News: West Midlands Road Race League

The long-standing West Midlands Road Race League is revamped for this year, with local Nat Bs and Regional Bs included in the mix

News: West Midlands Road Race League

The long-standing West Midlands Road Race League is revamped for this year, with local Nat Bs and Regional Bs included in the mix as well as two handicap events to start the series, with the aim of making the series more accessible to riders with a wider range of abilities.

The series which was won in 2019 by Toby Barnes of Cero Wheels/Cycle Division begins on March 8 with the National B and long running Evesham Vale Road Race and continues with two 50-mile handicaps on March 22 and 29. However, it retains its core of long standing local Regional A events such as the Halesowen road race and the Alan Goddard Memorial road race.

“The two big changes this year are the bigger range of events and the handicaps, which will be for categories 2/3/4 for men and all women’s categories,” said West Mids board road lead William Fotheringham. Women and vets will be permitted to “ride down” a category. We have put together a work group to revamp road racing in the region and the feeling was that with the standard of most second cat riders constantly getting better we needed to create opportunities for the 3rd cats to score points and have events which appealed to those who might be just setting out on road racing.”

“We’ve got a couple of new organisers in, and we should also have a far bigger prize list so that there really is something for the riders to go for, and we have tried as far as possible to have standard entry fees and closing dates so the riders know exactly what they are getting.”

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The handicaps take place on the last two weekends of March on two rolling courses, at Aston on Clun near the Welsh border, and Bobbington near Bridgnorth. “They will carry the same league points as the Regional A races so that there really is something for the 3rd cats to aim for although the 2nd cats will have a good chance too,” said Fotheringham. “And we have some strong women in the region who I’m hoping will look at those as well as a way of starting their season.”

The National Bs that will count for the series are also long-standing, the Evesham Vale, and the Severn Valley RR in early August, while the three Regional Bs (for 3rd and 4th cats) that are now included are the Two Counties on April 19, the Wyre Forest Spring on May 10, and the Paramount Summer on July 12.”

The series will carry awards for best 3rd cat, 4th cat, veteran, woman, junior and U23 as well as the overall standings, with winners’ jerseys from local kit supplier ProVision.

— 8/3 Evesham Vale E123
— 22/3 Aston on Clun H’cap @Aston on Clun 2/3/4
— 29/3 Bridgnorth H’Cap @ Bobbington 2/3/4
— 12/4 Two Counties 3/4
— 26/4 Rocket RR @ Swynnerton 2/3/4
— 3/5 Phil Ward RR @ Leighton 2/3/4
— 10/5 Wyre Forest @ Martley 3/4
— 17/5 Halesowen RR @Astley 2/3/4
— 14/6 Jean Baker @Astley 2/3/4
— 28/6 RST RR @ North Staffs 2/3/4
— 5/7 Solilhull RR @Inkberrow 2/3/4
— 12/7 Paramount Summer RR @Leighton 3/4
— 19/7 Alan Goddard RR @High Ercall 2/3/4
— 2/8 Severn Valley E/1/2/3 (provisional)