Published: 7 July 2004
Report and Results for Reading Velodrome Racing Track League by Gary Kristensen MBE on behalf of John Dennis
READING VELODROME RACING. MONDAY 5TH JULY 2004
Racing against the same people week in and week out can sometimes make one rather apathetic, however the cat was certainly set among the pigeons tonight when Brian Taylor (VC Londres) - of National Derny Champion fame - turned up with a few ladies after a successful racing trip to Belgium over the weekend. A feature of Taylor's racing style is aggression and he showed that in abundance to finish top spot in every race he did - which was all of them! Youngster Lewis Atkins (PCA Ciclos Unos) was for once, outclassed by the older, more experienced head of Taylor, however, even when it came down to a full on head to head sprint, the older man still displayed the class to take the win, albeit it only just!
As usual the youths kicked off the action with a hare and hounds. Chris Bradbury from Palmer Park Velo showed how much he has improved recently with wins in all his events and he comfortably won the hare and hounds from under 16 lady Bridie Hindle. Sam Serruya and Stephen Bradbury (both Palmer Park Velo) each won their age categories in the under 14 and under 12's respectively.
With the marked increase in the number of ladies present, separate events were run, which produced some tactical, gutsy and aggressive riding. In the keirin, once again Bridie Hindle (Dataphonics RT) showed the senior girls a clean pair of heels as she caught the wheel of the Derny motorcycle from the off and kept the pace high enough in the last two thirds of the final lap to prevent anyone passing her. In all she looked very comfortable winning this event. She also went on to win the devil take the hindmost in a closely fought sprint with Reading regular, Clara Beard (Team Quest). Although training to be a veterinary surgeon, Clara still finds time to put in some quality training and showed how strong she is with an excellent ride in the 44 lap endurance event, staying in, while many others packed, to finish as the sole lady.
Another rising star - Keir Stone Brown (Chippenham Wheelers) - also showed his metal with a fine ride in this event, as he mixed it with the seniors, doing a fair share of the workload to pull back local strongman Rob English, riding in Cambridge University colours, who was away off the front for the majority of the 44 laps. This was until Taylor, Atkins and Alex Peterson (Reading CC) made an acceleration that saw everyone else off, rapidly catching English, who was able to hang on, to form the decisive and winning break with just 8 laps to go. From here on in it was through and off until the bell was rung and then the watching and tactics started. Taylor took the wheel of Atkins while English watched them. This would have been a good time for Peterson to attack as the others seemed to be engaged with each other, however he hesitated a moment too long, allowing Taylor and Atkins to keep his wheel. Down the finishing straight, Taylor, with a shout and a grunt, found a new level and took 3 metres out of Peterson in the blink of an eye. Atkins could do nothing as the three crossed the line in the space of two bike lengths with Taylor victorious, Peterson having hung on (and hung out) and Atkins ruing the error of his tactics (for once!).
Overall the racing was made far more competitive by a few riders who are not regular Reading racers, namely Brian Taylor. It is a credit to the man that he can come back from a weekend where he has been overseeing the racing of some of his youth and junior ladies in criteriums in Belgium, to take on the best Reading track league has to offer and come away with the spoils in fine style.
Youth Results
Youth Hare and Hounds U16 1. Christopher Bradbury Palmer Park Velo 2. Gareth Dickinson Team Luciano 3. Bridie Hindle Dataphonics RT U14 1. Sam Serruya Palmer Park Velo 2. Chris Legg Palmer Park Velo 3. Keir Stone Brown Chippenham Wheelers U12 1. Stephen Bradbury Palmer Park Velo 2. Matthew Legg Palmer Park Velo 3. Emily Clark Palmer Park Velo
Youth Time Trial U16 1. Christopher Bradbury Palmer Park Velo 2. Gareth Dickinson Team Luciano 3. Bridie Hindle Dataphonics RT U14 1. Sam Serruya Palmer Park Velo 2. Chris Legg Palmer Park Velo 3. Michael Wilmot Hillingdon Slipstreamers U12 1. Matthew Gittings Palmer Park Velo 2. Emily Clark Palmer Park Velo 3. Stephen Bradbury Palmer Park Velo
Youth Block Handicap U16 1. Christopher Bradbury Palmer Park Velo 2. Gareth Dickinson Team Luciano 3. Tom Withers Palmer Park Velo U14 1. Edward Jakszta Hillingdon Slipstreamers 2. Chris Legg Palmer Park Velo 3. Michael Wilmot Hillingdon Slipstreamers U12 1. Matthew Legg Palmer Park Velo 2. Stephen Bradbury PPV 3. Matthew Gittings Palmer Park Velo
Youth Scratch U16 1. Christopher Bradbury Palmer Park Velo 2. Gareth Dickinson Team Luciano 3. Tom Withers Palmer Park Velo U14 1. Sam Serruya Palmer Park Velo 2. Keir Stone Brown Chippenham 3. Chris Legg Palmer Park Velo U12 1. Matthew Legg PPV 2. Matthew Gittings PPV 3. Stephen Bradbury PPV
Results
Ladies Scratch 1. Clara Beard Team Quest 2. Cheryl Owens Twickenham CC 3. Jo Tindley VC Londres
Ladies Devil1. Bridie Hindle Dataphonics RT 2. Clara Beard Team Quest 3. Cheryl Owens Twickenham CC
Senior Men Scratch A's 1. Bran Taylor VC Londres 2. Lewis Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos 3. Neil Cooper Reading CC
B's 1. Angus McInness RAF CC 2. Ian Greenstreet Newbury RC 3. Phil Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos
Senior Men KeirinFinal 1. Brian Taylor VC Londres 2. Lewis Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos 3. Neil Cooper Reading CC
B's 1. Angus MacInnes 2. Richard Guthrie, and 3. Ian Greenstreet.
Senior Men Devil 1. Brian Taylor VC Londres 2. Lewis Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos 3. Rob English Cambridge University
Unknown Distance 1. Brian Taylor VC Londres 2. Alex Peterson Reading CC 3. Lewis Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos
Endurance A's 1. Brian Taylor VC Londres 2. Alex Peterson Reading CC 3. Lewis Atkins PCA Ciclos Unos 1st lady - Clara Beard Team Quest
B's 1. Ian Greenstreet, 2. Trevor Bradbury, and 3. Jeff Baird