Event Five - Etton Course - 52 Km - club Hull Thursday

 

Seems we're getting the same kind of rotten weather as the Tour de France; this fifith 'stage' came at the end of avery wet day. Only thirty one riders signed on - not really surprising when you consider that everyone set out from home in abysmally wet conditions. The reason? Well, cyclists are reckoned to be a little mad - and some had their honour to defend.

Miraculously the rain had gone away for the start which took place on the South Dalton (aka Etton) course. The Kiplingcotes road which is covered had unfortunately been resurfaced - the road builders use the awful term 'dressed' - with granite chips. The wind too was particularly unkind (just like the TdF) especially on the stretch of road from Etton to South Dalton. Predictably there was quite a number of punctures - one of the first was Gary Fulstow (City RC) who suffered deflations both front and rear (the first punctures whilst racing for many a year) and fortunate it didn't happen in the Tom Simpson LVRC even some eleven days prior in which he won the 'A' section (40-45 yo).

Only two riders, Ellis Thackray and Andrew Penny, set off at 7 o'clock in the first group. Despite many calls, Mark McKeown, didn't quite make it to the start line and had to start with the next group.

Group Two set of 5 minutes later. They were Mark Best, Tony Washbrook, Andy Barnes, Nathan Wilson, Chris Brearley, Andrew Abbot, Simon Collins and Bill Hodgson. Mark McKeown also started with these.

Two and a half minutes later Group Three set off - a mixture of the former groups three and four. These were Ben Roberts, Tony Boynton, Gary Fulstow, Steve Macklin, Dave Hudson, John Hopper, Marin Haworth, Chris Burton, Martin Cockerill, Andy Peers, Paul Purdy, Matthew Fenton, Paul Noton, Ryan MacLachlan, David Compston and Zak Thackray.

Three jovial elite riders, Mike Moss, Alastair Kay and Adam Duggleby, were released from the starting blocks only thirty seconds later - there were a few ex-elites in the group ahead.

Group one were unable to work together and Ellis Thackray was first back after 12:50 with Andrew Penny half a minute back. Not much fun on your own but other groups were packing up behind.

Three minutes and twenty six seconds later, eating substantially into the allowance to group one, came group two led by a trio of Andrews - Andy Peers, Andy Abbott and Andy Barnes. The rest were all part of the same bunch and the lap had taken 11:16.

 

Group four had quickly got on to the back of group three and this collection of riders arrived two minutes nine seconds later led by Tony Boynton, Steve Macklin, Matthew Fenton, et al. This first lap then had taken 10:55 for group three and 10:25 for group four. It also contained Mark McKeown - he really should have started in group one.

Ellis Thackray was still out front at the end of lap two, he covered this in 13:19 and was still 1:25 ahead of the next group on the road.

The three Andys, in a different order, were still at the head of group two; Abbott, Barnes and Peers this time. Of course they were only at the front of the group as almost all were still together. Lap time this time was 11:18.

One minute forty was the gap now to the scratch group which powered through led by Ben Roberts. Lap time was 10:49 and it looks like we were all on schedule to be together for the finish.

Lap Three was a prime lap and Nathan Wilson came out of the bunch (group two) to take this easily by several metres. Chris Brealey fronted the rest of the group followed closely by the three Andys and the rest of the group. This had taken 11:19, very consistent timing.

The scratch group came by after a minute 8 seconds led by Adam Duggleby, Ryan MacLachlan and Alastair Kay. This lap had taken 10:47 and everyone was hanging together. Was Ali Kay going to win again? Was Mike Moss going to beat him in the sprint? Was Adam Duggleby going to get away and finish on his own? Or was points leader Matthew Fenton going to surprise everyone?

Lap Four was another prime and Nathan Wilson won this in exactly the same way. Was he using up energy he could save for the finish? Well, a prime's a prime when it's in the bag. Front of the bunch were our three Andys of course and the rest having taken 11:37 for this lap. Slowing down a little.

Gap to the scratch group was now down to twenty five seconds and they were definitely going to be on the front before the finish. Alastair Kay was at the front this time and no-one was getting shelter behind him. It's not fair is it? Lap time was 10:54.

Lap Five saw everyone together and Matthew Fenton led them through. Thre'd been a bit of a slowing down as the scratch group's lap time was 11:23. I was really hoping someone would attack and string them out for the finish.

And so it was at the finish. Ali Kay escaping again to finish on his own - I imagine he escaped on the hill. Matthew Fenton tried to bring him back but in so doing ruined his own chances of one of the top places. It was a good finish and a good win by Alastair Kay.

Result

Pos	Rider	Club	Group	Time	Points
1	Alastair Kay	York Cycleworks	4	01:13:04	15
2	Mike Moss	Cottingham Coureurs	4	@ 9 secs	12
3	Paul Purdy	Star Bikes	3	s.t.	12
4	Ryan MacLachlan	Cottingham Coureurs	3	s.t.	8
5	Adam Duggleby	Steve Goff	4	s.t.	7
6	John Hopper	T Rex	3	s.t.	6
7	Martin Cockerill	Bridlington CC	3	s.t.	5
8	Matthew Fenton	City RC	3	s.t.	4
9	Dave Hudson	City RC	3	s.t.	3
10	Chris Burton	Hull Thursday RC	3	s.t.	2
11	Andy Barnes	Hull Thursday RC	2	s.t.	3
12	Steve Macklin	Hull Thursday RC	3	s.t.	1
13	Zak Thackray	Yorkshire RC	3	s.t.	1
14	Tony Boynton	T Rex	3	s.t.	1
15	Andy Abbott	Bridlington CC	2	s.t.	1
16	Martin Haworth	Barton Wheelers	3	s.t.	1
17	Bill Hodgson	Selby CC	2	s.t.	1
18	Andy Peers	Hull Thursday RC	2	s.t.	1
19	Paul Noton	Cottingham Coureurs	3	@ 20 sec	1
20	Chris Brearley	City RC	2	@ 53 sec	1
21	Nathan Wilson	Hull Thursday RC	2	@ 1:05
22	Tony Washbrook	City RC	2	@ 7 min
23	Simon Collins	Bridlington CC	2	@ 8.22
24	Mark McEown	Bridlington CC	1	@ 10.47	2
25	Andrew Penny	Hull Thursday RC	1	@ 15.13

 

Alastair Kay has now taken the lead in the points competition - the virtual yellow jersey wearer - but Matthew Fenton is still breathing down his neck. Matthew, you might remember, is still a junior - as is Ryan MacLachlan who also isn't far behind. Let's hope for some better weather for the next two 'stages', we've certainly had more than our share of the bad stuff.

Points

Pos	Rider	Club	Ev1	Ev2	Ev3	Ev4	Ev5	Total
1	Alastair Kay	York Cycleworks			12	15	15	42
2	Matthew Fenton	City RC (Hull)		14	6	14	4	38
3	Martin Cockerill	Bridlington CC	14	15		2	5	36
4	Ryan MacLachlan	Cottingham Coureurs	2	10	2	10	8	32
5	David Compston	Bridlington CC	10	10	6			26
6	Stewart Pickard	Bridlington CC	7	4	8	6		25
7	John Hopper	T Rex	15				6	21
8	Paul Purdy	Star Bikes			7		12	19
9	Chris Burton	Hull Thursday RC	4	3	1	8	2	18
10	Ben Roberts	Bridlington CC	8	7				15
10	Stephen Ward	Pete Read Racing			15			15
12	Mark Bateman	Triangle RT			12			12
12	Mike Moss	Cottingham Coureurs					12	12
14	Steve Macklin	Hull Thursday RC	3			7	1	11
15	John Galway	Keswick MTB	5	5				10
16	Andy Barnes	Hull Thursday RC	1	1		4	3	9
17	Andy Peers	Hull Thursday RC		6		1	1	8
18	Adam Duggleby	Steve Goff Frames					7	7
18	Dave Hudson	City RC (Hull)		1	3		3	7
18	Dave Shackleton	Hull Thursday RC	2		5			7
18	Martin Ruepp	Private				7		7
22	Kevin Holmes	Yorvik	6					6
23	Lee Cairns	Pete Read Racing	1		1	3		5
23	Mark McKeown	Bridlington CC				3	2	5
25	Zak Thackray	Yorkshire	2		1		1	4
26	Chris Brearley	City RC (Hull)		1		1	1	3
26	David Allen	Scunthorpe Poly			3			3
26	Gary Fulstow	City RC (Hull)	1	2				3
26	Mel Blatchford	Bridlington CC			3			3
26	Mike Gill	Team Chevin	1	2				3
26	Paul Rooney	Race Scene	1	1		1		3
26	Steven Waterall	Bridlington CC	1	2				3
33	Alistair Watson	Knaresborough RT		1	1			2
33	Andrew Abbott	Bridlington CC		1			1	2
33	Anthony Weston	Huddersfield RC	2					2
33	Lee Watson	Pete Read Racing	1	1				2
33	Nathan Wilson	Hull Thursday RC	1			1		2
33	Simon Nicholls	Knaresborough RT	1			1		2
33	Tony Boynton	T Rex		1			1	2
40	Dan Keena	Cottingham Coureurs			1			1
40	Jason Benham	Scunthorpe Poly			1			1
40	Jeremy Ireland	Caygill Frames			1			1
40	Jim Baker	Leeds RRC		1				1
40	John Brearley	City RC (Hull)	1					1
40	Mark Perry	Leeds RRC			1			1
40	Martin Grantham	Dale Racing		1				1
40	Martin Haworth	Barton Wheelers					1	1
40	Phil Bateman	Triangle RT			1			1
40	Simon Collins	Bridlington CC				1		1
40	Bill Hodgson	Selby CC					1	1
40	Paul Noton	Cottingham Coureurs					1	1