Published: 26 July 2005
From John Dennis
Great Britain is reigning champion in the Olympic sprint discipline, a contest between teams of three riders who each take one lap at the front before swinging up to allow the next man to make the pace. No wonder we enjoy that status, for British cycling?s Central Division Championship at Reading on Monday showed that there is plenty of new talent available from which to build new teams for international competition. The two finalists in Monday?s title competition, Team A W Cycles and Willesden CC finished a spectacular three lap race with less than 20/100 ths of a second between them. The local team of A W Cycles managed to take the gold medals and the interesting factor which will not show in the results is that, but for a misfortune in the heat, Twickenham?s trio could have made the contest even more competitive had their third man, Steve Legg not pulled his foot out of the pedal in an explosive effort at the race start. He recovered, caught his team mates and the team finished less than two seconds slower than the final qualifiers which gave them the bronze medal position.
The disappointment in the Twickenham camp was overcome at the close of the programme for the same Steve Legg slipped away with 15 of the 44 laps left in the A W Cycles 20 kilometre Endurance race. A big man, using a heavy gear ratio, was one of many aspiring riders to attempt a breakaway, but the only one to succeed. He made rapid progress and soon had a half lap advantage, which, as the laps ticked off, see-sawed larger and smaller as numerous efforts were made by the peloton to organise a determined reclamation. It was all to no avail, and the tall Twickenham man took his lead all the way to the finish to register the first breakaway win of the season in the Endurance race series.
Needless to say the series leader Bryan Taylor did not disappoint, for he managed to hold off a very determined challenge from local Reading fast man, Tom Smith, Vinerbikes Agisko to take runners ? up place. In the B riders section the current series leader Ian Greenstreet, Newbury R.C. had no difficulty demonstrating his dominance with another first place, despite racing nearly 50 miles on the road the previous day.
New boy on the block, Brett Perez, Agiskoviner in his first appearance at Reading, made his mark on the result sheet and gave warning to his competitors that he is a danger to be aware of for he took third place in the opening 10 lap race, then two firsts in the A riders 2 lap handicap and the unknown distance race.
Photos
Photographs of the events are available courtesy of DGS Cycling Photography.
Results
Seniors
10 laps Hare & Hounds:
1. Bryan Taylor, VC Londres, 2. Simon Lewis, VCLondres, 3. Brett Perez, Agiskoviner.
Ladies. 1. Greta Junker, Lukracing.net, 2. Sophie Ruderman, Agiskoviner.com, 3. Melanie Williams, Agiskoviner.com
2 laps Handicap:
A Riders 1. Brett Perez, 2. Scott Elliott, Agiskoviner.com, 3. Tim Bedingfield, Team AW Cycles
B Riders 1. Simon Lewis, 2. Paul Cooper, Reading CC, 3. Ian Greenstreet, Newbury R.C.
Ladies. 1. Carrie Bedingfield, Team AWCycles, 2. Melanie Williams, 3. Sophie Ruderman
Devil:
1. Bryan Taylor, 2. Tom Smith, Vinerbikes Agisko, 3. Vince Halpern, Team AW Cycles.
Ladies 1. Greta Junker, 2. Carrie Bedingfield, 3. Rohan Bettison, Reading CC.
Unknown Distance:
1. Brett Perez, 2. Tim Bedingfield, 3. Simon Lewis
Ladies. 1. Melanie Williams, 2. Carrie Bedingfield, 3. Sophie Ruderman
AW Cycles 20 kms Endurance:
A Riders 1. Steve Legg, Twickenham CC, 2. Bryan Taylor, 3. Tom Smith
B Riders 1. Ian Greenstreet, 2. Paul Williams, Bath R.C, 3. James Boyman, Agiskoviner.com.
Most aggressive rider Steve Legg
Prime winners, S.Legg (2), David Dentus, Willesden CC (1), Simon Lewis (1). Time 27 mins 12 secs.
British Cycling Central Division Championship Olympic Sprint for Clubs
1. Team A W Cycles A team, 2. Willesden CC 1 m 39.66s, 3. Twickenham CC, 1m 41.14s
Youth results
6 laps Block Handicap:
U16 1. Michael Wilmot, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 2. Charlie Taylor, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 3. Robert Clark , Palmer Park Velo,
U14 1. Samual Grant, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 2. Chris Legg, PPV, 3. Mark Baxter, PPV.
U12 1. Richard Barlow, PPV, 2. Frazier Carr, PPV, 3. George Withers, PPV
1 lap Sprint:
U16 1. Michael Wilmot, 2. Robert Clark, 3. Charlie Taylor.
U14 1. Chris Legg, 2. Robert Jackson, Agiskoviner, 3. Samual Grant
U12 1. Richard Barlow, 2. Frazier Carr, 3. Cameron Swarbrick,PPV.
Girls 1. Rosie Serruya, 2. Rebecca Pressner, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 3. Holly Swarbrick, PPV
4 laps Handicap Hare & Hounds:
U16 1. Michael Wilmot, 2. Toby Meadows, Agiskoviner, 3. Charlie Taylor,
U14 1. Mark Baxter, 2. Chris Legg, 3. Robert Jackson,
U12 1. George Withers, PPV, 2. Jason Pitt, PPV, 3. Richard Barlow
10 laps Block Handicap:
U16 1. Michael Wilmot, 2. Toby Meadows, 3. Charlie Taylor,
U14 1. Chris Legg, 2. Mark Baxter, 3. Robert Jackson
U12 1. Richard Barlow, 2. Rosie Serruya, 3. Rebecca Pressner.