YOUNG local riders provided some of the most exciting racing at the Ixworth Village Criteriums.

YOUNG local riders provided some of the most exciting racing at the Ixworth Village Criteriums.

Juniors Daniel Young (Glendene CC) from Braintree and Hugo Robinson (XRT/Elmy) who lives near Framlingham made all the running in the Invitation B final. They broke away together, before Robinson forged on alone. However Phil Hetzel (Ipswich BC) and Young’s team mate Josh Hannan led a chase that brought Young back into contention and on the last lap it was the Braintree rider who came out of Commister Lane onto Ixworth High Street first and at the line had two bike lengths lead over Robinson.

In the race solely for Juniors Sam Connelly from Maldon opened a big early lead. Robinson chased and caught him, while behind Kieran Brady (Velo Schils) from Soham and Jim Lewis (Glendene) led the effort to expand the leading group. In the final dash up the High Street it was Connelly from Lewis, with Robinson third.

The biggest crowd for years watched an action-packed series of races on the one kilometre circuit around the streets of the village between Bury and Diss.

The biggest field of the day was in the third and fourth category race where Robert Hunt, Steve Hurrell (Strad Sport) Matt Carter (Maldon) and Stowmarket & District pair Jonny Shuster and Matt Toone were in the thick of it. Toone found himself squeezed into the barriers on the last corner and Hurrell won the dash to the line.

The promoting club, West Suffolk Wheelers, had their best results in the Under 16 race where Alan Trolove was second, Joshua Stuart third and Lewis Elsom fifth. Winner was Cameron Toms (Iceni Velo) and fourth was Ipswich BC’s Ben Green.

In both the Elite/1/2 and the Invitation A Final the same four riders showed how it should be done – Dean Downing (Rapha Condor) the double winner, accompanied by team mate Graham Briggs and Twenty3C/Orbea pair Marcel Six and Dean Shannon.

In the Under 12s Sophie Holmes (Diss CC) was top girl ahead of West Suffolk Wheeler Alexandra Sjolin. Chelmer CC had a winner in Aaron Freeman in the Under 10s, while Lorna Robinson (Ipswich BC) was best girl in the Under 14s and Colchester Rovers’ best result was Mike Smith’s second to Greg Simcock (St Ives CC) in the Over 40s.

The wind blew away hopes of fast times in the VC Baracchi 10 – it blew straight down the Waveney Valley into competitor’s faces on the long outward leg of the Wortwell-based course. Winner was Ian Cammish (Planet X, 21:48) from Liam Gentry (VC Baracchi, 22:47). Duncan Murphy (Diss CC) was third in 23:08 and, getting into the scratch prizes for the first time ever – on his last day before turning veteran – Chris Leggett (Stowmarket & District) was fourth in 23:13.

The Eastern Counties CA 3/4 Championship road race at Radwinter was won by Scott Cousins of the Maldon club from David Miller (West Suffolk) and Anthony Stapleton (Chelmer).