CYCLING: Great weekend for cyclo cross rider Phil Roach

Elite cycle racers, Team Jewson-MI Racing-Polypipe-McCann, were again in brilliant form over the weekend, notching up ten victories in Cyclo Cross events around the UK.

There was a double for Rugby member, former UCI World Masters Champion and current British and Midland Champion Phil Roach.

On Saturday he won the 55+ race at Milton Keynes as part of the Central League series, and on Sunday he repeated the victory at the Leicestershire series meeting in Leicester. His next big target will be the UCI World Masters Championships at Zilvermeer, near Mol in Belgium.

Also successful at Milton Keynes was Tim Stowe, who won the over 60 race with team mate Martin van Hackley (Dunchurch) in second place and MI Racing Academy rider Jude Chamberlain won the youths under 16 race. His father Roy also won the Veterans race.

On Sunday, Midland series leader Steve Knight suffered his second defeat, this time, by his team mate Mark James, who has now won his last three races. Both riders will be strong contenders for the Midland Championships in two weeks time.

James battled it out with Knight on the early laps, but rode away through a muddy section, and pulled clear all the way to the finish with ease. Knight finished second and has now won the Midland series once again.

The event, which was held at the Sports ground in Stourport on Severn, also gave Peter Busby a podium place, when he finished third in the over 55 Category.

The latest round in the Leicester series saw Team Jewson riders produce three victories and a close second.

Kirby Bennett won the over 60 race by a mile, beating all but two of the over 50 riders in the process, and Phil Roach easily won the over 55 race, completing a weekend double for Phil.

Lindsey Newman extended her lead in the Lady Veteran race series with a brilliant win, and MI Racing Academy rider Jude Chamberlain was unlucky not to make it a weekend double also when a crash put paid to his victory and he finished a very close second.

To cap off a brilliant weekend Rick Lister won the Veteran race at Woodhall Spa, and takes the overall victory in the Lincolnshire series for 2018.

In a few weeks time the team will have several riders riding in the UCI World Masters Championships in Belgium, and next weekend Kirby Bennett will be defending his lead in Round 4 of the National Trophy series at York.

The British Cyclo Cross season is in full flight and Team MI Racing are playing a big part!