Aldous survives to gain win at Welwyn

EADT League leader Shaun Aldous survived a dogfight with RAF cyclist Daniel Lewis to win at Stanborough Park near Welwyn by an eventual 40-second margin.

Aldous led at the end of the first lap, but next time round, under pressure in a woodland section, he fell, letting Lewis into the lead. By lap three of the 10-lap race Aldous was on his tail, just one second adrift, and at half distance the Lotto/Interbike rider took off on the climb away from the River Lea to a lone win.

Aldous judged the course was the hilliest in the league so far and made full use of his 42x25 (44inch) bottom gear.

The course also included a wooded section with a log to jump, a riverside path and some sandy climbs and grassy descents. Once the brilliant sun had dried the grass the going was fast.

In the later stages of the race Lewis, who is based at RAF Marham and was winner of the Lincolnshire League event two weeks ago, was caught by Chelmsford junior David Nichols (Glendene/Biketrax) and reigning EADT League champion Nathan Miller (Lotto/Interbike). However with two laps to go Miller's front tubular tyre rolled and Nichols dropped Lewis to finish alone in second place, with the RAF man next and Miller fourth.

Gavin Rumbles (CC Luton) was first veteran home, though Julian Parker (Ipswich BC) was only 1:28 behind. Of the other contenders for the veterans' prizes, Dave Copland was 13th while Ipswich BC clubmate Tim Butler picked himself up from a head-over-heels crash to take the 50+ award and 18th overall.

It was the “vets” who felt the two-stage climb the most: “You climb the first stretch OK; on the next bit you realise how tired your legs are” said Parker.

Sue Wood (Maldon & District) took the women's award

Behind David Nichols in the junior list was Matt Cook (Mildenhall CC) ahead of Luke Newby (Diss & District) and Tom Castle (Glendene/Biketrax)

Hugo Robinson (Ipswich BC) briefly mistook the course while leading the youth race, but immediately recovered to win by a large margin.

Samuel Connolley (Maldon & District) was second while further back Daniel Young (Glendene) punctured and lost a place to Lewis Parker (IBC) while George Wood (Maldon & District) and Alan Trolove (West Suffolk Wheelers) overhauled Daniel Snow in mid-race to take eighth and ninth places.

In the under-12s race Will Street won a very close sprint with his Welwyn Wheelers clubmate Archie Wishart. Hugo Robinson's sister Lorna (third) and under-10 girl Sophie Holmes (Diss & District, fifth) led the challenge to the other nine young men from the Welwyn club, whose local facilities include the Gosling Stadium banked hard track half-a-mile up the road.

EADT League results round four

Seniors, Juniors, Veterans

and Women

1 Shaun Aldous (Lotto Olympia Team Interbike) 10 laps in 54:51; 2 David Nichols 1st Jun (Glendene CC) +0:40; 3 Daniel Lewis (RAF CC) +1:25; 4 Nathan Miller (53-12 Multisports) +2:44; 5 Gavin Rumbles 1st Vet (CC Luton) +4:02; 6 Glenn Stanford (API/Metrow) +4:27; 7 Julian Parker Vet (Ipswich BC) +5:30; 8 Matthew Cook Jun (Mildenhall CC) +5:46; 9 Luke Newby Jun (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +0:03; 10 Ian Newby (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +0:04; 11 Tom Castle Jun (Glendene CC) +1 lap +0:25; 12 Andrzej Bojarski (Hemel Hempstead CC) +1 lap +0:38; 13 Dave Copland Vet (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +0:41; 14 Craig Stevens Vet (PCA Ciclos Uno) +1 lap +1:03; 15 Neil Simpson Vet (London Phoenix) +1 lap +1:10; 16 Ben Paton (Amis Velo RT) +1 lap +1:20; 17 Chris Wooley (Team Economic Energy) +1 lap +1:20; 18 Tim Butler 1st Vet 50+ (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +1:24; 19 Stuart Chatting (Amis Velo RT) +1 lap +1:26; 20 Russell Cook Vet (Ford CC) +1 lap +1:58; 21 Craig Beech (Lotto Olympia Team Interbike) +1 lap +1:58; 22 Trevor Holmes Vet (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +2:00; 23 Tom Gosbee Jun (Team Welwyn) +1 lap +2:30; 24 Richard Dunnett (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +2:36; 25 Matt Gallagher (PCA Ciclos Uno) +1 lap +2:47; 26 Owen Bannister (VC Revolution) +1 lap +2:53; 27 Philip Peacock Vet (St Ives CC) +1 lap +2:55; 28 Geoff Bores Vet 50+ (Ford CC) +1 lap +3:00; 29 Craig Pack Vet (Newmarket Tri) +1 lap +3:02; 30 John Terrell Vet 50+ (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +3:18 ; 45 Susan Wood 1st Woman (Maldon & District) +2 laps +0:58;

Youths

1 Hugo Robinson (Ipswich BC) 5 laps in 30:20; 2 Samuel Connolley (Maldon & District) +2:35; 3 Tom Gallagher (Welwyn Whls CC) +3:46; 4 Joshua Green (Glendene CC) +4:24; 5 Alan Anderson (Welwyn Whls CC) +4:52; 6 Lewis Parker (Ipswich BC) +5:38; 7 Daniel Young (Glendene CC) +6:05; 8 George Wood 1st U14 (Maldon & District) +6:29; 9 Alan Trolove U14 (West Suffolk Whls) +6:46; 10 Daniel Snow (Welwyn Whls CC) +7:01.

Under-12s

1 Will Street (Welwyn Whls CC) 6 laps in 11:51; 2 Archie Wishart (Welwyn Whls CC) +0:00; 3 Lorna Robinson (Ipswich BC) +0:40; 4 Tom Street (Welwyn Whls CC) +1:42; 5 Sophie Holmes 1st U10 (Diss & District CC) +1:55; 6 Tom Durkin (Welwyn Whls CC) +1 lap +0:26; 7 Mitchell Powell (Chelmer CC) +1 lap +0:39; 8 Nick Brown (Welwyn Whls CC) +1 lap +0:55.