A large contingent of EADT League riders travelled to Mallory Park in Leicestershire for the fourth round of the National Trophy cyclo-cross competition but many of their rides came to a sticky end.

Fergus Muir

A large contingent of EADT League riders travelled to Mallory Park in Leicestershire for the fourth round of the National Trophy cyclo-cross competition but many of their rides came to a sticky end.

Clinging clay destroyed gear mechanism after gear mechanism. A drying wind on a bright morning, following several days of rain produced clay you could have made pots with. And just after riding through it the course took riders up a bottom gear climb into a twig and leaf-strewn wood. The combination was fatal to many expensive bits of kit.

David Nichols (Arctic Premier RT) broke a gear and then punctured twice. Shaun Aldous from Bungay damaged a gear warming up, but survived the race by changing to a newly washed bike twice a lap to finish 32nd in the seniors.

Nathan Miller (Lotto/Interbike) had a long run to the pits with a wrecked bike. He then kept going - to 28th place - by swapping between his spare bike and a hastily modified one belonging to pit helper Hugo Robinson.

In his own Youth race, Robinson, who started as series leader, kept out of trouble and finished fourth,1:10 down on Joseph Fox (Solihull CC). Ipswich BC rider Robinson is now just two points behind new series leader Sam Lowe (Raleigh).

Among the women, Nikki Juniper (PCA/Ciclos Uno) finished 4th and Abbie Thorington 6th. Sean Dunlea (Ciclo Uno) was 10th Under 14, while dad Kieron finished one place up on EADT League Elite Veterans leader Gavin Rumbles.