The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Matt Ellis held off Neil Palmer to win Spalding Cycling Club’s latest 10 mile Time Trial.
The event returned to its home course at Pode Hole and the strong winds led to some excellent times including six personal bests and a course best.
In the absence of Josh Wallis, Ellis showed his usual consistent form taking top spot in 21:55 ahead of Neil Palmer 22:05 and Tim Lister 22:31.
Further down the order, the ever improving Tom Wright riding with a full disc wheel for the first time showed the seniors that they are going to have to up their game with a personal best of 23:59 a time faster than father Simon’s current PB.
The full results were: 1 Matt Ellis (21.55), 2 Neil Palmer (22.05), 3 Tim Lister (23.31), 4 Kieran Buffham (22.44), 5 Andy Bowser (22.47 course best), 6 Adam Ellis (23.20), 7 Frazer Wallis (23.26 PB), 8 Tom Wright (23.49 PB), 9 Mark Hills (24.34 PB), 10 Andrew Gurney (24.52), 11 Chris Bettinson (24.57 PB), 12 Simon Wright (25.44 PB), 13 James Bramma (25.53), 14 Tilly Gurney (25.59 PB), 15 Ross McGivern (26.29), 16 Rob McAlinden (26.47), 17 Barry Drew (28.39), 18 Brian Johnson (29.35 PB), 19 Bill Wood (35.20).
- Tim Lister had a busy week as he followed up the Spalding TT by experimenting by riding the Bourne Wheelers 10 on his road bike.
He managed a fantastic fifth spot in the event and than took on the Sleaford Wheelers 10.
It is a course that seems to suit him as he managed a 21:50 to take second spot.
On Sunday Lister then tackled the Eastern Road Race League that took place on a 61 Km course at Southwick Northants but found the pace too much and he dropped out.
- At the latest Rockingham Criterium races Keiran Buffham and Josh Wallis road in the category 2/3/4 handicap race.
Josh had a bad night having to pull out with an injury but, Keiran managed to get in a six man break and sprinted out to take third spot riding 24.9 miles in 57 minutes.
- For a second week, the Whitham Wheelers 25 TT on the A15/A52 Quarrington to Donington and back saw an unusual shortage of Spalding riders
Amid cross winds that made handling difficult, Simon Wright finished in 1:05:46 and Barry Drew 1:09:30, 1 min and 20 seconds faster than this season’s previous best in the same event.
Local rider Chris Ward, who currently rides for Team Swif,t managed an impressive 55:02 which gave him second veteran on standard.
This category is based on how much faster the rider is than the time the organisers think it should take you for your age.
- Josh Wallis raced in the Fut Du Velo Crit in St Albans, on Sunday in a very aggressive race.
Three broke away after 20minutes and Josh won the Prime after 35mins and then took second in the sprint getting rolled on the line as he just hit the front 10 meters too early.
- The success story of the weekend goes to Neil Palmer who raced the Velo99 league (for riders over 40 with six groups of different abilities) at Alford.
The event involved three laps on a rolling course over 33 miles.
Competing in scratch group six with 10 others, Palmer broke away with one other rider after 10 miles and stayed away for 23 miles.
They were able to catch groups three other groups and Lister managed to hold off the chasing group to get the win.
Spalding’s Chris Bettinson also raced in group five and did well in hot and blustery conditions and finished within his group, but was still awaiting his final position as The Voice went to press.
