Lincoln’s Rick Lister won the last round of the SRAM Notts and Derby League at Darley Moor in Derbyshire on Saturday, crossing the line around a minute ahead of league regular Rob Parkin (Buzz Cycles) at the end of a snow-covered senior race.
Lister, the 39-year-old Ace RT rider who rarely rides the Notts and Derby League because of work commitments, secured victory after breaking away alone, determined to solo to victory as the snow came down and made racing in bunches ever more treacherous.
While Parkin crossed the line in second spot, just behind him was overall league winner Chris Metcalfe, the 29-year-old Charge Cycles rider from Crich.
The race – promoted by Ashfield Road Club - took shape on the first lap with four riders getting clear, but by the second lap Lister had gone ahead alone, leaving his rivals strung out.
Eventual runner-up Rob Parkin slipped on a corner, while Lee Shunburne (Matlock CC) was held up by backmarkers as they struggled to keep pace with Lister.
When Shunburne was held up Metcalfe and Parkin seized their chance to go ahead, and they managed to keep him at bay and contest the final podium spots.
Metcalfe knew the league title could be his as long as he put in a reasonable ride and finished, having only just ridden enough counting events to qualify.
What They Said
“It was bumpy and windy and I like that, so put the two together and it was pretty good for me,” said Rick Lister afterwards. “I’ve had a mixed season really, I had a bit of time off early on and then got injured over Christmas.
“Now I’m back to full fitness I had an idea I was going OK, so I thought I might be fresher than a lot of the guys.
“I didn’t want to go into the last lap with other people because it was getting very slippery and if you’re with other guys and someone falls, they might take you with them.
“It was a really good event and I like the course. It’s nice to win what was my last event before turning veteran, and I’m looking forward to riding a few road races, mainly crits and some MTB over the season.”
“I’ve had a great season,” said Chris Metcalfe. “I didn’t start the season particularly focusing on the Notts and Derby League, but my results stayed consistent so by Christmas I was still in the running. But it was always going to be a struggle to get enough counting rides in. I had to finish the last round to make it 11 rides and the Midlands Championships.
“The final round was so fast, there was a lot of drafting and the corners started to get slippery. Rob slipped on a corner but recovered, and Lee get caught behind someone, and that’s when me and Rob got a slight gap on him.
“I’m going to ride the Red Bull Hill Chases and then have a bit of a break ,before doing more mountain biking this summer. Me and Lee have to defend our Mountain Mayhem title too!”
Results:
1 Rick Lister (Ace RT) 40:09
2 Rob Parkin (Buzz Cycles) @ 55sec
3 Chris Metcalfe (Charge Cycles) @ same time
4 Lee Shunburne (Matlock CC) @ 1:07
5 Phil Roach (Rugby Velo) @ 1:40
6 Gareth Whittall (Clay Cross RT) @ same time
7 Andrew Stuart (TFN Tri) @ 2:25
8 Matt Denby (Zepnat RT) @ 2:51
9 Matt Crouch (Derby Mercury RC) @ 3:42
10 Duncan Walmsley (Zepnat RT) @ same time
Veterans: Phil Roach. Women: Diane Lee (Zepnat RT).
Youth:
1 James Shaw (Heanor Clarion) 23:32
2 Will Perrett (Heanor Clarion) @ 20sec
3 Oliver Maxwell (VC Rutland) @ 45sec
4 Tom Weeds (Derby Mercury RC) @ 1:01
5 Arthur Green (Matlock CC) @ 2:49
6 Ollie Peckover (Nottingham Clarion) @ 3:13
7 William Gascoyne (Matlock CC) @ 3:40
8 Olivier Arnoux (Derby Mercury RC) @ 3:56
9 Josh Waters (Plan B Racing) @ 4:23
10 Callum McBrearty (Nottingham Clarion) @ 4:35
Under-14s: Ollie Peckover. Girls: Isabelle Boon (Belper BC).
Under-12s:
1 James Swadling (Nottingham Clarion) 13:54
2 Toby Barnes (Lichfield City CC) @ 1sec
3 John Webster (Matlock CC) @ 9sec
4 Emile Alexander (Lichfield City CC) @ 1:04
5 George Swindell (Matlock CC) @ 1:32
6 Kerrigan Robb (Witham Wheelers) @ 1:35
Girls: Poppy Wildman (Nottingham Clarion).
Under-9s:
1 Ben Chilton (Derby Mercury RC) 6:55
2 Alex Coleston-Shields (Lichfield City CC) @ 20sec
3 Matthew Luscombe (Derby Mercury RC) @ 37sec
4 Josh Giddings (Heanor Clarion) @ 45sec
5 Lance Ash (Nottingham Clarion) @ 54sec
6 Sam Gould (Matlock CC) @ 1:07
Girls: Lotta Mansfield, Nottingham Clarion
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.
