Ludlow CC 10.

The first of two rounds of The Coaching Revolutions 2-Up Series in as many nights saw new partnerships take both the Overall win and Runners-Up spots in Round 7, The Ludlow CC 10 at Brimfield, with both teams putting local knowledge of the course to good use. Heading up the pile were Steve Minton and Gareth Leek, with the Ludlow Brewery RT pairing stopping the watch on 21 minutes 14 seconds to taste victory by 30 seconds. Minton and Leek flew down the 1.8 mile ‘ski slope’ start and coped best with the clamber to Sheet island – with Minton’s post-race comments showing the good-natured rapport already developing: “A first time partnership with Leeky, although I’m old enough to be his father I live in hope that I made him suffer just a little bit“! Leek’s comments meanwhile showed the developing club spirit as he added: “It was just great to get a Brewery win, I’m happy with the time for a trefy Ludlow partnership“.

If Minton and Leek’s partnership had been a late arrangement then they couldn’t best the Runners-up who paired up at signing on after realising neither had a partner. It was another Ludlow Brewery rider Rhys Jones who took that Runner’s-Up spot in 21:44 together with Clee Cycles’ James Griffiths who knows the course well. That performance was all the more remarkable given that Jones was not riding a dedicated time trial bike on a course that is made for them, as Griffiths noted: “I was really pleased with the result, my first time riding a 2-Up with Rhys. Considering he was just on a road bike we worked brilliantly together to make the most of our strengths“. Jones added: “I was really pleased to have come second. I arrived at the lay-by partner less and luckily James was available to ride with! It was great to team up with a stronger more experienced time triallist who was able to teach me a few things“.

Taking third place by just five seconds from Hafren CC pair Pete Thomas and Mark Hill were Nick Long and Ed Middleton. The Nova Raiders’ were looking to close the gap at the top of the Overall standings to absent team mates Scott Harris and Matt Gibbons, which they duly narrowed to 10 points as the finale of this Championship approaches. Long and Middleton stopped the watch on 21:48, just four seconds off the pace of Griffiths and Jones, with both riders giving all they had. Long however has been suffering in recent months and was pleased to see a return to the pure exhilaration gained from racing: “I have felt like hanging up my racing cleats a few times this season, but nights like this are what it’s all about. A great course, great riders, great fun. Top riding by Ed who monstered his first turn“! Middleton confirmed they had gone for it, adding: “We went as hard as we could, so I’m happy to take third on the night. Great to see so many Nova Raiders making the journey. Thanks to Ludlow CC for hosting a great night’s racing“!

It isn’t just in the Overall standings where the competition is fierce with Hafren CC’s Louise Downward and Emma Serjeant pushing out the Rounds 5 and 6 Women’s Series winners Sarah Grant and Alison Dockney in a close race where the teams were split by just 22 seconds. Downward and Serjeant were tasting their first experience of the Brimfield course which seemed to suit them down to the ground based on their 24:21 effort as they pushed Grant and Dockney into the Runner’s-Up spot by 18 seconds, with Downward commenting: “It was a fast course, we went really well and kept it together. I lost a bit of time on the uphill to the roundabout but made up for it on the return leg. Really pleased with the time“! Serjeant meanwhile was appreciative of the level of competition on show, with Women’s Series leaders Jane Chapman and Jenny Newton having to settle for third on the night in 24:43: “A super-fast course. Some great women’s competition this year. Pleased to have snatched the win“.

In the Mixed Team Series it was another pair of first-timers taking the honours – although they were well aware of each other’s strengths through regularly training together. The Ludlow CC pairing of Emily Hinton and Grant Womack ended the evening on 24:04 to take the maximum 20 points on offer, with Womack commenting: “We both thought the time trial went really well. It was my first time on that course, though Emily has done it in the past. We train together a fair bit and so we knew we are pretty well matched for pace, and that makes it easier for both of us. There was one slightly hairy moment when we bumped wheels (my fault!) just after the turn around, heading downhill at  around 35mph! I wouldn’t like to repeat that in a hurry! But we both enjoyed it, so the Mixed Team win is a nice bonus“!

Result: 

 Women’s Team:

 Mixed Team:

 Cumulative Standings after seven rounds

Overall

Women’s Team

 Mixed Team