85 Kilometres of the Newbald circuit

This really was a superb race, one of the best I’ve seen around here. Six times up Newbald hill and it was bound to be; provided the competitors decided to make a race of it – and that’s exactly what they did. A good day, a good field and a well organised event, what more could you want? A few more spectators perhaps.

The course circuit is a fraction under nine miles with a good climb out of Newbald village, a narrow descent around the back road which is, unfortunately, always strewn with gravel. Inevitably there would be punctures but there were more than expected, perhaps due to a wrong, or misguided, choice of tyres. Starting where the hill levels a bit and with a slight breeze behind there was no hanging about and Chris Daddy started the ball rolling breaking away on the hill on his own, completing the first lap in 21.27, – 49 seconds before Ewan Sewell and Andrew Donaldson, and 33 seconds up on the peleton. I don’t need to describe how the bunch was spread all down the hill, some biding their efforts and others struggling to stay the pace. First puncture victim was Craig Medcalf, not very far from the start.

A regroupment around the back road on lap two brought about another assault on the hill by Tom Atkinson taking Steve Gibson and Peter Fielding-Smith with him. Jack Cutsforth, on his own, was 20 seconds down, some 15 seconds in front of the bunch, and he was seeing the potential for a decent break.

The pace was still high, this lap in 21’50”, and more riders were spread out at the back of the peloton.

By lap three, done in 21’42”, a break of five riders had consolidated. Gibson had gone but Tom Atkinson and Peter Fielding-Smith were joined by Jack Cutsforth, Stephen Henson and Lee Allen, and they meant business. Marc Mallender and Andrew Donaldson were chasing at 44 secs. with the bunch, still reducing, at 1’18”.

Lap four, the fastest lap, just, done in 21’36”, suggests the five were sharing the workload well with Mallender and Donaldson, still together but now 50 seconds down, and the bunch were at 1’26”. The five were still together at the end of the penultimate lap and now looking clear favourites for the prizes with a gap of 1’24” over the next three chasers; Karl Downes had joined Mallender and Donaldson. More riders were making attempts to get up there, Craig Gath and Ewen Sewell were at 1’50” with Chris Daddy and Tony Grassby on their heels; Gareth Owen was at 2’05”, Rob Powell @ 2’10” and the peleton, what was left of it, at 2’17”. This lap was done in 21’41” with no obvious let-up in the pace.

Three riders fought out the sprint at the finish (lap time = 21’54”) where Jack Cutsforth was cheered on to victory with Stephen Henson and Lee Allen close behind. Pete Fielding-Smith trailed in the last few yards but poor Tom Atkinson lost at least six places on that last climb. He fought so hard to get a top ten place but I’m certain it won’t be long in coming. This was a good, hard competition in which everyone benefited – a real race of attrition. And if you want to salute fitness and tenacity then you should look no further than at the performance by Andy Donaldson.  You may remember him winning the supporting criterium in Beverley last year. If you were to take the average age of the rest of the field in the race and then double it, then you’d have some idea how many years he’s seen. What you might call a dedicated road-man.

As I said at the beginning, this was a superb race. Thanks to Nathan and Lesley for organising it, thanks also to the marshals, and a big thanks to the riders for making it a pleasure to watch.