After what seemed like an age (4 weeks in reality) we were back at Darley today and AI Bas has done it again — glorious sunshine and no wind. 

We started bright and early with the women’s 2/3/4. The first couple of laps were steady, but the primes gave us some entertaining sprints. Last year’s overall GC winner, Abbie, has clearly set her sights on the sprint competition and had designs on winning every prime. Two out of three was a good day’s work, with Jirina Mala from Velotick Development Academy spoiling the clean sweep. 

 

A close sprint was won by the explosive Rebecca Woodvine. Unfortunately we did have a few riders come down during the sprint but everyone seems to on the mend and hopefully we see them back racing soon. 

Next up, the 4th cats. A strong field, all with ambitions of making a break, struggled to make anything stick. It was another big bunch finish, with our paramedic watching on with fingers and toes crossed. Instead, it was the line judges who had the real problem — the closest finish we have ever seen between Dominic Bottomley from UoN CC and Craig Griffith from Open Collective.

 

The commissaires took the decision to declare a dead heat. Prize money was shared, and we’ll leave BC to work out the points. Ben Chesterfield from UoN CC put his Darley last-lap demons to bed by taking the final prime of the day.

The 3/4 race was another big field. Even the primes couldn’t encourage a break, and we were expecting yet another bunch finish after several moves were attempted but nothing stuck. That is, until the incredibly strong Will Thompson decided a solo attack was needed. Lap after lap he pulled out a gap on the bunch, securing the final prime and the overall win.

With some big races in the calendar this weekend, we had a smaller-than-usual field for the Nat B racing snakes. The pace was incredible from the whistle, with riders getting shelled early. By half distance, two clear groups had formed and, as the laps ticked by, disputes were settled and both groups started working well together. Another incredibly close finish, but this time it was easier to declare a winner, with sometimes-retired Adam Kenway taking the top spot.

The final race was the masters, in absolutely glorious sunshine and hardly a breath of wind. A split formed relatively early, and the break were determined to stay away, working diligently and sharing the load. It was less favourable in the chasing group, who couldn’t get organised, and so the gap was never going to be closed.

 

Steve Young took a convincing win from the lead group.