South Staffordshire and Shropshire Road Race League

Matthew Garthwaite  took back the leader’s yellow jersey he lost last week with a fine victory in round four of the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Road Race League.

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South Staffordshire and Shropshire Road Race League

PICTURE by David Perry | WORDS by Ben Goddard

Above: Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team) celebrates his second victory of the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Road Race League

Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team) took back the leader’s yellow jersey he lost last week with a fine victory in round four of the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Road Race League. Garthwaite, from Newport, Shropshire, also won the second round two weeks earlier and the fast nature of the Penkridge route suited him once again.

He joined team-mate and overall leader going into the race Kirk Vickers in the last of the four handicapped groups starting seven and a half minutes behind the first group. The race organised by Walsall RCC saw riders completed five laps of the course totalling 33 miles near Cannock Chase- which included a long but fast uphill drag section and a flat finish.

 

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With just under 10 miles remaining the four groups came together on the uphill section and with the race splintering last year’s overall winner Ben Joughin (Pro Vision Race Team) made his bid for glory. On the fast descent down from the climb Garthwaite road across to his rival to form a two-man breakaway at the front. Over the final lap the pairing built up a winning margin of just under 30 seconds as their rivals could only watch them ride away.

At the finish it was Garthwaite who used his strength to ride clear for victory with Joughin settling for second. He took the overall leader’s jersey off team-mate Kirk Vickers who finished 7th, with both having won two rounds each. Veteran rider Jason Meyer, from Bridgnorth, used his experience to escape from the bunch and held on for third place overall with veteran leader Philip Glaze (Stourbridge CC) finishing 11th.

The junior competition continues to be a close battle with Jamieson Blain (Zappi Racing Team) increasing his slender lead finishing 8th on the night ahead of rival George Mills-Keeling (Pro Vision Race Team) in 12th. Annie Stanford (Paramount CRT) continued her lead in the women’s category finishing 41st on the night.

The series continues next week with a traffic free race on the specifically designed closed circuit course at Stourport.

Results
1 Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team)
2 Ben Joughin (Pro Vision Race Team)
3 Jason Meyer (Stourbridge Velo)
4 Chris Booth (Pro Vision Race Team)
5 Max Hall (Team MK)
6 Christopher Mann (Marsh Tracks RT)
7 Kirk Vickers (Rhino Velo Race Team)
8 Jamieson Blain (Zappi Racing Team)
9 Elroy Laud (unattached)
10 Daniel Butlin (EvoVelo Karbona)

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