Recycling.co.uk - Byley

Sunday 12th September 2005

Mike Jones, Mark Jones, Ian Edwards and I rode the Recycling.co.uk event over 10 laps of the pan flat Lach Dennis circuit. Although the weather was overcast and rain threatened, it stayed dry.

The race was very negative throughout with any breakaway attempts (and there were plenty) quickly countered. All the Deeside riders tried and one point or another to get away, but without any success.

Just after the lap 8 prime, and group of 4 managed to get off the front and quickly managed to get a decent gap. Typically, very few riders were prepared to do any work late on in the race all hoping someone else would do the work, and they could preserve their sprinting legs. I tried a couple of times to get across, but without success. Ian rolled up to me and told me to get on his wheel, and he'd tow me across. He pulled a huge turn on the front, and by the bell we'd all pretty much come back together.

In the final lap any attempts by riders to get away were very quickly pulled back, and the race was set up for a sprint finish. The final left hander on this circuit is always decisive, with the finishing straight being so narrow and twisty, if you hit the final bend and worse than 10th, then you can pretty much forget it. The final km was very dangerous, with too many riders fighting for position. I got bumped twice, but as legs started to blow, the road opened up a little. I took 7th, with the others all finishing safe in the bunch.

Cheers Ian, had it not been for your huge lap 9 turn, we'd have all been sprinting for scraps. Result:

1. Giles Pidcock Aire Valley RT 1.11.39
2. Matt Walmsley Birkinghead North End
3. Mark Bethell Macclesfield Wh
4. Gerrad Heap British Cycling Private Member
5. David Lowe Team Velocity
6. John Harvey Rhos on Sea
7. David Tait Deeside Olympic
8. Ben Green Manchester Wh
9. Mark Reymon British Cycling Private Member
10. Simon Appleton Horwich CC

Thanks to David Tait for this report

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