Full fields, sunshine, cold wind and full on racing — all part of the Newcastle RC 2001 Vekta Velosport promotion at Swynnerton, Staffs.
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Jim Golden reports … Cold weather and a strengthening wind up the long final hill made the 55 miles duration of each group a tougher than usual proposition for the strong fields with riders from all over the country.
PHOTO ALBUM
Over a hundred pictures from the racing in round 1 of the Percy Stallard Series Sponsored by Onimpex/Bioracer
A/B Group
The A group saw a break of about eight riders escape on lap one on the wind assisted downhill soon after the flag dropped. Eventual winner, Andy Eagers, managed to get across and with comeback rider and former local Tour of Britain stage winner Mike Twelves missing the move, the race was effectively over for so many with riders eventually scattered round the course.
Eagers, who had tried to get away with Jon Stephenson on the penultimate lap, finally escaped with under a lap to go and time trialled his way to victory. Twelves helped drag a small chase group to within ten seconds by the finish. After the prize presentation, Eagers rode home to Derby!
1. Andy Eagers, Derby Mercury B
2. Jon Stephenson, Team Jewson B
3. Richard Binks, Clay Cross RT B
4. Richard Barnett, Stone Whs A
5. Ian Cooper, Planet X A
6. Steven Hilton, Warrington RC A
7. Jason Meyer, Stourbridge Velo A
8. Ged Heap, GP Trade Platers A
9. Paul Belfield, Stone Whs A
10. Andy Prince, Stafford RC A
11. Mike Twelves, Team Jewson B
12. Paul Bell, Peak RC A
13. Matthew Purshouse, Warwickshire RC
14. Ian Holbrook, Stone Whs A
15. Mark Jacobi, Peak RC
16. Dave Grenders, Will’s Wheels A
Prime
1. Cooper, 2. Meyer. 3. Belfield, 4. Hilton.
C/D Group
Just like the A/B race, the over 50’s saw a break go clear on the fast wind assisted back straight. It was the always aggressive Andy Donaldson who started the action with eventual winner Neil Higgins and Ian Cowan of Solihull who eventually punctured and was forced to retire.
Gaps immediately opened and a number of fancied riders were left in small chasing groups. With a lap and half to go, Higgins broke away and managed to hold the rest of the group off with the instigator of the move, finishing at the back rapidly cramping up but a clear D category victor.
1. Neil Higgins, Preston CC C
2. Roy Holmes, Rob Whitfield RT C
3. Keith Jones, Graham Weigh Racing C
4. Paul Caton, Horizon RT C
5. Martin Hopkinson, Fietsen Tempo C
6. Graham Payne, Rob Whitfield RT
7. Andy Donaldson, Kingsnorth International D
8. Stephen Baillie, Rob Whitfield RT
9. Gary Gee, Lichfield CC C
10. Martin Russell, LVRC D
11. Ian Noons, Stone Whs A
12. Rob Whitfield, Rob Whitfield RT D
13. Tony Parkinson, Onimpex RT C
14. Phil Rose, Wheel Guru D
15. Paul Webster, Dinnington RC C
16. Martin Stephens, Mid Shropshire Whs D
17. Gary Hill, Rob Whitfield RT D
18. Gordon Wallace, Graham Weight Racing D
19. Terry Meechan, Team Coventry Cycle Centre D
20. Ken Jones, Onimpex RT D
Prime
1. Holmes 2. Caton, 3. Hopkinson 4. Gee
E/F/G/ Group
The over 60’s race was a war of attrition with only Nigel Harrop chancing his arm from lap one and staying clear for two laps. But once he was pulled in, even arch rivals Alan Kemp and Don Parry stayed with the group leaving it until the final sprint.
1. Alan Kemp, Weaver Valley CC E
2. Don Parry, Corley Cycles E
3. Mike Allen, Pro Cycle Hire F
4. Richard Booth, Middridge RT F
5. Dave Rutherford, Bush Healthcare F
6. Malcolm Fraser, Team Lusso E
7. Brian Sunter, Condor RC F
8. Martin Hackley, Team Jewson E
9. Dave Pollard, New Brighton CC E
10. Dave Woods, CC Luton E
11. Ken Corbett, Wakefield CC E
12. Gordon Smith, New Brighton CC E
13. Nigel Harrop, Seamons CC E
14. Alistair Cameron, Leeds Mercury E
15. Derrick Woodings, Team Jewson G
16. Bill Cotton, Belper BC F
17. John Ginley, Condor RC F
18. Bob Richards, Solihull CC G
19. Kev Shand, West Pennine RC E
20. Mick Ives, Team Jewson G @ one lap
Prime
1. Harrop, 2. Kemp, 3. Corbett, 4. Chris Gunter, Virgin Active.
MORE PHOTOS (lots more pictures to follow soon on VeloUK)
The C and D race approaching the circuit to start the racing in a bitterly cold wind but bright sunshine.
It took only one lap and the first two races for 40-49 and 50-59 year old riders were in bits.
A lap to go and the bottle goes for the final 11 miles.
Neil Higgins, Preston CC gets the bell with 11 miles between him and victory, a challenge he took head on and won.
Sponsor of the event (Onimpex/Bioracer), Ken Jones drags his chase group along in the C/D race with a lap to go.
