Bryn Davies looking good for glory after latest win

Just one second separated the winner from runner-up Victor Chetta in the SCCA and WCTTCA 30. The success saw Davies extend his overall lead.

The riders tackled a first County-level race over the sparkling new tarmac at Peplow.

Starting from Waters Upton and taking in a circuit of Hodnet, Market Drayton and Shawbirch before finishing at Crudgington, Hafren CC ace Davies moved 75 points clear in the Series standings after taking the win in one hour, seven minutes and 13 seconds.

Chetta (Mid Shropshire Wheelers) was a second behind and saw his Veterans’ Series lead narrowed to 50 points after he finished third in that category with a +13:40 standard.

With the field unusually set out in National Championship format from slowest to fastest based on past best performances, Davies started one place in front of Chetta and a chance look behind provided all the spur he needed.

“It couldn’t have been much closer,” said Davies. “I nearly messed it up trying to take a drink en route and couldn’t get the bottle back in costing me time sitting up to get it back.

“I looked around and thought I could see Victor in the distance and thought I’d best get a move on. It was certainly a motivation knowing Vic was behind, chasing me down.”

Chetta was left rueing a poor start having been determined to make up lost ground after a non-finish in round six, and put in a huge effort in the first part of the race to try to reel Davies in.

“After the previous round’s DNF in the Championship 50, I was pleased to finish so close to Bryn this time,” said Chetta.

“It looked like I might end up catching him at one point, but he must have stretched the gap out again in the second half.

“I botched my start a bit, almost toppling over so that is one of the places where I lost that precious second or two.”

Cementing the Hafren CC 1-2 at the top of the Series standings, Ian Nisbett tightened his grasp on the overall runners-up spot after finishing third on the day in 1:07:38, just missing out on the same spot in the Veterans’ Championship by 11 seconds.

Deb Hutson-Lumb moved to the top of the Women’s standings, taking over from Nova Raiders’ team-mate Charlotte Chapman with a dominant ride of 1:14:14 - exactly 7½ minutes ahead of runner-up Jenny York.

But Hutson-Lumb wasn’t finished there as she took the win in the Veterans’ race with a superb +15:55, +1:40 ahead of another team-mate, Dean Dovey who took over the sole runners-up spot in the Veterans’ Championship.

Hutson-Lumb is in sublime form, and having spent several years away from the sport.

“I was really pleased with my ride – only 12 seconds off my old 1996 personal best,” she said. “The Peplow surface is so much better, and I’m looking forward to racing over that again soon.”

Henri Bedford is making a late challenge for the Friction Junior Championship after entering the last two rounds.

He put in a strong performance personal best performance of 1:13:34 to capture sixth spot overall.

Results

Series: 1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 01:07:13; 2 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers 01:07:14; 3 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC 01:07:38; 4 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders 01:08:47; 5 Steven Ford Nova Raiders 01:13:12.

Veterans: 1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders +15:55; 2 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders +14:15; 3 Bryn Davies Hafren CC +13:40; 4 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC +13:29; 5 Gino Trasatti North Shropshire Wheelers +13:00.

Women’s: 1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders 01:14:14 ; 2 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 01:21:44; 3 Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 01:25:48; 4 Elaine Langley North Shropshire Wheelers 01:48:10.

Junior: 1 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing 01:13:34.

Club Award: 1 Hafren CC 110; 2 Nova Raiders 105; 3 North Shropshire Wheelers 85; 4 Mid Shropshire Wheelers 65; 5 Revolutions Racing 35.

Cumulative standings - Series: 1 Bryn Davies Hafren CC 385; 2 Ian Nisbett Hafren CC 310; 3 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers 265; 4 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders 250; 5 Kirk Vickers Holohan Coaching RT 130.

Veterans: 1 Bryn Davies Hafren 360; 2 Dean Dovey Nova Raiders 310; 3 Ian Nisbett Hafren 300; 4 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders 285; 5 Victor Chetta Mid Shropshire Wheelers 235.

Women’s: 1 Deb Hutson-Lumb Nova Raiders 295; =2 Charlotte Chapman Nova Raiders, Helen Tudor Oswestry Paragon CC 240; 4 Emma Serjeant Hafren CC 170; 5 Jenny York Mid Shropshire Wheelers 100.

Junior: 1 Kieran Morris SCCA Private Member 180; 2 Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing 130; 3 George Coombes Evolve 55.

Top Club Award: 1 Nova Raiders 755; 2 Hafren 720; 3 Mid Shrop Wheelers 370; 4 North Shrop Wheelers 330; 5 Holohan Coaching RT 285.