Racing News
Exodus Spring Series round 4 race report
by Luke Webber, 13 Apr 06. Results [ 1» ] Photos [ 1» 2» ]
The penultimate round of the Exodus Spring Series saw a great lap made all the more challenging by some customary April showers. Soon a fast and furious five miles with dips and drops (read: roadie traps) was transformed into a slidey challenge, with those who had perfected their Sam Hill impressions heading up the field.
Getting the best of the dry trails were the Youth riders, and as ever it was the Felt duo of Will Verney and Ben Roach taking the one-two, minutes ahead of Marcus Haynes (Total Bike Tuning).
The SuperMaster line-up could have been mistaken for the Elite race, such was the quality of the field and it was Jamie Norfolk (PedalOn) who kept a high pace throughout to take the win. Second was Paul Hopkins (Mountain Trax) with Sam Gardner third.
In the shorter Masters race Sam Humpheson (Sigma Sport) eased away from Nigel Grantham (PedalOn) to earn himself the race win and for Nigel top spot in the series standings. In the Veterans Jef Sharp (Ben Hayward Cycles) may have dumped Steve Jones (AW Cycles) into second place for the fourth time, but Jones had the last laugh, with a virtual claim on the overall series with his consistency.
In the Grand Veterans Ray Crosthwaite (PedalOn) took his fourth consecutive win, with Norman Butler's (BikeGuatemala.com) second good enough to keep the series battle alive for one more race.
By the time the Open riders had taken to the course there had already been one downpour - little did they know that they were to suffer another moments after the race started! Michael Butler (VC Deal) survived the conditions in first, as Liam Killeen look-alike and star of MBUK Jake Moxham (Dysons Cycles) claimed second and the series outright.
By the time the Sport riders got to the line the worst of the rain had cleared, leaving plenty of puddles to splash through and mud to slide with, and after a fast start Jay Spetch (Torq) found himself in a lead that would grow race-long. Paul Robertson slid into second (SportsTest.co.uk) with Jeff Clark (Leisure Wheels) rounding out the podium.
The Elite race was a battle of attrition with five laps of mud for the gluttonous (or foolish!) to grind through. Chris Minter (PedalOn) negotiated the leg sapping climbs and dastardly descents quicker than Richard Mardle (Felt) for his first series win.
After deciding when to start Jackie Roberts (Beyond Mountain Bikes) took the women's SuperMaster race, Cam Brown (PedalOn) got the nod in the Masters and Viv Hazelton (Torq) continued her impressive form with the Sport win.
Gorrick return for the annual Sagem enduro at the end of the month, with the Spring Series' grand finale on May 21, by which time the trails will be bone dry...we hope.
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