CYCLING: More success for Rugby's Roach

What a way to bring down the curtain to the West Midlands Cyclo Cross series, with Team Jewson—MI Racing—Polypipe team winning five of the events at Pipe Hayes Park, Erdington, Birmingham on Sunday.

World Champion Phil Roach from Rugby, dominated the over 50s race leading from the start. For half of the race team mate and newly crowned LVRC National 55+ Champion, Kirby Bennett from Hinckley was hard on his tail, but dropped back to finish 40 seconds in arrears, making it a 1-2 for the Team, with Bennett also winning the 55+ Race. This was Roach’s 11th victory of the season.

Steve Knight, the former British Senior and Veteran Champion, won the race for riders 40 and over in the afternoon, taking the 45+ Victory in the process. Knight caught all but six of the senior riders, who had started one minute ahead of the Veterans, such was his performance.

And Nuneaton’s John Gabriel made it five victories for the team, when he won the 65+ race.

Roach still has a couple more events to ride before he has a break, but this was Bennett’s final race for a few weeks, having a well earned rest, having competed in 56 races since January 18, 2015. He will recharge his batteries ready for another busy mountain bike Race season. Last season he won the British 55+ National Championship on the Olympic course and followed this up with 6th place in the World Championships in Andorra.

Mick Ives is holding a cycle jumble on Friday, February 19, starting at 7pm at Baginton Village Hall, with some bargins available, including a lot of cycle clothing. Mick can be contacted via: [email protected]