Published: 13 June 2006
News and Results from Reading Velodrome Racing. June 12th 2006 from John Dennis
If you studied the results of the 20 kilometre Endurance races at Reading Velodrome Racing?s Monday fixture, you could be quite puzzled for the regular A.W.Cycles Endurance event encompassed the British Cycling Central Region 20kilometre Championship. Puzzled you ask? Well roger Woodford, Willesden?s pocket rocket emerged victorious in the Championship, but finished third in the A.W.Cycles League race!
The explanation is that British Cycling Regional Championship rules exclude members of clubs or teams not registered within the Central Region catchment area which is understandable but not entirely realistic when some competitors who race regularly at Reading Velodrome are affiliated to teams which have a widely spread membership.
On Monday, two Reading regulars, Lee Smith and Sam Sturgeon, in teams not within the Central Region, achieved an outstanding performance when as a result of an audacious start they lapped the entire field of forty riders in the first 8 laps of the 44 lap race. They then weathered the constant attacks that were attempted to establish further breakaways throughout the remaining distance to preserve first and second places in the final League positions on the night.
Meanwhile Roger Woodford, was one of many who attempted to escape including the A.W.Cycles team leader Tim Bedingfield, his team mate Alex Petersen, the reigning champion at that moment, Twickenham?s tall policeman, Steve Legg, youngster Toby Meadows, Rob Richardson and Martin Docker, a first category veteran.
None succeeded until with a bare three laps left Woodford in a solo effort of pure smooth speed made the vital break. His effort, so positive and perfectly timed left all others thinking about second place and he crossed the line with a victory punch in the air, Regional champion, and 3rd behind the two early breakaways, Sturgeon and Smith in the League race.
Previous title holder Alex Peterson in a well judged performance won the sprint for second place and brought more honours on the night for the AW Cycles team, to back up the score of three wins notched up by team mate Joe Bayfield fresh from a short holiday. He opened the score sheet with a win from Sam Sturgeon in the Hare & Hounds first race of the evening, consolidated it with another victory over Sam in the Derny Motor paced A riders final, underlined it with victory in the unknown distance race with ever challenging Sam Sturgeon again in second place.