Published: 21 June 2010
With many of the regular race officials on holiday and many of the regular riders put off by the prospect of rain showers - which never arrived - there was a slightly strange atmosphere at the latest round of the Reading Track League. The stand-in officials - ably assisted by selection of regulars - marshalled a relatively small field through what turned out to be a full and exciting evening's racing.
- Action from Reading Velodrome Racing - 14th June 2010
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The rain may have stayed away, but the racing wasn't helped by a blustery Northerly wind that made it feel more like a February training session. Despite that, Newbury RC's Ian Greenstreet, AW Cycles' Stephen Bradbury and Reading CC's Nick English set the tone for the evening, breaking away to take control - and the points - in the opening Scratch race. It was Bradbury who won the sprint for the line, with Greenstreet second and English third. Young Joe Holloway of VC10 was the first Senior B home, ahead of William Macke (Palmer Park Velo) and Sam Grant (Beyond MBC) while Natalie Hill )Hillingdon Slipstreamers) lead Sarra Boyd (Mildenhall CC) and Jayne Paine (Willesden CC) home in the Ladies race.
- Action from Reading Velodrome Racing - 14th June 2010
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
It was Bradbury's team mate Matt Gittings that dominated the Senior A Points Race, taking 15 of the available 20 points, with Bradbury second with 10. Newbury RC's Donal Linehan bagged 3 points, which was enough to secure the final points scoring position. In the Bs, Macke was similarly dominant, again taking 15 points, with things a little closer behind - Holloway in 2nd, 7 points down on Macke and Frazier Carr of Palmer Park Velo 3rd a further 2 points back.
In one of the shortest Unknown Distance races anyone could remember, Bradbury and English's early break was rewarded with the bell coming before the bunch had a chance to react. The AW Cycles rider took his second win of the evening from English with Charlie Fawke (One Life Development Squad) leading the bunch home, with Grant taking the B honours from George Withers and his Palmer Park Velo team mate Macke.
- Action from Reading Velodrome Racing - 14th June 2010
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The Keirin once again saw the Endurance riders on top with guest rider James Lowsley-Williams of Agiskoviner.com, Greenstreet, Gittings, Harry Strudley of Palmer Park Velo and Linehan contesting the A final after sprinters Eddy Soberalski (Sports-coaching.com) and John Williams (Team Terminator) missed out in the heats and Williams' team mate - sprinter-turned-endurance rider Cam Swarbrick - failed to start after pulling his wheel over on the line.
In the final it was Gittings again dominant with Greenstreet close behind and Linehan taking the balance of the points. In the B Final it was Holloway again, ahead of Macke and Carr with Boyd taking the Ladies Final from Hill and Paine.
- Action from Reading Velodrome Racing - 14th June 2010
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The combination of small field and biting wind resulted in the AW Cycles 20k Endurance being blown apart early on with a group of four - Greenstreet, Abraham, English and Lowsley-Williams - working well together to lap what passed, by that time, for the bunch. With a lap to go, Greenstreet upped the pace and stayed at the head of the group to take the win from Abraham and English. The B field was spread around the velodrome at that point, but it was Grant who made it home first, ahead of Withers and Macke with Hill leading Paine and Boyd home in the Ladies standings. Impressively, given the conditions, three riders finished in the Sonim Under14-Under 16 20k competition, Jason Pitt taking the win from his Palmer Park Velo team mates Jamil Gaida and Daniel Lansley.