Road Racing
Roy Thame Cup and Spring Chicken Road Race, Charndon, Bucks
For many riders the Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club's promotion marks the true start of the road racing season. The Spring Chicken support race for category 3 and 4 riders saw a full field take to the start line including 6 Reading riders.
It was to stay dry for the duration of the race, but it was incident packed from the start. In the jostling at the beginning Robert King was unfortunately involved in a crash and reported 'before the race had started I found the going tough and early on decided I would do well just to finish with the bunch. I struggled with the gears following the earlier incident, and the cold I had caught earlier in the week had me coughing all the way round. In the final sprint the pace got too high and I finished at the back of the main field which was disappointing.' Robert fared better than other Reading riders though. In the first of 4 laps an oncoming vehicle had squeezed the riders on one of the narrow sections and forced a split in the field. This left Dave Harmsworth, Lloyd McInally, and Adam White all having to chase to get back to the leaders, an effort that proved too much. At that point Stephen Bale had managed to stick with the leaders, but recovering from a winter sports injury the pace overcame him early on in the race. The best placed of all the Reading riders was Wayne Thomas who rode solidly with the lead pack despite the high pace and maximal efforts required, finishing in the top half of the lead bunch, but out of the placings. The overall winner was Ben Wilson.
In the Roy Thame Cup for Elite and category 1 and 2 riders Peter Graham represented Reading. The weather had turned by now and rain accompanied the strong winds. A strong field started out and the Pearl Izumi Racing team took control early on having managed to get 3 riders into the 8 man break. The group worked to consolidate their lead and Liam Holohan of Pearl Izumi was the eventual winner. Graham in his first road race of the season stuck with the chasers until halfway when the pace of racing at the highest level was too much.
London Fire Brigade Surrey League Road Race
RCC's Paul Elcock took part in the 100km London Fire brigade road Race (Surrey League) for category 2 and 3 riders, and reports 'It was my first proper road race on the open highway and a real eye opener - 8 laps of a 7 mile road course including some uphill drags, sharp corners, and high speed flat sections. About 70 riders of similar ability on a single lane with wet bumpy roads and on-coming traffic is a little exciting to say the least! A break got away half way through the race but the chasing peloton was either disinterested or plain disorganised with everyone cagily saving themselves for further efforts to split the peloton. I finished in the bunch 50 seconds down from the lead group and as expected definitely lacking power to have any impact at this level at the moment, but took confidence in finishing in good shape'. The race was won by Mark Perry of Bournemouth Arrow.
Omega Thruxton Circuit Races
Sunday saw Reading riders in action again with separate races for 3rd and 4th category riders. The 4th cat race marked the debut for junior Thomas Allnatt riding alongside Adam White. Thomas reported 'The pace at the start was quick and shocked my system, and I got dropped on lap 4. I then recovered fully over almost one lap and felt strong but couldn't find anyone to help me chase the bunch. It was a good learning experience'. White, despite having raced the day before, was in the thick of it and finished with the main group.
In the third category event Wayne Thomas also rode his second event of the weekend taking the start with clubmate Brian Bingham. On the wide, open motor circuit the wind is always a factor and the full field meant there was somewhere to shelter and share the work. However riders took on the elements as well as each other and at mid point attacks came from Bingham and second claim rider Darren Parker. The attacks were to come to nothing and the winner to be decided in a sprint finish. Unfortunately Reading's men were baulked by a crash in the chicane on the way to the line and unable to contest the win. Wayne Thomas, once again, the highest placed Reading rider.
Time Trials
Trudi Sammons rode the East Surrey Hardriders 30 mile time trial on Sunday. Taking in terrain such as Box Hill this course is notoriously tough. Sammons had set her target as at 1 hour 22 and was thrilled to surpass it recording a time of 1.19.58. The fast time also placed her as first lady.
Mountain Biking
Paul Elcock raced again over the weekend riding in the sport category at the Gorrick event at Crowthorne Woods. He reported 'my race went to plan as best as physically possible staying with the top several riders at the start. After several minutes though the pace was too hot and I found myself in no mans land for the next lap. By lap 3 I had found a rhythm, carrying speed much more effectively and started to come back through the field and feeling strong. I was chasing for 8th place when I started to tire about 1 mile from the finish. I hung on for 9th achieving a top ten target for the year'.