5 young riders from the “Mick Ives Youth Academy“ team representing Great Britain in the 4 Day West Vlaanderen Cycling Stage Race in Belgium, finished 2nd in the Team classification, contested by 23 of the very best Youth Teams in Europe—an amazing performance!
120 riders contested the 3 road stages and 1 Time Trial, held at different locations in Flanders, Belgium.
15 year old Josh Giddings—already a multi British Champion, was the highest placed rider overall in 6th place, 9th Stage 1, 3rd in the Time Trial, 10th Stage 3 and 4th Stage 4.
Team Mate Jack Brough, also a British Youth Champion, finished 12th overall and had 28th, 10th, 43rd and 6th places.
Other overall placings were Jamie Kennerson 51st and Callum Twelves 82nd. The youngest team member, 14 year old Jude Chamberlain, who finished a brilliant 18th in the Time Trial, was involved in a 20 rider crash just 2 km from the finish of the final stage and was out of the race.
Giddings held the points jersey for 1 day, and finished 3rd in the Green Jersey competition and 11th in the Combine Jersey competition.
More success for Team Jewson—M.I.Racing—Polypipe—McCann, at the Banbury Star Open 10 mile Time Trial.
Rugby member Craig McKee, riding his first race of the season, missed out on a podium position by just 1 second, with a time of 22 mins 26 secs
52 year old Mark Wise was close behind with 22-29, in 6th fastest position but 1st rider on Standard and 3rd fastest Veteran (over 40).
New Team Member, Will Gray, riding his first race in his new colours, finished 2nd best in the Junior competition with 25-10 and 50 yr old Dave Ashworth, who has only just converted from Running to Time Trial recorded 26-15.
The combination of McKee, Wise and Gray, won the Team Competition by over 1 ½ minutes from the promoting club.
Youth Academy rider Jude Chamberlain, who had crashed badly just a few days earlier in Belgium , finished a brilliant 2nd in the Warwick Town Centre Circuit Race for Youth riders on Sunday.