CYCLO CROSSA FIRST-EVER cyclo-cross win for Tom Castle of Ipswich Bicycle Club provided an exciting start to the second round of the EADT League at Fakenham in Norfolk.

A FIRST-EVER cyclo-cross win for Tom Castle of Ipswich Bicycle Club provided an exciting start to the second round of the EADT League at Fakenham in Norfolk.

The Youth race opened the programme and when early leader Luke Newby (Diss & District), fell back Castle and Matt Cook (Mildenhall CC) established a clear lead, with Cook quicker through the corners and Castle stronger on the power sections.

On the final lap Cook led through a single track section, held the lead where the course twisted through buildings, but on the final climb to the finish Castle had the edge.

Newby came in third, Will Meadows (IBC) was fourth while Meadow's clubmate Hugo Robinson was fifth and best in the Under-14 category.

Castle, a student at Northgate High School, Ipswich, has made steady progress up the result lists, moving from a typical fourth or fifth place two years ago to this, his first victory.

For the second week running a visiting veteran won the senior race. At Fakenham it was Phil Roach of the Rugby Velo who beat Nathan Miller (53-12 Multisports) in a sprint finish at the end of a fast and hard-fought race.

Roach only started cyclo-cross when his two sons became involved, but has since become a serious contender himself.

It was his son Ben who was first to establish a lead after the 70-strong senior field sorted itself out following a first lap fall by Hugo Hocknell (Angliasport).

However by lap five of the 11-lap race Phil Roach was in the lead closely shadowed by Ipswich rider Nathan Miller and significantly clear of junior Ben Roach and Glenn Stanford of API/Metrow.

With two determined riders looking for victory there was a tough last lap with a couple of comings together.

Miller led into that singletrack path through the trees but clipped a post on a corner among the buildings. Roach seized the front and held it up the climb to the finish.

There was a late change of venue - the race being held on a new course in the grounds of Fakenham Racecourse.

The mixture of grassland and gravel paths around buildings proved fast but in the dry, bright weather the firm going was jarring for riders' wrists and backs and overall the course had less than usual in the way of technical challenge.

Last year's champion Shaun Aldous has been temporarily sidelined - he was a spectator, but his knees need time to recover from a recent walking holiday.

Reigning Veteran Champion Mark Farrow (API/Metrow) spent much of the race in company with Chris Guy (Interbike) but pulled away at the end to take maximum Vets points, as the winner is not a League member.

Likewise maximum Junior points were taken by Daniel Hewitt (Fat Birds CC) though Ben Roach had a higher placing.

Interbike's Jen Ives was the women's winner, finishing 41st overall.

In the Under-12s race James Ardern (Norwich Amateur BC) had a clear win, coping better than most with the strong wind which had some small riders struggling.

This week's race is scheduled for the scenic Brickwall Farm course at Sible Hedingham, Essex.

First race is at 11am on Sunday.

Results:

1 Phil Roach Vet (Rugby Velo) 11 laps in 53:37; 2 Nathan Miller 1st Senior. (53-12 Multisports) +0:01; 3 Glenn Stanford (API/Metrow) +0:42; 4 Ben Roach 1st Jun (Rugby Velo) +1:44; 5 Hugo Hocknell (Angliasport) +2:20; 6 Mark Farrow Vet (API/Metrow) +2:45; 7 Chris Guy (Interbike RT) +3:09; 8 Dave Copland Vet (Ipswich BC) +4:11; 9 Clive Ling Vet (Diss & District CC) +4:23; 10 Bruce Robinson Vet (Shaftesbury CC) +4:31; 11 Martin Carter (Unattached) +5:12; 12 Philip Hargreaves Vet (VC Norwich / Fitt Signs) +1 lap +0:12; 13 Craig Beech (Interbike RT) +1 lap +0:25; 14 Trevor Holmes Vet (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +0:39; 15 Stuart Chatting (Angliasport) +1 lap +0:45; 16 Robert Hunt (API/Metrow) +1 lap +0:50; 17 Ben Nicholson (Interbike RT) +1 lap +1:00; 18 Geoff Bores Vet (Ford CC) +1 lap +1:16; 19 Adam Keer (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +1:23; 20 Ben Paton (Angliasport) +1 lap +1:39; 21 John Terrell Vet (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +2:00; 22 Neil Stevens (VC Norwich / Fitt Signs) +1 lap +2:07; 23 Colin Cracknell Vet (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +2:25; 24 Andy Porter (Kings Lynn CC) +1 lap +2:32; 25 Kevin Wilby (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +2:38; 26 Clive Harrison Vet (Ford CC) +1 lap +2:47; 27 Nick Ainsworth (Private Member) +1 lap +2:51; 28 Daniel Hewitt Jun (Fat Birds) +1 lap +3:11; 29 Matt Spillman Vet (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +3:29; 30 Luke Hurst (Websters Cycles .co.uk) +1 lap +3:33. Jen Ives 1st Woman (Interbike RT) +2 laps +0:51.

Youth: 1 Tom Castle (Ipswich BC) 7 laps in 33:13; 2 Matthew Cook (Mildenhall CC) +0:02; 3 Luke Newby (Diss & District CC) +1:52; 4 William Meadows (Ipswich BC) +2:22; 5 Hugo Robinson 1st Yth/U14. (Ipswich BC) +3:13; 6 Robert Green (Ipswich BC) +4:45; 7 William Adams (Mildenhall CC) +4:48; 8 Joshua Green Yth/U14. (Lee Valley Youth CC) +1 lap +0:35; 9 Hannah Robinson 1st Girl (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +0:39; 10 Daniel Snow (JD Cycles) +1 lap

+2:38.

Under 12: 1 James Arden (Norwich ABC) 5 laps in 13:11; 2 James Jackson 1st U10 (Colchester Rovers) +1:07; 3 Lorna Robinson U10 (Ipswich BC) +2:16; 4 Sophie Holmes 1st U8 (Diss & District CC) +1 lap +0:12; 5 Thomas Adams (Mildenhall CC) +1 lap +0:18; 6 Joe Pearson U8 (Ipswich BC) +1 lap +1:14; 7 Henrietta Colbourne U10 (Fat Birds) +1 lap +1:24; 8 Matthew Baker U8 (Unattached) +1 lap +1:39; 9 Rowen Baker (Unattached) +4 laps +0:41;