National Trophy: Mallory Park 16.11.08
WOMEN'S RACE
OUTSTANDING WIN FOR ANNIE LAST
After World and National Championships, the most important Cyclo-Cross events in the UK are the National Trophy Series. British full time professionals return from Belgium to ride them but it was Annie Last who gathered the honours. From the gun, 3 riders leapt away from the rest of the field - current Series leader, Sue Clark, Gabby Day (there from Belgium) and Annie Last. For the beginning 10 minutes, Sue Clark pressurised the other two by constantly taking the lead and closing any lead obtained by one of the other two. Then, as they had almost completed their second circuit of the race and as they returned to the park's uphill section on tarmac, Sue slipped off her bike on the corner. The other two saw their chance and off they went at high speed up the hill but Sue retrieved as they completed that circuit. It then became obvious from then on, that if Annie pressurised the other two, it took them longer and longer each time for them to catch her. Annie looked a little slower than her rivals when climbing the hill on the road but on the slippery sections she looked at ease and so it was with two laps to go, she noticeably sped up on the tricky sections and when the hill was reached she had a lead of 8 seconds and as the bell rang for the last lap she went round the circuit without a fault and out of sight of her chasers for a well deserved win.
VETERANS RACE SPECTATORS SURPRISED
In the race won by Yorkshire's Chris Young over favourite Geoff Giddings, both of them outstanding when the conditions demanded technical expertise. However Young's win was unexpected. Giddings had led throughout the whole race and even as the bell rang for the last lap, Young looked to be too far behind him to catch him. Young had been moving up from 10th place and had reached 2nd at the bell but he is famous for starting slowly and gaining ground when other faster riders tire and so it was on Sunday. With less than 300 yards to go, he caught Giddings as they entered the last technical section, opened a little gap and then sprinted uphill to win by a few seconds. Meanwhile, Zepnat riders, individually out of the top 3 placings but were packing their riders into the top ten to win the team event (their plan in the National Championships).4th Matt Denby, 7th Steve Barnes and 10th Duncan Walmsley.Backing them up were: 20th Stephen Poole, 23rd Julian Gould and 27th Chris Ledger.Matlock's Paul Dalton was 34th.
YOUTH RACE
John Lomas finished 14th to winner Hugo Robinson (Ipswich)
SENIORS
Visiting foreign professionals dominated much of the racing with the best British rider being Jody Crawford who split them by finishing second. Matlock's Lee Shunburne was unable to match their pace and finished 20th (TBC).