Dougal Toms won at the Fakenham Town Centre Races, exploiting his bike handling skills to seize the lead on the double bend through the Upper Market and holding it through the final corners to take the race for top category men, writes Fergus Muir.
Contenders in earlier races had said that races were irrevocably decided at the top of the last climb, before entering the shopping streets. However Toms, from Norfolk but currently revelling in training on Devon hills near his University at Exeter, proved otherwise.
The next places in a tight finish are now confirmed as going to Jake Hales (Spirit /Tifiosi), Matt Holmes (Arctic/Tacx) and Dickleburgh rider Kieran Jarvis (OnForm, fourth).
Earlier, a fast pace had split the field into two groups. The front group was mostly driven along by Fenman Matthew Webster and DAP CC teammates Mark Richards and Harley Matthews, but with a tailwind mitigating the climb of Whitehorse Street none of them none of them managed to break clear.
The women’s race was different, with Jo Tindley, winner last year, and Alicia Speake lapping the rest of the field – which included all categories of senior (over 17) women.
Experience of the tight-corners around the Market Place clearly helped with third place going to St Ives rider Holly Hoy for the second year running.
Saffron Walden rider Alex Dale was Boys under 16 winner, with Stowmarket rider Charlie Johnson third. Bethany Barnett (LivAwol) and sister Florence were U16 and U14 girl’s winners while Harley Gregory (West Suffolk Whs) was third in the U14 Boys behind winner Adam Lea from Milton Keynes.
Thomas Wright (OnForm) took the Cat three/four Men’s race where top Suffolk finisher was Stephen Clark (Orwell Velo, fourth).
The Good Friday 10 in the Waveney Valley has established a tradition of large entries from women with 34 taking part this year. Southwold rider Denise Hurren stepped up from second in 2018 to win with 24:20.
Surprise second place came from Norwich ABC rider Jennifer Parsonage – sister of the DAP Road Race winner Stephen, and like him from a rowing background.
Her time was 24:57, three seconds faster than CC Sudbury’s Sue Triplow. The colourful racing kit of the Bungay-based Godric CC was much in evidence, with Stephanie Hoyle (27:07) their fastest finisher in 11th place just ahead of Amanda Mallett (28:08) of Suffolk coast-based Plomesgate CC.
Fastest of the 104 entries in the Men’s race was Newmarket electrician Jason Bouttell whose 19:38 was the only ride inside 20 minutes. Ben Stancombe (VeloVelocity) was next in 20:20 and Harley Matthews (DAP CC) third in 20:31.
Conditions were gloriously sunny for this great spring gathering but not actually all that fast, with high air pressure and a breeze coming from an unhelpful direction.
Rendlesham rider Stuart Fairweather (20:40) was fastest Veteran, Adam Baker (West Suffolk Wheelers, 22:58) was fastest novice while best on handicap was David Sawyer (Wolsey RC, 24:45)
In the Veteran’s TTA 10 on the Wickham Market course local rider Nick Partridge was fastest. The VC Baracchi rider won in 21:09, ahead of Martin Reynolds (Cambridge CC,21:24) and David Crisp (3T Racing, 21:30) with Jaquie Field (CC Ashwell) fastest lady in 23:25.
The route of 109 kilometre Audax ride based at Seething in South Norfolk went first to Southwold and then over what was described as “our own special piece of pave” along the base of the Blyth river wall before crossing the former Southwold railway bridge to Walberswick. Here participants answered an obscure question about the church to prove that they had been there.
Next control was at a cafe in Halesworth before returning to Seething through Weybread and Woodton. In the end 59 entrants returned to Seething within the prescribed time window of 12:38 – to 4.16pm.
One rider’s verdict: “The day was peaceful and the traffic pleasantly friendly. Lots of friendly cycling faces and a wonderful Audax buffet to greet us at the finish”.
RESULTS
FAKENHAM TOWN CENTRE RACES
WOMEN: 1 Jo Tindley (Campinense), 2 Alicia Speake (Team LDN), 3 Holly Hoy Cycle (Team OnForm) at one lap, 4 Charlotte Berry (Campinense), 5 Mathilde Pauls (1904 RT), 6 Anneleen Bosma (LDN), 7 Francesca Cutts (LDN), 8 Francesca Hall (DAP CC), 9 Maxine Filby (Datalynx), 10 Victoria Lovett (Liv Awol).
MEN Cat 3/4: 1 Thomas Wright (OnForm) 2 Shaun Brennan (Rats CC),3 Darren Rutterford (Iceni Velo) 4 Stephen Clark (Orwell Velo), 5 Richard Lister (VC Lincoln), 6 Leigh Matthews (Rats CC) 7 David Hird (Halesowen A & CC), 8 Philip Large (Iceni Velo), 9 Adam Ellis (Spalding CC), 10 Adam Chamberlin (TPH Racing).
YOUTH - U16 Boys: 1 Alex Dale (Lee Valley Youth), 2 Owen Lightfoot (Bourne Whls), 3 Charlie Johnson (Fast Test). U16 Girls: 1 Bethany Barnett (Liv Awol), 2 Eleanor Peel (Bourne Whls), U14 Boys: 1 Adam Lea (Team MK), 2 Samuel Leslie (Lee Valley Youth), 3 Harley Gregory (West Suffolk Whs. U14 Girls: 1 Florence Barnett (Kings Lynn CC), 2 Skye Willis (Panagua CC), 3
Mia Rutterford (Iceni Velo).
MEN Cat E/1/2/3 Confirmed result: 1 Dougal Toms (Exeter University), 2 Jake Hales (Spirit), 3 Matt Holmes (Arctic/Tax) 4 Kieran Jarvis (Onform), 5 George Thompson, (Sleaford Whs), 6 Charlie Wright (Strada Sport).
Great Yarmouth CC Good Friday 10, Wortwell:
MEN: 1 Jason Bouttell, (Team Vision)19:38, 2 Ben Stancombe (VeloVelocity)20:20, 3 Harley Matthews (D A P CC) 20:33, 4 Stuart Fairweather (VeloVelocity) 20:40, 5 Nick Partridge (VC Baracchi) 20:44, 6 Mark Richards (D A P CC) 20:52, 7 Andrew, Taylor (D A P CC) 21:34, 8 Oliver Milk (Epic Orange) 21:37, 9 Paul Jay (VeloVelocity) 21:47, 10 Antony Birt (Plomesgate CC) 21:55, 11 Lewis Roberts (PedalRevolution) 21:57, 12 Simon Daw (Datalynx-Parenesis) 22:02.
WOMEN: 1 Denise Hurren (VeloVelocity) 24:20, 2 Jennifer Parsonage (Norwich ABC) 24:57, 3 Sue Triplow (CC Sudbury) 25:00, 4 Mandy Bunn (Datalynx-Parenesis) 25:11, 5 Jan Smith (Great Yarmouth CC) 25:39, 6 Jo Fisk (Ride Harder) 26:07, 7 Jenny Anderson (Great Yarmouth CC) 26:07, 8 Louise Marsden (VC Norwich) 26:28, 9 Kate Lucas (Norwich ABC) 26:49, 10 Dawn Collyer (North Norfolk Whs) 27:02, 11 Stephanie Hoyle (Godric CC) 27:07, 12 Amanda Mallett (Plomesgate CC) 28:06.
JUNIORS:1 Dexter Mansel-Thomas (Lee Valley Youth) 23:34, 2 Luke Lynds (Tri-Anglia) 23:53, 3 Billy Girling (VC Baracchi) 24:06, 4 Josh Sykes (Pedal Revolution) 25:27.
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