CYCLING: Rob O’Connor is back riding in Mick Ives’ team

Rob O’Connor is back riding for Mick Ives’ Team Jewson-MI Racing-Polypipe-McCann-7 Fformation after two season with a northern based squad.

Rob has won many British Championships in the MI race team colours and was delighted to be accepted once again into his local team and to be back with his old team mates.

Last season Rob recorded 15 Victories including becoming Area 7 Road Champion, and was third in the LVRC National Time Trial Championships.

He was Mountains winner in the three-day Tour of the Abberleys and third overall in the season-long Percy Stallard National Road Race series.

With multi national champion John French also rejoining, Team boss Ives said: “I am delighted to have both these excellent riders back in the Team and I know that they will get some great results for all of our Team Sponsors during the coming season.

“Both are expected to begin their season with a race at Darley Moore, which is held near Ashbourne, Derbyshire.”

Cycling

First outing of season for riders at Banbury Star 23-mile

Several MI Racing members braved very cold conditions and gale force winds to compete in the early season time trial classic.

The Banbury Star Hard Riders 23- mile event on Sunday, included the very tough climb of Sunrising Hill , just four miles from the finish.

Course and event record holder Jack O’Neill was the team’s most successful rider, finishing this time in 3rd place, having won the past two editions, with a time of 53 mins 10 secs. This works out an average speed of 26.52 mph.

The winner was D.Fellows from the Solihull CC, a rider that Jack coaches.

Mark Wise, 53, finished 13th fastest overall out of 80 starters with 57-46 and an average of 24.4 mph. The team’s oldest rider, 63-year -old Malc Moore finished 42nd , with 1-7-14, averaging 20.97 mph.

Next weekend will see the start of the road racing season for several members of the team including Rob O’Connor, John French, Martin van Hackley and Malc Moore, when they take part in the BMCR Circuit race at Darley Moore in Derbyshire, on a very exposed circuit near Ashbourne. Several other team members are away training in Spain.

Team boss Mick Ives has announced that the team’s cyclo cross riders next season will be supported the British cycle company Forme, based in Derby and will contest the UCI World Championships, the European Championships and the British Championships, along with local events.