Report: Halesowen A & CC Road Race

Former Halesowen rider Ben Healy scored an impressive solo victory in the Halesowen A & CC road race on the tough Astley circuit near Stourport on Sunday.

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Report: Halesowen A & CC Road Race

Former Halesowen rider Ben Healy scored an impressive solo victory in the Halesowen A & CC road race on the tough Astley circuit near Stourport on Sunday. Healy powered away from an eight-man lead group on the final lap to finish a minute and eight seconds ahead of Theo Hartley of Identity Racing.

The eight leaders came together over the climb up to Astley on the second of the five laps in the 113-kilometre race, with junior Healy – who began his racing career at Halesowen but now rides for the Oxford based Zappi junior team – joined by two other under-18s in Hartley and Ross on Wye rider Josh Sandman, and four others including local rider Joe Charley from Stourbridge CC who eventually took third.

In spite of the fact that last year’s West Midland league champions Rhino Racing of Shrewsbury did not have a representative in the lead group, no sustained chase came from the pack and the group’s lead hovered around a minute, looking increasingly promising as the race unfolded.

On the final lap a group of six evaded the peloton to finish the race on the heels of the seven riders pursuing Healy, with the sprint for ninth place taken by Matthew Higgins of Mammoth Lifestyle, and the remains of the peloton a further minute behind. Afterwards, the prizes were presented by the former world pursuit champion Hugh Porter.

The promoting club were unlucky to suffer two punctures in their six-man team, with the in-form Nick Clayton’s race ending on the second lap, but Halesowen rider Matt Clarke made a successful comeback after two years out with a knee injury, featuring in the last-lap chase to take 13th place.

RESULT

1 Ben Healy, Zappi Racing Team 113km in 2-35-54;
2, Theo Hartley, Identity Racing, at 1min 8;
3, Joe Charley, Stourbridge CC, at 1min 9;
4, Tom Lowe;
5, John Lucock, West Mids Police;
6, Josh Sandman, Ely RC;
7, Gareth McGuinness, Club Beicio Egni;
8, Danny Smith, Mammoth all st;
9, Matthew Higgins, Mammoth at 1min 23;
10, Matt Lewis, Wolverhampton Wh;
11, Anthony Richardson, RAF;
12, Chris Pook, Rhino;
13, Matt Clarke, Halesowen all st;
14, Jason Meyer, Stourbridge Velo at 1-34;
15, David Griffiths, Mammoth at 2-19.

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