Sutcliffe superb in stylish comeback!

Jun 18 2008 by Andrew Flynn, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AS comebacks go they don’t come much more impressive than that staged by Fixby’s Richard Sutcliffe – with two wins in three races over five days.

The 24-year-old Warwick University graduate – who at his peak raced at Elite level – has been concentrating on passing accountancy exams since he took a post-university year out to race in France.

He returned to racing action in last week’s Brighouse circuit races and, by his own admission “took a real kicking”, finishing 17th in the support race for third and fourth category riders.

Two nights later and he was a winner in a third and fourth category race promoted by Huddersfield Road Club on the Clifton-Hartshead circuit – and then repeated the feat on a cold and windswept course around Hade Edge in Saturday afternoon’s Holme Valley Wheelers’ Last of the Summer Wine road race.

Sutcliffe, who now lives in Headingley but whose family base is still in Huddersfield, was in a break of six who made a crucial move on the third of nine laps of a tough, hilly four-and-a-half mile circuit.

The six stayed away to the line and Sutcliffe won the sprint with John Doherty of the Brighouse-based VS Cycles second. Sutcliffe’s win was the highlight of a hectic day which had seen him working in Scunthorpe in the morning confirming a stock take at a major car importers.

Sutcliffe, who rides for the York Cycleworks team, is now planning to ride in the Otley circuit races on Thursday, June 26 – all as part of a build-up to his summer target, next month’s Marmot Sportive over 180k taking in the major Alpine passes in France and finishing on the summit of Alp d’Huez, the most famous mountain climb in the Tour de France.

Huddersfield Star Wheelers are still bidding to make a break through on the road race scene. Paul Smith, Mark Newby, Andy Pearson and Ivan Boyes all rode in the senior race for 3/4 cats at Brighouse. Boyes missed the split in the bunch after about six laps and despite the best efforts of the four strong group he got lapped by the breakaway group with six laps to go. Mark Newby also missed the split and got lapped with eight to go, while Andy Pearson ended up in the hay bales after taking the hairpin a bit too fast. Smith struggled with cramp from the off.

These four were joined by Mark Thaxter and Mark Dennis in the Road Club road race at Hartshead – all but Thaxter, who punctured, finished safely in the bunch in a very fast race which finished in a 40 strong sprint.

Cold and windy conditions made for tough going in Sunday’s Burton & District Cycling Association 100 mile time trial in Derby, won by Nick Bowdler (Farnborough & Camberely CC) in, 3 hours 37 minutes 52 seconds, with Mike Cole (Huddersfield Road Club) clocking 4-28-04.

Round IV of the successful Paul Milnes RT summer cross league is at Greetland All Rounders club tonight with races at 7pm and 7.30pm. The series finishes at Huddersfield New College on July 30.