Reading Cycling Club press report week ending 22 January 2012

Dream start at Hillingdon Circuit for Stuart Williams.

Reading CC's Stuart Williams lined up for his first ever race at Hillingdon circuit and the result? Raced one, won one. Williams made a dream start to his racing career by crossing the line in first place. He reports from the Imperial winter series 4th cat race:
"This was my first ever race so I didn't really know what to expect. The pace was pretty high for the first 10 minutes but tailed off a bit in the middle section. A few attacks went off the front but none of them stuck, possibly due to the strong wind that battered us on the back straight! With 5 laps to go the pace ramped up and a couple of riders tried to ping off the front but were quickly reeled back in. On the last lap I found myself boxed in in the middle of the peloton but managed to get into a good position on the back straight with two corners to go. I got swamped on the corner leading to the home straight and was down in about 15th position. With 200 to go there was a slight kink on the homestraight, the peloton were on the right side of the road but I kicked hard after coming out of the kink and took up a line on the other side of the track. I found myself in the lead with 110m to go so I kicked again and came over the line in 1st! Really happy with that result and will be racing 3rd cat next race!"

Imperial Winter Series 4th Cats Results 21st January 2012 (42 finishers):
1st Stuart Williams, Reading CC
2nd Ethan Lee, Solihull CC
3rd Jordan O'Neill, unattached

Admire Stuart's winning margin as seen in this photo:
http://aephotos.co.uk/hill21jan12-cat34/hb49fa8b#hb49fa8b

Wessex League Cyclo-cross

The 12th and final round of the Wessex League Cyclocross series was held at Thruxton motor race circuit. Gary Barlow was representing Reading CC. He reports: "The course was set out on grass and included numerous short steep banks, a
couple of hurdles and a short section of soft sand. Conditions were dry and fast but there was a strong wind which would favour riding in groups. The Vets/Juniors/Women race was well supported with around 70 starters. I didn't get a great grid position but made a strong start and picked up a few places on the first lap and was riding with a group of 7 riders just outside the top ten. I was feeling good and tried to make a break to the next group but the wind was strong, I quickly tired and was
soon caught by the group. The last lap saw a number of attacks from within my group. I managed to get away with another rider and was pleased to finish 14th, a good result to end my first cyclo-cross season." The V/J/W race was won by Matt Hargroves (Hargroves Cycles) ahead of team mate Matt Woods.

Sunday clubrun
All groups leave Reading Market Place at 9am on Sundays, returning around lunchtime.

Roderick MacFadyen
Reading Cycling Club