Gabz Wins North West Youth Tour

Gabriel Cullaigh (RST Racing Team-Trigon) took his best win of the season winning the North West Youth Tour. Taking place over the bank holiday weekend the event featured 2 races on Saturday & Sunday at circuits in Preston & Lancaster then a longer race in Blackpool on Monday. The best Youth riders in the country were competing as well as International teams including a team from the Czech Republic. Despite winning 2 stages in the previous 2 days Cullaigh went into the final stage in 2nd place behind Charlie Tanfield (Velo 29), but the Holme Valley youngster won the bunch sprint in a frenetic last stage to take 2nd place behind Czech rider Pavel Camrda who won by just 5 seconds. Thanks to time bonuses Cullaigh pipped Tanfield to the overall prize by just 4 seconds.

Kellett in action in sunnier weather

Ben Kellett took his first road race win on Sunday in the Ian Mountain Memorial event for Elite, 1st & 2nd Cat riders on the Sharlston course near Wakefield. The VS Cycles rider got in an early break with 4 other riders, including Yorkshire Junior Road Race Champion Joe Moses & his team mate Rob Sharman (Sportscover Altura RT). The breakaway riders never looked back despite the heavy rain & soon built up a substantial lead on the main bunch. Halfway round the last lap of the 60 mile race Kellett attacked & his breakaway companions couldn’t respond as he accelerated away & took a fine solo win.

Kellett’s team mate Alex Orell-Turner finished in 4th place in the Eric Biddulph Memorial Road Race promoted by Huddersfield Star Wheelers on the Birdsedge course on Sunday. Conditions in this race for 3rd & 4th Cat riders were so awful that the race was shortened by 1 lap. Sheffrec rider Jonathan Wolff was off the front for pretty much the whole race, for the first few laps Matt Armitage (VS Cycles) rode with him but then dropped back to the bunch. Nick Coupland (WeLoveMountainsCC) broke clear of the bunch to join Wolff for the last half of the race & they never looked like being caught with Coupland just edging out Wolff in the 2-up sprint for the finish line. Only 15 riders were left in the bunch from the 45 that started & it was Simon Maudsley (RVO Racing) who took 3rd place closely followed by Orell-Turner.

 

Holme Valley Wheelers are promoting a 2 day race this weekend. Friday evening’s stage takes place on an extremely hilly course in Honley featuring 14 ascents of the killer climb of Bradshaw Lane. Saturday will see the riders compete in a 10 mile time trial on the Sovereign Course followed by a 55 mile road race on the Denby Dale course. A full field of 60 riders are on the start sheet with many local riders taking part.

Kirklees Cycling Academy are organising 5 Go-Ride races this Summer, the first is a Cyclo-Cross event this Thursday at Spen Valley High School, Liversedge. This event is for novice riders under 16 years old, each entrant will do at least 2 races. Racing will start at 7pm & will cost £2.50, for more information contact Ivan on 07527 810086.