Racing far and wide for Team Enable-MI Racing-Townsend Vehicle Hire
Last weekend, a distance of just over 2000km separated riders from the top midlands-based cycling team, Team Enable-MI Racing-Townsend Vehicle Hire.
In Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, junior rider Layla Bradbrook, rode in round One of the British National Mountain Bike Cross Country Series. As the riders gridded at the start, the heavens opened, and the slippery conditions caused chaos and several early crashes. Layla, the current Welsh Junior champion, managed to avoid the carnage to finish in a very pleasing 7th place.
2000km South of Layla, Coventry based veteran rider Pete Busby, took part in the UCI Gravel World Series race in Andalucia, Spain. The 51km route included almost 1500m of climbing. In dry and very fast conditions, Pete finished an excellent eleventh place in the 60-64 age category, completing the ride in 2 hours and 36 minutes.
Closer to home, David Mead, the team’s new Time Trial rider, made an excellent start to his season, finishing in third place in round three of the Northampton and District open TT series. On an undulating 9.8 mile course, north east Market Harborough, David was only 12 seconds behind George Fox the current road bike, 10 mile national record holder.
A week after winning his first road race, Hinckley based rider, Oliver Seale, raced in the PB Performance Road Race, held just north of Coalville. In his usual attacking style, Oliver was involved in many of the breakaway attacks but as the final attack was launched on the last of the 15km circuits, Oliver was unable to stay with the leading riders and finished the 102km race in 28th place.
On Sunday, Rugby based veteran rider, Rob O’Connor, returned to racing in the latest round of the British Masters Cycle Racing, Stallard series. In round two of the six event series, held on the Welland circuit, Rob finished in an excellent 7th place in his age category. Rob has won many championships over the years, racing for the team.
In the local, mid-week club time trials, Leamington based Mark Wise won the Coventry Cycling Club 10 mile TT on the K10/10 course near Princethorpe. On a chilly evening and racing in his first 10 mile event of the season, Mark took the honours in a time of 22 minutes and 14 seconds. Teammates, Andy Jackson and Tom Bradley were fourth and sixth overall in times of 23:30 and 23:59 respectively. Tom was riding a standard road bike and was the quickest road bike rider of the evening, achieving a new personal best time for the distance in the process.