Another good day for our Falling Leaves road race, bright albeit with a bit of a breeze and a nip in the air. There were a couple a attempts for small groups to get away plus one promising looking effort from Dan Babbs (Chelmer CC) who quickly gained a minute on the bunch on his own but then lost it equally quickly. In the end though it all came down to a bunch sprint won by Leszek Wuziak(Twickenham CC) from Damien Foy (Eagle RC).
Position | Rider | Club |
---|---|---|
1 | Leszek Wuziak | Twickenham CC |
2 | Damien Foy | Eagle RC |
3 | David Bird | London Phoenix |
4 | Bartosz Kawka | Finchley RT |
5 | Vincent Christan | East London Velo |
6 | Gerard Miley | St. Ives CC |
7 | Rory Havis | St. Ives CC |
8 | Chris Herring | East London Velo |
9 | Oliver Caddy | Cambridge CC |
10 | Henry Robertshaw | Chelmer CC |
11 | Wes Ullrich | Cambridge CC |
12 | Howard Lightfoot | Cambridge CC |
13 | Joseph Long | Bishops Stortford CC |
14 | Dan Scott | Pro Cycle Hire RT |
15 | Will Bamber | VC Norwich |
16 | Andy Wylde | St. Ives CC |
17 | Craig Nicholls | API |
18 | Scott Walford | Iceni Velo |
19 | Paul Spiceley | Glendene CC |
20 | Spencer Nash | Bishops Stortford CC |
21 | Thomas Gillingwater | Strada Sport |
22 | Paul Saunders | Glendene CC |
23 | Nick Perks | Iceni Velo |
24 | Charlie Bratt | St. Ives CC |
25 | Freddy Pett | Kings Lynn CC |
26 | Richard Farrow | West Suffolk Wheelers |
27 | Jaroslaw Kobylinski | Ipswich BC |
28 | Nigel Hobday | Cambridge CC |
29 | Greg Andrews | Colchester Rovers CC |
30 | David Youell | Eagle RC |
31 | Edward Rulton | Glendene CC |
32 | Nichlolas Cramer | Hertfordshire Wheelers |
33 | Steve Fairchild | Braintree Velo |
34 | James Wylie | Velo Schils Interbike |
35 | Andy Hurst | Colchester Rovers CC |
36 | George Georgallides | Finchley RT |
37 | Matt Cowan | Pro Cycle Hire UK RT |
38 | Kevin Curtis | Stowmarket & Dist CC |
39 | Paul McGowan | North Road CC |
40 | Daniel Babbs | Chelmer CC |
41 | Ben Harwin | St. Ives CC |
42 | Tom Baskaya | Finsbury Park CC |
43 | David Bamford | East London Velo |
44 | Gregory Niziskiotis | London Dynamo |
45 | Mark Howard | Pro Cycle Hire UK RT |
46 | Ben Keeley | Kings Lynn CC |
47 | Louis Gyde | CC Breckland |
48 | Matthew Heath | East London Velo |
Another very warm evening on what has probably been the hottest day of the year so far - 32 degrees - where even the wind was hot! Andy Ballentyne started off fast with Gianlucca Capello and quickly got a sizeable gap on the A-D cats (the E+ had a half lap head start). With Andy doing the bulk of the work and then dropping Gianlucca over the hill he stayed away for the first 4 laps until getting pulled back by the bunch who then caught the E+ group. It stayed that way until near the end when Andy Bates(?) got away and then two other riders got away individually on the last lap. In the bunch sprint won by Bob Downs, Andy was approx 6th(?) and therefore in the top 10 overall.
It was a warm morning but with a stiff breeze for the 50 A and B cats. The race started at a sedate pace but then got going up the hill in to Debden when an East Grinstead rider opened up followed by Andy however they were soon brought back. After a lap, a group started to form and Andy managed to get across to them however the bunch then recaught the group. This was followed by a crash halfway down the bunch which delayed Andy and meant he had to chase to get back on. Another group then started to form including Dave Farrow, however they were brought back with a lap to go and it looked like being a bunch finish until two other riders got away on the last lap. In the bunch, Andy was well placed near the finish however decided to play it safe when several cars came towards the bunch and eventually finished in about 15th spot.
Full Result (LVRC)It was a hot evening with a stiff breeze up the finishing straight. Andy got this off at a fast start and the A-D cats quickly caught the E+ group who had a half lap start. It stayed together until the first prime when Andy made a break with Martin Ryan (Ford CC) and they stayed away for a few laps until getting caught by the bunch. The race then stayed together until 4 laps to go when it split with a group of 10 riders in the lead - Andy, Martin, Bob Downs, Dave Farrow, Patrick Schils, Mark Daly, Murat Ozdenya, Tim Pettit and John McVey. At the bell Martin made a move up the finishing straight but no one wanted to chase until Andy jumped away and caught Martin on the hill. They got a gap down the back straight and perhaps would have stayed away until Patrick Schils put in a big effort to get across but it wasn't until the start of the home straight when they finally caught Andy. Bob Downs sprinted home for the win ahead of Patrick and Dave whilst Andy ended up with 7th and 2nd 'B' cat.
Full Result (LVRC)Another warm evening but a stiff breeze made things hard going down the back straight. Chris May went hard right from the gun and Andy slipped onto his wheel. A few other riders also came across and the bunch split into two straight away. The leading group quickly established a gap and caught the E+ group who had a half lap start. At the first prime after 20 minutes, Andy continued hard over the hill and took eight others with him - Barry Neil, Dave Farrow, Mick Bath, Andy Beaman, Ralph Keeler, Martin Elms, Chris May and Murat Ozdenya. With Andy, Barry, Mick and Dave doing the bulk of the work, they continued to open gaps and start to lap other groups. Andy tried again at the next prime and took Barry, Mick and Dave with him but they were brought back by the rest. With one to go, Andy Beaman tried to get away but was brought back by Andy and then Murat slipped away on the last hill. With no one willing to chase he opened up a gap until Andy tried to distance the others but was brought back leaving Murat to go away for the win. In the finishing straight, Dave outsprinted Barry, Ralph and Andy with Andy ending up 5th overall and 3rd B cat.
Full Result (LVRC)A warm and pleasant evening with little wind meant a fast race that despite several attempts, stayed together until 5 to go when Dave Farrow and Mark Daley got away. They managed to open a gap of 40 seconds until a group of 8 riders slipped away from the bunch with two to go. This included Andy Ballentyne plus Bob Downs, Martin Meades, Barry Neal and Patrick Schils. Bob and Martin tried to bridge to the leaders with one to go but were caught going in to the final loop. Andy managed to jump this group coming into the finishing straight and claim 3rd spot (and 2nd B cat) ahead of Bob Downs, Dave having outsprinted Mark for the win.
Full Result (LVRC)Heavy rain started after just the start and made visibility difficult with the spray. The race stayed together until 4 laps to go when a touched of wheels caused a major crash in the bunch. Andy Ballentyne just managed to avoid the carnage and also avoided another spill with 3 to go to finish in 8th spot.
Full Result (UK Cycle Sport)The racing was on the lower circuit except for a full lap up the hill every 20 minutes plus a full lap at the end with the finish on the hill. Despite this is stayed together until neare the end when Anthony Wallis got away with Mark Daly and Martin O'Grady. Andy Ballentyne again finished in the bunch
Full Result (LVRC)A cagey race with riders getting away from the bunmch ion ones and twos and was eventually won by Bob Downs. Andy Ballentyne however finished in the bunch.
Full Result (LVRC)Anthony Wallis made his usual attack right from the start with Andy Ballentyne desperately trying to get on to his wheel. A few other riders came across before the all came back together after a couple of laps. Another attack went very soon after which Andy was not able to go with after his initial efforts. This leading break eventually swelled to 9 riders including Anthony Wallis (Ciclos Uno), Dave Farrow (Eagle RC) Andy Bates (ColourTech), Bob Downs (Rapha Condor) and Barry Neil (Ciclos Uno) and got a good gap on the bunch which meanwhile had split with Andy Ballentyne in the first part of approx 10 riders. Up ahead, the leading group also split with Anthony, Dave, Andy Bates and Bob ahead of the rest and they soon caught both groups of the bunch before then going on and lapping the 2nd group as well. Andy meanwhile was doing big turns in his group and they eventually lapped the 4th group with 3 to go and then caught the 2nd group with 1 to go after another big effort from Andy to close the gap, leading to a bunch sprint for 5th spot in which Andy was 8th (12th overall).
Full Result (LVRC)A big change in the weather from the weekend meant chilly conditions, gales force winds and the threat of rain (which did materialise later in the race) for the first of the Dunton series on the Ford test track. Andy Ballentyne found himself in a break right from the gun after Dave ? from the ColourTech team went for an early one. Andy followed his wheel along with Martyn Ryan (Ford CC) and with the bunch not taking much interest they found themselves with a sizeable gap by the end of the first banking. Andy and Martyn decided to plough whilst Dave soon dropped back. Meanwhile behind, Andy Bates (ColourTech), Anthony Wallis (Ciclos Uno) and Dave Farrow (Eagle RC) detached themselves from the bunch and soon made contact, followed shortly by Mick Bath (APi). They continued to open up the gap until the first prime which ColourTech and Anthony Wallis contested, during which they also opened up a gap to Andy, Dave and Mick (Martyn having dropped back to the bunch by this point). Wallis and Bates forged on with Andy's group chasing but continued to open the gap. The gaps back to the bunch remained until the final few laps when they closed on Andy's group when on the final lap, Patrick Schils (Interbike) jumped across the gap. Andy tried to get on to his wheel but couldn't quite manage it - paying the price for his earlier efforts. The bunch nearly caught Patrick but then sat up when they caught Andy, allowing him to slip away again for 3rd spot (Andy Bates having taken the win). Around the last banking and down the home straight, Martyn Meades (Ciclos Uno) battled it out with Bob Downs (Rapha Condor) with Andy coming home in 9th spot.
Full Result (LVRC)Uncharacteristic warm spring sunshine on the May Bank Holiday prompted a good turnout of vets in all categories and with only a gentle breeze also promoted a fast race. Event 1 winner Anthony Wallis (Ciclos Uno) was in no mood to hang and had soon forged a break with former National Road Race Champion Bob Downs (Rapha Condor) and Event 1 runner up Andrew Bates (ColourTech). Despite the fast pace from the bunch, they opened up the gap and although Andrew Bates was dropped, Anthony and Bob lapped the field. They went past the bunch but could onlyopen up a small gap. Andrew Bates (who had been re-caught by the bunch) and another rider then jumped across to them to stay away to the finish. Andy Ballentyne meanwhile also tried to get across with 6 laps to go but was caught after a few laps on his own. Although he got himself into a good position near the finish he didn't have the legs in the bunch sprint won by Lee Rowe. Anthony however won the sprint from Bob.
Full Result (LVRC)