Round 8 of the SRAM NDCXL was held this weekend at Markeaton Park, Derby, courtesy of organisers Derby Mercury RC. This was the League’s second visit to the park of the season, but a radically revised course and a healthy dose of mud meant that riders enjoyed a wholly different experience to the earlier race of the season.
In the Senior Men’s race Clee Cycles’ Arthur Green led the field for the first part of the opening lap, with Pines Cycles’ Dave Fletcher hot on his heels. The pair stayed together until lap 3, when Fletcher took the lead that he would keep to the finish, a minute and a half ahead of Green. The battle for third place proved to be the main excitement of the race, with Fossa team-mates Lee Shunburne and Andrew Naylor locked together over multiple laps. Shunburne eventually took third place, his best performance of the season to date.
Hargrove’s Cycles Harry Yates was first Junior.
The Women’s race saw another victory from Bolsover’s Maddi Smith, finishing a clear 2 minutes ahead of Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Charlotte Broughton in second and Empella’s Tracey Fletcher in third.
In the V40 race, Zepnat’s Dan Alexander made light work of the conditions to take the win a minute ahead of Peak Road Clubs’ Dan Cook in second. Bolsover’s Jason Marriot overcame a start line mechanical and delivered a season best performance, taking third.
Tim Gould (Zepnat) delivered his usual assured performance, riding through the V40 field to the win in the V50s, with Phil Roach (Team Jewson-MI Racing) two minutes behind him. Pedal Power’s Mick Davies took third.
The FU14 race saw another dominant performance for Zepnat’s Amelie Wayte, taking the win over Matlock’s Sarah Briggs, who recovered well after the mud claimed one of her shoes at one point. Lotta Mansfield (Nottingham Clarion) took third.
Fossa Racing’s Elena Smith took the win in the F16 race, ahead of Empella’s Xan Cress and Nottingham Clarion’s Maddie Hubner.
Leicestershire Road Club’s Alex Gregory won the U14 Boys race, ahead of Lichfield CC team-mates Emile Alexander and Daniel Barnes.
Barnes’ elder brother Toby took his second NDCXL victory in as many weeks in the U16 Boys race, ahead of Nottingham Clarion’s Tom Dussek and Oliver Snodden (Sherwood Pines Cycles)
The U12 Boys race saw another repeat of the Christopher Hilbert Sam Gould 1-2, with the Pines Cycles – Felt – Enve rider once again claiming the win over the Zepnatter. Redditch R&P’s Sullivan Berry took third.
The U12 Girls saw Wolverhampton Wheeler Grace Lister lap all of her competition to take the win, ahead of Heanor Clarion’s Holly Bailey, and Matlock CC’s Harriet Limb.
Over 60 U9s braved the mud and cold, with Jude du Toit (Newark Castle) and Lichfield’s Alice Barnes taking the glory.
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