Charles Walker charged clear to take victory in a wet round eight of the South Staffordshire & Shropshire Road Race League.
![]() |
Charles Walker charged clear to take victory in a wet round eight of the South Staffordshire & Shropshire Road Race League.
Pictures: David Perry Words: Ben Goddard
Charles Walker (Catford CC Equipe/Banks) charged clear to take victory in a wet round eight of the South Staffordshire & Shropshire Road Race League. The 19-year-old, from Stourbridge timed his effort to perfection catching two breakaway leaders with a hundred metres remaining and powering to victory.
It was Kirk Vickers, from Wem, who had launched an early bid for home joined by Josh Yates (Mammoth Lifestyle). The pairing nearly made it to the finish only to be caught by a charging Walker metres before the finish line. However, Vickers held on for second and moved up to third overall above Rhino Velo team-mate Chris Pook.
“It was grim tonight but the scratch handicap group worked quite well and we caught the other groups quite quickly,” said Vickers. “I saw an opportunity to go solo and I saw Josh (Yates) was about to jump across so I waited for him and we pulled out a gap. Coming into the last junction we were still pushing it but were about to be caught so we were forced to open the sprint early.
“The second place moved me up to the top three overall, I have been consistently in the top four this series and it’s all about consistency. I think the yellow jersey is already out of reach but you never know what might happen with the round at Sundourne approaching which is my home circuit, so I will hopefully do well there.”
“Outside the league I have been riding some pretty big races this season but suffered a crash in the Shrewsbury Grand Prix which knocked me back a bit and I’m just getting back into form from that.”
Despite wet and cold conditions 54 riders took to the start in Penkridge to complete five laps of a rolling circuit which included a main road climb making a total distance of 33 miles. The first group away in the handicap format had an eight minutes advantage over the last group to start but due to the conditions and the speed of the chasers the race was together on the penultimate lap.
Overall leader Ben Joughin (Pro Vision Racing) sprinted home in sixth position to retain his overall leader but saw his advantage shrink slightly as second place and leading veteran Matthew Morris (Wolverhampton Whls) finished a place ahead of him. Fastest junior Alfie Mortimer (Mid Shropshire Whls) showed his consistency with a 10th place finish.
Steph Clayton (Mammoth Lifestyle) was again fastest woman finishing in 33rd.
Results
1 Charles Walker (Catford CC Equipe/Banks)
2 Kirk Vickers (Rhino Velo RT)
3 Josh Yates (Mammoth Lifestyle RT)
4 Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo RT)
5 Matthew Morris (Wolverhampton Whls)
6 Ben Joughin (Pro Vision Racing)
7 Will Manfield-York (Wolverhampton Whls)
8 Nick Morris (Clee Cycles)
9 Will Corden (Mammoth Lifestyle RT)
10 Alfie Mortimer (Mid Shropshire Whls)
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Result: British Men’s RR Championship
- Result: British Women’s RR Championship
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Mens Otley Grand Prix
- Result: Santini Women’s Otley Grand Prix
- News: Shimano 105 Di2 Ribble Range
- Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday 12
- Result: West Thames League 14
- Result: Tameside Tuesday League 10
- Result: Lotus Cars Cycle Race League 9
- Result: Brooks Cycles Track League
- Result: Hove Park Crits 2
- Result: Port Talbot Wheelers TTT
- Result: Warrington RC TTT
- Result: Severn RC 10m TT
- Result: Salford CC 25m TT
- Result: ECCA 10m TT
- Result: Utag RT 10m TT
- Result: LRRA 10m Time Trial
- Result: VC Glasgow South 10m TT
- Result: Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 5
- Result: Kent Valley RC 10m TT
- Result: Sussex CA 50m TT
- Result: Thanet RC 25m TT
- Result: Colchester Rovers CC 47m TT
- Result: Kent Valley RC 25m TT
- Result: Oxonian CC 25m TT
- Result: Houghton CC 25m TT
- Result: Giant Helston 25m TT
- Result: King and Queen of the Bowl 4
- Result: Santini Bovingdon Bomber Summer Series
- Result: Castle Combe Summer Series 7
- Result: L’Etape de la Defonce 2-day
- Result: Omega Circuits
- Result: Scottish National Youth Circuit Series 3
- Result: Salty Summer crit series 2
- Result: North West Youth Circuit Championships
- Result: North West Youth League 5
- Result: Ryan’s Bike Surgery 12.2m TT
- Result: East London Velo Womans’ Roxwell Rouleur
- Result: Gillingham Wheelers Summer RR
- Result: RTTC 50 mile TT Champs
- Report/Result: BikeStow 3-Day
Other News on VeloUK
- News: Shimano 105 Di2 Ribble Range
- News: Ben Healy wins Irish national time trial
- Events: Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix is back!
- News: Pedal Club Lunch, June ‘22
- Latest Podcast: Brother Cycling UK
- Commonwealth Games: UK Islands
- Commonwealth Games: Wales
- News: British Championships on TV
- Commonwealth Games: Team England
- Startlist: Stockton Grand Prix Women
- Preview: 2022 Cicle Classic Day 2
- News: Mildenhall Cycling Mini-Fest
- News: Scottish CX Champs for Dundee
- Events: Bath CC Women’s Road Race
- Startlist: 2022 CiCLE Classic (Women)
- Startlist Stockton Grand Prix Men
- Startlist: Junior Men’s CiCLE Classic
- Riders: British Road Championships
- 2022 Women’s Tour
- Next Week: Women’s Tour
- New Shoes Anyone?
- News: Sammie Stuart goes UCI!
- News: Brother UK Sponsors Biggest UK Races
- Scottish Team for Commonwealth Games
- Events: BikeStow Three-Day
- Startlists: Junior Road Championships 2022
- Feature: The Pedal Club Lunch May
- Barnsley Road Club Races This Sunday
- Sunday: Proper Northern Road Race Series 2
- This weekend: 48th Totnes Vire Two Day
- 2022 British Road Championships Venues
- TOUR SERIES: Round 3 (Sunderland) (Men)
- Startlist: Tour Series Round 1 Guisborough
- 2022 Tour Series Rider Squads Revealed
- News: Simon Yates to Vuelta a Asturias
- Events: Shrewsbury Sports Village
- News: 2022 Women’s CiCLE Classic Saved!
- Startlists: 2022 Rapha Lincoln GP
- Startlist: Oakenclough RR
- News: ŠKODA DSI Cycling Academy