Jules Birks (VC Londres) & Nathan Fletcher winners at week two of the George Samuel Memorial Hove Park Crits
![]() |
Cat 2/3 Race
The second race in the series saw the weather hold back on its promise of a balmy summer evening but thankfully the rain stayed away and the wind was off elsewhere troubling the kite-surfers at Hove Beach. This evening saw the riders tackle the circuit clockwise giving them the challenge of a tight right hand bend and a longer drag up to the finish….which was going be lactic city!
All the names in the running for the series title were present and correct (apart from Paul Flynn) and right from the gun it was clear there was going to be no quarter given. Paul Butler (InGear) attacked early on getting some distance on an animated bunch and was shortly joined by James Solly (VC Londres). This positioned them perfectly for the first prime of the night which was taken by Solly followed by Butler with Philip Glowinski (VC Londres) holding off a stirring bunch for third spot. A brief flurry of attempted escapes came to nought and it was soon gruppo compacto with riders at the back starting to wish the organisers had left out the long finishing drag that evening!
Series contender Mike Coyle (Brighton Mitre) decided to state his intentions to claim the 2013 title and launched an attack which lit the blue touch paper. He was joined by five others who immediately saw the danger and this started to look like the race winning move.
The break – consisting of Coyle, Jules Birks (VC Londres), Dan Gardner (ASL 360), Stuart Bettis (Southdowns Bikes), Phillip Glowinski (VC Londres), Rob Pelham (Lewes Wanderers) – settled down into a rhythm and set about building a serious gap.
Prime 3 saw the points taken by Birks, Bettis and Glowinski whilst a tiring bunch couldn’t close the gap to the escapees. Coyle once again launched a blistering attack to fragment the break which resulted in only Birks and Gardner being able to stay with him. Bettis and Glowinski found themselves in no man’s land but carried on working determined to stay ahead of the bunch which had decided that as there minor points up for grabs it was time to do some work.
With 5 minutes left on the clock the break lapped what was left of the bunch and pulled away. The winner was going to come from this group of three with the rest of the placings to be fought over by Bettis, Glowinski and the remains of the field.
A last-ditch attack by Coyle on the penultimate lap couldn’t shake off his two companions and the final lap saw the three leaders sprint up the finishing straight just as the bunch were winding up their final surge. Out of the spread of riders firing up the last 200 meters it was Jules Birks (VC Londres) who emerged victorious with Dan Gardner (ASL 360) and Mike Coyle (Brighton Mitre) rounding off the podium.
With Birks recording his second consecutive victory in the series he is emerging as the clear favourite to take the title…but Glowinski and Coyle cannot be ruled out yet. The third race in the series promises to be a thrilling instalment!
Race 2 – Cat 2/3 Results
1. Jules Birks (VC Londres)
2. Dan Gardener (ASL 360)
3. Michael Coyle (Brighton Mitre)
4. Philip Glowinski (VC Londres)
5. Stuart Bettis (Southdowns Bikes)
6. Barney Willard (Ingear)
7. Iain Cook (VC Londres)
8. Mark Poland (Ingear)
9. Jack Evans (Brighton Mitre)
10. Paul Barnard (Southdowns Bikes)
11. Patrick Martin (Wyndymilla)
12. Oli Pepper (Morvelo CC)
13. James Solly (VC Londres)
14. Matthew Butt (ASL 360)
15. Josh Ibbett (Juicelubes Racing)
16. Rob Pelham (Lewes Wanderers)
17. Joe Hyatt (Brighton Mitre)
18. Sam Cheesman (ASL 360)
DNF. Paul Butler (Ingear)
DNF. John Powel (ASL 360)
2013 George Samuel Memorial Hove Park Overall Points Standings (After Race 2)
1. Jules Birks (VC Londres)………….50pts
2. Philip Glowinski (VC Londres)…..30pts
3. Michael Coyle (Brighton Mitre)…..27pts
4. Dan Gardener (ASL 360)………….20pts
5. Stuart Bettis (Southdowns Bikes)…15pts
6. Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre)………14pts
7. Georgios Crouch (VC Meudon)……14pts
8. Patrick Martin (Wyndymilla)………6pts
9. James Solly (VC Londres)…………..6pts
10. James Solly (VC Londres)…………..6pts
11. Barney Willard (Ingear)…………….5pts
12. Iain Cook(VC Londres)…….………..4pts
13. Paul Butler (Ingear)………………….4pts
14. Jack Evans (Brigthon Mitre)………..3pts
15. Mark Westrun (Strada-Sport)……….2pts
16. Roger Smith (Southdowns Bikes) ……1pt
17. Paul Barnard (Southdowns Bikes)…..1pt
Cat 4 Race
The second Cat 4 race in the George Samuel Memorial Crits series saw a good sized field take to the start line in readiness to do battle. The bunch seemed to be sizing each other up and settled into a steady pace which kept them together for the first part of the race.
No-one seemed prepared to poke their nose out of the safety of the bunch until Michael Vance (Dulwich Paragon) decided it was time to make his move. The move was short lived but at least galvanised the bunch into action and the pace went up noticeably. A combination of over-cooking the bottom corner and a tire rolling off saw Nick Smith (Lewes Wanderers) retire from the race and the spill resulted in splits in the bunch with some riders never regaining contact with the front group.
At just over halfway a definite group of ten riders went clear and the rest of the riders were fighting just to stay together. It was shaping up to be sprint from a small group and all the placings were going to come from this leading bunch.
A ferocious final surge up the drag to the chequered flag saw Nathan Fletcher (ASL360) take the win with Michael Vance (Dulwich Paragon) second and Alex Stephenson (Brighton Mitre) third.
Race 2 – Cat 4 Results
1. Nathan Fletcher (ASL 360)
2. Michael Vance (Dulwich Paragon)
3. Alex Stephenson (Brighton Mitre)
4. Martin Edmonds (Brighton Mitre)
5. Barney Kennard (Sussex Nomads)
6. James Danvers (Brighton Mitre)
7. Jed Williamson (Private)
8. Carl Adams (Aylesbury)
9. Ross Stringer (Sussex Nomads)
10. David Harries (Eastbourne Rovers)
11. James McCoy (Private)
12. Matthew Leary (In-Gear)
13. John Beattie (Sussex Nomads)
14. Mark Gibbons (Eastbourne Rovers)
15. Alan Newman (Brighton Mitre)
16. Paul Horta-Hopkins (Handsling Racing)
17. Alex Bayfus (Sussex Nomads)
18. Daniel Fagg (Brighton Mitre)
19. Nick Smith (Lewes Wanderers) DNF
20. Simon Dowling (Brighton Mitre) DNF
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Sussex Cycle Racing League Circuits 1/14
- Result: Hillingdon Slipstreamers Spring Series Event 1
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #15
- RESULT: 2nd Portsdown Classic
- Track Result – Manchester Regional Track League
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #14
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Zack Lowe (Prologue Race Team)
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series Rd 1
- Crit Result: Chilly City Crits Rd 2
- CX Result: London/South East CX League 10
- Track Result: 2025 Manchester Regional Track League
- Another World Title for Zoe Backstedt
- TRAGIC NEWS: Aidan Loses His Life in Training Accident
- Tom Pidcock wins the AlUla Tour
- Q&A with Elliot Fraser (360cycling)
- GB Team Win World Title at CX Worlds
- Second stage win for Tom Pidcock in AlUla Tour
- 2025 West Midlands road race league
- NEWS: Ribble Cycles Bike Sponsor for Smurfit Westrock Team
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with young talent Mark Ketteringham
- Startlist: RCR Portsdown Classic Road Race (February 9)
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #13
- Crit Result: Chilly City Crits Rd 1
- CX Result: Linlithgow Cross 2025
- QUIZ TIME!! REBECCA WOODVINE
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 9
- CX Results: Eastern Region CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex Cyclocross League Round 12
- QUIZ TIME! Q&A with Oscar Nisbett
- CX Result: NWCCA League Round 11
- Track Result: Manchester Regional Track League
- QUIZ TIME: Britain’s Joe Turnbull
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series #12
- QUIZ TIME! Dan Kemp (Prologue Junior Race Team)
- CX Result: Jersey Cyclocross League Jan 19
- CX Result: Army Cyclocross Champs 2025
- CX Result: Leicestershire Cyclocross League Rd 6
Other News on VeloUK
- News: John Barclay Academy Launch
- NEWS: 2025 ELITE DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
- Another World Title for Zoe Backstedt
- TRAGIC NEWS: Aidan Loses His Life in Training Accident
- Tom Pidcock wins the AlUla Tour
- 2025 West Midlands road race league
- NEWS: Ribble Cycles Bike Sponsor for Smurfit Westrock Team
- Startlist: RCR Portsdown Classic Road Race (February 9)
- CYCLOCROSS: 2025-26 LLOYDS NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES CALENDAR
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 2
- 2025 British CycloCross Championships Day 1
- TEAM NEWS: RAPTOR FACTORY RACING
- STARTLIST: 2025 British Cyclocross Championships
- Q&A: Louis Herring (Prologue Junior Race Team)
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS RIDER LIST
- NEXT WEEK: BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS – CYCLOPARK
- 2025 EVENTS: RTTC 10 mile TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
- THIS WEEKEND: NATIONAL TROPHY SERIES 2024/25 ROUND 5
- BMCR Newsletter January 2025
- TEAM NEWS: BCC Race Team 2025 Squad Announcement
- TEAM NEWS: 2025 Handsling Alba Development Road Team
- Q&A with Paul Opie & Tom Mead
- Team News: New Junior team for West Lothian Clarion
- 2025 Events: Plymouth Corinthian
- News: Junior/Youth National Series 2025
- Startlist: Round 4 National Trophy Cyclocross (Dec 7/8)
- ELITE ROAD AND CIRCUIT RACES CALENDAR
- Sad News: No Saint Piran team for 2025
- News: The Pedal Club Lunch (November)
- Team Update: Brother UK / Onform 2025
- 2025 NATIONAL TRACK CALENDAR ANNOUNCED
- CHS CICLISMO – Complimentary daily massage and spa!
- Team News: Fensham Howes – MAS Design 2025
- National Trophy Cyclocross: Round 3 (Torbay)
- Tofauti Everyone Active announces new partners and new name for 2025
- Rider News: Matt Thompson signs for French Team BMC Bezier
- News: Youth Tour of Scotland 2025
- FEATURE: Billy Ladle’s Stellar Season Recognised at British Cycling Awards
- 2025 Prologue Junior Race Team
- STARTLIST: BUCS Hill Climb Championships