Press Cuttings: 2006

YEOVIL opened their season with an open ten-mile time trial on Saturday.
Hosts spokesman Garry Mitchener said: "The new traffic lights on Podimore roundabout were not in operation so no changes were required on the popular course to Ash flyover and back. There was a strong
south-westerly wind keeping times down by at least a minute for the faster riders and a lot more for some".
David Kiddle (Cavalier CC) won with 22 mins 5 secs from veteran David Keene (Bristol South) on 22:11 and Timmy Little (route2fitness.co.uk) with 22:48. Team Tor 2000 won the team prize - their members were Stuart Dodd of Ilchester (23:03), Graeme Lackford of Yeovil (23:11) and Peter Johnson (23:32).
Brian Newton (echeloncycles.co.uk) was fastest veteran on age standard with plus 7.21 and Janet Wilson (Bath CC) took the women’s prize. Yeovil times were John Clemit 24:03, Shaun Walsh 24:19 and Hugo Baldacchino 26:43.
Mitchener said: "On Sunday, 'the Ham Hill Trophy 60-mile senior road race and the 45-mile junior Pittard Trophy will be contested on the usual Yeovilton, Ilchester, Coppits Hill, Coombe Street Lane, Mudford, Marston, Queen Camel, Bridgehamton and Yeovilton course. The Ham Hill starts at 10am and the Pittards at 10.45am. Local interest in the Ham Hill is Peter Kenth of Great Western and Nick Bourne of Pendragon. In the Pittards, Yeovils only representative is Dan Whaites. Sparkford’s Simon Notley will be riding for Nottingham University'.

by Garry Mitchener
Sports Correspondent
e-mail sportsdesk@westgaz.co.uk

YEOVIL Cycling Club’s early-season road-race-promotions proved as popular as ever, with more than 50 riders in each event. The weather was kind and the following wind on the climb of Coppitts Hill together with good, attacking riding made both races very fast.
The senior Ham Hill Trophy covered the 15-mile Yeovilton-Yeovil-Queen Camel-Yeovilton circuit four times at an average speed of 25.8 mph. A breakaway formed at the end of the first lap and swelled to 12 riders who, working well together, held off the bunch at about a minute for most of the race.
In the closing miles Peter Kench (GWR/Total Bike) - whose family home is at Somerton - forged ahead with Duncan Jamieson (Felt Racing). At the finish outside RNAS Yeovilton, Kench outsprinted Jamieson with five seconds to spare over the remainder of the group.
James Williams (Kona UK) was third from Ben Luckwell (GWR/Total Bike, fourth), Philip Gough (Portswood Cycles RT, fifth) and last years winner Jonathon Pain (Leisure Lakes RT, sixth).
Next were Mathew Beckett (Cardif IIF), Steven Richards (VC Meudon), Steve Thomas (Bournemouth Arrow Fircroft Hotel), James Cusden (Mid Devon CC), Paul Standen (Comedy Super Team) and Alan Griffiths (Severn RC),
the latter bringing up the rear of the lead group.
Somerset Road Clubs Dave Bentley led in the main field.
The three-lap Pittard Trophy was a triumph for Polish rider Marcin Bidoblocki, riding for Somerset Road Club. He was clearly the strongest throughout the race.
Andrew Butcher (Cwmcarn Paragon CC) was second, Mark Haynes (Penzance Wheelers) third, Jason Flooks (Team Certini) fourth, Chris Scott (Mid Devon CC) fifth and Stephen Wedge (Exeter Wheelers) sixth.
Yeovil’s Thursday Time- Trial Series has started with five-mile events. The first was won by Stuart Dodd (Tor 2000) in 11 mins 35 secs, the same as last year. Shaun Walsh (Yeovil CC) was second in 12:28 and Hugo Baldacchino (Yeovil CC) recorded 12:30 for third. Chris Absolom, who now works in Wales, was home to win the next event in 12:04, from Walsh (12:17) and Andy Millward (12:48).

SUCCESS for hosts in series opener

Anna Ellington & Jill Lackford
Sports Correspondents .
e-snail sportsdesk@westgaz.co.uk

FIRST race in the Team Tor 2000 Circuit Series took place last Thursday - and there was success for the promoting club.
The National B race started hard, with Paul Standen of the Comedy Super Team breaking away on the first lap and gaining a respectable lead. On the second lap, Team Tor2000s Graeme Lackford and Alex Fitzgerald of Bikenmotion broke and made their way through to join Standen.
These three rode an excellent, co-operative ride to remain away from the main peloton for the remainder of the race. Three more riders, Greg Sandy of Team Tor 2000 and Dave Bentley and Marcin Bialoblocki of Somerset Road Club, decided to try to bridge the gap, slogging away for three laps before eventually catching the leading trio just before the final circuit.
Lackford, seeing the imminent arrivals, broke away just before they joined and managed a fantastic final lap away from the group to win 20 seconds clear of Fitzgerald, with Sandy in third.
Pete Johnston and Steve Noyce, also of Team Tor 2000, placed 11th and 12th respectively.
The Regional B race also saw attacking riding from early on, with Richard Smith of Team Tor 2000, and Mark Barlow of Camel Valley CC breaking away in the third lap and working together brilliantly to hold off the bunch. Smith managed to outsprint Barlow -- Facey of 1st Chard Wheelers came in third, clear of the rest of the pack.
Brandon Ellis finished an excellent seventh in his comeback race and Phil Finnemore of the promoting club placed eighth.
This race was the first ina series of seven this season. These take place fortnightly at the Merryfield airfield at Ilton near Ilminster. Next race is on 18 May with signing-on from 6.30pm. For more details, e-mail tor2000@jings.corn.

Yeovil trial attracts 64

THE Yeovil club are promoting an open, ten-mile time-trial1 on the Podimore-Tintinhull flyover-Podimore course on Saturday.
“The first of the 64 riders starts at 15..06”, said Yeovil spokesman Garry Mitchener. Team Tor 2000 field six riders led by Stuart Dodd, Yeovil field five led by Shaun Walsh and Chard field four led by Mark German. Results and
refreshments will be available at event headquarters in the Nuffield Sports Pavilion at RNAS Yeovilton.
Meanwhile, Dodd and Walsh found conditions to their liking at the Andover Wheelers Weyhill Weekend of ten- and 25-mile contests. Each recorded a personal-best time in Hampshire.
“Dodd clocked 20 mins 19 secs for 17th in the senior ten and 53 mins 50 secs for 11th in the 25”, said Mitchener.
Walsh recorded 21 mins 43 secs for fourth place in the veterans 50-plus race and 58 mins 12 secs for 13th in the veterans 25. ,

VETERAN Rob Pears was first across the line in Yeovil Cycling Club’s late-season ten-mile time-trial.
Pears of Bath Cycling Club finished in a time of 21 mins 2 secs, five seconds ahead of second-placed Mark Wareham (VC St Raphael).
Stuart Dodd of Ilchester, riding for Team Tor 2000, was the best local finisher with a time of 21 mins 33 secs.
The first six riders each completed the race in under 22 minutes, averaging just under 30 mph., Dodd said: It was a really good team run on a windy day. The weather made breakways much harder and I was happy with my ride.
We now have a good six months of physical training ahead before the new season.

DOUGLAS Malcolm Dewey of Team Tor 2000 put in a stunning performance to finish well at the National Hill Climb Championships in Sidmouth, Devon.
Somerton-based Dewey, who came 36th overall, was among 150 riders of all ages and abilities taking part. He recorded a time of 6 mins 1 sec for the one-mile course, finishing as the first 17-year-old junior and fifth junior.
Dewey said: The support and cheers from people who knew my name spurred me on. That was the hardest thing I have done and I thank everyone.
Dewey has had a successful first years racing for the top-ranked team in the South West. He has also won national school titles this season.

POWERING ON: Somerton-based Douglas Malcolm Dewey had a great ride at the National Hill Climb Championships in Sidmouth, Devon.

RIDERS in the Yeovil Cycling Club Hill Climb at High Ham near Langport faced a stiff head wind on the lower part of the 1,250-yard rise - but Somer Valley's Andy Moore raced up in 2 mins 49 secs.
It was a great ride in the conditions and only three seconds outside Chris Absolom’s 1997 record, said Yeovil spokesman Garry Mitchener.
Second-placed Dan Whaites took the Yeovil championship with 3:32, followed by Mark Askil with 3:43. Whaites father Phillip was fourth in 3:47, Mark Plummer fifth with 3:51 and Shaun Walsh sixth (3:55). Rich Gaudy (Team Tor 2000) came seventh with 4:18 and Chris Martin - riding in his first hill climb - managed 4:21.
Mitchener said: "All local riders are invited to join in Yeovil’s closed-season rides, whether to prepare for next season or just to keep fit. Sunday rides are of 40-60 miles and we meet at 9am at Yeovil Sports Club, Johnson Park. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings we leave Johnson Park at 6.15pm and lap a circuit - chippy roundabout-Odcombe-White Post-Bunford Hollow - as many times as riders want."