Vic Sutton died taking part in a local race in July ’99 and this is the ninth race to commemorate his achievements – he would have loved this course. Organiser Mike Gomersall moved deeper into the Yorkshire Wolds for this year’s event to a course which, though hillier, favoured the power boys. Although there were 75 entries altogether, only 11 would have started in the CD group so Mike decided to have three groups in just two races and, even if the ABs were a lap short the result would not have been much different.

Fringing two picturesque Wolds villages, Middleton and North Dalton, both the prime hill and the finish hill came out of a sharp corner and the long descent on narrow country roads at the height of farming activity took its toll as four riders punctured on their first lap.  In the ‘youngsters’ race Mel Blackford was first to complete the lap trying for a break but that came to nothing, the bunch were close behind and there were a few stragglers, some of them puncture victims.