Location: Writtle, near Chelmsford, Essex
Event: 11 September 2011
Report: Snowdon Sports
XRT-Elmy Cycles junior Hugo Robinson won the opening round of the Eastern Cyclo-Cross League near Chelmsford, just holding off 2010 league winner Andrew Nichols (PCA Ciclos Uno) in the charge for the line.
16-year-old Robinson, who was third best junior overall in last year's league, showed he has improved markedly with victory in the first round, promoted by PCA Ciclos Uno.
But his moment of victory was almost spoiled by a determined Nichols.
Leading by around five seconds after a last lap surge, Robinson sat up as he approached the line to zip his top. But Nichols rapidly closed the deficit in a last-gasp surge and almost stole Robinson's thunder, missing out by less than a wheel.
Robinson had been active almost right from the start, attacking his rivals but never really getting more than about 50 metres. After lap four Nichols closed the gap and joined him at the front, and the pair forged ahead.
On the last lap Robinson edged ahead but Nichols almost caught him out on the line, while third spot went to Greg Simcock (Team Corley Cycles) who was another 11 seconds back.
In the veterans' and women's race, Phil Buick (Iceni Velo) took the win from Bruce Robinson (Shaftesbury CC). Last season's top veteran overall, Tim Butler (Ipswich BC) was a non-finisher after ripping off his rear mech on a piece of fencing.
Results:
Seniors:
1 Hugo Robinson (XRT Elmy Cycles) 59:45
2 Andrew Nichols (PCA Ciclos Uno) @ 2sec
3 Greg Simcock (Team Corley Cycles) @ 13sec
4 James Whatling (PCA Ciclos Uno) @ 2:12
5 Alex Baker (Orange Monkey) @ 2:49
6 Dan Stevens (Neon-Digital.co.uk) @ 3:04
7 Dan Howe (TROG MTB) @ 3:40
8 Tim Guy (Iceni Velo) @ 3:49
9 Martin Carter (unattached) @ 4:02
10 Ben Paton (Amis Velo RT) @ 4:08
Veterans/Women:
1 Phil Buick (Iceni Velo) 35:36
2 Bruce Robinson (Shaftesbury CC) @ 6sec
3 Geoff Bores (Ford CC) @ 14sec
4 Terry Minter (Tradervan) @ 40sec
5 Colin Cracknell (Ipswich BC) @ 1:03
6 Kevin Darragh (Maldon & Dist CC) @ 1:44
7 Bob Pisolker (Finsbury Park CC) @ 1:56
8 Kevin Carter (London Phoenix) @ 2:08
9 Bob Flack (Ford CC) @ 2:10
10 Graham Hart (Essex Roads CC) @ 2:28
Women: Anna Buick (Univ of Manchester).
Youth:
1 Sean Dunlea (PCA Ciclos Uno) 32:40
2 James Tapley (Cambridge Tri Club) @ 2:53
3 Theo Doncaster (CC Ashwell) @ 2:55
4 Cameron Woolsey (CC Ashwell) @ same time
5 James Madgwick (Lee Valley YCC) @ 3:28
6 Alwyn Newstead (Ipswich BC) @ 3:54
Under-14s: Georg Jensen (Lee Valley YCC)
Girls: Francesca Morgans-Slader (Lee Valley YCC)
Under-12s: William Raymond (Welwyn Wheelers)
Under-10s: Aaron Freeman (Chelmer CC)
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
