There were murky grey conditions early in the morning at Bogart Hole Clough in Manchester to greet racers with the going a little soft and wet in places for the Manchester Wheelers Cyclo-Cross Race, Race 5 in the North West League.
But with a DJ spinning some of our favourite tunes, Ian Bury’s knowledgeable and sometimes cheeky commentating, and some warm Autumn sunshine, we had a great setting for an afternoon of top cross racing on one of the North West’s most highly rated courses.
On to the real stars of the show, the main race had a strong turn-out of 111 – pretty good since we were sandwiched between Rapha’s Supacross promotions at Windermere on Saturday and across the Pennines on Sunday – and had the riders facing a classic cross course of jump boards on the top field, some tarmac to spin out the legs, some tough off camber grass and slippery rooty sections with one ‘brutal’ tarmac climb, steps, ride-able or running banks depending on your ability and an extra loop thrown in for good measure.
Thanks to Sports Sunday for the Photos;To Purchase Visit www.sportsunday.co.uk
Tom Armstrong (Herbalife/Wheelbase) and Giles Drake (Team Elite) pulled clear of Paul Bethell (Team Elite) in the early stages of the race and were stuck together for two thirds of eight laps until Giles broke his rear mech and had to run half of the course, giving Tom a well earned win after his racing in the Elite race at Rapha’s gig on Saturday. Tom’s still a junior and is looking stronger and stronger each race – a fast emerging talent.
Meanwhile Paul Bethell pulled clear to take second ahead of Martin Woffinden (Cycle Sport Pendle), also the first Under 23, with a great race for Pete Middleton (Zepnat) seeing the current North West Veteran Champ take fourth overall. Rob Smail (Cycle Premier) is now a regular force on the cross scene and took fifth place. Giles eventually finished a creditable 7th and got some useful if uninvited running practice in.
Other notable rides were the winning Vet50+ rider, Roy Hunt (Dutch Wolf) and first woman home Becky Preece (Red Rose Olympic) outsprinting Anna Buik from Thetford MTB. And let’s hear it for promoting club’s (Manchester Wheelers) 10 riders all finishing, most of whom had been setting up the course with me at 8am!
In the Under 12’s, Alistair Leivers (BYCA) took the win from Nathan Hawthorn (Cyclesport Pendle) and Sol Kerfoot Robson (Rhos-on –sea). Kim Baptista (Eastlands Velo) was first girl over the line at 9th overall. The whole under 12’s field went barmy when some Haribo and Mars Bars were offered up as additional prizes to all the finishers.
Dylan Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos-on-sea) won the Youth Race over three laps of the main course despite an early challenge from Robert Armstrong (Bill Nickson/Raleigh). First girl home was Jess Wilkinson (Birkenhead North End) looking good at 5th place overall.
Additional prizes were provided by Champion System/Maxgear, and Sports
SENIORS
1 Thomas Armstrong Herbalife Wheelbase J
2 Paul Bethell Team Elite S
3 Martin Woffindin Cycle Sport Pendle U23
4 Peter Middleton Zepnat V45
5 Robert Smail Cycle Premier S
6 Wayne Crombie East London Velo S
7 Giles Drake Team Elite S
8 Roy Davies Team Elite S
9 Roy Hunt Dutch-Wolf V55
10 Alex McNicol Velo Club Moulin S
11 Anthony Morris Evans Cycles S
12 Cal Difalco Colnago/Skins S
13 Peter Wilbraham Team Elite S
14 Andrew Brindle Horwich CC V40
15 Luke Beswick Buxton CC S
16 Stuart Green Oldham Century V40
17 Sean Beswick Zepnat V45
18 Scott Wilson Manchester Wheelers S
19 Mark Ferguson Oldham Ruffians V45
20 Mark Solomon Here Come the Belgians S
21 Adam Palmer Horwich CC S
22 Chris Kay Alf Jones Cycles S
23 Chris Belsham York Cycleworks S
24 Dave Headon Horwich CC V45
25 Adam Newall Horwich CC S
26 Sean Hoban VC Cumbria V45
27 Joe Heywood Lancs RC V40
28 Jason Ragg Manchester Wheelers S
29 Ian Roberts Harry Middleton CC S
30 Duncan Stuart Keswick RC V50
31 Dean Smith St Helens CRC V40
32 Martin Tongue Rossendale Road Club V40
33 Tony Sowden Northlancs RC V45
34 Kevan Underhill Weaver Valley CC V50
35 Pat Rowland UA V45
36 Ray Pugh Liverpool Mercury ( Dolan) V55
37 Dean Haywood 0 S
38 Richard Baker Audlem CC S
39 Stewart Dwyer St Helens CRC V45
40 Jody Warrington Manchester Wheelers S
41 Ben Stacy University of Manc S
42 Ian Kendall Liverpool Century V40
43 Nick Budworth St Helens Wollybacks S
44 Nick Billington Oldham Ruffians V50
45 Craig Forrester Cheeky V40
46 Dennis Mason 0 S
47 Graham Kennerley Lancaster CC V50
48 Jason Craven Rossendale Road Club S
49 Stephen Cooke Harry Middleton CC S
50 Richard Sale Horwich CC S
51 Andy Harwood 0 V40
52 Simon Cunningham Manchester Wheelers V50
53 Jim Seymour 0 V40
54 Andrew Leigh Manchester Wheelers J
55 Steve Wood Oldham Ruffians V45
56 Clive Wilkinson BNECC V45
57 David Ryder UA S
58 Martin Sackfield Leigh Premier RC V40
59 Becky Preece Red Rose Olympic JW
60 Anna Buick Thetford MTB W
61 Martin Rogers BNECC V50
62 Mike Cleary Manchester Wheelers V40
63 Mark Bethell Macclesfield Wheelers V50
64 Pete Howarth Withington Wheelers V50
65 Adrian Watts Rossendale Road Club V50
66 Peter Reid Manchester Wheelers V40
67 Gus French Hayfield Hub V50
68 Alex Webb Lyme RC J
69 Kevin Harmon 0 S
70 Jan Shearsmith Manchester Wheelers V50
71 Peter Payton Cycle Sport Pendle V50
72 Scott Billington Oldham Ruffyeds S
73 Alan Cook BNECC V45
74 Chris Thomas UA S
75 Dave Martin BYCA V40
76 Bernard Corfe UA V45
77 John Gillmore East L’pool Whlrs V50
78 Paul Warrener Ride On / Rossendale RC V45
79 Kirsty Forrester Cheeky Ladies W
80 Darren Palfreyman Oldham Century V40
81 Jack Cooper Red Rose Olympic U23
82 David Smith Horwich CC V40
83 Stuart Blackburn Red Rose Olympic V40
84 Geraint Parry Liverpool Century S
85 John Rutter Cycle Sport Pendle V40
86 Zack Williamson UA J
87 Ed Goulty 0 S
88 Charles Gray Manchester Wheelers V45
89 David Hollingworth Red Rose Olympic V45
90 Tony Hood Ribble Valley CRC V40
91 Tom Leivers BYCA V45
92 Alan Shuttleworth Altrincham RC V60
93 Eleanor Underhill Weaver Valley CC W
94 Bob Clarke Red Rose Olympic V40
95 Jenni Rowlands Liverpool Mercury ( Dolan) W
96 Tom Ferguson Manchester Wheelers S
97 Peter Fairclough Red Rose Olympic V45
98 Chris Wilkinson Mid Shrophshire Wheelers U23
99 Ian Small Zodiac CRC V70
100 Daniel Worrall Mossley CRT J
101 David Halman Altrincham RC V60
102 Ian Lawless Wigan Wheelers V45
103 Len Woffindin Sportcity Velo V50
104 Peter Holland Ribble Valley CC S
YOUTH
1 Dylan Kerfoot-Robson Rhos on Sea U16B
2 Robert Armstrong Bill Nickson / Raleigh U16B
3 Oliver Payton Cycle Sport Pendle U16B
4 Robert Rogers Birkenhead North End CC U16B
5 Jessica Wilkinson Birkenhead North End U16G
6 Adam Hartley Eastlands Velo U14B
7 Tom Figgins BNECC U16B
8 Oscar Williamson Mossley U16B
9 Joseph Peatfield Bolton Hot Wheels U14B
10 Joseph Armstrong Border City Wheelers U14B
11 Thomas Clark Red Rose Olympic U14B
12 Sam Baldwin Salt Ayre Cog Set U16B
13 Archie Stewart Mossley U14B
14 Bailey Payne Cycle Sport Pendle U14B
15 Joe Baldwin Salt Ayre Cog Set U14B
16 Rosa Martin BYCA U14G
17 Andrew Hathaway BNECC U14B
18 James Bethell Macclesfield Wheelers U14B
19 Izzy Cook Unattached U16G
20 Ryle Kelly Bury Comets U14B
UNDER 12
1 Alistair Leivers BYCA U12B
2 Nathan Hawthorn Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
3 Sol Kerfoot-Robson Rhos-on-Sea U12B
4 Craig Rogers BNECC U12B
5 Lewis Hartley Eastlands Velo U12B
6 Cory Edmondson Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
7 Dexter Sparrow BYCA U12B
8 Jack Barlow Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
9 Kim Baptista Eastlands Velo U12G
10 Anna Armstrong Border City Wheelers U12G
11 Dominic Rutter Cycle Sport Pendle U12B
12 Nicole Clarke Port Sunlight Wheelers U12G
13 Matthew Baptista Eastlands Velo U10B
14 Ben Peatfield Bolton Hotwheels U10B
15 Bob Donaldson Team Lard U10B
16 Christopher Sackfield Leigh Premier U10B
17 Cameron Bates Mossley RC U10B
18 Eve Martin BYCA U12G
19 Shannon Hawthorn Cycle Sport Pendle U10G
20 Thomas Wood 0 U10B
21 Thomas Bates 0 U10B
22 Lauren Ormes UA U12G
23 Lenny Lomas Manchetser Wheelers U8B
24 Sam Kendall Liverpool Century R. C. U8B
25 Sadie Stewart Moesley CC U10G
26 Tilly Barlow Cycle Sport Pendle U8G
27 Andrew Clarke Port Sunlight Wheelers U8B
28 Charlotte Kendall Liverpool Century R. C. U8G
29 James Donaldson Team Land U8B