report by Ben Goddard, pictures by David Perry
Scott Palmer (Stourbridge CC) took a surprise victory when he powered clear on the finishing climb in round nine of the Shropshire & South Staffordshire Road Race League.
For the second time this series the handicap format played into the hands of the slower riders with the first 20 finishers outfoxing those starting behind.
The 37-year-old, from Dudley, whose best finish in the series had been 16th grasped his opportunity and flew up the finishing climb near Bridgnorth leaving him enough time to celebrate the win.
Behind Ross Davies finished second and James Gibney (West Mercia Police) third some six seconds behind.
“It’s my first year racing and after picking up a good result in a winter series event I got a buzz for it,” said Palmer.
“I had done the finishing hill two weeks ago so knew to get to the front and used my momentum to get up it. Ross (Davies) was in front of me so i drafted him for a little bit and then smashed at the finish.
“Originally I aimed to do time trials this year but got a buzz for road racing.
“I’m still buzzing from the win but had to go to work today which has brought me back down a little.”
Junior rider Charlie Fisher (Newport Shropshire CC) once again took advantage of the handicap format finishing fourth, after also finishing third in the second round.
The women riders also performed exceptionally well on the lumpy “rabbit run” circuit with three riders finishing in the top 12 places.
Fastest of those was Steph Clayton (Mammoth Lifestyle RT) who finished in sixth ahead of Mellissa Brand (Team Ford Ecoboost) in 10th and Annie Stanford (Paramount CRT) finishing 12th.
First of the “scratch” fastest group to finish was last week’s winner Charles Walker (Catford CC/Equipe Banks) who had to settle for 20th on this occasion, one minute and 17 seconds behind the winner.
Overall leader Ben Joughin (Pro Vision RT) was absent from this round while second place Matthew Morris (Wolverhampton Whls) was helping to organise the event so also didn’t ride.
Next week the event will be split into two races to suit the rider’s abilities around the closed road circuit of Sundorne.
| Pos | No | Name | Club | Time | Cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | Scott Palmer | Stourbridge CC | 1:21:40.840 | 3rd |
| 2 | 108 | Ross Davies | 3.457 | ||
| 3 | 68 | James Gibney | West Midlands Police CC | 6.785 | 4th |
| 4 | 63 | Charlie Fisher | Newport Shropshire CC | 7.295 | 3rd |
| 5 | 80 | Jonathan Perry | Stourbridge CC | 7.938 | 4th |
| 6 | 43 | Steph Clayton | Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team | 8.622 | 1st |
| 7 | 93 | Sam Morris | Revolution Racing | 11.806 | |
| 8 | 103 | Gareth Vickers | Stourbridge CC | 20.569 | |
| 9 | 85 | Simon Haycock | Stourbridge CC | 21.643 | 4th |
| 10 | 96 | Melissa Brand | Team Ford Ecoboost | 22.242 | |
| 11 | 77 | Chris Bragg | Stourbridge Velo | 24.276 | 4th |
| 12 | 76 | Annie Stanford | Paramount CRT | 26.467 | 4th |
| 13 | 105 | Mark Reeves | Stourbridge Velo | 34.244 | |
| 14 | 54 | Andy Jones | Clee Cycles | 35.706 | 4th |
| 15 | 55 | Timothy Jones | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 39.470 | 3rd |
| 16 | 72 | Thomas Colley | Newport CC | 50.200 | 4th |
| 17 | 110 | David Smith | 52.261 | ||
| 18 | 83 | Darren Cadwallader | Stourbridge CC | 1:01.604 | 4th |
| 19 | 59 | Andrew Tomlinson | Wolverhampton RCC | 1:13.021 | 3rd |
| 20 | 100 | Charles Walker | Catford CC Equipe/Banks | 1:17.483 | |
| 21 | 12 | Will Corden | Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team | 1:19.902 | 1st |
| 22 | 99 | Cameron Biddle | Rivet Racing | 1:20.241 | |
| 23 | 8 | James Ireson | KTM Impsport RT | 1:20.802 | 1st |
| 24 | 10 | Joe Charley | Stourbridge CC | 1:20.901 | 3rd |
| 25 | 3 | Kirk Vickers | Rhino Velo Race Team | 1:21.952 | 1st |
| 26 | 4 | Matthew Garthwaite | Rhino Velo Race Team | 1:29.491 | 1st |
| 27 | 6 | Phillip Glaze | Stourbridge CC | 1:32.690 | 3rd |
| 28 | 61 | Andrew Mortimer | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 1:34.783 | 3rd |
| 29 | 104 | Matt Clarke | Halesowen A & CC | 1:36.230 | |
| 30 | 102 | Ben Wadley | Clee Cycles | 1:37.439 | |
| 31 | 36 | Matthew Redworth | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 1:40.456 | 3rd |
| 32 | 32 | John Lucock | West Midlands Police CC | 1:41.196 | 3rd |
| 33 | 52 | Chris Lloyd | Stourbridge CC | 1:41.562 | 3rd |
| 34 | 15 | Nick Morris | Clee Cycles | 1:51.038 | 4th |
| 35 | 33 | Mark McCann | DMW – BRIDGTOWN | 1:53.819 | 3rd |
| 36 | 111 | Pierre Vernie | GBRT | 1:55.084 | |
| 37 | 109 | Thom Seeley | Rhino Velo Race Team | 1:56.596 | |
| 38 | 35 | Daren Glaze | Stourbridge Velo | 1:58.571 | 2nd |
| 39 | 21 | Stuart Glover | Rhino Velo Race Team | 2:03.385 | 2nd |
| 40 | 106 | Jason Walker | SCC | 2:06.925 | |
| 41 | 2 | Josh Yates | Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team | 2:10.448 | 2nd |
| 42 | 45 | Rob Childs | Stourbridge Velo | 2:11.094 | 3rd |
| 43 | 37 | Alfie Mortimer | Mid Shropshire Wheelers | 2:13.621 | 3rd |
| 44 | 31 | Neil Hayward | Stourbridge CC | 2:15.715 | 3rd |
| 45 | 47 | Tom Pook | Rhino Velo Race Team | 2:51.294 | 4th |
| 46 | 41 | Simon Bromley | Paramount CRT | 4:09.940 | 4th |
| 47 | 53 | James Griffiths | Clee Cycles | 8:19.160 | 4th |
| 48 | 94 | Simon Smewin | SSC | 9:19.161 | |
| 49 | 70 | Darren Winterburn | DMW – BRIDGTOWN | 11:19.162 | 4th |
| 50 | 79 | Jonathan Myers | Wolverhampton RCC | 15:19.164 | 4th |
| DNF | 74 | Laurence Cooley | Beacon Roads CC | DNF | 4th |
| DNF | 98 | Ben Manfield-Yorke | Morvelo Basso RT | DNF | |
| DNF | 17 | Chris Pook | Rhino Velo Race Team | DNF | 2nd |
| DNF | 7 | Anthony Neave | Stourbridge CC | DNF | 3rd |
| DNF | 44 | Craig Whittle | DMW – BRIDGTOWN | DNF | 3rd |
| DNF | 97 | Scott Probert | Morvelo Basso RT | DNF | |
| DNF | 64 | Rebecca Simmons | Clee Cycles | DNF | 3rd |