Witham Wheelers Road Races – Supported by PedalPushers

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The GT Ellingworth 3/4 category event over 48 miles had a good field of 70 riders on a rolling course of mainly quiet but narrow country lanes. As the race started a light drizzle descended which seemed to make some riders quite nervous and by the end of the first  lap some 26 riders had already lost contact with the main bunch with 2 riders just off the front as they came through the finish line. After that it was more a case of attrition and it wasn’t until the start of the last lap when Chris McNaughton (Leicester Forest) established a small gap, which the bunch seemed content to watch, as he pushed it out to 30 seconds. As he hit the hill with one km to go, the bunch was at last reacting but it was too late as Chris stayed clear to win by 5 seconds with Ross Simmonds (Bio Cadenza) winning the bunch sprint.

Of the club riders taking part Alistair Golby (VO2) took a great 4th place and the GT Elliningworth Trophy for first Junior, just in front of Martyn Ludlam in 6th with Chris Carter 29th and Paul Conneely 38th. James Carter unfortunately punctured and retired and John Farmer found the pace a bit too quick and retired after 3 laps.

The afternoon GA Bennett E/1/2/3 category event held over 83 miles, also this year incorporated the East Midlands senior road race champs, due to date clashes the previous weekend and had another good field of 70 riders.

On the first lap Tom Neale (Phil Corley)had an 18 second lead but a lap later he had been replaced by a four man break Adam Gascoigne, (Pedal Power), Jim Coleman (PedalPushers), Malcolm Smith (St Ives) and Carl Dyson (Achieve Skinner gate) which had a one minute lead over the chasing bunch. This break was to stay out front for almost 4 of the 12 mile laps, although the gap never went much over 1 minute and with 2 laps to go three riders bridged the gap Oliver Davies, Will Haynes (Clay Cross RT) Dave Shackleton (Wills Wheeles) and the bunch at 20 seconds. But as the bell rang Russell Falder (Clay Cross RT) now had a 10 second lead over Lee Baldwin (Champion Systems) Michael Cripps (Army CU) Mike Wragg ( Arbis- Colbert)and the bunch not far behind.  But these 4 soon combined and opened up a 50 second lead, which they held to the finish where Falder proved too strong on the hill to finish a clear winner from Baldwin and Wragg. Tom Neale (Team Corley) finished 5^th and won the BC East Mids Regional Championships.

Local riders taking part Jim Coleman (PedalPushers) after spending almost 50 mile in the break finished 38th in the bunch finish with Harry Browning (PedalPushers) just behind in 41st and Llewey Byrne 43rd, Peter Cocker after riding well in the early laps retired with a lap to go feeling unwell.