There was a good battle in prospect in Round 2 of the SB Sports Injuries Series as the reigning SB Champion Tomos Hales took on the Silver medallist and SB Veterans Champion Jonathan Mills-Keeling in a straight head-to-head battle – but neither came away with the overall win. Enduring strong crosswinds, riders had to hang onto their bikes in the SCCA’s second Spring 10 on the Waters Upton – Hodnet course, with visiting rider Ben Lloyd of Fibrax-Wrexham RC managing to take the Overall win for the second week in a row. Lloyd stopped the watch on 21 minutes 8 seconds despite having a 40 mile warm up to get to the event.

Having driven to the event the previous week Lloyd fancied a training trip, but even having tired legs didn’t stop him despite being 23 seconds down on his Round 1 effort. He commented: “I appreciated the lack of hail and rain compared to the previous week – although there was a lack of urgency to get back to the warmth of my car which slowed me down somewhat compared to Round 1! Either that or it was the 90 mile round trip on a time trial bike riding out to take part. It’s all good training for goals later in the season though”.

Hales and Mills-Keeling got pushed out for County honours by Revolutions Racing’s Dean Callister, the best improver of the day by far slicing 2:30 off his Round 1 effort. The SB Series Bronze medallist beat Hales by seven seconds with a great time of 21:35 whilst Mills-Keeling was a further three seconds back, indicating 2023 is going to be another close battle for supremacy. Callister enjoyed his afternoon, stating: “It’s great to be back racing again. I was pleased with the result on the day, still lots of work to do to get race fit but excited for the season. Thanks for all the volunteers, a great afternoon”.

Hales’ effort set him level pegging with Mills-Keeling at the top of the SB Series standings after the Bridgnorth CC rider had got the better of things the previous week. The reversal of fortunes means the pair are tied on 36 points with Callister occupying a familiar Bronze slot on 28. Hales commented: “It was good to get in the 21’s in the early season time trials. A very strong cross wind made it more challenging to handle the bike; however once I was up to speed it was okay. Thanks for all who organised and helped out on the day”.

Mills-Keeling not only occupies the joint leadership of the SB Series, he has sole control of that place in the SB Veterans Series too as he sets out a strong defence of his title. Mills-Keeling posted a fine +5:06 to beat Sally Cunliffe by 36 seconds and opened up an eight point lead over Paramount CRT’s Chris Riley who was third on the day with +3:37. Mills-Keeling stated: “It was a little warmer and a drier day, but I was a little slower then the week before. Thanks to all involved for putting the race on”.

Cunliffe took the honours for the Women with a solid actual time of 26 minutes exactly, nine seconds ahead of a first time entrant to the SB Series, Riley’s team mate Thea Osmund-Smith. Meanwhile Wrekinsport’s Ben Southgate opened up some good daylight at the head of the SB Junior Series with a time of 23:14 – good enough for seventh spot Overall.

Full:

Pos’nNameClubCatTimePoints
1Ben LloydFibrax Wrexham RCS21:08.
2Dean CallisterRevolutions RacingS21:3520
3Tomos HalesWrekinsport CCS21:4218
4Jonathan Mills-KeelingBridgnorth CCV21:4516
5Mark PritchardRevolutions RacingS22:4514
6Rob McGregorParamount CRTS22:5812
7Ben SouthgateWrekinsport CCJ23:1410
8Chris RileyParamount CRTV23:358
9George CoombesSCCAS23:366
10Jonathan WhittakerArmy CyclingS23:42.
11Richard ElmittFibrax Wrexham RCV24:29.
12Phil GardnerMid Shropshire WheelersV25:384
13Les BougheyNorth Shropshire WheelersV25:582
14Sally CunliffeRuthin CCWV26:00.
15Thea Osmund-SmithParamount CRTW 26:092
16Mark HillHafren CCV26:162
17Chris BowersMid Wirral VeloV26:20.
18Jan DaviesHafren CCWV27:132
19Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV27:322
20Mark StocksNewport Shropshire CCV28:292
21Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV28:47.
22John RowlandsWrekinsport CCV34:102

Veterans:

Vets Pos’nNameClubCatVet +/-Vets Points
1Jonathan Mills-KeelingBridgnorth CCV+5:0620
2Sally CunliffeRuthin CCWV+4:31.
3Chris RileyParamount CRTV+3:3718
4Richard ElmittFibrax Wrexham RCV+3:01.
5Chris BowersMid Wirral VeloV+2:48.
6Jan DaviesHafren CCWV+2:0516
7Les BougheyNorth Shropshire WheelersV+1:5314
8Phil GardnerMid Shropshire WheelersV+1:4012
9Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV+1:21.
10Mark HillHafren CCV+1:0210
11Mark StocksNewport Shropshire CCV-0:598
12Ashley KirkhamWrekinsport CCV-1:006
13John RowlandsWrekinsport CCV-4:034

Women:

Women’s Pos’nNameClubCatTimeWomen’s Points
1Sally CunliffeRuthin CCWV26:00.
2Thea Osmund-SmithParamount CRTW 26:0920
3Jan DaviesHafren CCWV27:1318
4Tanya SamuelsFibrax Wrexham RCWV28:47.

Junior:

Junior Pos’nNameClubCatTimeJunior Points
1Ben SouthgateWrekinsport CCJ23:1420

Cumulative Standings after two rounds

Overall

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
=1 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 36
=1 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 36
3 Dean Callister Revolutions Racing S 28
4 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 22
5 Tomos Hales Wrekinsport CC S 18
6 Simon Romei Paramount CRT V 16
=7 Alex Leek Wrekinsport CC S 14
=7 Chris Riley Paramount CRT V 14
=7 Mark Pritchard Revolutions Racing S 14
10 Rob McGregor Paramount CRT S 12

Veterans

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Jonathan Mills-Keeling Bridgnorth CC V 40
2 Chris Riley Paramount CRT V 32
=3 Mark Stocks Newport Shropshire CC V 18
=3 Simon Romei Paramount CRT V 18
=5 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon WV 16
=5 Jan Davies Hafren CC WV 16
7 Les Boughey North Shropshire Wheelers V 14
=8 James Griffiths Bridgnorth CC V 12
=8 John Rowlands Wrekinsport CC V 12
=8 Phil Gardner Mid Shropshire Wheelers V 12

Women’s

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
=1 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC WV 20
=1 Thea Osmund-Smith Paramount CRT W 20
3 Jan Davies Hafren CC WV 18

Juniors

Position Name Club Cat Best 12
1 Ben Southgate Wrekinsport CC J 40
2 Chester Romei Paramount CRT J 18