R5 Mower Mec 2-Up Series: Ludlow CC 10

First time visitors to a 10 mile course that routinely grants personal bests came away with their fastest ever effort at the distance and a victory – just. Four seconds split winners Phil Roberts and Ben Southgate from the runners-up in Round 5 of the Mower Mec 2-Up Series as Ludlow CC promoted on their fast Ludlow bypass course. The Wrekinsport pair took a first ever win in the Series with a fabulous effort of 20 minutes 57 seconds to see off a strong challenge from the Ludlow Brewery pairing of Steve Minton and Ed Copeland. With the first 1.8 miles largely downhill and the bulk of the course false flat, riders were faced with the climb to the turn at Sheet roundabout which bizarrely is an almost identical height above sea level as the start though much shallower.

Roberts and Southgate coped well with a headwind on the longer ‘out’ leg and had clearly come to the race with a game plan, as Roberts explained: “First time racing the Ludlow course, and we were told to expect a fast course. Tactically me and Ben rode it perfectly and left everything on the course. Any sniff of a downhill I would hit the front as hard as possible to try get a high top speed, Ben would take the flats and rises to allow me to recover. We left it all on the course, a huge shout out to Ben! Great to take a win and a first time ever going under 21 minutes for a 10”. Southgate added: “The race went really well! A really good course, very fast and really enjoyed it”.

Steve Minton knows this course well and teamed up with Ed Copeland to set a blistering effort of 21:01 – although he suffered in the process. Speaking for the team Minton revealed an evident strength mismatch and having to hold on for dear life: “I rode with a much younger and faster partner, Ed Copeland, so had a hard time of it. I didn’t contribute too much as I was on limit holding his wheel; but delighted with second”.

Minton wasn’t the only rider suffering as Chris Riley and Hayley Wells not only took the Mixed Team win in 21:48, but third spot overall as well. Wells has been putting in some incredible rides recently, but on an evening where Riley was a little off his game the difference in form told into the wind and up the climb, as he explained: “Another 10 miles of over confident ideas and harsh reality! Fortunately I have a partner in Hayley more than capable of seeing it through and nailing a result quicker than our solo efforts. I probably cost us 15 seconds or so with a slump in performance on the way out but the run back was brilliant. What a fantastic ride the winners did on what was a good evening’s racing – thanks to Ludlow CC”. Wells meanwhile span out on the fast downhill sections, showing how tinkering with gear selection can bring marginal gains: “Another speedy 10 miles with Chris. I didn’t quite have the gears to optimise speed on this course sadly, so probably lost a few seconds. A short drag up to the island, but the tailwind meant a quick return”! It’s a real battle at the top of the standings as both Overall and Mixed Team competitions got squeezed as Riley and Wells moved closer thanks to that win whilst Sorrel Williams and Karl Lombardi got the better of Jan Davies and Mark Hill on the night with their 23:46 a 51 second advantage as these pairings cannot be split once again at the head of both Series in a fabulous year for the Mixed Teams.  

Full result:

Mixed Team:

Cumulative Standings after five rounds

Overall

Mixed Team: