Published: 1 August 2006
Report and Result from Reading Velodrome Racing 31st July 2006
The importance of Reading town?s Velodrome in a facility starved cycle racing world really came to the visible surface at Palmer Park on Monday. Under 16 year old Alex Aldham-Breary who last week scored a double victory, one of them over AW Cycles star man, Joe Bayfield, and this week notched up three wins, travels all the way from Maidstone in Kent, a 90 mile one way journey to race at the track.
The irony of the situation is that he is closer to Belgium where he frequently goes to race. It?s easier than the near 200 miles his father has to drive him to race in his own country. The brilliance of the youngster is apparent for this week he started, as before, with victory in the opening event of the night a 10 lap scratch race. Then he did it again when he sprinted past motor pacing specialist Sam Sturgeon to win the motor paced Keirin event and wrapped up his evening?s work before facing the 100 mile drive home, with a second victory over Sam Sturgeon in the AW Cycles 20 kilometre Endurance race.
But for sheer guts and determination it would be hard to beat Sam Redding leader of the i-team.co.uk He made repeated attempts to break clear of the peloton in the Endurance race after taking a second place in the B riders Keirin and a third spot in the Devil-take-the-Hindmost race (last rider to cross the finish line is taken out of the race) behind his club mate junior Thomas Butt.
Reading?s shining star, young lady Lara Wann returned to the track on Monday after a spell of food poisoning had laid her low. Her scintillating form has not yet returned however, and she had to be content with second place to experienced Carrie Bedingfield, Luciano-Kuota in both the 10 laps scratch and the Keirin rides. Hopes are high that she will be fully recovered for the Junior World?s Road championship which is in Spa in Belgium in two weeks time.
When rain had been forecast on all the weather stations (which never materialised at Palmer Park) this unsurprisingly kept a number of riders away, the youths were present in strength, a sure sign that they appreciate the excitement of bike racing, George Withers, PPV took three out of the four U12 years events and Sam Grant, Hillingdon Slipstreamers took two of the four races but was second to Matt Gittings in the other two in the U14 year category, Luke Merrilees scored three out of four races in the U16 age group.