Report: Wessex CX League Round 5

Tadley rider Adrian Lansley and Southampton junior Abbie Manley (Hargroves- Montezuma’s) ran out winners today at a rain lashed and windswept Droxford motor cross track for round 5 of the Wessex CX League

Report: Wessex CX League Round 5

Sunday 14th October | thanks Graham Robins

Tadley rider Adrian Lansley (Pedal On) and Southampton junior Abbie Manley (Hargroves- Montezuma’s) ran out winners today at a rain lashed and windswept Droxford motor cross track for round five of the league. Both riders led from the opening lap and neither looked like relinquishing their win.

After yesterday’s lovely weather for set up the heavens open over night and continued right through until dinner time. The course used for motor cross throughout the year is a mixture of chalk and loose gravel and in places was slippery.

The course wound its way on the grass infield before heading out onto the MC course proper before returning downhill and back onto the grass. By the time the seniors started their race the rain had stopped but they riders now faced a strong cold wind and the temperatures slowly dropped throughout the hour long race.

Sam Allen (Pedal On) was the first away closely followed by Lansley and Alex Forrester (Zepnat.com) with the rest right on their wheels. Riders started to string out across the course as the pace on the front was quick and soon to get a lot quicker.

Lansley quickly passed Allen as did Forrester and the Pedal On rider opened a 10secs gap with Allen another 30secs down. Joe Hickerton (BPC Spokes Racing) was in no man’s land at 59secs whilst Oscar Hutchings (VC Venta) and Thomas Nightingale (Didcot Phoenix) were locked together at 1min 30secs.

In the middle of the race Lansley had a comfortable 35secs over Forrester and 56secs over Allen. Hickerton was still circling on his own while Hutchings had Scott Chappell (Pedal On) for company.

Over the closing lap Lansley was clear of Forrester by 1min; Allen was making time and now only 17secs behind. The remaining top ten places remained static with just time gaps altering.

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Womens Race

In the women’s race it was a whistle to chequered flag solo ride by Abbie Manley (Hargroves-Montezuma’s) as the junior was straight out the blocks, built a lead and never looked like losing it.

In the early stages in Manley’s wake were team mate Ella Lawrence, Jennifer Lawrence (Zepnat.com) and Carly Hughes (Fareham Wheelers). First vet was another team mate of Manley as Helen Pattinson began to come to terms with the conditions. Also having a good start were Lauren Cracknell (Pedal On) and Alison Rothnie (BPC Spokes Racing), and both were soon to climb the leader board in their category.

At the mid race distance Manley now had a lead of 44secs over Pattinson; Jennifer was a safe third while there was a tussle behind as Rothnie, Cracknell and Lawrence were locked together. At the bell Rothnie made here move and this move was enough to pull herself away from Cracknell. The last lap was not good for Forrester as she succumbed to the pace of the chasing Rothnie and Cracknell and slipped back to fifth.

The combined vet40+ and junior race provided some entertaining racing at the front as Southampton Hargroves –Montezuma’s junior rider Barney Clacy quickly built up a big lead and look comfortable before he rolled a tub ‘bunny hopping’ the planks meaning a run to the pits for a spare bike.

Samuel Freeman, Clancy’s team mate took advantage and led the race along with Matthew Coulson (PPV). In the vet category Crispin Doyle another Hargroves-Montezuma’s rider was clear of David Spencer (VC Venta) who in turn was 30secs clear of Paul Lloyd (Banjo Cycles). Once on a new bike Clacy quickly returned to the action in fourth place and it wasn’t too long before he was back on the front again.

At the bell the race was led by our three juniors, Clacy, Freeman and Coulson while Doyle was fourth and Spencer fifth. Lloyd was our third place podium vet and he was down in eighth.
Like the vet 40+ race the vet50+ race also provided so good racing and its sprinkling of misfortune. Our initial leader was Owen Pattinson (Owen’s Cycles) who had Tim Costello (GS Vecchi) and Andrew Cracknell (Pedal On) for company. Also mixing it at the front was Phil Connell (Sotonia) but a broken rear mech saw an early end to his race.

Phillip Boarer (GS Vecchi) had taken the lead and soon he was 24secs clear of Pattinson with Costello third and Cracknell fourth, although the two riders kept swapping places around the course.

With two laps remaining we lost our leader Boarer as he succumbed to the second rear mech failure of the day. And on the last lap whilst comfortable in second Costello broke a rear mech cable which saw he running to the pit for another bike to finish the race. Luckily for Costello he was fairly close to the pit, a fate that did not befall Boarer a lap earlier.

So at the chequered flag it was Pattinson ahead of Costello and Cracknell with Martyn Dymett (NHRC) and Martyn Dymond (C&N Cycles RT) making places to close out a five place podium.
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Provisional Results

Seniors
1st Adrian Lansley Pedal On 55mins 51secs
2nd Alex Forrester Zepnat.com @1min 31secs
3rd Sam Allen Pedal On @1min 34secs
4th Joe Hickerton BPC Spokes Racing
5th Oscar Hutchings VC Venta
6th Scott Chappell Pedal On
7th David Pena Ruiz Probike Club
8th Thomas Nightingale Didcot Phoenix
9th Ash Appella Pedal On
10th Daniel Adkins Didcot Phoenix

Women
1st Abbie Manley Hargroves-Montezuma’s 33mins 58secs 1st junior
2nd Helen Pattinson Hargroves-Montezuma’s 1st vet
3rd Alison Rothnie Spokes BPC Racing 1st senior
4th Lauren Cracknell Pedal On
5th Jennifer Forrester Zepnat.com
6th Ella Freeman Hargroves-Montezuma’s
7th Lydia Brookes
8th Jessica Connor Cotswold Veldrijden
9th Rachael Clay GS Vecchi
10th Carly Hughes Fareham Wheelers

Vet 40+
1st Crispin Doyle Hargroves-Montezuma’s 44mins 12secs
2nd David Spencer VC Venta
3rd Paul Lloyd Banjo Cycles
4th Phillip Bowley Owen’s Cycles
5th Jamie Norfolk Pedal On

Juniors
1st Barney Clacy Hargroves-Montezuma’s
2nd Samuel Freeman Hargroves-Montezuma’s
3rd Matthew Coulson PPV
4th Euan Macleod Pedal On
5th Sam Bishop Charlottville CC

Vet 50+
1st Owen Pattinson Owen’s Cycles 41mins 15secs
2nd Tim Costello GS Vecchi
3rd Andrew Cracknell Pedal On
4th Anthony Dyment NHRC
5th Martyn Dymond C&N Cycle RT