Palmer Park was bathed in sunshine for round 10 of the Reading Track League. The first event of the night was the trackcycling Senior B and Ladies 10 lap scratch race.
Photos : Jun Aishima
After a valiant attempt at an early break by Richard Gostick of Reading CC failed, the group remained together until the last lap. Junior Josh Mitchell of Bicester Millenium rode a strong last lap to take the win by two bike lengths, ahead of Under 16 rider Tom Sefton of Palmer Park Velo. Nick Cammell of GS Henley took third place. GS Henley’s Lydia Brookes rode a good race to take the first place in the ladies’ race, with Sasha Quarrington of Zappi’s Ladies Team earning the runner-up spot.
Just six riders contested the trackcycling Senior A 10 lap scratch race with the group remaining in a disciplined bunch until the final lap. On the day of his 21st birthday, AW Cycles’ Matt Gittings took advantage of team mate Max Stedman’s lead out to take the win. Another AW Cycles rider – Joe Crolla – stole second place from Newbury RC’s Ian Greenstreetby just a tyre’s width.
Gittings once again took the honours in a tight finish in the A Keirin, with Stedman taking second and Sam Sturgeon of AW Cycles finishing third. Amongst the B riders, Mitchell put in an exceptional lap to take his second win of the night, with Daniel Lansley of AW Cycles finishing second and Pat Tynan of Reading CC taking third. The ladies race once again finished with Brookes stealing the lead ahead of Quarrington.
The A and B riders raced together in the Devil. The race began at a relaxed place, but Greenstreet’s decision to time trial from the front of the bunch ensured a high pace was remained throughout. Gittings demonstrated that birthday cake provides the perfect recovery fuel by taking his third win of the night, with Stedman taking third and Greenstreet finishing in third. Mitchell was the only B rider to remain in the final four and took the victory, with Cammell taking second and Tynan taking third place.
The Unknown Distance took a new twist this evening, with officials electing to use a hidden bell to alert riders of the last lap so no anticipation was possible. Sturgeon hoped for a shorter distance race by making a break in the second lap but sadly for him the bell failed to sound as soon as he had hoped. Gittings and Crolla made a well timed break in the fourth lap, with the bell sounding at the start of the fifth and took first and second places respectively, with team mate Jason Pitt finishing in a well earned third place. Amongst the Bs, Gostick took first place, with Lansley and Sefton taking second and third respectively.
With many of the endurance events being scheduled towards the end of the evening, most riders were starting the AW Cycles 20k with very tired legs. This wasn’t enough unable to stop an exciting race unfolding after a sedate first five laps allowed riders to find their legs. Greenstreet was the first to make a break with Crolla putting in a burst to catch him. While the break failed to stick, it gave the race the kick start it needed.
The pace accelerated and riders started to drop. Gittings, Greenstreet and Crolla made the only other attempt of the evening to get a break, but sadly a puncture by Greenstreet put an end to the group’s quest for victory. Just seven riders remained in the final bunch – unusually consisting of just three A riders and four B riders – with any attempt at a break immediately closed down. Sadly for Gittings, he couldn’t seal his birthday night with five wins out of five, with Crolla putting in an excellent final sprint to cross the line first for the second week in a a row, just ahead of Gittings. Stedman, who had worked hard throughout the race, got the consolation of third spot. The race to win the B competition was just as fraught as the A, with Shepherd managing to hold off Cammell in the final sprint for the line, with Sean Gorvy of GS Henley taking third.
Photos : Jun Aishima
Reading Track League Junior Individual Pursuit
1 Joe CROLLA AW Cycles
2 Max STEDMAN AW Cycles
3 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
Senior A
trackcycling Scratch
1 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
2 Joe CROLLA AW Cycles
3 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC
Devil
1 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
2 Max STEDMAN AW Cycles
3 Ian GREENSTREET Newbury RC
Keirin
1 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
2 Max STEDMAN AW Cycles
3 Sam STURGEON AW Cycles
Unknown Distance
1 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
2 Joe CROLLA AW Cycles
3 Jason PITT AW Cycles
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Joe CROLLA AW Cycles
2 Matt GITTINGS AW Cycles
3 Max STEDMAN AW Cycles
Senior B
trackcycling Scratch
1 Josh MITCHELL – Bicester Millennium
2 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
3 Nick CAMMELL GS Henley
Devil
1 Josh MITCHELL – Bicester Millennium
2 Nick CAMMELL GS Henley
3 Pat TYNAN Reading CC
Keirin
1 Josh MITCHELL – Bicester Millennium
2 Daniel LANSLEY AW Cycles
3 Pat TYNAN Reading CC
Unknown Distance
1 Richard GOSTICK Reading CC
2 Daniel LANSLEY AW Cycles
3 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo
AW Cycles 20k Endurance
1 Mark SHEPHERD Banjo Cycles
2 Nick CAMMELL GS Henley
3 Sean GORVY GS Henley
Ladies
trackcycling Scratch
1 Lydia BROOKES GS Henley
2 Sasha QUARRINGTON Zappies Ladies Team
Devil
1 Lydia BROOKES GS Henley
Keirin
1 Lydia BROOKES GS Henley
2 Sasha QUARRINGTON Zappies Ladies Team
