Saturday 19 May 2012

George Samuel Memorial Hove Park Crits - Race 2 - 218th May 2012

With spring still wrapping us all in its cold blanket it was a dull, cold, wet Hove Park that greeted the riders for round two in the series. Still a good field had assembled with race one's winner & runner up Mike Coyle (Brighton Mitre) & John Lewes (Charlotteville) but Jules Birks (VC Londres) who has always been a factor in previous races.

The opening laps were a somewhat cagey affair with the overall series contenders very much sizing each other up and it wasn't until after the first prime the first serious came with an attack from Stuart Bettis (Team Terminator) and Toby Leyton (Brighton Mitre).  This twosome stayed off the front for a good few laps but were never allowed to build a concerted lead and the in-fighting from the pack behind inevitabley closed them down.

After a small collective breather the exercise was basically exactly repeated again by Stuart Fahey (Brighton Mitre), this signalled Mike Coyles (Brighton Mitre) time to attack and along with Gary Brind (Southdown Bikes) they quickly bridged across to Stuart and then pushed on condeming Stuart back to the pack.  It was during this period of the race bad luck struck Jules Birks (VC Londres) in the form of a puncture and by the time he had changed his wheel and was back in the race, Coyle and Brind were already building a sizeable lead off the front.  It's a big credit to Birks riding that he immediately attacked from the pack desperately trying to reach the lead riders but Coyle wasn't going to have any of that and he immediately upped the pace dropping his partner Brind and pushing on for yet another solo victory.  Gary Brind and Jules Birks held on for second and third respectively with Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre) leading the pack in.




Cat 2/3 Race Result:-
1. Mike Coyle (Brighton Mitre)
2. Gray Brind (Southdown Bikes)
3. Jules Birks (VC Londres)
4. Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre)
5. Matthew Butt (Team ASL360)
6. James Solly (VC Londres)
7. Stuart Bettis (Team Terimator)
8. John Lewis (Charlotteville CC)
9. Daniel Clark (Brighton Mitre)
10. Robert Quin (Brighton Mitre)
11. Toby Leyton (Brighton Mitre)
12. Eric Degolier (Private Member)
13. Stuart Fahey (Brighton Mitre)
14. Luke Farren (Brighton Mitre)
15. Paul Barnard (Southdown Bikes)
16. Bruce Samuel (Brighton Mitre)
DNF Philip Glowinski (VC Londres)
DNF Gavin Starling (Brighton Mitre)
DNF Stuart Harvey (Ultimate Fitness)
DNF Matt Hill (V02 Development Team)

Overall Points Standings After Race 2:-
1. Mike Coyle (Brighton Mitre)...........25pts
2. John Lewis (Charlotteville CC.........18pts
3. Gray Brind (Southdown Bikes)........11pts
4. Paul Flynn (Brighton Mitre)..............8pts
5. Jules Birks (VC Londres).................6pts
6. Steve Calland (Southdown Bikes)....3pts
5. Daniel Clark (Brighton Mitre)............1pt
7. Matthew Butt (Team ASL360).........1pt

Cat 4 race was  its usual selection of the strongest riders.  As the race came to its final stages it saw five riders contest the win.  It was Joe Hyatt that ignited affairs with a hard attack in a bid for victory but the others were not going to capitulate that easily and he was caught on the final climb and the resulting gallop for the line was won by Elliott Lipski (VC Elan) with George Moore (ASL 360) second and Jo Hyatt (Brighton Mitre) hanging on for third.

Cat 4 Race Result:-
1. Elliot Lipski (VC Eian)
2. George Moore (ASL 360)
3. Joe Hyatt (Brighton Mitre)
4. Matt Townsend (Lewes Wanderers)
5. John Astow (Private Member)
6. Alan Thompson (Brighton Mitre)
7. Jack Evans (Brighton Mitre)
8. Trevor Roberts (Brighton Mitre)
9. Joel Draper (Brighton Mitre)
10. Nigel O’Brien (BRBC)
11. Alan Newman (Brighton Mitre)
12. Alex Stephenson (Private Member)
13. Dan Fagg (Brighton Mitre)
14.  Ed Raynard (Brighton Mitre)
15.  Alan Cooper (Brighton Excelsior)
16. Matt Woods (Private Member)
DNF James Danvers (Brighton Mitre)

So Brighton Mitre's Mike Coyle takes over the overall lead. Can he be stopped in his quest for a second overall Hove Park Crits title? Round three in the series is on Friday the 15th June. The vent starts with a
Cat 4 race at 6.45pm & the Cat 2/3 race at 7.25pm.