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 Close Result in Wheelbase Morecambe Two-Day

Salt Ayre Cycling Association, June 18-19 2011
Aughton, near Lancaster, Lancashire
Report: Snowdon Sports

JAMES Gullen (Team Wallis CHH) secured a narrow victory in the Wheelbase Morecambe Two-Day stage race in Lancashire last weekend.

After four tough stages of racing, he was tied in the overall classification with Team Bglobal's Craig Battersby. But on looking back through the results, Gullen had been 3/100ths of a second quicker in the opening three-kilometre time trial.

His team-mate Callum Nicholson had proved fastest in the opening time trial, covering the distance in 7:30, while Gullen had taken second spot with 7-33, just millimeters ahead of Battersby who was credited with the same time.

Stage Two offered the riders a 50-mile road race, and it was Vanilla Bikes' Jack Pullar who took that victory in a nine-rider sprint for the line. Cycle Premier-Metaltek's Simon Watson took second, while Stuart Reid (Herbalife-Wheelbase) was third. Again, Gullen and Battersby could not be separated in sixth and seventh spots.

There was another mass sprint finish to stage three, a 25-mile criterium, which Jake Hales (Team Corley Cycles) won from Vanilla Bikes' Adam Norris, while Wilson was third this time. Gullen and Battersby were again credited with the same time.

And they could not be separated in the fourth and final stage, an 84-mile road race which Jamie Shirlaw (Herbalife-Wheelbase) won, sprinting to victory ahead of his three breakaway rivals who were 15 seconds ahead of the bunch.

Shirlaw needed to cross the line just another eight seconds ahead of the bunch to take the overall, but his 15 second margin left him fourth, only seven seconds away from victory.

That result had the organizers reaching for their calculators, but in the final overall result they had to go back to the opening time trial, where Gullen had pipped his rival by such a narrow margin.

While Battersby took second, third spot went to stage two winner Jack Pullar who was just four seconds slower than Gullen.

Results:
Stage One (3km TT):
1 Callum Nicholson (Team Wallis) 7:30
2 James Gullen (Team Wallis) 7:33
3 Craig Battersby (Team Bglobal) 7:33
4 Stephen Leigh (Team Bglobal)7:45
5 Ian Taylor (Herbalife-Wheelbase) 7:48
6 Simon Wilson (Cycle Premier-Metaltek) 7:49

Stage Two (50-Mile Road Race):
1 Jack Pullar (Vanilla Bikes) 1:32:11
2 Simon Wilson (Cycle Premier-Metaltek)
3 Stuart Reid (Herbalife-Wheelbase)
4 Robert Ormrod (Manchester Wheelers)
5 Anthony Greenhalgh (Maxgear RT)
6 Craig Battersby (Team Bglobal) all @ same time

Stage Three (25-Mile Criterium):
1 Jake Hales (Team Corley Cycles) 1:14:10
2 Adam Norris (Vanilla Bikes)
3 Simon Wilson (Cycle Premier-Metaltek)
4 Stuart Reid (Herbalife-Wheelbase)
5 Anthony Greenhalgh (Maxgear RT)
6 Chris Sherrifs (Team Bglobal) all @ same time

Stage Four (84-Mile Road Race):
1 Jamie Shirlaw (Herbalife-Wheelbase) 2:38:00
2 Peter Murdock (Team Cyclelane)
3 Milan Sihelsky (Kuota Spinergy)
4 Jack Pullar (Vanilla Bikes) all @ same time
5 Jake Hales (Team Corley Cycles) @ 15sec
6 Richard Bott (Herbalife-Wheelbase) @ same time

Final overall:
1 James Gullen (Team Wallis CHH) 5:32:09
2 Craig Battersby (Team Bglobal) @ same time
3 Jack Pullar (Vanilla Bikes) @ 4sec
4 Jamie Shirlaw (Herbalife-Wheelbase) @ 7sec
5 Simon Wilson (Cycle Premier-Metaltek) @ 16sec
6 Jamie Kennedy (Glasgow Couriers) @ 19sec