Published: 20 May 2008
When writing a race report I, as a general rule, try and incorporate as much action and as many riders as I can, given that they are the actors in this play on wheels, but try as I might I just can't avoid writing about the dominance of local lad Chris Legg, but more on that in a moment, as I wrap up some other events.
- Chris Legg in dominant form
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The league is one of the few in the country that run a Sprint competition all season, and the A's league is hotly contested, especially with Preston Park's Lee Povey making the journey up to Reading for some competition. The heats always throw up a few surprises but the finals are always extremely quick affairs and this week it was to continue as Sam Serruya powered to victory on the home straight, overcoming a fine finish from Eddie Sobieralski, with Lee Povey nipping in for third place.
- High tech bikes and alien helmets in the pursuit competition
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The Womens Sprint final had the youthful Harriet Owen, who is running away with the Southern Regions under 16 Omnium this year, up against last years sprint champion Janet Birkmyre and with Owen taking the first round a few weeks ago, Birkmyre was out for revenge. Birkmyre didn't disappoint the crowds either as she kept the pace steady on the front, waiting for the inevitable attack from Owen, responding when Owen attacked and making her come the long way round and then on the home straight opened up her own afterburners to win by a comfortable couple of bike lengths.
In the B Sprint competition it was a comfortable victory for young John Paul as he whipped out from behind Nick English, who had gone with the attack from the gun approach, and having been given such a beautiful lead out, rolled over the line comfortably ahead to win. English hung on for second with Gavin Spiers third.
The League ran the heats of the 4km Pursuit competition this evening as well and all of the high tech carbon, aerobar, disc wheel, tri-spoke be-decked beasts were dragged from their stables to do battle. In the Senior event the first to set a fast time in heat 1 was John Warnock, and in heat 2 it was his team mate David Jack who came within 0.14 of a second of his time. In heat 3 it was a done and dusted affair as Chris Legg recorded a time 11 seconds faster than Warnock/Jack with Heat 4 producing the second fastest time from Nick English, who pipped 3rd and 4th by half a second.
- Janet Birkmyre
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
- Harriet Owen
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
The Womens 2.2km pursuit event was a one heat affair, with Birkmyre and Owen, plus newly crowned Southern Divisional road race champ, Emma Patterson and relative track newbie, Tracy Jacquest on the other two start positions. Owen started fast, as did Patterson, and with only two to qualify for the finals ride off in a few weeks, it was Birkmyre who was saving herself until the last few laps who needed to pick it up. Birkmyre did this and clawed back the lost time to finish second fastest by less than half a second from Owen, with Patterson dropping away in the final lap, with Jacquest fourth.
But back to my main story line regarding the dominance of Chris Legg this season. Legg has come on in leaps and bounds, having an outstanding season on the road so far this year as well as at the track league.
Last night was no exception, as he notched up his first win of the evening in the Senior A & B Scratch race, by simply riding away from the field in the last few laps. After trouncing the field in the aforementioned pursuit competition he went on to complete another scintillating show of speed and power in the AW Cycles 20 km event.
I'll need to check the records but I think he has won all of the this years 20 km events and has been in unbelieveable form in every endurance event, either winning alone or in the bunch sprint. Definitely the man to beat this year.
- Alex Peterson leads Chris Legg and John Paul in the 20km event
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
Last nights AW Cycles 20 km event, although it was a victory for Legg, it was not for lack of trying by almost everyone there. Attacks from Rob King, Alex Peterson, David Jack and even a couple of Under 14's tried their luck for a few laps. The final big move went with Legg, Peterson, John Warnock and under 16's John Paul all making the move. Paul, to the ire of some spectators, was saving his energy for the finish but this is bike racing and there are no rules that say you have to work. And good on him, as with a lap to go it was Peterson who wound the pace up, Paul jumped him with 350m to go and looked very quickly as though he might have it, but Chris Legg, using his slightly larger gear and few more years of strength, was able to come over top of him for victory, with Peterson third and Warnock fourth.
Creditable mention must go to a young chap, Under 12's Harvey Watson, who weathered many of the attacks, high speeds and incredible accelerations but hung in with the seniors for well over half the race, on his Under 12's gear (about 84 inches which is positively tiny).
- Under 12s rider, Harvey Watson, rode superbly on the night
- Photograph courtesy of swarbrick.com
Not to forget the youth races which were also fast and competitive on a lively nights racing. Dan Maslin continued his good form in the Under 14's winning the 500m Sprint, Hare & Hound and 10 lap Scratch, with Cameron Swarbrick winning the 200 flying TT. The previously mentioned Harvey Watson also won these three races in the Under 12's category, with Jamil Gaida claiming the 200m flying TT.
It's a rest week at the league due to the bank holiday next week, but the track is in full swing with the Bordeaux-Paris Special meeting on Sunday the 25th, registration from 12 noon. See www.readingvelodromeracing.co.uk for more details on this event.
David Jack