Report: MK Early Season Bowl Series 1

Claire Galloway is the star of the show as she solos to victory ahead of Karla Boddy while Liam Stones wins the men’s second cat race

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Report from the High Wycombe CC racing team

Women’s E/1/2/3/4

A field of 26 riders signed on for the women’s race at the MK Bowl today and Jon Miles, Chief Commisaire, made it interesting by handicapping the category 1/2 riders and giving the main bunch a half lap head start (approx 60 seconds). With seven riders chasing down the other nineteen, it was looking to be an tough race ahead for the chasers.

A Mule Bar Girl rider kicked things off for the chasing pack in style with an all out sprint with six riders in tow which included the strong Clare Leaver and Claire Galloway from Team Zappi’s. Karla Boddy from HWCC RT was also in the mix with three team mates in the bunch, Hannah Evans, Clem Copie and Aimee Wright.

Within a couple of laps, the gap was down to 25 seconds to the main bunch but that remained  static for a few more laps and all the girls were working full on together. Then suddenly, the break through lap came where the lead went from 19 seconds to being back together with some tired legs and racing hearts.

Straight away, Lou from Mule Bar Girl attacked, the chasing bunch had agreed this but the theory was easier than practice after a hard chase back on. However, at one point it looked like it might work! The bunch were fresh though and it was a stalemate 25 minutes in.

Then came the ‘Zappi Attacks’! Clare Leaver and Clare Galloway were the two strongest riders there, neither of them sprinters, they were keen to breakaway and for the next 20 minutes it was purposeful, hard and tenacious attacking which saw the bunch really strung out trying desperately to stay in the race.

Karla Boddy knew she had the legs to chase some of it down but with the finish looming, it looked like a sprint. Clare Lever then went for a massive attack with five to go and looked like she might stay away until Hannah Evans and Clem Copie along with a Condor Cycles Rider and Alice Barnes worked hard to bring it back.

Cue Claire Galloway, who timed the next attack perfectly as riders suffered from the chase to bring Lever back, Claire was off the front with a lap to go and there was no looking back for her. The bunch were tired and no one could match the power of Claire who for a year was training with the GB Team Pursuit squad.

Karla Boddy led the sprint out from the bottom of the drag (long one) and looked to be closing the gap to Claire who was 50 metres ahead. But Galloway’s strength and fantastic tactics prevailed and she took a well deserved win for team Zappi. Meanwhile Karla Boddy came home in 2nd, Alice Barnes of Twenty3C-Orbea was 3rd, HWCC RT rider Hannah Evans 4th, Mule Bar Girl rider Lou 5th and Clem Copie 6th.

Women’s results

1 Claire Galloway, For Viored RET
2 Karla Boddy, High Wycombe CC
3 Alice Barnes, Twenty3C-Orbea
4 Mary Evans, (High Wycombe CC)
5 Louise Mahe, Mule Bar
6 Clemence Copie,  High Wycombe CC
7 Emily Barnes,
8 Nicky Xandora, (Banbury Star CC)
9 Jenni Lake, iCycle
10 Clare Leaver, Team Zappi

Men’s 2/3

The men looked to be lucky with the weather as the rain stayed away but the gates were opened to the extended part of the MK Bowl course which was wet, slippery and covered in damp leaves and mud. It looked like technical skills would play a big part in the final results.

Eighteen year old Ed Clemens from VC10, took the race by the scruff of it’s neck and attacked hard in the first few laps with one other rider in tow. Six seconds became 10 and 10 became 15 as the bunch started it’s charge to the break. With the demanding tempo taken up the final drag, a mini chase group of eight formed and managed to bridge the gap with the peloton no where to be seen.

Unfortunately the High Wycombe CC riders James Walker and Tom Crouch, missed the decisive break. After the race James said that his ability to attack the sharp corners in the wet was poor and it’s where he lost places in the bunch and thus missed the attack. In the break was on-form Corley Cycles rider Liam Stones who looked fresh and composed as the laps went by.

On the side lines, Karla Boddy made a prediction early on with Liam 1st and Ed Clemens 2nd… The slippery surface saw many riders come down at the same point in each lap; one of those was HWCC RT rider Tom Crouch who somehow didn’t manage to rip his new Giordana RT kit but did take home some nasty road rash.

Back in the bunch, Twenty3c rider Steve Goodman made some purposeful pace changes in order to try and bring the break back; but they were long gone and looked like the break would lap them. A 45 road club rider was very active and tried to instigate a second as did HWCC RT rider James Walker.

With three to go, James Walker and the 45 Road Club rider broke away and were looking likely to secure the 11th/12th spots. Meanwhile a Corley Rider in the main break attacked on the bell lap and the pace went through the roof! This rider didn’t maintain the lead and as they came round the final bend as Liam Stones and Ed Clemens were in a dual for first place. Unfortunately Ed had to settle for second on this occasion but is there anyone right now capable of beating Liam Stones in a sprint in a second cat race?

1st Liam Stones
2nd Ed Clemens

12th James Walker

More results later.

 

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