The Walkington circuit can be challenging when the wind’s howling from the north, but it was in the wrong direction and a big bunch finish was predicted tonight, the slight rain during the race was no obstacle. The five groups were:
Group One:. Sebastian Pickard, Richard Guymer, Nicky Moore, Alan Gay, Victoria Hood and Tom MacDonald.
Group Two: Paul Rymer, Gerry Lumb, Paul Drop, Peter Cox, David Atkin, Andrew Carroll, Tim White, Simon Pickering, Chris Hutchinson, Mark Dicconson, Glen Harrison, Craig Medcalf, Graham Lonsdale, Rob Stones, Nicholas Fairfield, Lee Coulson, Steve Coates, Phil Bixby, Tom Jackson, Paul Campbell, Stuart Fletcher, Mark Mckeown and Derek Palmer.
Group Three: Steve Johnson, Mark Robinson, Martin Cockerill, Gary Trees, Tony Goundry, Neil Dean, Mark Walker, Steve Macklin, John Askew, Benjamin Bell, David Betts, Rob Brown, Chris Holland and Stewart Pickard.
Group Four: Ben Ives, Matthew Fenton, Stephen Swales, David Brearley, Mel Blackford, Jason Young, Rob Busby, Peter Fielding Smith, Andy Denniss, Nick Coupland and Dean Fulstow.
Group Five: David Shackleton, Nathan Wilson, Chris Daddy and Richard Moore.
Group one split up on the first climb and young Sebastian Pickard wasted energy trying to go it alone. Group tw absorbed the remnants of group one early in lap two, as group 4 also merged with group 3 so that half way into the race there were effectively three groups on the road.
The real heroes of the race were the four elite riders off scratch, starting a minute behind group 4, they lost another seven seconds on lap one, were 1’17” down at half way, on the bell lap they were still trailing 36 seconds but they bridged the gap on the climb to Hunsley crossroads. Dave Shackleton went straight through the whole bunch and set off alone (they don’t call him ‘Shack Attack’ for no reason) and he rode brilliantly to keep everyone off, even looking round in the finishing straight. His biggest danger was from guys in his own group as Nathan Wilson and Chris Daddy were leading the bunch in. I believe Richard Moore took the less risky option and drifted in with the peloton – he’d already done the hard work.
These elite guys are good and there’s a lesson to be learned: If they catch you then they’ll beat you. So make efforts to prevent them from catching you. It was a very good race and I’m pleased to say that I think I’ve got everyone in the finish sheet.
Road Race League Event 3, Walkington, 26th May, 2011
| Pos | No. | Name | Club | Group | Time |
| 1 | 60 | David Shackleton | Wilsons Wheels RT | 5 | 1:15:08 |
| 2 | 69 | Nathan Wilson | Wilsons Wheels RT | 5 | @ 1 sec |
| 3 | 37 | Ben Ives | We love Mountains RT | 4 | s.t. |
| 4 | 16 | Chris Daddy | Star Bikes RT | 5 | s.t. |
| 5 | 22 | Matthew Fenton | Cottingham Couriers | 4 | s.t. |
| 6 | 61 | Stephen Swales | Active/CP Cycles RT | 4 | s.t. |
| 7 | 39 | Steve Johnson | 3 | s.t. | |
| 8 | 6 | David Brearley | Cottingham Coureurs | 4 | s.t. |
| 9 | 5 | Mel Blackford | Bridlington CC | 4 | s.t. |
| 10 | 70 | Jason Young | City Road Club | 4 | s.t. |
| 11 | 9 | Rob Busby | Richardsons RT Cube | 4 | s.t. |
| 12 | 23 | Peter Fielding Smith | Richardsons RT Cube | 4 | s.t. |
| 13 | 77 | Andy Denniss | Humberside Fire Service | 4 | s.t. |
| 14 | 59 | Paul Rymer | Velo Club Beverley | 2 | s.t. |
| 15 | 43 | Gerry Lumb | Active/CP Cycles RT | 2 | s.t. |
| 16 | 71 | Mark Robinson | Active/CP Cycles RT | 3 | s.t. |
| 17 | 13 | Martin Cockerill | Bridlington CC | 3 | s.t. |
| 18 | 20 | Paul Drop | Velo Club Beverley | 2 | @ 8 sec |
| 19 | 76 | Peter Cox | Leeds Mercury | 2 | s.t. |
| 20 | 49 | Richard Moore | Star Bikes RT | 5 | s.t. |
| 21 | 2 | David Atkin | Barton Wheelers | 2 | s.t. |
| 22 | 62 | Gary Trees | Wilsons Wheels | 3 | s.t. |
| 23 | 28 | Tony Goundry | Active/CP Cycles RT | 3 | s.t. |
| 24 | 74 | Nick Coupland | We love Mountains RT | 4 | s.t. |
| 25 | 10 | Andrew Carroll | Hull Thursday RC | 2 | s.t. |
| 26 | 17 | Neil Dean | Hull Thursday RC | 3 | @ 12 sec |
| 27 | 64 | Mark Walker | Hull Thursday RC | 3 | s.t. |
| 28 | 68 | Tim White | Hull Thursday RC | 2 | s.t. |
| 29 | 52 | Simon Pickering | We love Mountains RT | 2 | @ 14 sec |
| 30 | 36 | Chris Hutchinson | Bridlington CC | 2 | s.t. |
| 31 | 18 | Mark Dicconson | Star Bikes RT | 2 | s.t. |
| 32 | 31 | Glen Harrison | Hull Thursday RC | 2 | s.t. |
| 33 | 47 | Craig Medcalf | Richardsons RT Cube | 2 | s.t. |
| 34 | 25 | Dean Fulstow | Wilsons Wheels RT | 4 | s.t. |
| 35 | 42 | Graham Lonsdale | Bridlington CC | 2 | s.t. |
| 37 | 65 | Rob Stones | Hull Thursday RC | 2 | s.t. |
| 38 | 21 | Nicholas Fairfield | City Road Club | 2 | s.t. |
| 39 | 15 | Lee Coulson | Hull Thursday RC | 2 | s.t. |
| 40 | 45 | Steve Macklin | Star Bikes RT | 3 | @ 25 sec |
| 41 | 12 | Steve Coates | We love Mountains RT | 2 | s.t. |
| 42 | 57 | Sebastian Pickard | 1 | s.t. | |
| 43 | 30 | Richard Guymer | Hull Thursday RC | 1 | @ 9’32” |
| 44 | 48 | Nicola Moore | 1 | s.t. | |
| 45 | 72 | Phil Bixby | Clifton CC | 2 | s.t. |