It may have been another grey night at Palmer Park Velodrome, but the riders lit up the track with some close, hard racing.
![]() |
By Guy Swarbrick
The opening Hare & Hounds saw the Senior A riders chasing down the Senior Bs and, in their determination to stay away, Tom Sefton of Palmer Park Velo, Josh Mitchell of Bicester Millennium, Sean Gorvy of GS Henley and Stuart Stow of Hounslow and District Wheelers dropped the rest of the lead group.
With Nick English and Max Stedman of AW Cycles and Stephen Bradbury of PCT Tomacc, in particular, driving the chase on, it was inevitable that the catch would be made, but the B riders weren’t finished and, while English rode away to take the win, Sefton held on to take second with Mitchell third and Stow fourth.
In the main event of the evening, the Senior B Derny paced races there were some very close races in the heats with the Dernies still two abreast on the home straight in the last lap. Emily Mellor of VO2 Development team took the Ladies race and favourites Sefton and Mitchell both qualified for the Final.
It was Mitchell – paced by Matt Gittings – and Matt Lansley – behind Keith Wilmott – who made the early running and when Sefton had to stop for a puncture it looked as though his race was over. He rejoined within his 3 lap allowance, though, and began a charge through the field.
By the time he reached the front of the race, Lansley had faded and the race was between Sefton and Mitchell. Mitchell was ahead – just – at the bell but Sefton and pacer Chris Macleod had judged it perfectly and the Palmer Park Velo rider swept past onto the home straight to take the win from Mitchell with Stow taking third place.
English took a relatively comfortable win in the Senior A points race, taking the first to sprints and holding his nerve. Bradbury and Nick Abraham took second and third place, tied on 6 points.
Joe Crolla of AW Cycles took Senior A honours in the Unknown Distance with a well-judged ride, Hugh Knudsen taking the Senior B win with Emily Mellor winning the Ladies race.
Which left only the AW Cycles 20k Endurance event which was dominated by English and Gittings who broke away and appeared to be in control at the head of a fragmented race. A group of half a dozen riders – including run away Endurance series leader Abraham – stuck at their task, though and the finish came down, as it so often does, to a last lap dash.
It was Gittings who was clear at the line with Abraham taking second to consolidate his series lead ahead of Rob King. Matt Lansley took Senior B honours with Mark Shepherd of Banjo Cycles second and Knudesn third. Sam Harding of Palmer Park Velo was the first of the Under 16 riders, ahead of team mate Joseph Linehan.
Reading Track League – Round 5 – 20 May 2013
Senior A & B
Hare & Hounds
1 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles
2 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
3 Josh MITCHELL Bicester Millennium
Senior A
Points Race
1 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles 10 points
2 Stephen BRADBURY PCT Tomacc 6
3 Nick ABRAHAM BC Private Member 6
Unknown Distance
1 Joe CROLLA AW Cycles
2 Donal LINEHAN Newbury RC
3 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
2 Nick ABRAHAM BC Private Member
3 Rob KING BC Private Member
Senior B
Derny Paced Race
1 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
2 Josh MITCHELL Bicester Millennium
3 Stuart STOW Hounslow & District Wheelers
Unknown Distance
1 Hugh KNUDSEN BC Private Member
2 Nick CAMMELL GS Henley
3 Jun AISHIMA BC Private Member
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Matt LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
2 Mark SHEPHERD Banjo Cycles
3 Hugh KNUDSEN BC Private Member
Ladies
Derny Paced Race
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development Team
Unknown Distance
1 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development Team
Under 16
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Sam HARDING Palmer Park Velo
2 Joseph LINEHAN Palmer Park Velo
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Results: Rhyl CC Junior/Youth Circuit Races
- Crit Result: Evesham Velo Park Winter Races
- CX Result: NWCCA Season Finale
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (Velopark) 14
- Crit Results: LVYCC Winter Races 2
- Track Result: First Division Manchester Track League
- Crit Result: Velo29 Winter Series #4
- Crit Result: Abingdon Race Team Winter Series 1
- CX Result: Western CX #11 (ShamCross)
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League 12
- Q&A with young organiser James Hawkins
- Q&A: Erin Murphy (Alba Dev Road Team)
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series 4
- Crit Result: Odd Down Winter Series 3
- Crit Result: Velo29 Winter Series 3
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League #4
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (LVVP #13)
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Crit Result: Full Gas Winter Series (Hillingdon #6)
- CX Result: NWCCA CX League Round 9
- CX Result: London/SE CX League Rd 10
- CX Result: Wessex CX League Rd 13
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League 11
- CX Result: East Kent CX League 5
- British Track Championships: Day 3 Report
- Track Results: British Track Championhip Results (para)
- Track Results: British Track Championship Results (M)
- Track Result: British Track Championships Results (W)
- British Track Championships: Day 2 Report
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- Team Feature: Sam Watson’s Journey to WorldTour
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- Track Result: Premier Division Manchester Track League
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
Other News on VeloUK
- Q&A with young organiser James Hawkins
- Q&A: Erin Murphy (Alba Dev Road Team)
- Team Feature: Hutchinson/Brother UK
- Events: Spring MK Bowl Circuit Series
- Events: RCR Fatcreations Road Race
- Team News: DAS Handsling Women’s UCI Team
- News: GB for European Track Championships
- Q&A: Sophie Lankford (Alba Team)
- News: Rayner Foundation’s Gateway Project
- News: Star Names Sign up for Saint Piran 05/03 Team
- News: 58th Perfs Pedal RR
- News: GB Team for CX Worlds
- Team News: MAS Design – Fensham Howes Junior Team
- EVENTS: The Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield
- TEAM NEWS: Kalas Motip Race Team for 2023
- Team News: Rotor UK Sponsor Team AT85
- Q&A: Vicky Smith (Alba Development Road Team)
- British Track Championships Jan 26-29
- Event News: Midlands handicap league returns in 2023
- News: Alba DRT Riders Inspired to Step Up
- Race Dates: Track Events 2023
- News: Santini Cycling UK
- News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT Report
- Events: Velo Club St Raphael Time Trial
- Startlist: British Cyclocross Championships 2023
- BRITISH CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023
- News: Brother UK Continues to Sponsor Cycling
- Dave Rayner Fund Supported Riders
- Event news: British Team Cup
- National Trophy: Final Round, Cyclopark
- News: Pedal Club December Lunch Report
- Team News: Velo Bavarian Race Team 2023
- 2023 British teams – Richardson’s Trek
- Team News: 26th Year for Arctic-Aircon RT
- Event News: British Masters RR Champs
- News: West Midlands RR Calendar
- Team News: New cycling team in Central Region
- News: UCI World Masters Track Championships
- 2023: National Under 23, Youth & Junior Road Series
- National Trophy Cyclocross Round 5: Startlist