Primavera RR to mark the start of 2019 racing season

CYCLING

The Mid-Devon CC's Primavera RR will kick off the South-West road racing season as usual in 2019, starting a busy programme of more than 70 events across the region.

The Kingsteignton-based Mid-Devon club will organise ten of those races, starting with the Primavera at Hatherleigh on Sunday, February 25, plus several more Time Trial tests.

The highlight of the season will be the annual National B-rated Totnes-Vire Two-Day stage race on April 14/15, while Paignton's Velopark will stage nearly 20 circuit race meets.

The details of the Totnes-Vire stages - the first this year was a Hill Climb TT up Haytor - have not been announced yet, but it will again be based at the Velopark with a final road race finishing at South Brent.

The provisional 2019 calendar has just been released, and there may be some changes.

Torbay will not hold a round of the National Youth Circuit Race Championships, as it did on Torquay Seafront this year.

But possible expansion of the Paignton Regatta meeting in mid-August is being discussed, and the Regional Road Race Championships will be held eight days later (Aug 19), organised by the Plymouth Corinthian club and held over the testing 30-mile circuit at Hatherleigh.

With the South-West Cross-Country League on a winter break, some Mid-Devon CC riders went to Sussex for the third round of the National Trophy Series at Crawley.

World Masters champion Robin Delve finished second and retained his overall lead in the Over-60 category.

Delve is building up to a defence of his world title in Belgium at the end of this month.

The circuit at Mol is a particular one, with sandy sections which put a premium on an ability to dismount, run and carry the bike, and Delve is likely to be looking forward to the resumption of the SW League in Cornwall this Sunday.

The course at the Falmouth Bike Park is steep in places and testing, forcing riders to dismount. Delve trains at least once a week on Exmouth beach, so Falmouth will hold no fears for him.

Cathy Kilburn was a strong fifth in the Trophy Veteran Ladies' race which also saw Jackie Shute 16th and Nicky Quant 21st.

Tristan Davies, 17, was up against many of the best young off-road riders in the country, but he finished a creditable 20th in a big Junior field.

Everyone on the regional off-road scene is looking forward to the return of Newton Abbot's Harry Birchill after his brilliant team bronze medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina last month.

He will race again this weekend - not at Falmouth but at the West Midlands League meeting at Stourport, Worcestershire, in preparation for the next National Trophy Series round at York on November 24.

Birchill, 17, is aiming to ride in the South-West Championships at Redruth School, Cornwall, on December 2, ahead of hoped-for selection for the Great Britain team for a training camp and race in Belgium the following week.