Legends from a bygone era of cycle racing, Geoff Wiles & Bob Downs, winners at the ‘Over the Hill’ Criteriums at Redbridge on Sunday
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Thanks to Fred Little, Organiser & Events Coordinator LVRC London & Southeast
The Southend Wheelers ‘Over the Hill’ Criteriums Plus held at the Redbridge Cycling Centre on Sunday 18 August attracted 46 riders in two age related races.
The race for Categories ABC&D (40-59yrs) had thirty one riders on the start line and was held over one hour based mainly on the lower circuit plus five laps but including three laps of the full circuit with the finish at the top of the hill.
After the first thirty five minutes which included a full lap with a prime at the top of the hill, taken by Carlito Rendora (Eagle), the race was still together despite various attempts by small groups to get clear of the bunch.
On the second full lap after forty five minutes of racing Bob Downs (Condor) took the prime and established a small lead. He was soon joined by Phil Holloway (Southend), Hugh Vivian (Finsbury Park), David Farrow and Damien Foy (Both Eagle) and the group pulled away from the rest of the field and within four laps had gained a lead of forty seconds.
Then on the penultimate full lap Bob Downs and Phil Holloway got clear from the remainder of the group and continued on to the finish together with ‘D’ Category Bob Downs outsprinting ‘B’ Category Phil Holloway to take the honours. Damien Foy won the sprint for third place from Martin Meades, David Farrow, Hugh Vivian and Toks Adesanya (Addiscombe) who had joined them from the main bunch after chasing for six laps.
Overall Result Categories ABC&D
1st Bob Downs Condor Team D
2nd Phil Holloway Southend Wheelers B
3rd Damien Foy Eagle R.C. B
4th Martin Meades Ciclos Uno B
5th David Farrow Eagle R.C. B
6th Hugh Vivian Finsbury Park C.C. B
7th Toks Adesanya Addiscombe C.C. B
8th Michael Batsford Glendene C.C. A
9th Martin Elms Team Rapha Condor D
10th Trevor Whittock Lea Valley C.C. C
11th Steve Wharton Finchley R.T. D
12th Julian Cunnington Team Rapha Condor C
13th Tony Wilkins Wolsey R.C. D
14th Colin Jinks LVRC Private C
15th Tony Meader Eagle R.C. C
16th Andy Hill LVRC Private C
17th Savash Anibal LVRC Private B
18th Steve Smith Redbridge C.C. D
19th Carlito Rendora Eagle R.C. B
20th Chris Edwards 4T+ Velo Club D
21st Russ Jones C.C. Hackney A
22nd Craig Stevens Ciclos Uno C
23rd Kevin Barker Ciclos Uno A
24th Paul Reardon API Metro D
25th Ken Baker Colchester Rovers D
26th Owen Wilkins London Phoenix B
Primes: Carlito Rendora, Bob Downs
Category ‘A’ Category ‘B’
1st Michael Batsford 1st Phil Holloway
2nd Russ Jones 2nd Damien Foy
3rd Kevin Barker 3rd Martin Meades
Category ‘C’ Category ‘D’
1st Trevor Whittock 1st Bob Downs
2nd Julian Cunnington 2nd Martin Elms
3rd Colin Jinks 3rd Steve Wharton
Category E/F/G/H
Fifteen riders started the race for categories EFGH (60yrs+) held over one hour plus five laps on the lower circuit including two laps of the full circuit and the finish at the top of the hill.
For the first 20 minutes the riders were all together but after the first accent of the hill five riders broke clear including Dick Naylor (Abellio) who took the prime, his teammate Geoff Wiles, Richard Fraczek (Essex Roads), Pete Constable (Velo Schils) and Ollie MacPherson (Planet Velo).
They were soon joined by Chris Gunter (Virgin) and the six then went on to create a thirty second lead over the remainder of the field. After forty minutes and on the second time up the hill with Dick Naylor again taking the prime the two Abellio SFA riders Naylor and Wiles broke clear from the group of and powered on for the final twenty minutes on the lower circuit and the final climb to the finish .
Geoff Wiles outsprinted his teammate Dick Naylor to take the honours and in the chasing group of four Richard Fraczek won the sprint from Pete Constable, Ollie MacPherson and Chris Gunter. ‘Lanterne Rouge’ and now riding as an official Category ‘I’ was eighty four year old Roy Godbeer.
Overall Result Categories EFGH & I (60yrs+)
1st Geoff Wiles Abellio S.F.A F
2nd Dick Naylor Abellio S.F.A. F
3rd Richard Fraczek Essex Roads C.C. E
4th Pete Constable Velo Schils-Interbike E
5th Oliver MacPherson Planet Velo E
6th Chris Gunter Virgin Active E
7th Steve May LVRC Private E
8th Ken Beecham V.C.Elan F
9th Hugh Williams Ciclos Uno O.O.C.
10th Jacques Groen E.A.C.C. E
11th Brian Dacey De Launce C.C. H
12th Dave Smith G.S.Avanti F
13th Dave Whybrow Southend Wheelers G
14th Chas Wilde Eagle R.C. H
15th Roy Godbeer Southend Wheelers I
Primes: Dick Naylor (2)
Category ‘E’ Category ‘F’
1st Richard Fraczek 1st Geoff Wiles
2nd Pete Constable 2nd Dick Naylor
3rd Oliver MacPherson 3rd Ken Beecham
Category ‘G’ Category ‘H’
1st Dave Whybrow 1st Brian Dacey
2nd Chas Wilde
Category ‘I’
1st Roy Godbeer
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