4:29pm Thursday 7th May 2009
By Dave Brown
There is no stopping Ian Wilkinson this year with another great ride in the Premier Calendar Series Charles Messenger Road Race in Buckinghamshire on Sunday.
The only one of 90 starters to beat the Halfords-Bikehut professional was last year’s Premier Series overall winner Russell Downing and that was by the tiny margin of one bike length after 99 miles of racing in a field containing the best of the British based talent.
Only last week, our local man was outright winner of the Rutland based Premier Calendar event and although he has changed sponsors this year from our local Science-in-Sport Nutrition company to Halfords he is still being powered by the Brockhall based firm’s energy products.
The odds are on Wilkinson competing in the sixth running of the Tour of Britain, whose route was confirmed this week with a Lancashire stage scheduled for Tuesday September 15. On Sunday, the Nelson Wheelers promoted their annual ‘25’ on the Keswick course with wind being the main obstacle for the 75 entrants.
Best of those from East Lancashire was Jason Bateman of the Pendle Forest whose time of 57 minutes 18 seconds augurs well for success in his John o’ Groats to Lands End ride later this month in aid of the Charity Children’s Hospices UK (more info on www.lifecycle-uk.net).
Paul Warrener of Rossendale clocked 57-49 with Rob Dickinson of Burnley also under-the- hour in 58-33, while Egerton’s Frank Kerry was faster than many a fraction his age in taking the Vet 70+ prize in 1hour-00-39.
Bateman was winner of his own Pendle Forest’s mid-week 10-mile time trial at Thornton-in-Craven clocking 22m 15s – just seven seconds faster than Duncan Park of the North Lancashire Road Club, who took an impressive fourth in the Bank Holiday Weekend four-stage Tour of the Abberleys Road Race in the Midlands.
Brian Hickey of Forest was third in the ‘10’ with 24-08 and Bronte Wheelers’ Kevin Hickie fourth in 24-53.
The North Lancashire Road Club begin their Wednesday evening 10-mile events next week with signing on at Edisford car park by 6.45pm with newcomers welcome.
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