Reading Cycling Club press report, week ending Sunday 12th April

An action-packed Easter weekend of local cycle-sport.

Road and Circuit Racing

Reading CC were well represented at the Castle Coombe circuit on Good
Friday with Joe Harris, Steve Bale, John Snead, Brian Bingham and Wayne
Thomas all present. 140 riders in the 55km 3rd cat race were faced with
grey skies and rain. Wayne Thomas reports: "We had a plan that if we
were all feeling good, we'd try to do a lead-out train for Joe Harris to
have a go in the sprint. Disaster struck at the second chicane on the
first lap. An over exuberant Harris tried to cut up the inside of the
peloton but was forced on to the oily rumble strip and bang he was down.
Harrris took a lap out and rejoined the group but eventually withdrew a
few laps from the end. Meanwhile, Bingham seemed to be revelling in the
increasingly foul conditions, and seemed very comfortable holding a good
position in the front third of the peloton. Two strong riders did
eventually break free in the final stages." Thomas was the first Reading
rider home, with Bingham, Snead and Bale finishing safely in the
peloton.
Steve Bale: "I was actually hoping to challenge at this event however
140 others had the same idea. I was intending to take it easy on the
first couple of laps to find my feet and warm into the race. Not a bit
of it! The first 2 of laps of the 17 were run at top speed. I persevered
and the race calmed a bit and I settled as I got to know the circuit. I
was happy enough to finish with the field."
Brian Bingham: "A good race from my point of view; I stayed in the pack
and found the change of pace tough but I had good legs."

John Snead, Fred Hale and Wayne Thomas took part in the midweek
veteran's evening race at Hillingdon. Thomas reports: "I was very
active, always trying to get in breaks and even leading the race at one
point! In the final laps strongman Colin Roshier, who had been quietly
sitting in the peloton all night, broke away to win the overall event. I
had a top ten finish to get second in my age category."

Track Racing

Nick English went to Good Friday track meeting at Herne Hill: "A host of
olympic cyclists were there so I was a little nervous, unfortunately
rain stopped most of the afternoon's racing with a wet slippy track. I
took part in the handicap sprint and the 25-mile points race that was
dominated by the current Olympic bronze medalist Chris Newton who took a
group of 6 away off the front. I made a small mark on the race by trying
to bridge to that group."

Photo caption: Nick English mixing with the cream of track talent at
Herne Hill on Good Friday
Photo credit: Chris Macleod
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Time Trials

Steve Bale, Simon Marham, Steve Fleming and Rod MacFadyen competed in
the Maidenhead CC 15-mile event at Fifield, this year attracting a good
field of nearly 60 riders. On a cloudy afternoon with light winds times
were fast. Winner James Stewart's 31:18 was near the course record.
Steve Bale was Reading's highest placed rider at 13th position, with
Simon Markham running him close in 15th. Bale commented: "I found a nice
steady pace and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could maintain
it to the end." MacFadyen said, "I'm pleased with that, it's my best
time for this course by nearly a minute." Selected results:
1. James Stewart, Kinesis UK, 31:18
13. Steve Bale, 34:38
15. Simon Markham, 35:33
19=, Rod MacFadyen, 36:25
27. Steve Fleming, 27.52

Lucinda Seymour rode the Lea Valley 25 on Saturday, reporting: "Despite
waking up with a slight head cold I decided to start and see what
happened. It turned out to be a good choice as rode to a personal best
time of 1:03:47. National champion Michael Hutchinson had some friendly
and encouraging words for me as he sped past, eventually wnning with a
51 minute ride. I'm really delighted with this performance and it makes
the memory of hard hours on the turbo over winter seem less painful."

Reading's Nick English rode with Maidenhead's Peter Weir to grab second
place in the Alton CC 50km two-up time trial. English: "Pete and I rode
well together, gradually catching all of the field that started in front
of us. But starting just 4 minutes behind us were Richard Prebble and
Sean Yates, the eventual winners. We managed to hold them off with just
15seconds to spare at the finish line."
1 Richard Prebble & Sean Yates Candi TV-Pinarello RT/In Gear-Quickvit
RT 01:08:58
2 Nicholas English & Peter Weir Reading Cycling Club/Maidenhead &
Dist.C.C. 01:12:13

The hilly Twyford 10-mile course attracted 26 riders to Tuesday's
evening club event. Fastest rider of the night was Nick English who was
the only rider under 24 minutes with 23:50. Stephen Bale was second
fastest only 19 seconds down with with 24:06. RCC newcomer Simon Markham
was the third fastest with 25:13.

1. Nick English 23:50
2. Stephen Bale 24:09
3. Simon Markham 25:13
4. Simon Notley 25:25
5. Richard Moss 25:27 (Beyond MTB)
6. Rod Macfadyen 25:35
7. Russ Lind 25:53 (West Drayton)
8. Mike Fenwick 25:54
9. Brian Bingham 25:57
10. Roly Chuter 26:13
11. James Chuter 26:13 (CATI)
12. Tom Sturgess 26:16 (Athletic Service.com)
13. Steve Fleming 26:34
14. Nick Roux 26:45 (West Drayton)
15. Rikki Pankhurst 27:21 (AW Cycles)
16. Graham Patterson 27:32
17 Nick Chaplin 28:07
18. Ben Oakes 28:30
19. Gary Henwood 28:51
20. Ian Lomas 29:14
21. Warren Davies 29:28
22. Dean Bond 29:37
23. John Ella 29:37
24. Ellis Adlam 31:57
25. Peter Stocker 32:18
26. William Dunn 32:52

Clubrun
All groups leave from Market Place Reading at 9am on Sundays.

Roderick MacFadyen
Reading CC