11:01am Saturday 17th January 2009
By Gazette Sports
THE STAVELEY based TEAM WHEELBASE.co.uk are the 2009 British CycloCross champion after capturing the title in front of record crowds in Peek Park, Bradford on sunday.
WHEELBASE.co.uk riders were widely tipped to do well in the Elite Men's racing with all four members of the team in great form after competing in the six rounds of the National CycloCross Trophy series since November.
They were there to get No. 1 squad member Rob Jebb on the podium and retain their title as national team champions.
With the rest of the UK’s CycloCross elite turning up, including Paris-Roubaix third place finisher Brit pro rider Roger Hammond, it wasn’t going to be an easy task.
The now Staveley resident Jebb was born and raised in Bingley so he was riding in front of a home crowd and had previously won on the course in 2007 when it was included as a National CycloCross Trophy round.
It was full throttle racing from the gun on the fast course with the gale force winds making life harder for the riders.
The strong winds split the riders into groups for energy saving shelter but the race became very tactical as riders battled to stay in contention and not let the speeding groups slip away.
WHEELBASE.co.uk riders Craven and Jebb had blinding starts and hung in the leading group of professional riders until the unrelenting pace saw them drop to form a second pursuing group.
It was three laps to go when Jebb knew he had to jump to try and bridge the gap to the leaders. He shrugged off two strong title contenders and went it alone setting outstanding lap times but just missed the lead group before the flag, crossing the line in fifth.
He said: "The course is superb for CycloCross and I really enjoy coming back to Bradford. It was tough out there today. I was hoping for rain to soften up the ground but it didn’t come so it was a super fast pace right from the start. I was hoping for a top five place so I’m happy and it was great to clinch the team prize again."
WHEELBASE.co.uk rider and new father Lewis Craven had a superb ride ,finishing ninth.
Stuart Reid, WHEELBASE.co.uk, had a brilliant start from further back on the grid. He was running in 12th making the team trophy a near certainty until disaster struck with a mechanical problem forcing him to run half a lap before collecting a new bike in the pits.
It was left to a powerful and consistent Dave Haygarth to chase down the competition and clinch the Team title, beating the professional teams of Giant, Scott, Evans and Trek SIS.
Ulverston-based rider Sue Clarke has returned to professional CycloCross racing after a few seasons off.
She has had a brilliant season and currently stands in first place in the Women’s Elite National Trophy, riding for the Trek SIS team.
By her own admission, Clarke did not feel great at the start of the race but found the power to come home in third place securing a place on the podium.
Along with title sponsorship from the Staveley based cycle superstore WHEELBASE.co.uk, the team is also generously supported by Cannondale USA (bikes), Hargreaves Garages (vehicles), and the new Staveley based sports injury clinic The Body Rehab.
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