British Cycling Cross-Country Series Round 5 - Langdon Hills | |
(pdf download) | (xls download)
The British Cycling Cross-Country Series concludes at Langdon Hills in Essex and with many of the race categories still to be settled, it looks like being an exciting finale.
PREVIEW
In the Elite Women’s category, there are six riders within 35 points of each other, but both Lee Craigie and Mel Alexander have yet to record a fourth scoring ride (the series is decided by a rider’s best 4 rides from five rounds). Craigie has the better record of the two and after her win in the fourth round, just ahead of Alexander, she will start as a favourite for the race and the series.
The Elite Men’s series is likely to come down to whether the winner of the last two rounds, Oli Beckingsale, can put in another strong ride. He leads the series after two wins and has yet to record his fourth scoring ride. That puts him 17 points clear of his nearest rival, Dave Fletcher, who also has three scoring rides to his credit. Fletcher would have to win the race and hope for Beckingsale to have significant problems if he is to claim the series.
Riders who have already wrapped up their categories are as follows: Jason Boutell in the Expert Men, Fern Henry in the Sport Women, Dan Tulett and Emily Wadsworth in the two Juvenile categories, Billy Harding in the Youths, Luke Smith and Caroline Goward in the Masters categories, Paul Hopkins in the Veterans, Kim Long and Pete Harris in the Grand Veterans category and Vic Barnett in the Super Veteran Men.
But all the other categories have everything to play (ride?) for. Look out in particular for the following:
Sport Men – Lee Gratton and Matt Hill have both been amazingly consistent and with just four points between them, one or other will claim the title.
Youth Women – Isla Short, Ffion James and Martha Gill are all closely bunched and all have one "bad" result from four to drop. To guarantee the series, each will be looking for the crucial final round win.
Junior Men – perhaps the closest category of all. Michael Thompson and Iain Paton jointly lead the series, but third and fourth placed Ed McParland and Alex Baker are also well placed. All will be looking to win first and foremost and then hope that the maths stack up. Baker and Thompson are the only two for whom a win will guarantee them the series.
Junior Women – with two wins each, Alice Barnes and Bethany Crumpton can both win the series with a race win at Langdon Hills. Barnes has a slim 4 point lead and won the previous round and will therefore perhaps start as a narrow favourite.
Veteran Women – Anne Murray’s consistency gives her a small cushion of ten points over Helen McGregor, the only rider who can deny her the series. But neither has won since Dalby’s second round, so they will have to be on their guard as they try to mark each other. A win for Murray would give her the series, whereas McGregor will be looking to win and put at least two riders between herself and Murray to be sure of claiming the prize.
SERIES STANDINGS
View Complete Series Standings (xls download) | Start List (pdf download)
Riders marked with a * have yet to record a fourth scoring ride. Riders in bold have already won their respective series.
Elite Men
1 Oliver Beckingsale Endura MTB Racing 156*
2 David Fletcher Orange Monkey/Cannondale 139*
3 Hamish Batchelor Fluid Fin Race Team 136
4 Adrian Lansley Pedalon.co.uk 132
5 Dave Henderson GT Racing UK 130
Elite Women
1 Maxine Filby Velocite UK 176
2 Jessie Roberts RWD Brakes Factory Race Team 172
3 Lee Craigie Lapierre UK 165*
4 Melanie Alexander Cardiff JIF 154*
5 Joanne Clay WXC World Racing 149
Expert Men
1 Jason Bouttell Ultimate Fitness 240
2 Sean Frost 177
3 Stephen Hodge Shred Racing 171
4 John Hopkinson Aire Valley Racing Team 164*
5 Dieter Droger Dirtwheels Cycles 164*
Expert Women
1 Nadia Wouters Sherwood Pines Cycles 196
2 Amber Southern Boneshakerbikes.com 166*
3 Jules Toone 165*
4 Anna Cipullo Ultimate Fitness 139*
5 Ruby Baker Behind The Bikeshed 82*
Sport Men
1 Lee Gratton 216
2 Matthew Hill UK-Biking.net 212
3 Richard Phillips Schofield Hantspol CC 180
4 Scott McCarron Mountain Trax RT 162
5 Scott Clipstone Army Cycling Union 138*
Sport Women
1 Fern Henry 236
2 Julie Elder 217
3 Fay Cunningham Royal Air Force CC 153*
4 Emma Cook Rockingham Forest Whls 141*
5 Leona Kadir La Fuga - Sigma Sport 112*
Juvenile Men
1 Daniel Tulett Hargroves Cycles/Specialized/Trant 240
2 Ewan Grivell-Mellor Mid Shropshire Wheelers 202
3 Sam Shepherd Primera - Specialized 186
4 William Gascoyne Matlock CC 168*
5 Calum Grant Peebles CC/ Alpine Bikes 155
Juvenile Women
1 Emily Wadsworth Beeline Bicycles RT 240
2 Emma Borthwick Edinburgh RC 216
3 Jessica Roberts Towy Riders 213
4 Katie Allen Stirling Bike Club 179
5 Sophie Capewell Lichfield City CC 147*
Youth Men
1 Billy Harding Paul Milnes/Bradford Olympic RC 229
2 Dylan Kerfoot-Robson Rhos On Sea CC 213
3 Calum Magowan Peebles CC/ Alpine Bikes 210
4 Thomas Craig Team Scott UK 167
5 Arthur Green Team Hope Factory Racing 160
Youth Women
1 Isla Short Innerleithen MTB Racing/i-Cycles 198
2 Ffion James Abergavenny RC 197
3 Martha Gill Bolton Hot Wheels CC 192
4 Sarah Lomas Matlock CC 173
5 Abigail Van Twisk VC Londres 165
Junior Men
1 Michael Thompson TEF/Richardsons Race Team 203
2 Iain Paton CNP - Orbea 203
3 Edward McParland GT Racing UK 190
4 Alex Baker Orange Monkey/Cannondale 159*
5 Samuel Stean VC Jubilee 157
Junior Women
1 Alice Barnes Twenty3c.co.uk Orbea 232
2 Bethany Crumpton Team Scott Contessa 228
3 Rebecca Preece Red Rose Olympic CC 209
4 Imogen Buick Moda-Bikemagic Racing Team 199
5 Yuka Gallagher 184
Master Men
1 Luke Smith Whyte Bikes 236
2 Tony Fawcett Blackhawk Bikes 212
3 Geoff Beetham Retrobike.co.uk 207
4 Shaun Wells Team Cookson Cycles 131
5 Roy Davies Team-Elite/Paul Bethell Electrical 113*
Master Women
1 Caroline Goward Team Scott Contessa 224*
2 Jo Munden Pedal Heaven RT 116*
3 Jane Chadwick Dirtwheels Cycles 108*
4 Gillian Pratt Team Leslie Bike Shop 60*
5 Liz Gilmour Ridebike.co.uk 60*
Vet Men
1 Paul Hopkins Merida Factory Racing 232
2 Lewis King Beeline Bicycles RT 168*
3 Ian Taylor Craven Energy 156
4 Dean Morgan Cyclezone UK/Cube 144*
5 Mark Chadbourne Ridebike.co.uk / The Training Room 136*
Vet Women
1 Anne Murray Moray Firth CC 224
2 Helen MacGregor VC Lincoln 214
3 Nicky Hughes Team Scott Contessa 209
4 Anita Buxton Thetford MTB Racing 169
5 Samantha Jones 155
Grand Vet Men
1 Peter Harris Pearce Cycles RT 228
2 Gregor Grant Moray Firth CC 210
3 Steven Davies Southfork Racing.co.uk 172*
4 Robert Jackson WDMBC Beyond Mountainbikes 170
5 Timothy Stowe Team Jewson / MI Racing 167
Grand Vet Women
1 Kim Long 236
2 Carol Tilley Ridebike.co.uk / The Training Room 209
3 Alison Linnell 108*
4 Fiona Paton Ben Wyvis Bike Club 105*
5 Sara Flatt Iceni Velo 60*
Super Vet Men
1 Victor Barnett Welland Valley CC 240
2 Denis Smith 208
3 Chris Hearn Schwalbe UK 200
4 Philip Jones Crosstrax 181
5 Colin Murley Derwentside CC 168*
