The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The highlight of a busy week for Spalding Cycling Club saw Tilly Gurney pick up four trophies at the Plomesgate Grass Track event.
She picked up wins in both the Devil and the Unknown distance races, and also finished second in the 800m and 5k races.
She came home not only with cash but also the traditional Plomesgate prize of beer!
The club’s Tuesday time trial saw a smaller than average field, but nevertheless delivered some great results.
Neil Palmer took the win on the night, followed home by Mark Hills – a man who cannot stop setting personal bests this year – setting yet another on a blustery night.
Tristan Bramma, one of the club’s junior members, placed second in the Boston Wheelers Go Ride Racing Series at Tattershall and at the Fenland Clarion Go-ride Grass track race on Saturday he finished second overall on a tight track in very hot conditions.
Probably due to racing on road tyres, he had a nasty crash in the second race losing his front wheel on the bend, getting ridden over and having one of his wheels removed in the scramble.
With a badly buckled and wobbly front wheel, he did well to race again in the third and final race coming a very close second.
Sunday was a busy race calendar, with riders competing at the Nev Crane TT, Wallingford Festival of Cycling, the Plomesgate grass track event and the National Youth Circuit Championships in Scarborough.
Tim Lister and James Bramma raced the 25m Nev Crane TT, setting good times of 56.53 and 1.03.26 – a personal best for James – in the very hot conditions.
The club had good representation at the Wallingford Criteriums, Josh Wallis finishing fifth and Matt Ellis seventh.
Keiran Buffham finished in the bunch having gotten held up at the start, and Frazer Wallis and Adam Ellis punctured and crashed out respectively. Thankfully both were OK.
In his first race back after a break for his GCSEs, Tom Wright represented the club in the National Youth Circuit Championships over Scarborough’s tough Olivers Mount Course, ascending the hill seven times in testing conditions and a quality field, finishing comfortably in the main pack.
Finally, having celebrated the club’s 90th anniversary last year, Andrew Gurney, Ross McGivern and Neil Palmer headed over to Staffordshire to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Condor Cycles, the London based maker that has supplied bikes to GB Olympic teams and riders including Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins and several club members.
About 200 riders took to the hilly roads of Staffordshire and Shropshire on one of two routes to mark this special year, with the SCC team taking on the longer 70m loop that included some challenging climbs and stunning scenery.
The team got the chance to mix with members of the JLT Condor pro race team, including multiple Olympic medallist Ed Clancy.
