Cyclists pedal to victory
CYCLIST Kirby Bennett made a perfect start to the Midland Cyclo Cross League series 2016/17 by winning the over-55s race.
The Hinckley rider finished first in the first round of the Midland series in Birmingham, despite only retrning from the World Mountain Bike Championships hours before.
Team-mate Phil Stokes, also from Hinckley, finished second in the over-65s race.
Both cyclists are part of the Coventry-based Team Jewson MI Racing-Polypipe, which won a series of races at the event.
Team Boss Mick Ives said: “We have got off to a great start for the Cyclo Cross season, but still have more trump cards to play as several of our top riders have a busy road season to complete before going into the cross season.
“I expect the team squad to be fully up and running by October, with the World and British Championships the main targets.”
Team Jewson-M.I. Racing- Polypipe recorded seven victories across various events in the UK.
Hinckley’s Kirby Bennett was the pick of riders this weekend. The current national Over-55 Mountain Bike and Cyclo Cross champion won the Notts and Derby Cyclo Cross race for riders Over-50 as well as the Over55 event at Hardwick Wall.
His team-mates Harvey Levann and World Masters champion Phil Roach finished third and fourth, respectively.
The next day Kirby repeated his success winning both the Over-50 and Over-55 race in the Midland Cyclo Cross series at Pitcher Oak Wood, finishing one minute ahead of his nearest rival and team mate Peter Busby.
At the same even Phil Blacker won the Over-45 race whilst John Gaberial won the Over-65 race and Enya Tabram finished eight in the senior ladies race.
Meanwhile, at the National Series Road Race at Bridlington, Rob O’Connor, the British Veterna Circuit champion, finished third, leaving him second in the overall standings with one race to go.
John French won the Over60s race in the same series whilst Ian Cooper finished third on the Over-45s event.
In only his second race for the team Andy Brown finished third in his race in the Western Region Road Race champion- ships at Bridgenorth.
Barrie Mitchell was unable to make it a hat-trick of victories in the R.T.T.C National age-related championship at Alcester, having to settled for second, whilst Mick Ives came thirds in the Over-75 group.
Finally, Pete Smith returned from injury to win the circuit race at Milton Keynes.