Location: Hillingdon circuit, London
Event: 21 April 2012

Tony Gibb (Metaltek-Scott) won the Archer Road Club Spring Criterium at a blustery Hillingdon after breaking away with Tom Fitzpatrick (Iceni Velo) for the last ten laps of a fifty four lap race.

The circuit was dry and when the sun did pop out from behind the clouds it was very warm, but there was a strong blustery wind which whipped around in all directions and we even had a small shower of rain although this was not enough to wet the course.

The race got underway and it didn’t take long for the attacks to start. Within five minutes of the start five riders got a small gap of six seconds and they looked like they were going to build on it until the bunch closed it down and brought the race back together. But no sooner they were together another attack went away. This time Tom went away with unattached rider Mike Blewitt.

The next attack saw four riders slip off the front with Tom and Mike was Jason Edwards (GB MS Tina) and Jerzy Kuzminski. This attack didn’t stick and once again the hard working bunch pulled it back again. The next significant break came just after the first prime which was one by James Caldwell (Cycle Premier RT). First two then five riders started to build on the front and this time this attack started to go away as strength in numbers were needed to battle the headwind they were encountering.

This group now numbered nine riders which included Tony Gibb, Tom Fitzpatrick, Nicholas Baker (Zappi’s CC), Tom Gallagher (Metaltek-Scott), Chris Grange (Herne Hill CC), Phil Holloway (Southend Wheelers), David Saunders (NFTO), Michael Smith (Team Corley Cycles) and James Moss (Node 4-Giordana). This group looked like it would stay away for the remainder of the race but once they started to split the bunch soon started to pick them off and they all came back together again.

After a couple of more primes, which were won by Tom, Tony and Nicholas (2) another group pulled away off the front. This group then started to build a large lead and this was the final attack from a bunch until the end of the race.

The final move of the race came when Tony and Tom started to ease away from the other leaders and they worked well together to pull out a large lead and soon they had caught the back of the field which was now separated from the chasing group. The two leaders were allowed to pass the back bunch in order to set about trying to catch the middle group now down to nine riders.

With ten laps to go the two leaders were well clear and the race was all over for the chasers. At the bell Tom was first through the line but as they came into sight Tony’s strength told and he eased away from Tom to take the win.

The support race for 3rd and 4th cat riders was won by Peter Cole (Handsling Racing) from Martin Hunter (Colchester Wheelers) in a mass sprint after 27 laps where any attack was very quickly brought back and it all came down to a big sprint on the last lap.

Within this bunch there was a ladies race going on and this was won by the three ladies from Welwyn Wheelers lead by Bethany Hayward, Abbie Dentus and Lucy Harper.

Results:

1/2/3
1. Tony Gibb, Metaltek/Scott, 50 miles in 1:51:13
2. Tom Fitzpatrick, Iceni Velo, @ same time
3. Michael Smith, Corley Cycles, @ 8sec
4. Jamie Caldwell, Cycle Premier-Kovert, at st
5. Nicholas Baker, Tm Zappi, @ 33sec
6. Liam Stones, Corley Cycles
7. James Moss, Node 4 Giordana
8. Jason Edwards, GB MS Tina
9. Dan Harris, Halesowen A &CC
10. Ashley Holding, GB Mstana, all st
11. Alex Peterson, A W Cycles, @ 53sec
12. Chris Snook, Banjo Cycles
13. Vince Halpern, Handsling Racing
14. Marten Dawkins, Tm Quest
15. David Saunders, NFTO
16. Tom Gallagher, Metaltek/Scott
17. Tony Lock, Clile Edwards
18. Phil Holloway, Southend & County Wh, all st
19. Benjamin Chgomas, Corley Cycles, at 1 lap
20. Simon Williams, Twickenham CC
21. Will Couch, West Drayton MBC
22. Rafal Radzies, PM
23. Lubomir Belak, Welwyn Wh
24. John Donovan, GS Grupetto
25. Rob Griffiths, London Phoenix
26. Bill Butterworth, Twickenham CC
27. Chris Grange, Hemel Hempstead CC
28. Mark Ambury, GS Gregarios
29. Gavin Spiers, Vivelo/Inverse/Cyclaim
30. Neil Heffernan, Vivelo/Inverse/Cyclaim
31. Thmurtanwer Tanwir, London Dynamo
32. Patrick Martin, WyndyMilla UK Youth
33. Jason Streather, VC St Raphael/Waites
34. Andy Barnes, Hillingdon CC
35. Andrew Stronge, PM all at 1 lap

3/4 cat
1. Peter Cole, Handsling Racing, 25 miles in 1:01:03
2. Martin Hunter, Colchester Rovers
3. Phil Glowinski, VC Londres
4. Louis Mosell, East London Velo
5. James Stacey-Marks, Velo Sport CC
6. Venter Grant, Finchley RT
7. Chris Denman, West Drayton MBC
8. Richard Jerome, Willesden CC
9. Fabio Amati, Aprise Bicycles
10. David Walker, Army CU

Women
1. Bethany Hayward, Welwyn Wh
2. Phoebie Dentus, Welwyn Wh
3. Lucy Harker, Welwyn Wh

U16 Boys
1. Henry Dawson Prestige VC
2. Joseph Fry Welwyn Wheelers
3. Oliver Moors VC Jubilee
4. Jake Howes Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Joe ? Fareham Wheelers
6. George Jary VC Londres
7. Taylor Rowe Ride 24/7
8. Ashley Hutchison VC St Raphael
9. Sam ? ?
10. Oliver ? VC Londres
11. Alex McKerrell CC Hackney
12. Jordan Mooney Welwyn Wheelers
13. Noah Phillips VC Londres
14. Sam Dossett Welwyn Wheelers
15. Luke Andas? Wyndy Milla

U16 Girls
1. Kim English Welwyn Wheelers
2. Abigail Dentus Welwyn Wheelers
3. Lucy Harper Welwyn Wheelers
4. Bethany Hayward Welwyn Wheelers
5. Chloe Evans Welwyn Wheelers
6. Anna Marie Hughes Prestige VC
7. Kirsten Savage Willesden CC
8. Rebecca Maynard Welwyn Wheelers
DNF Francesca Morgan-Slader Lee Valley youth CC

U14 Boys
1. Jamie Hutchison I-team
2. Freddy wright VC Londres
3. Ben Moriarty Hillingdon Slipstreamers
4. Harry Bodgenor Redhill
5. Joshua Murphy Hillingdon Slipstreamers
6. Charles Page Hillingdon Slipstreamers
7. Louis Rose-Davies Hillingdon Slipstreamers
8. Mostyn Taylor Crockett? CC Hackney
9. Ned Oregan CC Hackney
10. Connor Woodford Willesden CC
11. Joe Clark I-team
12. Niall Dawkins Hillingdon Slipstreamers
13. Thomas Bennett Preston Park Youth CC

U14 Girls
1. Amy Smith VC Jubilee
2. Charlotte Cole-Hussain VC Londres
3. Megan Chard Newport Velo
4. Harriet Mellor Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5. Bethany Andas? Wyndy Milla

U12 Boys
1. Max Cheatle? VC Londres
2. Theo Modell East London Velo
3. Logan DeMouchaux? CC Hackney
4. Isaac Costley CC Hackney
5. Lance Hutchison VC ST Raphael?
6. Sam Clark I-team
7. Bede Geoghan Hart CC Hackney
8. Gregory Atkins Hillingdon Slipstreamers
9. Kareem Akinniki Herne Hill Youth CC
10. Nicholas Cowley-Andrea HIllingdon Slipstreamers
11. Timothy Dineen HIllingdon Slipstreamers
12. Louis Byrne CC Hackney

U12 Girls
1. Caitlin Peters Farnham Wheelers
2. Isabel Atkins HIllingdon Slipstreamers
3. Molly Lloyd CC Hackney

U10 Boys
1. Oscar Cowley-Andrea HIllingdon Slipstreamers
2. Harry Towning Welwyn Wheelers
3. Harvey Tadman HIllingdon Slipstreamers
4. Oliver Dawson HIllingdon Slipstreamers

U10 Girls
1. Amy Marvelly HIllingdon Slipstreamers

U8 Boys
1. Harvey Tadman HIllingdon Slipstreamers
2. Elliot Moreve HIllingdon Slipstreamers

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.