Published: 16 August 2005

Results and story from Reading Velodrome August 15th from John Dennis

Specialist sprinter Lee Povey, built like a tank and current leader of the Reading Velodrome Racing?s season long sprint competition at Palmer Park Stadium, received an unexpected shock on Monday evening when he was beaten in the one lap sprint by diminutive Ian Holt, Vinerbikes/Agisko. It was a beating by only inches which tested the Judges to the limit, but nevertheless a measure of the speed that Holt was generating throughout the evening, for he won three of the five races on the programme and was only beaten in the AW Cycles 20 kilometre Endurance race by the bold solo effort of Twickenham CC?s Steve Legg.

Holt, in addition to his sprint victory, had earlier taken the 10 laps scratch and the Devil before the final event of the night, the Endurance race. One of the fastest 20 kms races of the season, it took only 27 mins and 5 secs,it turned out to be the most exciting Endurance test of the season so far. Sam Sturgeon started the ball rolling by breaking away right from the start. He was soon joined, and the trio which then grew to six looked set to stay away to the finish, and at one time had more than half a lap lead. But, mainly as a result of the two Twickenham men, Steve Legg and David Jack aided by Rob Richardson, they shed the three others. By this time, the main field had the chase well organised, with Ian Holt putting in the fastest pursuit turns at the front until with just six laps left the escapees had been reeled in.

As the peloton took it easy after the big chase, Steve Legg, one of the original breakaways , took off again with three laps still left. He made rapid progress and soon had a 250 metre lead, but could he hold on to it? With the last lap bell still ringing in his ears, Ian Holt took off in a desperate attempt to catch the fleeing Steve Legg, and despite travelling at 50 kph, it was too much even for him and Steve crossed the line, arms raised in victory, a repeat of his Endurance win last month.

The B riders section of the Endurance gave yet another of Reading?s promising youngsters, Toby Meadows, Agiskoviner, who is still under 16 years, the opportunity to test himself against the seniors with his first victory against them. There?s no doubt much more will be seen of this young man.

Many of the young riders were absent on Monday, they were in Newport for the start of the National Junior Championship series. The exciting news from the first day?s racing in South Wales was that Palmer Park Velo?s Lara Wann, still under 16, had broken the National record for a flying 200 metres trial with the astounding time of 12.84 secs. A time usually taken by senior male sprinters!

Photos

Photographs of the events are available courtesy of DGS Cycling Photography and swarbrick.com.

Results:

Seniors

10 laps Scratch:

A Riders 1. Ian Holt, Vinerbikes/Agisko, 2. David Jack, Twickenham, 3. Sam Sturgeon, Trackcycling.net
B Riders 1. Murray Hogge, Reading CC, 2. Robert King, BCF, 3. Kevin Butchart, Twickenham CC
Ladies 1. Carrie Bedingfield, Team AW Cycles, 2. Melanie Williams, Agiskoviner, 3. Janet Birkmyre, Twickenham CC

1 lap Scratch:

A Riders 1. Ian Holt, 2. Lee Povey, BCF, 3. Jak Kenton-Spraggan, Dataphonics RT,
B Riders 1. David Dentus, Willesden CC, 2. Phil Jakszta, Quest, 3. Robert King.
Ladies 1. Janet Birkmyre, 2. Carrie Bedingfield, 3. Cheryl Owens, Twickenham CC.

Devil:

A Riders 1. Ian Holt, 2. Joe Bayfield, Team AW Cycles, 3. Stuart Lemanski, Abvest/UCT
B Riders 1. David Dentus, 2. Toby Meadows, Agiskoviner, 3. Eli Lassman, Oxford University.
Ladies 1. Cheryl Owens, 2. Carrie Bedingfield, 3. Melanie Williams

Unknown Distance:

A Riders 1. David Jack, 2. Sam Sturgeon, 3. Tom Hemmant, London Dynamo.
B Riders 1. Steve Benton, Trackcycling.com, 2. Steve Clark, CC Basingstoke, 3. Eli Lassman
Ladies 1. Carrie Bedingfield, 2. Cheryl Owens

20 kilometre AW Cycles Endurance:

A Riders 1. Steve Legg, Twickenham, 2. Ian Holt, 3. Joe Bayfield,
B Riders 1. Toby Meadows, Agiskoviner, 2. Robert King, 3. Steve Avery, Mid-Oxon CRT
Ladies 1. Carrie Bedingfield, 2. Cheryl Owens, 3. Janet Birkmyre.
Prime Winners : Sam Sturgeon (2), Steve Legg (2) Rob Richardson, Hounslow & Dist. Time 27 mins 5 secs.

Youth results:

6 laps Block Handicap:

U16 1. Robert Clark, Palmer Park Velo,
U14 1. Edward Jakszta, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 2. Chris Legg, PPV, 3. James Hobbs, Hillingdon Slipstreamers,
U12 1. Stephen Bradbury,PPV, 2. Frazier Carr, PPV, 3. Rebecca Pressner, Hillingdon Slipstreamers.

1 lap Sprint:

U16 1. Robert Clark,
U14 1. Samuel Grant, Hillingdon Slipstreamers, 2. Edward Jakszta, 3. Matt Legg, PPV,
U12 1. Stephen Bradbury, 2. Frazier Carr, 3. Emily Clark, PPV

4 laps Hare & Hounds:

U16 1. Robert Clark,
U14 1. Samuel Grant, 2. Matt Gittings, PPV, 3. Chris Legg.
U12 1. Jason Pitt, PPV, 2. Jack Smith, PPV 3. Cameron Swarbrick, PPV

10 laps Scratch:

U16 1. Robert Clark,
U14 1. Chris Legg, 2. Matt Gittings, 3. Matt Legg,
U12 1. Stephen Bradbury, 2. Frazier Carr, 3. Jason Pitt