After 1,821kms it came down to 1mm
So after 20 events, 23 races and 1,821kms it came down to this.
(pic1, Graham’s finish line photo – Roland Tilley – left, Andy Rivett – right)
After gathering all the evidence I could hardly split them. I’ve replayed the video, slowed it down frame by frame and seen Graham’s High Res photo’s, imported them into Photoshop messed around and tried to measure distances and it was so still to close to call, virtually impossible.
As the bunch hurtled towards the line it looked like Roland Tilley (Team Ride) was going to take it but Andy Rivett (VC St Rapheal) was clawing his way back from the opposite side of the road. Andy needed to beat Roly into 5th place to take the overall 2010 WXCRL championship, before the race only 2 points had separated them. This was the tightest of finales.
As this picture shows, taken a moment before they hit the line, the two top riders of the year could hardy be separated.
(pic2, This is how close it was, can you split them? I zoomed right down so I could see the pixels and measured the shortest distances to the line. I’m not kidding but it was something ridiculously close like .3 of a pixel. The two wheels were virtually identically level at this point in time)
The video (normally good enough to split the riders) wasn’t any clearer…
(pic3, This clip is a still frame from the video)
(pic4, This pic shows Andy was travelling slightly faster the Roly, so if he was identically level in pic1, about 30cm before the line then he must have been a fraction further on when the wheel actually hit the line)
On this evidence I have given Andy the verdict. It’s as close as it could ever be and has prompted us to update our rules because both riders ended up finishing level on points in this year’s final WXCRL table (Note: These new rules and removal of non-members have yet to be applied to the entire table).
1st New Rule; If two riders are equal on points the winner will be the rider with the most wins.
2nd New Rule; If both riders have same number of wins, the winner will be the highest number of second places, and so on.
So there you have it. Andy Rivett with 154 points is our new 2010 champion thanks to his wins on stage 2 of the Dorset Tour and the Autumn Road Race last week. Andy’s late season form has seen him pick up 76 WXCRL points in the 3 events an excellent effort brought about from his super ride in the Dorset Tour in late August.
Mr. consistent, Roland Tilley, has to settle for 2nd after his 4th place last year. Roly having not ridden the Dorset Tour this year has amassed even more points than his 2009 tally (124), an impressive achievement, especially after not competing in our flagship 3 day.
So there you have it, Andy wins the Ray Price Memorial Cup for one year – well done Andy!
Rumble On The Heath
The final league race to the year came to an action-packed conclusion, as Thomas Knowlton of organizing club Sotonia took the win in the third of the Heath Road Race events. Two minutes further back, Andy Rivett of VC St Raphael took the final overall points lead from season long rival Roland Tilley by a matter of centimeters.
After yesterday’s hot sunshine, the weather returned to its more usual autumnal fare, with overcast skies and a strong wind whipping over the open heathland. Rivals Andy Rivett of Velo Club St Raphael and Roland Tilley of Ride Team were eyeballing each other, as both went into the event separated by a total of two points. Andy had the advantage of numbers, with his club turning out in force but Roland was a hard rider and not likely to give up without a fight.
(photo Gordon Skillen)
A further 46 riders signed on – none too impressive for this time of year and before the race, Don issued a stern warning to the riders to stick to the correct side of the road at all times. The Police had been… shall we say not wholly helpful in the run up to this event and any riders riding like idiots might well have scuppered any future runnings of this event. However we are pleased to say that the race went smoothly, so WELL DONE to all off you. Seriously.
As the first lap got under way, the bunch seemed happy to sit and wait for something to happen. A few digs were made. Rob Edgell of Somer Valley CC made his first of many attacks up the rise to the start/finish line but the strong headwind along that road was not of a friend of the solo breakaway. Another attempt was made out of the final turn on the same lap, as Stephen Bradbury (AW Cycles.co.uk), Tom Knowlton (Sotonia) and Richard Rumbleow (GA Cycles) broke away. A few lengths back, David Curtiss and Philip Peters (Cannondale Racing) chased and, behind them the bunch was being blown apart. Tom Knowlton continued driving on, shedding his co-escapees. Others followed in the shape of Jay Eastwood (VC St Raphael), Michael Leech (Tor 2000) Rob Edgell (Somer Valley CC) and the sole survivor of the previous gap’s break Stephen Bradbury. They had by now a gap big enough to have the rest of the race worried but the bunch was either unwilling or unable to mount too much of a chase.
Soon enough, Tom Knowlton had been joined by the breakaway and together they pushed their advantage out to a minute. Stephen Bradbury fell off the back of the leading group while Richard Horton of Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers and Philip Peters of Cannondale attempted to bridge across. They, too, suffered in the headwind on the long drag and the now 4 man breakaway went into the final lap well clear of the chasers. Tom Knowlton made his final move on the hill to the automobile museum. He was on his own for the last half of the lap and soloed to the win 45 seconds clear of the rest of the break. Of the remaining three riders, Jay Eastwood (VC St Raphael) sprinted to second place with Michael Leech (Tor 2000) third and Rob Edgell fourth.
All eyes now turned up the road to where, two minutes behind Tom Knowlton, Roland Tilley (Ride Team) went for a long sprint up the rise to the finish line.
“I could see someone coming to my left.” He said afterwards. “I had no idea that it was Andy. They say he won by a wheel but it was a lot closer than that.”
It was. Andy Rivett (VC St Raphael) had chased hard after Roland who had looked most likely to take the sprint until Andy threw his bike at the line Mark Cavendish style.
“I tried to get in a few early moves to make Roly work for it.” Andy said. “With the wind it would’ve been quite easy to get on the wrong side of a break in the bunch. A few guys were trying to make a go and I’d let them get a bit of a gap and then bridge it but Roly pegged me every time. By the end I thought I was finished but obviously I had half a wheel left in me.”
Or, as we mentioned earlier, even less than that. With their placings (fifth and sixth), they moved to an equal points total but Andy’s two wins gave him the edge on count back. Full listings are here. Full race results are here, or will be soon. In all the excitement no one was really looking at who came seventh. But don’t worry its all on video so all your hard work will not have been in vain.
And that, we are afraid to say, concludes the 2010 Wessex League. We’ll be back in 2011, bigger, better and with a few surprises for you lucky, lucky people. Meanwhile, this website will be trundling on over the winter, finding stuff to write about.
So… see you all soon.
All photos Graham Robins except where indicated.
2 new WXCRL events added
If you’ve been keeping an eye out on Entryweb’s Calendar recently you’ll have seen 2 new WXCRL events appear. The first is a WXCRL counting event run by the Chippenham & District Wheelers the Chippenham & District Wheelers Road Race (+WXCRL). This event has 2 races; one a dedicated Womans race and the other a regular National B (+WXCRL counting race) race for the guys.
Martyn Baker the event organiser is hoping to attract a strong women’s field and tells me he has spoken to various female teams showing an interest. It’s true to say the general racing calendar doesn’t have many dedicated women only races, so if you fancy it please enter online or contact Martyn via the form on the Entryweb’s Event Page.
The National B race is also a WXCRL counting event meaning any WXCRL member finishing in the top 15 wins WXCRL points.
The 2nd new WXCRL event back by popular demand is a 3rd WXCRL Sotonia Heath Road Race on 19th September in the New Forest. Same format, HQ and course as the first 2 events, only this time it’s 6 laps from 10.30am Sunday morning. Many of you enjoyed the first two evening events, now it’s your chance to finish the road season with a WXCRL race double with the WXCRL Bournemouth Arrow Road Race on the Saturday and this new event the following day – plenty of BC and WXCRL points up for grabs.
Seeing as it’s a late addition to the calendar and probably the last WXCRL road event of the 2010 season, the entry fee stays the same as the first 2 events at our evening rate of £12.50 for BC and WXCRL members.
Mark Standhaft
Photo by Graham Robins
WXCRL Sotonia Heath Race 01/06/2010 (2/2)
This was the second of two races promoted by Sotonia CC with the WXCRL and run over the New Forest. After last week’s sunny race, tonight’s race was a wet one. The rain started about an hour before the race started and only stopped mid way through the first lap.
A total of 54 riders lined up for this 50 mile race across the Heath on a course most had raced on last week.
There was a short run out onto the course proper for a total of 5 laps. Once the race got going a couple of riders tried to get away but the bunch having been caught out last week were in no mood to allow anyone to get away. After the first complete lap it was Stuart Thompson (Andover Wheelers) who managed to get to the front but the bunch soon closed him down. Attacks were very well controlled by riders from Hargroves and DHCyclesport along with the local club.
So on the second lap it was Andy Powell (Hargroves), Phil Peters and Peter Bolke (DHCyclesport) and last week’s winner Tom Knowlton (Sotonia) at the head of the field with Michael Cotty (Wheelbase) Stuart Bowers (Hargroves) and Andy Bryson (DHCyclesport) closing the gap. These riders were strong on the front for most of the race and the winner should have come from one of these.
Laps three and four the bunch all came back together, but as they rolled through the finish line taking the bell two riders decided to attack. Mark Davies (Revo Racing) and Robert Cranstone (Royal Navy & Royal Marines CA) but before they reached half way they were caught.
As the race approached the finishing sprint it was Mark Ottaway (VC Meudon) who had been invisible throughout the race who got to the front and outsprinted Andy Bryson with Stuart Bowers third.
Provisional Result
1st Mark Ottaway – VC Meudon
2nd Andy Bryson – DHCyclesport
3rd Stuart Bowers – Hargroves Cycles
Report and photos Graham Robins (http://www.grahamrobins.net/)
WXCRL Sotonia Heath Race 2010 (1/2) Movies!
Go to our WXCRL You Tube Channel to see more videos.
… check out another video
WXCRL Sotonia Heath Race Rnd 1, 25/05/2010
This was the first of two races across the New Forest National Park just outside Southampton, promoted by the local Sotonia club. On a warm night 61 riders rolled away from the start HQ and across the main road and into the forest for the start of five laps. The finish was at the top of short climb which the riders passed five times in total.
The pace was quite quick on the first lap as riders settled into the race looking for gaps on the narrow winding forest roads. The course rolled along and many riders reporting they liked the course because it had bits of everything to challenge them.
After the first complete circuit a small group of five riders, Stuart Bowers (Hargroves Cycles), Will Stevens (Bournemouth Arrow) Michael Warner (Hargroves Cycles), Andrew Bryson (DHCyclesport) and Michael Cotty (Wheelbase) all managed to get a small gap over the chasing bunch being driven by Richard Stevens from Sotonia.
When the riders next came into view the lead had completely changed with a group of three now getting away, Andy Powell (Hargroves Cycles), Thomas Knowlton (Sotonia) and Andy Rivett (DHCyclesport). These three riders were all working well together each taking a turn to drive the gap up. The gap first went out to 34 secs and then after the next climb through the finish line it was 42 secs.
On the fourth lap Andy Powell slipped back into the bunch which was now at nearly a minute down on the two leaders Rivett and Knowlton were away on their own with just over a lap to go.
As the two leaders came into view Tom was on the front a lead he was not going to give up. The bunch now splitting meant Andrew Hargroves slipped of the front ahead of Andrew Bryson with Michael Cotty out sprinting Ben Mayland (VC Meudon)
Full results are now available here [Ed Mark Standhaft].
The next race in the series is next Tuesday on the same course, enter online here.
Photos and race report by Graham Robins (www.grahamrobins.net)
WXCRL Sotonia Heath Race Preview
Well, they’re coming thick and fast at the moment and this Tuesday the 25th of May sees the first of the two Heath Road Races. These have been a popular and long established series running on a fast, rolling course through the the New Forest, which have now come under the Wessex League umbrella. Its got a little bit of everything – ups, downs, fast, sweeping curves, a tricky little hairpin and long, windblown stretches across the heath. A full map of the course is here, also showing the sign on point at the Applemore Leisure Center, which is easily found off the A236. This goes south from the A31/M27 and is really the only way of getting there unless you know the New Forest really well in which case you won’t be needing directions from us.
The race starts at 7pm, the sign on closing at 6.50pm so if you’re rushing there after work you could do yourself a huge favour by entering online here, through Entryweb’s fast and convenient online race entry system.
The other round of the series will be on June 1st, running more or less the same format. Weather reports suggest its going to be a scorcher.
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