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Location: Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Event: 16 September 2012
Report: Snowdon Sports
Photo: Graham Robins
The Western Cyclo Cross League got off to a flying start in sunshine. It was the usual opener by Team Striking Bikes at Gloucester, but this time with a twist: the course was run anti-clockwise. Last year's senior league podium of riders was absent, so an interesting race was expected to unfold.
The first rider to show at the front was last year's junior champion, Joe Griffiths (Dream Cycling), who opened a gap on the first lap.
Ian Legg (Primera - Specialized) and Ben Davies (Cheltenham Cycles) were stuck together, followed by Richard Cross (Noah’s Ark) on his own.
At the end of lap two, Ben and Ian come through and no Joe, who had been seen running with his bike.
A broken chain had seen him drop from first to last place before he could make it to the pits. A strong ride saw Joe claim 13th place, and first Junior.
Ben and Ian continued to push each other with Richard chasing hard but unable to close the gap.
The two were still together at a lap to go, but a mistake by Ben in the mud of the gulley gave Ian the springboard to make the killer move and take the win. Richard then cruised to third place, and first vet.
Results:
Senior:
1 Ian Legg (Primera - Specialized) 11 laps 1:00:48
2 Ben Davies (Cheltenham Cycles) @ 8 sec
3 Richard Cross (Noah’s Ark) 48 sec Vet
4 Ben Hall (Bristol RC) @ 2:46
5 Mike Blunsdon (unattached) @ 3:44
6 Ian Dawes (Ride 24/7) @ 4:54 Vet
7 Ian Threadgood (Cheltenham CC) @ 7:30
8 Andy Roberts (Team GWR) @ 1 Lap Vet
9 Pat Alexander (Cheltenham & County CC) @ 1 Lap Vet
10 Vilas Silverton (Sri Chinnoy CT) @ 1 Lap Vet
Under 8:
1 Oliver Buckle (Unattached)
2 Leo Tarrant (Cheltenham)
Under 10:
1 Andrew Loosemore (Team Striking Bikes)
2 Johan Hobb (Unattached)
3 Samual Silman-Clyde (Unattached)
Under 12:
1 Ellie Hobbs (Unattached)
2 David Meyer (Cheltenham & County CC)
3 Joseph Silman-Clyde (Unattached)
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.
