Report: LVRC National Handicap Championship

On a warm dry day in the beautiful village of Napton in Warwickshire, 76 riders took part in the LVRC National Handicap Championship

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After what seems to have been an indeterminate period of constant rain the tap in the sky above was turned off and the event was gifted with a warm dry but windy day. It was encouraging to see that from the 76 riders that had enter this handicap road race the largest group were the scratch group, the A category making up 22% of the field.

With the exception of the A group which didn’t really get organised the other groups started well and organised with most groups heading off on the road towards Southam in an organised “through and off” fashion. The course was testing and one that would suit the strong men in particular race winner Alan Kemp (Weaver Valley) who left his “E” category group in the company of Dave Woods (CC Luton) and Martin Hackley (Team Jewson) on the drag out of Marston Doles who then both parted company with Hackley on the tough Priors Marston climb.

This duo going on to catch both the “F” category and “G” category riders. With the tough course and riders of varying abilities the race could easily have resembled a Time Trial with many riders ploughing a lone furrow before being caught and then getting despatched from various groups. The terrain and pattern of the race was such that I don’t think anyone had the opportunity to “sit in” for long.

After around 30 miles of the 40 mile race the leaders of the “D” group (driven on by John French and Martin Russell) absorbed all the “E and F” groups and a separate charge further behind of A,B and C group riders were rapidly approaching.

Ahead however an excellent ride from “G” category rider Tony Woodcock (Kingsnorth International) was being performed as he stayed with Alan Kemp as these two drew away never to be seen by the field again taking first and second places.

Within the last 2 miles of the event the strong riders of the “A” category scratch group made contact with the main bunch ensuring that with the exception of the “F” category every age group was represented in the top ten of the race results including three A category riders, demonstrating the handicapping was as good as it can be and that the right man on the day won the championship.

Results
1 Alan Kemp E 1.59.50
2 Tony Woodcock G @0.15
3 Richard Coleman D @0.25
4 Martin Russell D @1.00
5 John French D st
6 Nick Yarworth C @1.15
7 Jason Gurney A @1.27
8 Edward Cox A st
9 Connor O’Brian A st
10 Andy Whitehead B @1.10
11 Richard Shimmell A st
12 Dave Woods E st
13 Simon Canning A st
14 Andy Webb C st
15 Paul Mann C @1.25
16 Jeremy Honor A st
17 Matt Purshouse B @1.30
18 Mike Twelves B st
19 Ian Foster A @1.41
20 Scott Mcardle D @3.43
21 Andy Jones D st
22 Mick Ives G @5.31
23 Martin Hackley E @5.49
24 Joey Williams D st
25 Andrew Simpkins D @5.51
26 Ken Haddon G @9.0
27 Dave Rutherford F @st
28 Mike Wilson E @9.06
29 Ken Bradbury E @9.10
30 Pete Busby C @11.16
31 Joe Rowe E @12.20
32 Willi Moore F @13.10
33 Richard Golding A @14.13
34 Paul Simpson B @15.00
35 Stuart Sargent B @16.20
36 Russell Perry C @20.40
37 Anthony Griffiths B @21.16
38 Andrew McCarthy C @21.40

 

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