LWCC Crits Rd 1 and racing round-up
The first of Lewes Wanderers’ Criterium road races for the season took place on the sunny, but breezy evening of Thursday 1st June. A small field of only 23 riders was almost immediately reduced to 22 as Mark Smith of Crawley Wheelers had his rear hub fail with his first pedal stroke in anger. Perhaps due to the reduced bunch size or the rare tailwind down The Broyle, but a remarkably attacking race unfolded. On the first of the five circuits James Bullen (trainSharp) got off the front and mopped up the first of the three Prime Sprints up Shortgate Lane without any competitors in sight. Ben Tappenden (Precise Performance RT) eventually took the runners-up spot by a bike length from Richard Moult (Sussex Revolution Velo Club). Bullen was finally reeled in just before the next Prime Sprint on lap 2, when Chris Parsons-Green (Southborough & District Wheelers) led him over the line with Jan Grosicki (SRVC) crossing at the front of a group a few seconds later.
By now the peloton had split in two with a group of nine riders ahead, including four from trainSharp, and the remainder of the race being spearheaded by a trio from Team TMC - Strada Wheels. The gap fluctuated, but despite the best efforts of the chasers the remaining spoils were divided amongst the advanced guard. It was much closer, but once again Chris Parsons-Green beat James Bullen to the final Prime Sprint on the third lap, with Benjamin Neal (LVC Racing) taking third. It was equally close at the end of the fifth and final lap when Ben Tappenden just edged out Charlie Burrell for the victory, with Chris Parsons-Green and Sam Benge (trainSharp) just behind in 3rd and 4th.
Back on Thursday 25th May Peter Baker was the only Lewes rider among fifteen racing in Eastbourne Rovers latest 10-mile time-trial. His time of 29 minutes and 44 seconds placed him 13th overall and 4th of the 5 on road-bikes.
Peter Baker by Paget Cohen
On Bank Holiday Monday 29th May Sally Turner (HUUB WattShop) was the only female entrant in the Brighton Mitre 10-mile TT on the A283 near Steyning. She was far from outshone by the men as she finished 7th overall in a time of 22:15.
The following evening Neil Edwards was back at Goodwood Historic Motor Racing Circuit for Round 5 of the Goodwood Summer Series and his second attempt at this series. Sadly his wheel was clipped when he was well placed on the final lap and he came down and was unable to finish.
Peter Baker was back for the next round of Eastbourne Rovers’ 10-mile TTs on Thursday 1st June when he finished 10th in a time of 29:35.
The first weekend of June saw the UCI Tour of Cambridgeshire series of events held on closed roads south of Peterborough. On Saturday 3rd Sally Turner (HUUB WattShop) more than took part in the individual time-trial as she covered the 16.4 mile course in a rapid time just one second outside of 39 minutes to place a superb 2nd of the 15 females in the 40-44 age group, 4th of the 85 female entrants and 136th from 349 overall. In the following day’s 66-mile road race Simon Head completed the course in 3 hours 9 minutes and 22 seconds to finish safely in a bunch 43 minutes behind the victor.
