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Location: Supermarine Rugby Club Supermarine Road, Swindon
Event: 4 October 2011

Paul Lloyd took the win at the fifth round of the GWR team Floodlit Winter Cyclo Cross Series, beating Crispin Doyle and more significantly Dan Lewis to lead the overall series.

With the warm autumn weather continuing 52 riders were attracted to the venue, a new record. A very strong field of riders lined up on the start line, with Dave McMullen, recent winner of round 2 of the Wessex League, and previous GWR round winners Dan Lewis and Paul Lloyd. The race was run off in the usual darkness but with very little wind it was still very warm and the track was hard packed.

The first lap saw the leading group of four riders pulling out a small gap between themselves and the chasing pack. The first rider to lead through the technical section was the previous round's winner Dan Lewis closely followed by Paul Lloyd and Luke Cowely, who was returning from a knee injury. The chasing group was made up of Dan Smith, George Bate and Matt Hargrove.

On the second lap, the leaders came into the woods with Lewis still leading Doyle and Lloyd. These three went on to pull away from the chasers and the battle for the victory in round 5 was to be fought out between them.

On lap six of 11 Lloyd pressed a slight advantage over his chasers which he held to the line, Doyle took a very close second and Lewis who suffered with some bike trouble claimed third. The battle for fourth was a constantly changing struggle between Smith and Bate. Bate was to climb into the fourth spot though, as Smith flatted on the last lap exiting the wooded section. The first veteran rider to finish was Gary Clarke, first junior Matt Woods and first woman Caroline Goward.

The race for the overall is still to be decided but seems destined to be a two horse race between Lloyd and Lewis, with only four points separating the riders and a 50 point gap to Smith who is now third.

For the full results please see www.gwrteam.com.