UK cyclo-cross round-up: Nicolas Bazin wins National Trophy 4

Defending champion Jody Crawforth (Arctic Premier RT) recovered from a first lap fall to finish as best of the Brits in the fourth round of the National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series in Leicestershire on Sunday.

Crawforth crossed the line 1:46 behind eventual winner Nicolas Bazin (Team Differdange, France), while second spot went to Belgium’s Jan Van Dael (Sunweb Projob) with Crawforth just five seconds further back.

29-year-old Crawforth from Surrey crossed the line third at Mallory Park, but had battled back from around 25th spot after a fall on the first lap broke his rear mech and forced him to run back to the pits for a new bike.

“It was a bit frustrating really,” said Crawforth afterwards. “I think there was some rubble underneath a load of leaves and muck on one of the corners, and that’s what broke my mech.

“I was OK, but I had to run back to the pits which was about half a lap away. I was going well and was leading on the first lap, but it’s annoying to come off, because I was feeling confident and thought I had the form to do well.”

It was Crawforth’s first National Trophy win of the season, and while he is planning to ride the next round in Bradford the overall series is not a major target for the Leatherhead rider.

Fourth spot at Kirkby Mallory went to Stuart Wearmouth (MTS Cyclesport) who leap-frogged fifth-placed Dave Collins (Hope Factory Racing) in the overall on the back of that result. Series leader Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) had to settle for sixth.

In other categories, junior Hannah Barnes (Candi TV-Marshall’s Pasta) secured victory in the women’s event, crossing the line 14 seconds ahead of Yorkshire Series leader Adela Carter (Crosstrax), while third spot went to another junior, Ruby Miller.

Michael Raven takes East Anglian Daily Times League win

Riding in only his fourth cyclo-cross event, Michael Raven (Extreme Sports Therapy) scored a clear win in a wet and windswept East Anglian Daily Times League cyclo-cross at Redgrave on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

Able to keep an eye on his pursuers on an out-and-back road section, Raven maintained a lead of just over a minute for most of the race.

Richard Dunnett from the promoting Diss & District CC at first laid claim to second place, but was overhauled by Greg Simcock (XRT-Elmy Cycles) who is fast returning to fitness after four years largely out of the sport.

Finally Matt Seaton (Mosquito Bikes), a visitor from the London League, slipped past Simcock on the last lap to take second prize by two seconds.

The course included long, hard grass sections and as well as run-ups on an earth mound.

The veterans and women had the best of the changeable weather and David Fraser (unattached) returned to his winning ways, having 1:14 in hand over Paul Moss (Stowmarket & District CC).

Moss in turn just held off women’s winner Nikki Juniper (PCA-Ciclos Uno), who had to overcome problems engaging her pedals after those muddy run-ups.

Gary Lingard victorious at StanmerPark

London Phoenix rider Gary Lingard gave his London Cyclo-Cross League tally a major boost with victory in the eighth round of the series at StanmerPark in Brighton on Sunday.

Previously eleventh in the overall series, Lingard crossed the line more than a minute ahead of his nearest rival at the end of the Brighton Excelsior and VC Jubilee promotion.

Pearson Cycles’ Matt Zeitz took second, while overall series contender Nigel Ling (GeminiBC) was third, another 1:08 behind.

Adrian Lansey takes seventh win in a row

Pedal On rider Adrian Lansley notched up his seventh straight victory in the Wessex League when he eased to another comfortable win in the North Hampshire Road Club event at Crossborough Hill near Basingstoke on Sunday.

Unbeaten Lansley was 39 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Swindon Road Club’s Crispin Doyle, while Wheelbase rider Mike Cotty was another 26 seconds further back in third.

Rick Lister wins Lincolnshire event

Team Endura rider Rick Lister took victory in the eighth round of the Lincolnshire Cyclo-Cross League on Sunday, staged on the site of an old abbey near Bardney.

The banks of the old moat provided formidable 12-foot obstacles which were unexpected in generally flat Lincolnshire, but they were traversed by Lister and his rivals with ease.

Pete Middlehurst (Octagon) was on Lister’s wheel for the first lap, but the pace proved too much and he dropped back to cross the line 50 seconds behind, while veteran Graham Clark (VC Lincoln) was third, another 53 seconds back.

Scott Chalmers notches up sixth podium finish

Science in Sport.com rider Scott Chalmers notched up his sixth podium finish in the 2009 Western Cyclo-Cross League when he won the eighth race of the series at ConhamRiverPark in Bristol on Sunday.

Chalmers, who has also scored victories in round six and round four, crossed the line almost two minutes ahead of Somer Valley CC rival Simon Burgess in second spot – but he didn’t have it all his own way.

For the first few laps Chalmers had Burgess on his wheel along with Jeremy Addis (Royal Dean Forest CC) and John Whittington (Bath University CC). However, Chalmers gradually edged away as the laps ticked by.

Results

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