Whyte racer Billy Whenman is taking to Cyclo Cross like a duck to water. He won his first ever race and got a podium in his second – just 14 seconds behind winner Dan Duguid. Billy was third elite but fist in the under 23 class. This is a published report of the race.
It was the 12th race of the Mosquito Bikes London/South East England Cyclo Cross League held on December 27 at Footscray Meadows, Sidcup and organised by BC Gemini.
The event is the oldest cross on the calendar and a splendid test to see who had consumed the most mince pies.
As the race set off Hugo Humphreys broke his chain and was immediately into the pits for a bike change, by the first corner he was amongst the top 3rd of the field.
Up front a large and very classy field was pulling away from Neil Simpson and Phillip Glowinski (the latter was to crash out) and then a huge gaggle of riders.
Humpreys soon joined the lead group of; Dan Duguid, Billy Joe Whenman, Andy Waterman, Nigel Ling, Nathan Miller, Kevin Knox, Sean Aldous, Taylor Johnstone and Matt Holmes.
As the race moved on, Johnstone and Holmes fell back, and Aldous was delayed when course tape caught in his mech. Aldous would have been a contender for victory, but such was the pace he hovered just off the lead group. First veteran Knox was another who had to fight hard to stay on.
The final lap saw the lead group split and with the final run through trees before the finish, Duguid got there first and was able to hold off Humphreys (his being surely the ride of the festive period) to win.
The veteran race was firmly in the hands of Knox and next up was Simpson placing well clear of Doug Fox. The fight for 4th was a great one and it saw Ian Cleverly just edge out Russell Jones and George Higgs.
Early on Humphreys and Johnstone had jostled for the Junior win, but when Johnstone fell off the pace it was Humphreys day. Patrick Scarborough was 3rd ahead of a mighty battle between Wilf Sinclair and Nicholas Smith.