon Roads CC) with Claire Smith (Swindon RC) taking a break from the organising of the event second and Sarah Woods (Wight Mountain ) third.
As the race progressed Robin was still leading and it was Anthony in his first race this season finding strength to first pass David Wadsworth and then David Phillips and was soon in touching distance of the leader.
The two leaders crossed the finish line thinking they had at least two laps to go started to work together, but it was soon evident that the commissaries had forgotten to ring the bell, so one of them cut the course to tell the leaders but by this time Robin was behind Anthony and this was to be the final result as he won by a couple of bike lengths. The two David’s finished third and fourth with David Hobbs (Corinium CC) fifth.
The women’s race was to remain constant with Ruth winning from Claire and Sarah third. Jordan Wade (Poole Wheelers) was first Junior after Jason Pitt (AW Cycles) was involved in an incident when another rider rode into the back of his smashing off his rear mech forcing him to run to the pits to collect another bike.
The youth race was won in commanding style by Robbie Bolwell (Wight Mountain). Rob soon had a good lead over Tom Sewell (Swindon RC), Edward Gronbech (Oxford City RC) and Callum Mackie (LVYCC) with the first girls being Emily Wadsworth (Beeline Cycles) ahead of Zoe Sheehan (Swindon RC).
As the laps ticked off Rob’s lead opened out to 2min 16secs over Tom with Edward 15secs down on him. Next up was Callum @3min 36secs and first girl Emily @4min 07secs. The leading three girls with a lap to go were Emily 38secs over Zoe who in turn was 1min 45 secs clear of Bethany Taylor (BCDS).
The morning got underway with 28 young riders in the under 12’s race. The race was won by Felix Mackie (LVYCC) from Harry Dridge (Southdown Velo) with Bethany Lewis (PPV) third and first girl.
The next round of the Wessex League Round 9 is next Sunday with the Poole Wheelers Christmas Cracker race in Wareham Forest Dorset.
RESULTS
SENIORS
1      Michael Cotty   Wheelbase/Cannondale
2      Dan Lewis   RAF CA
3      Christopher Minter   Pedalon.co.uk
4      Jamie Norfolk   Pedalon.co.uk
5      Mike Simpson   GS Henley
6      Peter Kench   Team GWR
7      Nick Onslow   Pedalon.co.uk
8      Richard Fairholme   Kenilworth Wheelers
9      Ben Lewis   FPCC
10      Tony Parker   North Hampshire RC
11      Kevin Blann   Team Rose Blann
12      Joe Harris   GS Henley
13      Dance   Southdown Velo
14      Steve Bale   Reading CC
15      Andy Laycock   NRC
16      Julian Mann   Stevens-Hargroves Cycles
17      Chris Hobson   Banjo Cycles
VETERANS
1      Antony Green   GA Cycles
2      Robin Wilmott   GA Cycles
3      David Phillips   Swindon RC
4      David Wadsworth   Beeline Bicycles
5      David Hobbs   Corinium CC
6      Clint Sparrey   Cyclexperience
7      Kevin Blann   Team Rose Blann
8      Andy Webb   Kenilworth Wheelers
9      Pete Hutchinson   Swindon RC
10      Pete Scott   Swindon RC
11      Tim Stowe   Jewson / MI Racing
12      Andy Roberts   Team GWR
13      Martyn Dymond   Wight Mountain
14      Gareth Dridge   Southdown Velo
15      Paul Axon   Cyclexperience
16      Gary Hipwell   Rugby Velo
17      Jordan Wade   Poole Wheelers
18      Mitch Purvis   Didcot Phoenix CC
19      John Polak   ua
20      R Gostick   Reading CC
21      Gary Barlow   Reading CC
22      Richard Bremner   North Hampshire RC
23      Darren Dollery   Wight Mountain
24      G Booker   Oxonian CC   At 1 Lap(s).
25      J Thomas   SWRC   At 1 Lap(s).
26Â Â Â Â Â Â Ruth Eyles WÂ Â Â Beacon Roads CCÂ Â Â At 1 Lap(s).
27      Richard Lewis   Kenilworth Wheelers   At 1 Lap(s).
28      Doug Gwynn?   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
29      Jason Pitt   AW Cycles   At 1 Lap(s).
30      Andy Pond   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
31      Steve Dines   Wight Mountain   At 1 Lap(s).
32      Keith Allam   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
33      Sean Stewart   TVT   At 1 Lap(s).
34      J Hodgson   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
35      Martin Hackley   Jewson / MI Racing   At 1 Lap(s).
36Â Â Â Â Â Â Claire Smith WÂ Â Â Swindon RCÂ Â Â At 1 Lap(s).
37      Jamie Swanston   GS Henley   At 1 Lap(s).
38      S Woods W   Wight Mountain   At 1 Lap(s).
39      P Siebort   North Hampshire RC   At 1 Lap(s).
40      Karen Murphy W   Wight Mountain   At 1 Lap(s).
41      S Warwick   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
42      B Drew W   ua   At 1 Lap(s).
43      V Moore   Crabwood CC   At 1 Lap(s).
44      Hazel Jowett W   Wight Mountain   At 2 Lap(s).
45      Andy Gibbs   Swindon RC   At 2 Lap(s).
YOUTH
1      Rob Bolwell   Wight Mountain
2      Tom Sewell   Swindon RC
3      Edward Gronbech   Oxford City RC
4      Callum Mackie   LVYCC
5Â Â Â Â Â Â Emily Wadsworth WÂ Â Â Beeline Bicycles
6Â Â Â Â Â Â Zoe Sheehan WÂ Â Â Swindon RC
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Bethany Taylor WÂ Â Â BCDS
8Â Â Â Â Â Â Rhianna Jones WÂ Â Â Swindon RC
9Â Â Â Â Â Â Kerrie Hutchinson WÂ Â Â Swindon RC
10Â Â Â Â Â Â Ciara Hutchinson WÂ Â Â Swindon RC
11      Kieran Woods   Charlotteville
12Â Â Â Â Â Â Sophie Taylor WÂ Â Â BCDS
13Â Â Â Â Â Â Hannah Gibbs WÂ Â Â Swindon RC
Under 12
1      Felix Mackie   LVYCC
2      Harry Dridge   Southdown Velo
3      Bethany Lewis   PPV
4      Angus Hawkins   PPV
5      Jay Allen   PPV
6      Erin Baker   Southdown Velo
7      Ieuan Woods   Charlotteville
8      Alderney Baker   Southdown Velo
9      Liam Sewell   Swindon RC
10      Conor Hutchinson   Swindon RC
11      Luke Morgan   Swindon RC
12      Ryan Hodgykyns   Poole Wheelers
13      Max Swanston   GS Henley
14      Anna Wadsworth   Beeline Bicycles
15      Maddie Wadsworth   Beeline Bicycles
16      Ellis Jones   Swindon RC
17      Natalie Moore   Swindon RC
18      Alexa Hawkins   PPV
19      Tyler Smith   Swindon RC
20      Haydon Gray   ua
21      Thomas Wadsworth   Beeline Bicycles
22      Jed Smithson   ua
23      Seren Jones   Swindon RC
24      Finn Hawkins   PPV
25      Iestyn Berry   ua
26      Rohan Gray   ua
27      Jayden Blann   Team Rose Blann
28      Lewis Jones   Swindon RC
Result
1. Michael Cotty, Wheelbase/Cannondale
2. Dan Lewis,RAF CC
3. Kris Minter, Pedal On
4. Jamie Norfolk, Pedal On
5. Mike Simpson, GS Henley
6. Peter Kench, GWR Team
First Woman: Ruth Eyles
First Veteran: Anthony Green
