2nd Cat McRae wins Bob Swailes Memorial RR

Scotsman Alexander McRae won our Bob Swailes Memorial Road Race at the head of a frantic bunch sprint for the finishing line up Barkin House hill.

The 65-mile race (seven laps of the Old Hutton Circuit) opened with a 21-minute 9-mile lap and the tempo was always fierce. Two mini-brakeaways failed to stay clear and everything came back together for a thrilling finale.

Result: 1. Alexander MacRae; 2. Callum Thornley (Spokes Racing Team); 3. Matthew Sutton (Durham University Cycling Club); 4. Conor McKinnon (Dolan Ellesse Race Team); 5. Ross Walton (GS Metro); 6. John Russell (Team Bikestop Tyrekey); 7. Ed Beecher (Crimson Orientation Marketing Team) ; ... 8. Craig Paterson (Edinburgh RC); 9. Martin Watson (Tactic Sport UK Race Team) ; 10. Tom Leigh (Windle Race Team); 11. Matthew Smith (Muckle Cycle Club) ; 12. Tarn Fynn (Manchester Bicycle Club); 13. Richard Butler (Giant-Kendal RT); 14. Glen Hale; 15. Harvey Stroh (Inflite-Dynamic Race Team); 16. Henry Hollyman (Otley CC) ; 17. Josh Dickson (Chorlton Velo); 18. James Bishop (Windle Race Team) ; 19. Chris Pook (Holohan Coaching Race Team) ; 20. Samuel Jackson (Cybele cc); 21. William Abbott (Inflite-Dynamic Rides Race Team); 22. Michael Ashurst (CCN UK); 23. Finn McHenry (The Cycling Academy); 24. Jake Makin (Windle Race Team); 25. Ben Flannagan; 26. Alastair McNicol (Dooleys cycles) ; 27. Lee Cuthbertson (Muckle Cycle Club) ; 28. James Claydon (Bill Nickson Cycles RT) ; 29. Mark Berry (Rossendale RC); 31. James Bailey (Clitheroe Clarion).

Tour of Rheged Audax

Steve Scott’s Tour of Rheged - Grimpeur Audax ride turned into a bit of an epic thanks to the low cloud and persistent rain over high ground.

A field of 40 entered for the 200k plus challenge of Kirkstone Pass, Hartside Pass, Yad Moss to Middleton in Teesdale then a testing climb of Shot Moss to Brough. Mallerstang, Garsdale and Ewebank (after Black Horse Hill) followed before returning to Kendal.

Robin Everingham was Kent Valley’s first back as fourth returnee. Distance riding and climbs are clearly his forte. However, Steve is keen to broaden the appeal of future events and is seriously thinking about running a flatter additional audax in the spring or summer next year. Watch this space for updates.