The setting sun bathed Palmer Park in a warm, orange glow as Round 3 of the Reading Track League season got under way – but it couldn’t take the edge of a biting wind that blew straight down the back straight.
Joe Truman of i-Team CC used the wind to his advantage – punching his way out of the sheltering bunch to make a solo run for home on the last lap of the Senior A trackcycling 10 Lap Scratch. Neil Rutter of Cotswold Veldrijden set off in pursuit but Truman held on to take the first win of the evening from Rutter, Ian Greenstreet of Newbury RC and Rob King.
In the Senior B event it was youth to the fore as Josh Mitchell of Bicester Millennium and Tom Sefton and Matt Lansley of Palmer Park Velo took the honours, with Abbie Dentus of Team De Ver in the thick of the bunch sprint to claim the win in the Ladies event. Hayley Davies of Rollapaluza took second from Emily Mellor of the VO2 Development Team.
The programme was dominated by the heats of the Track League Senior Individual Pursuit competition which saw 15 riders compete over 4 heats. 9 laps of the grippy Palmer Park track is a gruelling task at the best of times, but the headwind added to the pain.
Nick English of AW Cycles set the benchmark in the first heat, clocking 5:15.51 and catching all his opponents. Ian Greenstreet was similarly dominant in the second heat – but wasn’t quite able to match English’s time with a 5:18.60. With the final heat under way it was clear that the only rider capable of splitting the two leaders was King but he could never quite match their pace, finishing third with a 5:32.83. English and Greenstreet will ride again in two weeks’ time to decide the title.
By complete contrast, the programme then switched to the Keirin with Truman taking his second win of the evening in the Senior As – finishing comfortably ahead of Rutter, King and AW Cycles’ George Withers.
There was nothing comfortable about the result of the Senior B race, with the youngsters continuing a dong-dong battle that looks set to keep us entertained all season. This time it was Sefton who came out ahead of Mitchell – but by no more than three or four centimetres with Lansley having to settle for third. Dentus had a comfort able win in the Ladies event, heading home Sasha Quarrington of Zappi’s and youth rider Anne Marie Hughes of Prestige Velo.
Perhaps it was the wind again – although it seemed to have dropped a little as the evening wore on – but once again the field in the AW Cycles 20k Endurance event stayed together until the closing stages – apart from those blown unceremoniously out of the back.
With two to go there was a group of half a dozen Senior A riders 15 metres clear of the main bunch and the gap held until the finish. It was Nick Abraham who rode clear on the home straight to take the win – ahead of Rutter and King. And it was Sefton who showed that he has the legs as well as the speed, adding the Senior B 20k to his Keirin win for the evening. Mark Shepherd of Banjo Cycles got in among the youngsters to take second with Lansley taking another third place. Connor Woodford of Willesden was the only Under 16 rider to go the distance.
Round 4 will be on 13 May with a break due to the Bank Holiday – but there will be racing on Sunday 5 May as the track hosts its annual Bordeaux-Paris meeting, which is also Round 3 of the National Hard Track Endurance Series.
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Reading Track League Senior Individual Pursuit (Qualifying)
1 Nick ENGLISH AW Cycles 5:15.51
2 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC 5:18.60
3 Rob KING BC Private Member 5:32.83
Final 13 May 2013
Nick ENGLISH vs Ian GREENSTREET
Senior A
trackcycling 10 Lap Scratch
1 Joe TRUMAN i-Team CC
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC
4 Rob KING BC Private Member
Keirin
1 Joe TRUMAN i-Team CC
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 Rob KING BC Private Member
4 George WITHERS AW Cycles
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Nick ABRAHAM BC Private Member
2 Neil RUTTER Cotswold Veldrijden
3 Rob KING BC Private Member
Senior B
trackcycling 10 Lap Scratch
1 Josh MITCHELL Bicester Millennium
2 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
3 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
Keirin
1 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
2 Josh MITCHELL Bicester Millenium
3 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
2 Mark SHEPHERD Banjo Cycles
3 Matthew LANSLEY Palmer Park Velo
Ladies
trackcycling 10 Lap Scratch
1 Abbie DENTUS Team De Ver
2 Hayley DAVIES Rollapaluza
3 Emily MELLOR VO2 Development Team
Keirin
1 Abbie DENTUS Team De Ver
2 Sasha QUARRINGTON Zappi’s
3 Anne Marie HUGHES Prestige Velo
Under 16
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Connor WOODFORD Willesden CC
