Former senior and current veteran national champion Nick Craig (Scott) was victorious in round 12 of the Notts and Derby League, held in heavy conditions after two days of rain at Thornbridge Outdoors Centre at Great Longstone, near Bakewell, in Derbyshire.
A bumper field of 179 in the main race was led away by David Fletcher (Boardman Elite) and Tom Last (Sigma Sport) with Craig down in around fifth place. By lap two Craig had got across to and passed Last and was chasing hard to catch Fletcher, which he did by lap three.
They stayed together for a while, but as the course cut up further Craig came into his own and was able to pull away by lap, employing his usual technique of taking lines that few others use in order to find traction.
By the end of the race he had pulled his advantage out to 46 seconds over Fletcher and 1-21 to Last. After a steady start Zepnat's Jim Bryan rode through the field to 4th place, 2-09 behind Craig.
On a day with a top-class field (ex national champion Ian Bibby was a non-finisher with mechanical troubles), Notts and Derby league regulars found themselves a little further down the order than usual, the first of these being Andy Naylor (Ashfield RC) in 9th followed by Chris Metcalfe (Charge Bikes) in 10th, just behind another local Pete Middleton (Zepnat) in 8th.
Annie Last (Boardman Elite) took an anticipated victory for the women's honours, using all her technical ability to finish 28th overall after a recent break from training and competition.
In the Youth race, James Shaw (Heanor Clarion) continued his current run of good form, finishing 24 seconds in front of the visiting Billy Harding (Paul Milnes Cycles) and Dylan Robson (Rhos-on-Sea) after 24 minutes of racing. Arthur Green of the promoting club took fourth and Sarah Lomas, also of Matlock, was the first girl.
Results:
Seniors:
1 Nick Craig (Scott UK) 9 laps in 52-17
2 David Fletcher (Boardman Elite) @ 46sec
3 Tom Last (Sigma Sport RT) @ 1-21
4 Jim Bryan (Zepnat RT) @ 2-09
5 Lee Westwood (Cycleshack-Forme Coaching) @ 3-35
6 Alex Welburn (Cycleshack-Forme Coaching) @ 4-25
7 Jack Humphreys (Wheelbase-Cannondale) @ 5-12
8 Pete Middleton (Zepnat RT) @ 5-26
9 Andy Naylor (Ashfield RC) @ 5-42
10 Chris Metcalfe (Charge Bikes) @ 5-54
Women: Annie Last (Boardman Elite). Juniors: Alex Welburn (Cycleshack).
Youth:
1 James Shaw (Heanor Clarion) 5 laps in 23-56
2 Billy Harding (Paul Milnes Cycles) @ 24sec
3 Dylan Robson (Rhos-on-Sea) @ 44sec
4 Arthur Green (Matlock CC) @ 1-20
5 Thomas Craig (Scott UK) @ 1-55
6 Tom Weeds (Derby Mercury RC) @ 2-18
Girls: Sarah Lomas (Matlock CC). Under-14s: William Gascoyne (Matlock CC). Under-14 girls: Jess Willett (Heanor Clarion).
Under-12s:
1 Sol Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos on Sea CC) 7 laps in 14-32
2 Jenson Young (Pedalsport CC) @ same time
3 John Webster (Matlock CC) @ same time
Girls: Poppy Wildman (Nottingham Clarion).
Under-9s:
1 Ben Chilton (Derby Mercury RC) 4 laps in 7:05
2 Alex Colston-Shield (Lichfield City CC) @ 1sec
3 Libby Smith (Matlock CC) @ 24sec
Girls: Libby Smith.
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.
