The final 17-mile time trial event of Spalding Cycling Club’s season produced a flurry of personal best (PB) times on what was a fine evening for racing.
A heavy shower before the start threatened to disrupt proceedings for the seven club members and three guests taking part, but the conditions ended up being perfect.
Fastest on the night was guest rider Chris Ward (Team Swift), who took just 37.41mins to complete the course.
He was followed in by Spalding duo Ben Moore (38.16mins) and Andy Bowser on (39.00mins).
Behind the top trio, the usual tussle between Ross McGivern (40.19mins), Simon Wright (41.25mins) and Mark Hills (42.06mins) saw all three clock new PB times.
Another guest rider, Gareth Richards (Bourne Wheelers), split the Spalding contingent with 43.34mins.
Meanwhile, Chris Bettinson put in another solid ride to finish with 46.36mins.
Two ladies were in action, with Spalding’s Natasha Tooley recording 47.53mins and Maddie Gammons (RP Vision) unable to finish.
- Spalding’s latest ten-mile time trial league meet was held on the alternative out and back Pode Hole to South Fen to Pode Hole course due to resurfacing on the usual track.
Another fine evening – albeit with a difficult head wind on the return leg – enabled some fast and very close times to be achieved by the 24 competitors.
The top three spots were occupied by Team Swift’s Ward (21.57mins), Velo One’s Neil Palmer (22.09mins) and his team-mate Josh Wallis (22.50mins).
The finishing order of the first five Spalding members had a familiar feel to it.
Bowser (23.10mins) was just quicker than Moore (23.12mins), while McGivern and Wright tied on 24.46mins.
Hills posted a fine 25.13mins to finish just ahead of second claim member Matt Ellis, whose 25.21mins netted him the win in the under-16 category ahead of Jake Norton (26.08mins).
Third place in the under-16 ranks went to Tom Wright on 30.01mins.
The ladies’ competition had five riders, with Gammons first in on 27.19mins – which was good enough for 11th overall.
Also clocking solid times were Tooley (29.07mins) and Sarah Bentley (30.00mins).
Spalding also welcomed Helen Wallis and Kimberley Fisher as first time competitors, posting times of 36.33mins and 41.18mins respectively.
The club hope to see them again at the remaining events this season.
Other finishers were Frazer Wallis (26.07mins), Gerry Charlwood (27.10mins), Barry Drew (28.46mins), Shane Norton (29.18mins), Bill Wood (35.30mins), Ed Gurney (36.10mins), Velo One’s
Adam Ellis (23.49mins) and Bourne Wheelers’ Richards (26.01mins).
- Spalding’s second claim member Tilly Gurney’s fantastic grass track season – which includes first and second places in omniums at Colchester and Plomesgate – gained her sufficient points to ride for the first time in the National 800m Championship at Penrith, hosted by Beacon Wheelers.
Heavy overnight rain made track conditions less than ideal and a start draw that saw her on the outside of the track meant Gurney had a fight to get on terms with her rivals.
The current champion, Jo Smith of the host club, took an early lead with Gurney hard on her wheel into the final lap.
Smith was first across the line, with Gurney pipped by Beacon’s Katie Lukas in a two up sprint on the line. However, Gurney still finished with a fine bronze medal.
Later in the day, she took yet another second place overall in the omnium event.
- Spalding’s grass track team prepared for a busy schedule of racing at the Heckington Show on Saturday with confidence-boosting performances from Tom Wright and Ed Gurney at Sleaford
Wheelers’ grass track meet – which included a photo finish sprint win for Wright.
