Indefatigable junior rider Harvey Woodroffe was the only member of the Ely & District Cycling Club - B&T Motor Repairs to race on both days last weekend. On Saturday Woodroffe was racing in the Muddy Monsters race held at Ashwell in the Under 14 category and put in a dominant performance, winning both races.
Woodroffe was racing again on Sunday in the eighth round of the Eastern Cyclocross League, held at Trinity Park in Ipswich, which was also this season's regional championship race. The course is also being used for the World Cyclocross Masters Championship races, and includes many technical features including two bridges, the usual set of hurdles and also a flight of steps. The technical nature of the course was made even more challenging by near-freezing temperatures and strong winds.
In the Under 12 race Woodroffe started on the second row and got a good start, but his foot came out of his pedal on one of the faster sections causing him to go off course. He spent the rest of the race making up places lost in the crash and finished in 6th place. Lucas Bowman finished the Under 12 race in 16th position.
Lucas's father Neil Bowman was racing in the V50 race which had a large field of 84 starters. Neil was carrying a back injury which he had picked up during the week preceding the race, but still managed to finish in a very respectable 25th place.
Kieran Vanhoutte and Tom Lewis were racing in the Youth race. Having finished on the podium the week before, Lewis was rewarded with a front row position but suffered from cramp during the first lap, with the result that at the end of the second lap he was 40 seconds off the battle for third place. However, Lewis overcame his cramp and started moving through the field, and finished in fifth overall and third place in the Youth category, only a few seconds behind the rider in front. Vanhoutte was racing in the Under 14 division of the Youth race, and despite struggling in the cold conditions Vanhoutte finished in 10th position in the Under 14 race.
Kieran's father Ferenc was racing in the V40 category together with Dan Bromilow. After a fast start Bromilow was held up when the rider in front crashed on the first bridge on the course, leaving him in a distant last place on the end of the first lap. He managed to make up two places during the race, finishing in 52nd place. Vanhoutte continued his recent strong run of form to finish in 37th place.
Ely & District Cycling Club - B&T Motor Repairs Press Release 1st December 2021
Photographs:
Kieran Vanhoutte racing in the U14 race.
Tom Lewis in the Youth race. Credit Tommy Tomlinson.
Tom Lewis descending a bridge on the course.
Neil Bowman in the V50 race.
Harvey Woodroffe racing in the U12 race.