STORMY WEATHER

While the RTTC Classic Series Buxton CC Mountain Time Trial went off without a hitch on a sunny day other Easter events were not so lucky with strong winds and floods upsetting the programme. The Bishops Stortford CC's Hilly event had to be cancelled thanks to flooded roads, a touch of snow and a power cut while the Lanhydrock Wheelers event in the West Country was cut from 44 miles to 22 because of the weather conditions. Elsewhere competitors had to battle strong winds.

 

ROBSON DOUBLE

Despite all that there were plenty of results to savour over the four-day holiday. We kick off with Dean Robson's two wins, the Nopinz rider taking the VC Sevale `10` and the Mid Devon CC `22`. A 21-30 gave him the `10` ahead of Mark Corbett (Worcester St Johns CC), 21-50, and Justin Walters (Team Echelon Rotor), 22-38, while Lucy Walters was first woman with her 25-48.

A 40 seconds late start deprived Thomas Baylis (OnePro Cycling) of a win in the Mid Devon CC time trial. He was credited with a 55-06 which put him 18 seconds behind Robson's 54-48. Promoting club's Matt Longworthy filled third with 55-44. Sid Valley CC's Catherine Hilton's 1-09-18 earned her the woman's prize.

The Lanhydrock Wheelers event saw a clean sweep by the St Austell Wheelers with Anthony Green, 51-06, leading his clubmates Jason McGowan, 54-12, and Gary Fouracres, 54-29, to fill the podium. The club filled five of the first six places.

Heading South, the Crawley Wheelers 41.9 miles test saw Pete Morris (Team ASL360) come out on top by 17 seconds from Carl Ferri (Cadence Performance) with his 1-36-32. The North Hampshire RC `18.5`saw Charles Mitchell (a3crg) in good form, a 40-15 giving him victory by 2-14 from Simon Healey (Andover Wheelers) while Rachael Heal (Newbury RC) was best of the women with her 44-42. 

 

THREE WINS FOR TEAM BOTTRILL

Exeter Wheelers Sporting`17`provided Team Bottrill with its first success  on Sunday thanks to Lee Morgan whose 34-59 gave him a 13 seconds beating of David Griffiths (ProVision Cycle Clothing) with Lee Sanderson (Mid Devon CC) at 44 seconds. Natalie Grinczer (Team WNT), 37-52, was fastest woman.

 Sunday's Mid Shropshire Wheelers `25` saw Team Bottrill's Joshua Williams repeat his 2015 success. Despite the strong winds Williams improved his 2015 time by three minutes winning with a 51-20 and leading Team Bottrill to team honours backed by fourth place George Evans, 54-34, and Aaron Ward, 55-44. Matthew Davies (Rhino Velo RT), 54-16, and Nigel Haig (Stategic Lions), 54-33, filled second and third. Long-distance star Lynne Biddulph (Born to Bike-Bridgtown Cycles), 1-04-38, was first woman.

John Dewey had set the ball rolling for Team Bottrill On Good Friday winning the High Wycombe CC `10`from British Best All Rounder Adam Topham (High Wycombe CC) with a 19-11 to Topham's 19-24.
 
 

ONE FOR CHARLTON

Barry Charlton (Swinnerton Cycles) claimed the Birkenhead NE CC 22-mile event, a 47-54 putting him 1-35 clear of runner up Paul Grindley (Liverpool Century). Becky Lewis (Fibrax-Wrexham) got the better of Jill Wilkinson (Chester RC) to take the woman's award with a 52-32. Border City Wheelers Spoco `20` showed Jon Sturman (Activ Cycles) at his best, a 49-08 earning him a 2-02 beating of promoting club's Richard Bickley, 50-10. Dan Taylor (Birdwell Wheelers), 50-42, was third and Team Bottrill's Kerry Gowland was first
of the women with her 1-02-50. The Eastern Counties CA `25`was won with a 55-19 by Paul Hart (Southend Wheelers) from the Chelmer CC's duo David Harding, 55-19, and Peter Harding, 58-35. The two-up went to pre-race favourites Neil Dowie and Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford RT) with 58-21.

 

RAPID `10` FROM GULLEN

Fastest `10` of Easter, James Gullen (Pedal Heaven) won the City RC event on the V718 with a 17-51, 38 seconds up on Steve Irwin (North Lancs RC); James Copeland (Fareham Wheelers) took the Bournemouth Arrow `10` with 21-10; CC Weymouth's `10` went to Samuel Wadsley (Poole Wheelers) with a 21-38; Mark Arnold (CC Desiragear), 22-14, was fastest in the Sleaford Wheelers promotion and Ilkley CC's `10` brought SSLL Rt more success with Alastair Wareham topping the result board with his 24-34.

Finally a hill climb promoted by Clwb Sarn Helen won by the promoting club's Gareth Payne from clubmate Dylan Lewis, 11-25.6 and 12-14.6 their respective times Jacqueline Hobson (Born to Bike) was first woman 17-23.9.