Report/Result: Neil Gardner Memorial Road Race

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Mark Baines wins the Neil Gardner Memorial Road Race (Nat B) at Cranfield, Bedfordshire on Sunday

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Yet again fine weather greeted the riders of this year’s Neil Gardner Memorial RR promoted by CC Luton, with a quality field taking in eight laps of the 10.2 mile Astwood/North Crawley circuit and then being brought across the Cranfield University to a smaller finishing circuit where they would complete another 4 laps before getting the bell to a total distance of 94 miles it was always going to produce a worthy winner.

 

After a slight delay in the opening laps when sadly a horse strayed onto the course and caused last year’s winner Dave Creeggan –Pedal Heaven RT to have to abandon with mechanical trouble, the race soon got back up to speed with several groups trying to break clear but another gaining more than 30-40 seconds. As the race approached the closing stages on the bigger circuit cracks had started to appear in the bunch with riders really starting to feel the strain of the high pace and distance of the race.

As the race made its way onto the finishing circuit and group of 20+ riders had formed at the front that included riders from Team IG Sigma, Madison Genesis, CC Luton, Spin Rotor Primal RT, Felt, Colbournes-Hargroves RT, PMR@Toachim House, Corleys, Twenty3C, Rapha Condor JTL, Spirit Bikes Racing Team to name but a few.

After several attacks but nothing managing to stick, Mark Baines from Spirit Bikes Racing Team made his bid for glory by attacking just before the bell with just under 4 miles to go. Proving too strong to follow he quickly gained 20 seconds and in the process caught some the lap riders from what was left of bunch and soloed in to take a fine win and take the £200 1st prize.

The last two podium spots were taken by Tom Neale Spalding CC 2nd place and Mike Debney London Dynamo 3rd place (who in also picked up the prize for best 2nd cat kindly donated by Pedal Works of Dunstable) by holding off the fast sprinting bunch.

Thanks to Mike Jackson …

Result
1 Mark Baines Spirit Bikes Racing Team
2 Tom Neale Spalding CC
3 Mike Debney London Dynamo
4 James Stewart Kuota – Spinergy – GSG
5 Perry Bowater MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling
6 Owen Lake Twenty3c.co.uk-Focus
7 Dominic Jelfs Madison Genesis
8 Antoine Gaudillat Spin Rotor Primal C-Originals RT
9 Harry Godding PMR@Toachim House
10 Francis Cade Pedal Heaven RT
11 Jack Kirk Velo Sport Hyerois
12 Douglas Coleman CC Luton
13 Chris Snook Madison Genesis
14 Luke Ryan Twenty3c.co.uk-Focus
15 Robert Moore London Phoenix CC
16 Andrew Hastings Finchley Racing Team
17 Edward Clemens Spirit Bikes Racing Team
18 Elliott Porter Rapha Condor JLT
19 Mark Perry Dirtwheels Cycles
20 Will Stephenson Rapha Condor JLT

 

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