Portsmouth Omega Circuits 3rd Cat Race
Last Wednesday (22nd May) Wightlink-Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team rider Jerry Cooper travelled to the mainland for Round 8 of the Portsmouth Circuits series.
Riding in the 3rd cat event, this was Cooper’s first race of the season and with a large field containing a lot of Junior riders, he was expecting a fast pace. The event was held over 40 minutes plus 3 laps.
Riders attacked from the start but Cooper stayed in the bunch letting other riders cover the early moves. When 2 riders got half a lap lead with about 20 minutes gone and other riders started jumping across to them, Cooper worked with the rest of the bunch to pull them back. The pace settled down for a few laps before there were more attacks meaning Cooper was working hard in the bunch to keep it together.
With around 5 minutes remaining Cooper got near the front ready for the sprint, but 2 riders had slipped away again so needed to be brought back first.
It all came together with 2 laps to go with Cooper in a good position, but the work took its toll on Cooper’s legs and he slipped down the order but still managed to finish strongly in the bunch. Cooper hopes to build some form with regular racing over the coming weeks.
Portsmouth Omega Circuits 4th Cat Race
Dave Cooper also travelled to Pompey last Wednesday for his 3rd race of the season at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.
After settling in, the race was well and truly on over a time period of 30 minutes plus 5 laps.
Most break attempts were quickly defused but a pair of riders managed to get away. Dave, being careful not to do too much of the chasing, done his share until the race was back together.
With the notification that there were 3 laps to go and most of the small field still together it looked as though it was going down for a bunch sprint until a young Royal Navy rider took off with 2 to go and the gap to him couldn’t be closed. Dave ensured he was in the prime spot to take 2nd only to be pipped literally on the line ending in a 4th place.
Wightlink-Wight Mountain Time Trial Series – Round 1
Thursday (23rd May) saw the 1st round of the Wightlink-Wight Mountain Time Trial Series in which riders tackled the newly resurfaced Coleman’s 10mile course.
The weather was kind to the riders – sunny and warm, albeit with a slight headwind in one section of the circuit.
8 out of 37 entrants were from Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT and the pressure was on to see if one of them could take the top step on home turf.
New team rider Kev Chant took the honours completing the distance in 21mins 28sec, averaging 28mph. Clint Oliver managed a 21mins 46sec time putting him in 2nd place, with James Veal in 3rd with a 22min 02sec.
The next round of the series is 13th June on the Pearl Course.
Thanks go to Wight Mountain for providing prizes and Island Stoves for the refreshments.
