Spalding’s Go-Ride team produced a fine performance at the Mildenhall Cycling Festival.
Tom Wright, Ed Gurney and Velvet and Jack Bowser produced a solid showing on a well prepared and fast track.
The event had a change of venue and a single day format instead of the customary three days which did not deter large numbers of people from attending what was a resounding success and a credit to the organisers.
Trialling the new venue with a view to moving back to the three-day format in 2017, Mildenhall CC managed to juggle a full grass track race programme including the 400m National Championships event, fun events, Audax rides and a trade show.
Vin Denson, one of the first British professionals to have a long and successful career on the continent including winning a Tour de France stage, was on hand to present the prizes.
Repeating his 2015 debut result, Jack Bowser rode strongly to outclass rivals Izaac Carr of Colchester Rovers and CC Ashwell’s Finlay Bracewell to win the Juvenile E Class for Boys Under 8.
In the Under 12 girls Omnium, Velvet Bowser, up against a strong combination of Colchester Rovers’ Jodie Taylor and Emily Richards of Bourne Wheelers, overcame a heart-stopping moment when she pulled her foot while starting her penultimate race and fought hard to take third place overall, a result that was not confirmed until the last minute.
Won by Chelmer CC’s Aaron Freeman from Thomas White of Colchester Rovers, the Under 14 Boys event saw the return of an on-form Bryn Richards of Bourne Wheelers who, after some exciting and close racing, denied Wright a place on the podium.
Wright finished fourth overall with seventh place going to the consistently improving Ed Gurney.
As was the case in 2015 no Spalding jerseys were present in the adults’ events, but the club was nevertheless well represented with two second claim members.
The ever-classy Tilly Gurney was riding for EM Velocita and, in his first grass track appearance for some time, Jake Norton wore his SRAM team kit for the last time.
Sadly the team has now folded so it is likely Jake will be back in Spalding kit for the new cyclo-cross season.
For Tilly, her main aim was the Ladies’ Omnium and a series of hard races ensued with a photo finish deciding the outcome of one – a win by a tyre width.
Her efforts for the day put her on the podium in second place behind Welwyn Wheeler Lauren Higham. Third place went to Chelmer CC’s Sherilyn Powell.
Jake, meanwhile, rode well in his races but his lack of miles on the grass against the more experienced riders who are nearing the end of the season began to tell early on.
Sadly rain and a crash involving three riders marred the afternoon’s events and the conditions prevented more racing.
