Manchester Regional Track League Division 1

Friday 28th November 2003

Another successful night at the Manchester Velodrome for the two Deeside Olympic riders, Keith Jones and Karl Cliff.

Karl put in another strong performance in the group 2 500M Sprint, winning his heat with a lap time of 12.695 seconds.

He produced his best ride of the night in the group 2 final coming from the back, and having to go around the outside of the other riders, he powered past them to take the well deserved win.

Keith produced his usual solid performance and was unlucky not to come away with full honours in all the distance events.

Keith was just pipped into second place in the Devil and almost snatched the win on the line in the 20 Lap Points Race.

The final race was the 64 Lap Scratch Race which combined groups 2 and 3. The pace started steady with around 25 riders on the track. After 20 laps Keith moved to the front and accelerated. The result was he was now riding in a smaller group of just 6 riders. This group stayed together until, with 20 laps remaining, Keith put the pace up again! Now he was riding with just 1 other rider the youngster, Adam Blythe. The pair worked together making sure the rest of the depleted field never got near and they rode together to the final lap. On the bell and Keith, trying the experience over youth approach, took to the front and pulled Adam high up the banking in the first corner and accelerated down the back straight, Adam managed to keep his wheel, and as they entered the final bend he was moving up alongside Keith. Keith forced him wider as they exited the final bend but it wasn't quite enough, the younger legs had the strength left to take the win from Keith by just half a wheel.

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