Mark Bateman loses lead in final lap to Lewis Meadows

For the past few years the Keith Carter RR has been dominated by veterans and it was good to see the Juniors take over this role this year; and how well they did it.

The weather was kind for a change, great for Nathan Chester who took on the organisation and made such a good job. Nathan provided the framework, finance was provided by Keith Carter Ceramics (Keith, and his sons Matthew and Richard who now run the business, have been supporting the club for many years) and Peter Thomson of Allied Surveyors, and the race was developed by the riders.

Peter Thomson with Leading Three Overall

The first part took the form of a 5 kilometre time trial up the Walkington drag, 63 riders entered but there were 13 non-starters. Starting near the end of the field, young Mark Bateman gave a fine exhibition of determination and provided himself with a 28 second cushion over Lewis Meadows and only ten riders got within a minute of him. Yes, it was only 5 kilometres but they weren't flat. Pictures from TT.

The Walkington circuit almost always ends in a large bunch finish and this usually thunders over the finish line at about 35 mph making judging a very difficult task. Nathan had thought up a plan to avoid this. Apart from shortening the morning's time trial somewhat, Nathan also introduced time bonuses on the primes and at the finish so as not to make the winner a foregone conclusion It didn't work exactly to plan but a very interesting race developed from this strategy.

First over the line at the end of lap one was Jack Ibbotson from Colin Sinclair jus ten seconds ahead of everyone else. Lap time for the peloton was 18:18.

The second lap was a prime lap (including a ten second bonus) and this produced a slight skirmish at the front where Phil Bateman was first over the line ahead of Roger Shorter and Jack Ibbotson. Russell Hepton led the strung-out bunch through 22 seconds later with a lap time of 17:54. A strategy was becoming clear here - dad Bateman of the same Triangle team was looking after Mark's interest in preserving his time trial advantage.

A lap later Ryan MacLachlan, from Graeme Rose and Simon Nicholls came over the line in front of the field all together in a time of 18:06.

Lap four was another Prime lap (all even laps) and this was the fastest of all laps - 17:03. The bunch were really stretched for this and sprinter Martin Ruepp took this one from Mark Bateman and Lewis Meadows. There were a few gaps appearing and I got my prayer mat out for it to break up completely.

Graeme Rose, another of the Triangle team, took the line first on the fifth lap from Mark Perry and Ian Bartholomew. This trio were 20 seconds ahead of Graham Rushworth, 3 more seconds to Mark Wolstenhome and then the peloton another 5 seconds, led by Scott Marrison and Mark Bateman. Lap time for the bunch had gone back to 18:03 but it did look as if there was pressure on to build up a break.

By the time they came around for the next lap, lap six and another prime, a three man break had indeed established itself and had gained some 52 seconds ahead of the peloton who recorded 18:21 for the slowest lap. Of course, Graeme Rose (Triangle RT) took this prime from Ian Bartholomew and Mark Perry with the bunch led by Ben Roberts and Graham Rushworth.

Graeme Rose was first over again on lap seven with Mark Perry and Ian Bartholomew but the still large field was hotting up behind them. Lewis Meadows had detatched himself from the group 11 seconds in arrears with Mark Bateman and the rest of the field on his wheel some seven seconds behind Lewis. A quicker lap this for the bunch in 17:50.

Lewis Meadows was now in the driving seat - if he wanted to do something he had to do it now - and there was still a whole lap to do, some seven and a half miles, and a field of some forty riders chasing him like disturbed bees. Lewis caught and passed the three breakaways half way up the Walkington climb and kept his lead right up to the finish. A brilliant effort that succeeded. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Ten seconds was the gap, but with the thirty seconds winner's bonus Lewis managed to edge Mark out of first overall. A two-up sprint for third place was won by Martin Ruepp from Russell Hepton followed by the remaining 23 riders in the peloton led by Philip Wilson, Matthew Lunn and Ryan MacLachlan. Another nine were just off the back.

An enjoyable race enjoyed by everyone, riders, spectators and officials. I'm sure we're going to hear about further successes from Lewis Meadows and Mark Bateman, and there were quite a few good juniors not far behind them - Ryan MacLachlan, Matthew Fenton, Jack Savage and Chris Brearley.