31 riders took the start on a still evening with the 6 EFGH riders having a half lap lead. For the first 5 laps the groups stayed apart with Steven Piper taking the 1^st Prime from the front group. After a further lap both groups were together with Mark Cain having escaped on his own but within a further lap they were all together again. There were constant attacks but none would stick with Macles Zbloaby taking the 2^nd Prime. Jason Fitchew, Keith Walker and Mark Cain escaped  and remained clear for two laps but at 3 to go it was all back together. On the last lap 3 riders jumped clear and held it to the line with Matt Holmes Taking the win from, Ross Courtnell and Marco Coppola.

Overall, after 2 events, Aaron Green comfortably leads Cat A with 8 points; in Cat B Matt Holmes has 8 points with Matt Steel on 3; Paul Spicely leads Cat C with 6 points with mark Coppola on 4 and Jamie Bishop on 3; Cat D is very close with Keith Walker on 5, Jason Fitchew on 4 and Dave Farrow on 3; there is a tie in Cat E with Stephen Piper and Martin Meades both having 6 points; and Steven Wade-Jones leads Cat F with 8 points.

If you spot any errors in placing, or if you are wrongly identified, please e-mail info@bmcr.org.uk. Incorrect formatting, capitalisation of names etc. is normally a result of the data on RiderHQ. If you correct it there, it should feed through to future results.

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If you spot any errors in placing, or if you are wrongly identified, please e-mail info@bmcr.org.uk. Incorrect formatting, capitalisation of names etc. is normally a result of the data on RiderHQ. If you correct it there, it should feed through to future results.

For the first time on a Sunday, we were promised and delivered beautiful warm sunny wind free conditions for a race.
A far cry from the cold, miserable, possibly life affirming/changing drenchings we have all accepted as the norm so far in 2024.
Even the much feared traffic issues with the closed section of the M25 did not impact anyone’s journey to the lovely village of Handcross.
Crawley Wheelers RT had taken over the Parish Hall, and turned it into Bike Central.
Having not raced or ridden the circuit since 1977, I used a full lap as my warm up alongside the wonderful Peter Bishop, all the way up from Exeter, riding a beautiful 25 year old Bianchi, and realized early on that this would be a race to remember. It resembles the 3 circuits of Retchingley, Blackmore and Chailey all rolled into one 9 mile circuit. Short steepish critters, long drags, very long drags and fast flowing descents, always something to keep you on the rivet.
The EFG race was the last of the 3 groups to start, with 34 riders, a plethora of big hitters, as well as many opting to use this race as their first for several seasons. Inspired, or grand folly? 
After  a short neutralized zone, the race was on, 43 miles of mixed (polite version) terrain in what was soon to be 26°C.
The first lap was a 3/4 lap, with 4 full laps to follow, but it meant climbing the nasty critter of a hill 5 times. The first time was brutal with the race being strung out in a long broken line. Mercifully, the pace slowed at the crossroads at the top, the protagonists possibly realizing this pace was just not doable for the entire race. By now, we had lost 5 or 6 riders, never to be seen again.
So the first shots had been fired.
The first time up the long drag gave us all a taste of things to come, a full 2kms of a relentless energy sapping grind, so long, even after 2 of 3 laps, you were still not sure where the summit was.
This is where the real damage was done on the 2nd lap, the steep ramp again stretching it out, and the following long drag the end of the single but slightly fractured bunch. 
The cream of the Es shot off the front, led by the amazing but until then, fairly subdued Chris Beales, with him were Trevor Hammond, Julian Bray, Craig Wilson and Mark Brenner.
Further up the long drag, another group muscled off the front which included the best of the Fs, Costa Periedes, Robert Cranstone, Martin Fisher, Trevor Bradbury and Julian Niles- Cunnington, plus the fast improving E Richard Barnes and the aforementioned E Peter Bishop. 2 riders just happy to be at the business end (albeit the 2nd group!!!) of a full on road race.
The 2nd group was working like a well oiled machine, through and off on the ‘flat’ parts anyhow, and we kept the lead 5 in sight.
By the end of lap 2, they had 45 seconds on us. The next lap seemed quicker than the previous one but with the next time check 2.55, we were either flagging, or the Es were kicking along hard, and Costa punctured, thus losing us 20% of our engine.
RB was riding hard at the front, forcing a 10 gap, spurring RC to make a big move, closely followed by TB and MF, and eventually JNC. After a minute, the moved floundered, the heat and draining circuit combining to render such heroics fruitless. So it was down to the last 3 miles and the watching and waiting began. Everyone thought they had a chance at winning the F race, but it was RC who took the win up the slight drag to the finish line, followed by MF and TB, and then JNC.
Everyone’s face told the same story of a super hot, demanding relentless race, and the ride back up the long long drag, this time in the little ring, was enjoyable, and a good couple of miles warm down, perfect.
Some new names for the 2024 BMCR Race Series, things are starting to heat up. 

Summer finally arrived and race 1 had constant attacks in the good weather. Andrew Evans took off alone on the first lap but was reeled in after a few laps. Then it was attack after attack but nothing could stick until the last lap, when Andrew Evans went with half a lap to go, and hung on to the line.

Race 2 split early on into 2 groups of 4, which stayed that way to the finish.

Thanks to Clinton Hayward for organising and everyone that helped, and all the riders that supported the event.

If you spot any errors in placing, or if you are wrongly identified, please e-mail info@bmcr.org.uk. Incorrect formatting, capitalisation of names etc. is normally a result of the data on RiderHQ. If you correct it there, it should feed through to future results.

If you spot any errors in placing, or if you are wrongly identified, please e-mail info@bmcr.org.uk. Incorrect formatting, capitalisation of names etc. is normally a result of the data on RiderHQ. If you correct it there, it should feed through to future results.

Another beautiful sunny evening with very little wind saw 2 races going out the top gates again. The ABCD race had many attacks with the final one lasting with 4 riders, the remaining bunch being split into 2 groups. Congratulations to winner Gavin Howell. An AMAZING rider by John Lacey in the EFGHW race saw him attack to stay away on his own and take the win, with the bunch sprint being won by Deano Sibthorpe.

As always a huge thank you to all the helpers. It’s really great to be back and to see and feel the buzz at the races, thank you to everyone who came out to ride and support these events.

No race next week, see you all on the 21st.

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If you spot any errors in placing, or if you are wrongly identified, please e-mail info@bmcr.org.uk. Incorrect formatting, capitalisation of names etc. is normally a result of the data on RiderHQ. If you correct it there, it should feed through to future results.