Less than 3 weeks into the month and June has already proved a busy one for the riders of Wightlink Wight Mountain Cycle Racing Team.
Tuesday 5th June saw Adam Holleyman, Stu waite and Matt Allsopp line up in the Southdown Velo series finale at Goodwood.
With a full field of riders there was many attempts at splitting the race with all 3 riders in breaks. It all came back together for the last lap which was probably the most aggressive finish of the year with Adam forcing his way to the front with Stu and Matt on his wheel through to the final chicane. Some of the riders ended up on the grass coming into the final straight with a close finish Allsopp finished 4th an waite finishing 6th with Holleyman rolling in with the bunch after his hard effort.
Allsopp was back at Portsmouth Mountbatten the following evening racing on his own in the E12 race. He chased the last 2 laps crossing the line in 4th.
3 riders travelled to the Mountbatten track in Portsmouth for the 3rd cat circuit race on 6th June. Jerry Cooper, James Pett and Andy Ward lined up on a warm still evening with 25 other riders for the 40 min race.
With the bunch travelling at a steady pace from the start, it allowed a number of early breaks to get away. The Wightlink riders were active on the front bringing them all back successfully. As the pace increased during the race there were less attacks, with Pett & Ward staying near the front of the bunch.
Just before the 4 laps to go board, 2 riders escaped off the front and it looked like they may stay away to the finish. Pett & Ward rode hard on the front and the 2 riders were brought back just before the start of the last lap. Having done so much work it looked as if Ward and Pett may be overtaken by the bunch behind, but with a superb final effort Pett held the rest of the bunch off to take the win and led Ward across the line in 2nd place. Cooper finished just behind in the bunch. A brilliant win for Pett in his first 3rd cat race.
On Tuesday 12th June, 5 riders travelled to Goodwood motor circuit to take part in the first of a 3 race series held by RC Ravenna.
The Isle of Wight’s Adam Holleyman, Ian Hayden, Stuart Waite, Joe Staunton & Matthew Allsopp lined up in the 1 hour, 2/3 cat race with a big field of up to 100 riders.
The race started fast straight from the pits with small groups attacking from the front. The team involved with most of them but nothing managing to stay away.
The race had Prime’s available a set stages where 25 points for each were up for grabs. The teams top rider Allsopp put in some outstanding efforts which saw him take a 1st and 2nd place in 2 of these prime’s.
There was a big crash mid race but all team riders luckily managed to avoid and carried on keeping the race together till the final lap.
Holleyman managed to control the whole last lap on the front while the group become very frantic in getting into position. All riders managed to sprint over the line just outside the top 10, Waite managed to roll over in 5th.
The 2nd round of the SpyVelo Time Trial series took place on Thursday the 14th June.
The riders had a tough 10 mile course along the Military Road to contend with, starting at Thorncross, heading east past Chale up to the Blackgang roundabout, turning 180 degrees and back down past the start to finish at Isle of Wight Pearl.
Set off at 1 minute intervals the 31 riders had to pace their effort well as they reached high speeds on the out leg assisted by the tail wind then a steep climb to the roundabout finishing with a head wind all the back to the finish.
Wightlink Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team was well represented with Adam Holleyman completing the course fastest in 22mins 25 seconds, with Ian Hayden stopping the clock in 22mins 56 seconds for the forth fastest time. Matt Allsopp took 6th with 23mins 39seconds and Joe Staunton 10th in 24mins 38seconds. Ben Johnson came in 15th in 26mins 33seconds.
Having cycling events on the Island is much appreciated by the cycling community and Wightlink Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team would like to thank Dave and his team at SpyVelo for putting on great events.
