NEW MILL cycle racer Gabriel Cullaigh has become the National Youth champion.
Staged around a 2km circuit in Gravesend the 16-lap race was in Cullaigh’s control from the beginning.
After sitting-in 10 riders back he launched a telling attack himself with eight laps to go.
He then settled in behind Talent Team colleague Ben Chapman for four laps and waited until the last bend to launch his final attack.
Cullaigh then powered his way up the finishing straight to take the win by two bike lengths from Charlie Tanfield (Velo 29) and Joe Evans (Velocity RT) – while Shepley rider Leon Gledhill (BBM Sportscover) got a commendable seventh place finish.
“I was pretty confident in my sprint if it came down to it, I’ve won a couple of National Series races from a sprint,” said Cullaigh.
“I knew I had to be second wheel coming out of that last bend and I saw someone come past me so I just committed and I knew with that tail wind no one was going to get by me.”
This weekend it’s back to the National Youth Circuit series for Cullaigh racing in Blackpool on Saturday and then Scarborough on Sunday.
Mark Thaxter smashed the Huddersfield Star Wheelers 10 mile time trial record in the Team Swift event.
Thaxter knocked nearly 30 seconds off his previous best, stopping the clock in 18 minutes 58 seconds, while Joel Wainman, riding for the promoting club, was fastest with 18.41.
Jake Womersley (Sportscover Altura RT) put on a strong showing in the latest round of the National Junior Road Race series.
The Hatherleigh Junior Road Race took place on a tough 70 mile course in the Dartmoor National Park in Devon.
The race was won by Harry Tanfield (Team Wallis CHH) from a breakaway, while Womersley was two minutes back with Sebastian Bayliss (Mid-Devon CC) with the bunch a further three minutes in arrears.
Womersley beat Bayliss in the sprint for eighth place, a highly creditable result for the Mirfield rider.
Nathan and Adam Fortune were in action at the Lichfield CC Youth Races at Curborough and the Kirklees Cycling Academy siblings were both second place in their respective events – Nathan in the Under 8 race and Adam in the Under 10 section.
Kirklees Cycling Academy are organising a Go-Ride Race tonight at Richard Dunn Sport Centre in Bradford.
It is the club’s fifth event of the summer targeted at novice riders aged 6-16.
Racing starts at 7pm, contact Ivan on 01484 302846 for more information.
Huddersfield Star Wheelers have assembled a strong field for their Evening Road Race on Tuesday on the Birdsedge course – racing starts at 7.30pm from the Victoria.
