Early Season Classics: 32nd Jock Wadley Memorial RR

NFTO’s Dean Downing and Joshua Hunt lead the entries so far for the Jock Wadley Memorial, an early season classic on Sunday 9th March (10am)

Won last year by NFTO’s Hugh Wilson, who is yet to enter, the entry list so far is headed by Wilson’s teammates Dean Downing and Joshua Hunt from the very much strengthened NFTO Pro Cycling team. The closing date for the event is February 16.

With the event being so popular over the years with as many as 120 riders entering, the organiser Malcolm Hargreaves of the Colchester Rovers CC, did try and get an increase in the size of the peloton to 90 riders but was turned down.

Other entries in so far include those from the Pedal Heaven/Colbornes and Felt/Colbornes/Hargroves teams along with Team Corley and ones and twos from smaller sponsored outfits. The majority of riders entered so far are elites and firsts.

After last year’s diabolical weather, Malcolm says he wouldn’t be surprised if entries are down but then perhaps the lure of joining a very illustrious list of former winners will prove to strong.

The course is the usual seven mile (12 laps) reservoir circuit which Tony Asplin (former king of neutralised service!) originated some years before Malcolm took over in 2001. Last year’s sponsor “Boyer Planning” has stuck with the event so that a prize list starting with Â£125.00 for the winner goes down to 20th place.

The race has three NEG riders booked and the organisers are hoping will have accredited marshalls which will allow the NEG to sit closer to the peloton and protect them from other traffic. The race is memory of John (Jock) Wadley (1914 â€“ March 1981) who was an English journalist who began cycling with the promoting club Colchester Rovers cycling club when he was 14 and went on to become the club president.

Wadley covered 18 Tours de France from 1956 and wrote for many cycling magazines as well as writing books and after he died in 1981, his ashes were scattered over the Col du Glandon which was on the route of the Tour de France that year. Read more about him here:

Event organiser: Malcolm Hargreaves, 84 Godmans Lane, Marks Tey, Colchester, Essex, CO6 1XA, 0120 621 2181. Cheques payable to: M Hargreaves (Â£19.00)

Headquarters: Alderman Blaxhill School, Paxman Avenue, Colchester, Essex, CO2 9DQ
National B (136km/85m)

Online Entry:

FORMER WINNERS
1982 Mike Ford
1983 Steve Lawrence
1984 Alaric Gayfer
1985 Tim Stevens
1986 Neil Miller
1987 Tim Stevens
1988 Ben Luckwell
1989 Peter Longbottom
1990 Alan Gornall
1991 Matthew Illingworth
1992 Matthew Illingworth
1993 Glen Holmes
1994 Gary Baker
1995 Andy Lyons
1996 Julian Ramsbottom
1997 Brian Fleming
1998 Joy Bayfield
1999 Andy Lyons
2000 Andy Proffitt
2002 Gordon Mccauley
2003 Colin Roshier
2004 Hugh Pritchard
2005 Tony Gibb
2006 Malcolm Elliott
2007 Richard Prebble
2008 Luke Rowe
2009 James Millard
2010 Jon Tiernan-Locke
2011 Marcel Bialoblocki
2012 George Atkins
2013 Hugh Wilson