CYCLING: Cyclists brave wind, rain and flooded roads

Mick Ives' team round-up
Barrie Mitchell    (Picture by Simon Riley)Barrie Mitchell    (Picture by Simon Riley)
Barrie Mitchell (Picture by Simon Riley)

Despite terrible weather conditions, gale-force winds, torrential rain and flooded roads, Team Jewson-MIRacing-Polypipe riders from the Coventry-based Elite Cycling Team, put in some fantastic performances over the weekend.

The team organised a new event in the Time Trialling calendar, a 17.5 mile hilly time trial, based around the Napton-Priors Marston-Staverton area of Warwickshire, with several tough climbs, made much worse with the gale force winds.

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The Team provided the first three fastest riders and the first three on Standard (handicap) and the fastest Lady rider.

The winner was comeback rider Ryan Ballard riding only his second race in past four years. Ryan stormed round the course in 50 mins 19 secs, to set a new course record.

Best known as a road racer, Ryan started his cycling career way back in the 70s with Coventry Olympic CC as a junior, and then retired for almost 20 years, before getting the cycling bug again, and teaming up with a lot of his old team mates in Team MI Racing.

Second fastest time was recorded by Team Jewson’s 53-year-old Peter Busby, best known for his cyclo cross and mountain bike performances, but well suited to the very tough conditions.

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Peter - having just returned from six days training with team mates Kirby Bennett and Harvey Levann in Spain, clocking up over 300 off-road miles in five days riding - clocked 51 mins 53 secs.

Third fastest time was recorded by Team Jewson’s 52-year-old Russell Green from Rugby, with a time of 54mins 2secs.

Team Jewson rider Barrie Mitchell (68) from Marton, the current C.T.T. National Age Related Circuit Champion, riding his first event of the season won the Best on Standard with an actual time of 58 mins 3 secs.

Team mate Stephanie Peters was second in 1hour 5mins 20secs, and Dave Barry (Team Sportfragley) was third with a time of 1hr 11 mins 8secs.

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Steph Peters won the Ladies’ section with Eleanor Jones (VC St Raphael) second.

Team MI Racing New Youth Academy riders were in brilliant form on Saturday at the Milton Keynes Circuit,

Josh Giddings won the Under 14s event, with his team mates Owen Lightfoot fourth and Edward Woodward fifth.

In the Under 16s event George Evans finished fifth, and in the Under 12 Boys’ race Callum Twelves made the podium with an excellent third place.

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The Girls’ Under 14s race was dominated by Academy rider Loto Mansfield, who decimated the field to ride to a solo victory.

Next weekend the Academy Riders will be competing in Belgium.

On Sunday, Dunchurch’s Martin Hackley continued his excellent form with a win in the Flinham Road Race near Newark, for riders 65 and over.

The event was held in very windy conditions. Martin has now scored two victories, one second and two thirds out of five rides this season, and is currently leading the National series for riders 65 and over.