,

Russell comes desperately close to snatching the overall win as Nash bounces back from a crash to hold onto second overall

Beckett and Gadd take the wins as the overall contenders scrap for their final positions
Bristol RC came to the final round of the Odd Down Winter Series en masse in an attempt to jump their overall contender John Russell above series leader Charlie Revell (Team Tor 2000 Kalas) to grab the overall victory. Russell needed a top two finish in the absence of Revell to take the win, but could not have come much closer as he finished third from a break of eight riders behind Samuel Beckett (Cardiff JIF) and Deacon Cutterham (Bikestrong-KTM).
Dan Martin (University of Bath) has been active all series and made the first move, but with a swarm of blue and white at the front of the bunch, making an escape was to prove challenging. Adam Robertson (BPF Coaching) took advantage of a rare occasion where the Bristol riders were not present to clip off the front with Cutterham, Jared Linden and University of Bristol’s Jamie Atkins. But, one lap later the move had been brought back and replaced by Cutterham’s Bikestrong-KTM teammate Paul Jones along with Matthew Beckett(Cardiff JIF), Liam Chaill (Somer Valley CC) and Bristol RC’s Christopher Hill.
The presence of a Bristol RC rider made this move an attractive prospect for other would-be escapees, and so Alex Mellor (Bristol South CC) and Rob Borek (Forever Pedalling) jumped across. The pace was hot at the front, and so it wasn’t long before the break started to fall apart under pressure from Jones with Martin and University of Bath riding hard on the front of the bunch behind. Jones was left to persevere up front on his own, but as the bunch held within five seconds of the solo leader the complexion of the race changed definitively.
As his teammate Hill was caught, Russell leaped across the small gap to Jones out front, with Linden and Jone’s teammate Cutterham in his wheel. The quartet immediately set to work, and time was running out for the bunch to respond to the threat. Joe Peatson (Ely RC) tried to bridge solo but it was a lap later as Russell’s ever-loyal teammate Andrew Edwards (Bristol RC) went to join his leader that Samuel Beckett hitched a ride over to the front of the race. They were followed by third overall Rob Hardyman (Forever Pedalling) and Jake Hollins who were across to the escape group in the nick of time before the gap started to stretch definitively out of reach.
Bristol RC had played the race perfectly up into this final phase, and as the break entered the final lap with a 10 second advantage it looked perfectly set up for Russell to take the series. But there was nothing he could do in the final sprint to overhaul Beckett, who beat Cutterham by half a bike length to take the win. Hardyman sealed third overall as he followed Russell across the line in 4th and despite finishing last of the escapees, Linden moved from 8th to 5th overall having ridden aggressively all series. Edwards also benefitted from making the winning move, moving from 13th up to 11th in the final standings. Bristol RC can take further consolation in their near miss as Tom Sharp took the bunch sprint by a huge margin to mark his return to form.
The main fight for series places in the women’s series was the battle for the podium spaces between Rebekah Nash (Univsersity of Bristol) and Molly Hodges (Avid Sport) behind confirmed series winner Lauren Johnston (Avid Sport). Like Russell in the men’s race, Hodges could count on plentiful team support with not only Johnston but also four other Avid Sport teammates to try and finish ahead of Nash for only the second time this winter.
It was not long before Nash was put on the back foot, with a sharp attack from Avid Sport’s Kate Baker. Nash immediately got to work managing the gap and once Katie Scott (Hargroves-Ridley-Montezumas), Clare Crozier (Black Sheep CC) and Lucy Gadd (Liv CC-Halo Cycles) began to share the workload Baker called off her attack and was soon back in the group. Scott was no putting in a large share of the work on the front to reel in the 4th cat group who had been up the road from the start but were brought back after 20 minutes of racing.
And as the race started to enter its final phase, it was Johnston who was now looking to put the pressure on Nash as the University of Bristol rider decided that the best way to keep the moves in check and the group together was to keep the pace high at the front herself. However, when she dropped off the front and the pace softened, Baker again took her chance to spring clear with three laps to go. She was joined by her former teammate Miriam Whitehurst (Radeon-Cycology) as the field looked at one another to respond to the threat.
Scott showed her form from the cyclocross racing this winter to take responsibility to bring the pair back and as the race entered the final lap things were all back together and Nash now took to the front. However, disaster struck on the final lap as Nash struck a pedal at the front of the group and came down taking Scott with her. Most of the bunch hesitated, but there was no waiting around for Gadd who immediately had a gap to the others as the final few corners went by.
She held this gap all the way to the line to take her third win from three races this series. Jess Morrish (North Devon Wheelers) marked her first race of the series with a huge sprint to make up lots of ground and surpass Crozier who marked an excellently ridden race with second.

Hodges could only manage seventh place in the confusion at the finish, with Nash recovering from her crash to cross the line in 13th and hold on to second overall thanks to her teammate Charlotte Mallin Martin (University of Bristol) who managed to pip Hodges at the line and deny her the points that would have drawn her level with Nash. Gadd’s win moves her up to 7th overall and Stephie Prince also climbed the standings on the final day into 9th and 10th respectively.
Christopher Wright (Army Cycling Union) put in a big late attack last week to take the win in the 4th cat race, and he looked to repeat the trick again this week, putting in a big move as the race entered the final few laps. He wasn’t having it all his own way second time around however, as Mark Raven went to cover his move and then David Guy (Bristol South CC) set about bringing the bunch back in touch with the lone leader.
Wright still had the lead in the final lap, but as the bunch rounded the final bend his lead was down to a mere handful of metres. Indeed, Wright did well to hang on to fifth as he was overhauled by Seb Bernaert (Bristol RC) who just pipped Guy by half a wheel. Simon Bishop made sure there was still a Army Cycling Union rider in the top three following the front two home with David Kinnair (EvoVelo Karbona) the last rider to pass Wright.
Avid Sport wrapped up the team classification for the overall series by a healthy margin from Bristol RC. These have been the two biggest representatives in the women’s and men’s series respectively and have consistently been at the very front of the racing.

Round 10 Results:

Women’s E/1/2/3/4

Pos Forename Surname Club / Team Name
1 Lucy Gadd Liv Cycling Club – Halo Cycles
2 Jess Morrish North Devon Wheelers
3 Claire Crozier Black Sheep Cycling Club
4 Kate Baker Avid Sport
5 Lauren Johnston Avid Sport
6 Charlotte Mallin Martin University of Bristol CC
7 Molly Hodges Avid Sport
8 Miriam Whitehurst Somer Valley CC
9 Aimee Parsons Avid Sport
10 Stephie Prince Cotswold Veldrijden
11 Olive Holliday Somer Valley CC
12 Katie Scott Hargroves-Ridley-Montezumas
Rebekah Nash University of Bristol CC
13 Naomi Eaton
14 Joanna Goodhead Avid Sport
15 Karen Spiteri Avid Sport

Men’s 4th Cat:

Pos Forename Surname Club / Team Name
1 Seb Bernaert BRC
2 David Guy Bristol South CC
3 Simon Bishop Army Cycling Union
4 David Kinnair EvoVelo Karbona
8 Francis Eddolls Veloton Team
5 Christopher Wright Army Cycling Union
7 Christopher Owram Chepstow Cycling Club
6 Theo Brumhead Bristol South CC
9 Dave Cullen Bristol South CC
11 Robert Francis Somer Valley CC
13 Joel Thomas University of Bath Cycling Club
12 Luke Tregidgo Bristol RC
13 Mark Hardyman Velo Club Walcot
14 Christopher Chapman Bristol South CC
15 Ben Keenan Veloton Team
19 Thomas Ricues Team Veloton
41 Nic Meadows Somer Valley CC
16 Andrew Shutler Team TFC(the friday criterium)
17 Nicholas Barks
18 Nick Cox
20 Stuart Hardy Bristol RC
21 Martin Macdonalds Bath CC
40 Mark Raven
22 Alistair Hardy Cheltenham & County CC
27 ALex Atkins Uni of Bath
23 Matthew Skeats University of Bristol CC
24 Samuel Whitehead Bristol South CC
25 Phil Wylie Exeter Wheelers
26 John Roberts
28 Alex Williams Latchem Sunwise
29 Matthew Norman-Baldor University of Exeter Cycling Club
37 Joel Hart TFC
38 James Saunders Aylesbury CC
39 Luke Justin Somer Valley CC
dnf Winfield Harvey
dnf Bradley Springham University of Bath Cycling Club

Men’s 2/3:

pos Forename Surname Club / Team Name
1 Samuel Beckett Cardiff JIF
2 Deacon Cutterham Bikestrong – KTM
3 John Russell Bristol RC
4 Rob Hardyman Forever Pedalling
5 Jake Hollins
6 Paul Jones Bikestrong – KTM
7 Andy Edwards BCC
8 Jared Linden RDFCC
9 Tom Sharp Bristol RC
10 Matthew Beckett JIF
11 Alex Collins Primera
12 Glyn Griffiths 73 Degrees Bikes
13 Robert Borek Forever Pedalling
14 Will Cooper HRMRT
15 William Hayes BournemouthCycleworks UK-Biking
16 Alex Mellor Bristol South CC
17 Harry Gillett Zero BC RT
18 Christopher Hill Bristol RC
19 Joe Peatson Ely RC
20 Jamie Atkins University of Bristol CC
21 Patrick Henry Bristol RC
22 Steve Whitehurst Somer Valley CC
23 Tim Southcombe Somerset Road Club
24 Colin Smith Army Cycling Union
25 Nicholas Anderson SAS
26 Daniel Martin University of Bath Cycling Club
27 Thomas Collins University of Bath Cycling Club
28 Adam Robertson BPF Cycling
29 Tom Brookes Bristol RC
30 Thomas Bass Latchem Sunwise Race Team
31 Liam Cahill Somer Valley CC
32 Daniel Alford Bristol South CC
33 Darren Lyons Velo Club Venta
34 Jack Salvidge BPF Cycling
35 Ashley Hutchison VC St Raphael
36 Will Perrin Gannet CC
37 Sam Gaskin
38 David Jarrom Cardiff Ajax
39 Charlie Shields Bath CC
40 Adrian Reynolds Somerset RC
41 Adam Whitehead Bristol South CC
42 Ben Kavanagh Bath CC
43 Mark Pettitt Portishead Cycling Club
44 Ian Mountjoy Bristol South CC
dnf Kerry Greenham Coventry Road Club
dnf Graeme Rout Gannet CC
dnf Lewis Henry Bath CC
Jonathan Oxley Ride 24/7
Ollie Suatt VC Meudon

Final Overall Series Standings:

Women

First Name Surname Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10 Total
Lauren Johnston 30 50 30 50 45 40 45 40 30 360
Rebekah Nash 25 45 25 35 30 35 20 10 225
Molly Hodges 15 35 20 45 20 30 35 20 220
Illi Gardner 50 45 50 50 195
Jenny Bolsom 50 15 40 25 25 14 169
Emily Slavin 13 45 30 15 25 25 14 167
Lucy Gadd 50 50 50 150
Maria Powell 45 35 30 30 140
Stephie Prince 25 1 30 35 15 13 119
Aimee Parsons 8 5 25 30 30 14 112
Megan Dickerson 40 40 30 110
Olive Holliday 6 20 25 25 12 88
Lucy Driver 35 50 85
Karen Spiteri 15 15 9 20 13 7 79
Elizabeth Pressage 20 50 70
Elinor Spencer 40 25 65
Charlotte Berry 40 25 65
Frances Bromley 20 40 60
Kate Millard 3 6 20 20 7 56
Emily Walton 8 35 9 52
Hermione Harrison 45 45
Jess Morrish 45 45
Claire Crozier 40 40
Joanna Goodhead 5 2 15 8 8 38
Katherine Moore 9 15 13 37
Kate Baker 35 35
Heidi Blunden 7 10 15 32
Lucy Austin 30 30
Sally Crocker 4 4 15 5 28
Charlotte Mallin Martin 25 25
Sophie Barnes 9 8 6 23
Clare Hofmann 20 20
Lucy Rowe 20 20
Deborah Sterling 1 14 15
Miriam Whitehurst 15 15
Rebecca Gregson 14 14
Laura Pittard 13 13
Vanessa Royals 12 12
Charlotte Brass 12 12
Jo Edwards 11 11
Katie Scott 11 11
Claire Lawrence 10 10
Claire Nott 10 10
Amy Dunwell 10 10
Laura Fenwick 10 10
Janet Horton 7 1 2 10
Hazel May 10 10
Georgie Little 9 9
Sarah Crowther 1 1 7 9
Sue Allen 9 9
Naomi Eaton 9 9
Sarah Durrant 8 8
Sorrel Williams 7 7
Toni Bassett 4 4
Taegan Pomeroy 3 3
Eleanor McKay 3 3
Victoria Jones 2 2
Hannah Cockerill 1 1
Emily Harford 1 1
Charlotte Fraser 1 1
Maryke de Vet 1 1
Helen Kuhlman 1 1

Men

First Name Surname Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10 Total
Charlie Revell 50 50 50 30 40 40 40 300
John Russell 50 45 45 35 10 25 13 35 40 298
Rob Hardyman 15 35 14 20 25 35 45 30 35 254
Andrew White 30 30 45 25 15 25 170
Jared Linden 30 25 30 7 45 15 152
Will Page 40 40 15 50 145
Tim Southcombe 15 15 12 40 14 20 25 1 142
David Mixell 40 20 35 45 1 141
Edward Gray 20 7 15 30 30 13 115
Jamie Atkins 25 20 25 1 14 6 15 3 109
Andrew Edwards 8 30 50 20 108
Sean Townsend 50 50 100
Colin Smith 25 20 30 14 1 90
Will Perrin 40 1 10 30 1 1 83
Thomas Bass 20 14 11 4 2 15 12 1 1 80
Robert Borek 45 15 1 10 71
Seb Bernaert 20 20 30 70
Jack Salvidge 14 30 11 13 1 69
Samuel Gaskin 14 9 9 1 1 6 8 4 12 1 65
Daniel Martin 30 25 8 1 64
Morgan Curle 35 20 55
David Guy 30 25 55
Elliot Barratt 8 2 15 25 1 3 54
Theo Brumhead 3 7 25 10 9 54
James Phillips 50 50
Joe Peatson 11 35 4 50
Samuel Beckett 50
James Dudden 35 13 48
Scott Fryer 35 6 7 48
Steven Cottington 13 8 1 1 5 9 4 2 5 48
William Hayes 10 8 20 1 8 47
Ben Osborne 20 25 1 46
Steve Beal 1 30 15 46
Daniel Riggs 1 1 1 5 9 1 8 20 46
Christopher Wright 6 30 10 46
Joe Twelvetrees 25 20 45
Nathan Hallett 45 45
Tavis Walker 45 45
Deacon Cutterham 45
Steve Brown 15 25 40
Corey Bale 40 40
Dave Cullen 5 4 25 6 40
Spencer Hardman 6 15 8 9 1 39
Marlin Barea 4 10 25 39
Simon Bishop 4 15 20 39
Steven Whitehurst 14 20 1 35
Benjamin Wainwright 1 3 10 8 10 32
Chris Downham 6 15 10 31
Joel Thomas 6 25 31
Thomas Collins 30 1 31
Kyle Dovey 30 30
Jake Hollins 30
Jamie Bray 12 6 11 29
Alex Ficke 9 10 10 29
Harry Tucker 1 1 3 9 5 9 28
Christopher Hill 9 3 11 5 28
Iain Duggan 25 1 1 27
Josh Griffiths 9 8 1 1 6 1 26
Liam Cahill 5 13 7 1 26
Adrian Reynolds 12 1 1 1 10 1 26
Daniel Carr 13 12 25
Paul Jones 25
Will Clarke 8 1 9 6 24
Oliver Beresford 13 11 24
Francis Eddolls 5 7 5 7 24
William Acworth 10 5 7 1 23
David Kinnair 7 15 22
Julian Lockwood 12 9 21
Adam Robertson 13 7 1 21
Charlie Shields 20 1 21
Corey Snell 20 20
Steven Curran 3 8 8 19
Ben Keenan 9 4 6 19
Richard Smith 8 3 6 17
Anthony Corke 15 1 1 17
Christopher Owram 7 1 8 16
Simon Starling 15 15
Peter Smith 1 1 6 7 15
Stuart Hardy 15 15
Mark Hardyman 1 3 1 3 3 1 3 15
Tom Sharp 1 14 15
Tom Allport 9 4 1 14
Thomas Grigson 10 4 14
Nicholas Barks 1 5 8 14
Przemyslaw Kozak 14 14
Nick Anderson 12 1 13
Matthew Beckett 13
Daniel Soltys 11 1 12
Felix Young 11 1 12
Mark Herbert 12 12
Alex Collins 12
Thomas Ellis 11 11
Matthew Carey 6 5 11
Glyn Griffiths 11
George Creasey 10 10
Daniel Tyrie 9 1 10
Johnny Arcg 5 5 10
Steve Martin 10 10
George Bazeley 10 10
James McGough 10 10
Thomas Barlow 10 10
Daniel Maclean-Howell 9 9
Graeme Rout 6 1 1 1 9
David Bucknall 9 9
Matthew Skeats 1 1 1 1 3 2 9
Nick Cox 9 9
Will Cooper 9
Stefan Barnett 4 3 1 8
Jamie Crump 8 8
Noel Charlton 3 5 8
Tom Moffat 1 7 8
Guy Tucker 7 1 8
Kristian Bond 5 3 8
Tom Stoneham 8 8
Paul Hayward 8 8
Luke Churchus 7 7
Edward Jackson 7 7
Phil Walter 7 7
Thom Hayward 7 7
Andrew Turner 7 7
Tom Brookes 6 1 7
Luke Tregidgo 3 4 7
Robert Francis 1 1 5 7
Alex Mellor 7
Ian Hicks 6 6
Thomas Southey 5 1 6
James Pittard 1 5 6
Paul Culmstock 6 6
Harry Gillett 6
Si Potter 4 1 5
Thomas Price 1 4 5
Mark Reed 1 1 1 1 1 5
Andy Butler 4 4
John Carter 4 4
Jonathan Oakley 3 1 4
Adrian Warren 3 1 4
Nigel Burton 1 1 1 1 4
James Saunders 1 1 1 1 4
Michael Parkin-White 1 1 1 1 4
John Roberts 1 3 4
Lewis Revill 4 4
Adrian Lawson 4 4
Graham Townsend 1 2 3
James Kay 2 1 3
Chris Brennan 2 1 3
Paul Ashman 1 2 3
Richard Franklin 1 1 1 3
Winfield Harvey 1 1 1 3
Craig Buffry 1 2 3
Sam Whitehead 1 1 1 3
Joel Thomas 1 2 3
David Gwynne 1 1 2
Jonathan Ashby 1 1 2
Luke Craddock 2 2
Charlie Kelly 1 1 2
Rowan Ellis 2 2
Alexander Atkins 1 1 2
Tom Turner 2 2
Jacques Coates 1 1 2
Thomas Harrington 1 1 2
George Beck 1 1 2
Peter Geaves 1 1 2
Thomas Parsons 1 1 2
Jonathan Oakey 2 2
David Stoyle 2 2
Alex Joy 1 1 2
David Spreadbridge 1 1 2
Luke Tregipgo 2 2
Thomas Batchelor 2 2
Thomas King 1 1 2
Charles Pearson 2 2
Patrick Henry 2
Martin Andrews 1 1
Jack Enright 1 1
Jeremy Bigg 1 1
Alan Adams 1 1
Paul Watkins 1 1
Joanathan Ashby 1 1
Chris Parry 1 1
Michael Banfield 1 1
Alex Williams 1 1
James Barber 1 1
Saxon Ridley 1 1
Dareen Hayter 1 1
Jason Holder 1 1
Christopher Chapman 1 1
Robert McEwen 1 1
Charlie Peach 1 1
Hamilton Palmer 1 1
Tom Coombe 1 1
Luke Rogers 1 1
Alex Faux 1 1
Jordan Wintle 1 1
Ross Mahoney 1 1
Luke Justin 1 1
Chris Deane 1 1
Andy Duggan 1 1
Harvey Winfield 1 1
Joe Colley 1 1
Rhys Flint 1 1
Andrew Kirby 1 1
Peter Burrows 1 1
David Pleming 1 1
Wayne Reeks 1 1
George Edwards 1 1
Andrew Kennard 1 1
Peter Smith 1 1
Robert McEwan 1 1
Harry Chamberlain 1 1
Andrew Lockwood 1 1
Owen Burgess 1 1
Martin MacDonald 1 1
Aaron McGough 1 1
Samuel Holder 1 1
Paul Chessell 1 1
Thomas Riches 1 1
Ted Cross 1 1
Hywel Griffiths 1 1
Hamilton Palmer 1 1
Alex Collins 1 1
Adam Whitehead 1 1
Jonathan Oxley 1 1
Daniel Alford 1
Darren Lyons 1
Ashley Hutchison 1
David Jarrom 1
Ben Kavanagh 1
Mark Pettitt 1
Ian Mountjoy 1
Kerry Greenham 1

Team Standings (Top 6):

Avid Sport 953
Britsol RC 590
Forever Pedalling 521
Team Tor 2000 Kalas 332
University of Bath 285
University of Bristol 268
/by