News - March 2009
Monday 2nd March - Youngsters race at Milton Keynes
Article courtesy of Stuart
Thompson
2 Young Andover Wheelers competed in there 1st
Circuit Race of the season at
Young Cameron Thompson was up 1st in the
Under 12’s. The weather was good and the wind was almost
non-existent. Cameron was up against a very strong field with over 15
riders. As soon as the whistle went they raced off. A group formed
almost straight away consisting of 8 riders with Cameron being one of
them. The going was tuff but Cameron settled into a good rhythm holding
his own. Cameron managed to attack on the 4th lap up the hill
but got caught just at the top. He hung in there for another few laps but
unfortunately just couldn’t hold on and got dropped with 3 laps to go. He
finished a very respectable 8th overall.
The Star of the Day was Mitch Webber in the under
14’s. With fewer numbers in his race, about 8, there was no where to
hide. He was going to have to work hard against some of the Larger riders
he was up against, and he did. As soon as the race started a 3 man Break
attacked and Mitch was one of them, dropping everyone else in the race.
The full 15 laps consisted of the 3 working well together to stay away, coming
down to the sprint finish. The attack went in on the last lap up the long
drag by one of the riders but Mitch and the other rider hung on to make him
work for it. Mitch just got pipped at the line coming
in an excellent 3rd overall and 2nd in his
category.
I’m sure both riders will have an excellent season.
The Milton Keynes Bowl holds regular cycling evens and
is a good safe circuit. It is about an hour and a half drive from
Click on a thumbnail image to expand. Photos
courtesy of Stuart Thompson.
Tuesday 10th March – Wheelers ride early season TT
Article courtesy of Mike
Webber
Two Andover Wheelers Ladies get their season started with an 11.5 mile
time trial near
Click on a thumbnail image to expand. Photos
courtesy of Simon Hall.
Thursday 26th March – Details of the Salisbury Big Wheel Ride, in
aid of Salisbury Hospicecare, being held on Sunday 29th
March
A major cycling event comes
to south Wiltshire on Sunday 29 March when the Salisbury Big Wheel hits
town. The Salisbury Big Wheel is a
sponsored ride in aid of Salisbury Hospicecare, and
it is being organised on behalf of Salisbury District
Council by Bike Events Ltd, one of the
Two routes, one for
families and the other for more hard-core cyclists, will start and finish in
the city and take participants through some of the beautiful and historic
countryside bordering
The start and finish line
is at Five Rivers Leisure Centre athletic track in
Children
8–16yrs–free.
17 years and above:
Family route – £5
Long route – £10
Refreshment points will be
located along the routes where participants will be able to refill water
bottles and buy other drinks and food.
All participants will be able to use the shower and changing facilities
at Fiver Rivers Leisure Centre free of charge on the day of the ride. All participants of 16 years and under will
be entitled a free swim at Five Rivers Leisure Centre on the day after their
ride.
Participants can register
online or print off an entry form from here.
Monday 30th March – TT and Thruxton
Circuit Races roundup
Article courtesy of Mike
Webber
Andover
Wheeler time trial champion, Simon Healey, had an excellent weekends racing
recently. Riding in his strongest discipline, Healey took 5th place in the
tough 18.5 mile Dummer time trial with a time of 42
minutes 40 seconds, just 3 seconds off his best time for the course. In fourth
place was another local rider Jake Prior (VC St Raphael) in 42:31. The event
was won by Richard Prebble of Pinarello-Candi
TV in 39:57, just one second ahead of North Hampshire RC rider
Adrian Lansley with Peter Tadros
(In Gear Quickvit RT) third in 40:18.
The
following day saw Healey take part in the 4th Cat road race at Thruxton. Being fairly new to this type of racing Simon did
the thing that he does best, attacking off the front and trying to time trial
his way to the finish. He stayed out front for 6 of the race's 10 laps but
never really gaining more than a 30 second lead with the large bunch of 70+
riders able to just stay within touching distance. With 2 laps to go another
rider managed to jump away from the bunch and bridge the gap across to Healey,
giving added impetus to try and stay away to the end. With one lap to go
the lead was a precarious one as the bunch increased its speed for the
final sprint to the finish. Into the final straight and their lead was a matter
of metres but unfortunately, having given it
everything, Healey just faded in the final metres but
still finishing in a very well deserved 8th position to gain his first
points of the season. In the supporting Youth races there was further success
for Wheelers riders as Tom Bolton had his best result of the season so far
finishing 2nd in the U16's event. Carla James was having her first ever race
and did very well by finishing in an excellent 2nd position in the U10 girls
race with Emily Hall 3rd in the U12 girls and her brother Alex 3rd in the U10's
boys. Other notable results were Cameron Thompson (5th) and Jed Webber (8th) in
the U12 boys and Mitchell Webber (6th) in the U14 boys.
Click here for photos from the Thruxton
Circuit Races, courtesy of Barrie Austen.