After snow and ice, potholes and collapsing roads this week’s Doncaster `10` had to be called off because of flooded roads. Elsewhere the show went on.
Sunday’s Southern Counties CU `25` saw a dead heat between 2006 winner Steve Dennis (East Grinstead CC) and Ben Instone (Scientific-Coaching) both finishing on 53-40 with Pater Tadros (In Gear-Quickvit RT) in third with 54-05. In Saturday’s SCCU `10` Tadros came out on top with 22-10 ahead of Sigma Sport’s Jerone Walters and Niall Digby while Dennis and Instone filled fifth and sixth spots.
Trudi Sammons (Reading CC) was best woman on both days with 1-02-39 and 26-00 putting her in the top half of both fields.
The Oxonian CC 31-mile promotion saw James Stewart, second last year, take the honours for Team Raleigh, his 1-12-25 putting him 1-13 clear of Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy RT) with William Girvan in third 7-00 adrift of Stewart.
In the Oxonian three-up a3crg were top dogs with a winning 1-22-23 thanks to John Glaysher, Jonathan Hepper and Darryl Barr.
Second in 2009 Dave Griffiths (Paramount CRT) went one better to win the Oswestry Paragon 17-mile time trial from Andy Bason (ttweekly.com) and Mark Staden (Alf Jones Cycles). Griffiths clocked 43-56 to win by 2-04. Best of the women was Jenny York (Mid Shropshire Wheelers), 59-32.
Retford & District Wheelers `10` fell to Matt Sinclair (Leicestershire RC) with a 20-41 leaving Jon Surtees (VC St Raphael) and Daniel Barnett (North Notts Olympic) to complete the top three.
Paul Jones pleased clubmates with a winning performance in their own promotion, the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 42-kilometre event. A 1-00-36 gave him number one spot ahead of Dave Dent (Wightlink-Offshore) and Adam Topham (High Wycombe CC). Completing Bournemouth’s day Emma Dews was first of the women, with 1-09-15.
Jimmy Wright (Preston Wheelers) lifted his game to take the Ribble Valley CRC `19`a year after finishing runner-up.
Wright’s 46-26 put him well clear of Adam Powe (VC Cumbria) and Alf Hilton (Congleton CC) who tied for second place with 48-28.
Phil Sykes (Sigma Sport-Specialized) proved the fastest in a3crg’s 33-kilometre solo test his 45-33 giving him a 1-30 beating of Seb Adler (a3crg) with Simon Berogna VC St Raphael) at 4-04. The promoting club’s Sara Dias-Ayton was first woman with 1-07-23.
In the two-up a3crg provided the winning duo with Jez Ponting and Patrick Brennan, 49-01.
Ian Cooke (Team Swift) jumped two places on his 2009 performance to win Teesdale CRC’s 24.4-mile hilly this time. Cooke’s 57-00 placed him ahead of Dave Cook (Altura RT), 58-47, and Steve Smales (Boneshakers-Trek), 59-01.