West Suffolk Wheelers at Bungay

The West Suffolk Wheelers were well represented at the Criterium Town Centre Cycle Races at Bungay on the May Day Bank Holiday.
 
Star of the show was Ousden's newly crowned British Junior Track Champion Bruce Edgar. After competing in the 65 mile Tour of the Peaks road race the previous day he was anything but fresh, but nevertheless never looked in trouble in the Junior Event (17/18 years) and won for the second year running, and winning the regional Junior Championship in so doing. David Young rode strongly after a slow start, holding on to the bunch, before finally succumbing and finishing 20th.
 
Ryan Smith rode with great determination in the Under 16 event, but was just squeezed into second by arch rival Kristian Downs. In the Under 12 race Matthew Cook from Barnham rode well in fourth place with Ryan Grimwood sixth and Hannah Hooton third in the Girls race. Young Ben Sturman (8) did well to finish fourth in the Under 10's with little brother Sam (6) riding bravely for the full duration and to loud applause.
 
At the other end of the age spectrum Barry Denny was second in the Over 47 section of a hectic Veterans race, in which Stephen Hill from Norton made his Criterium debut, finishing 10th in the same section. 
 
Riders in the Category 3 and 4 senior race were joined by Bruce Edgar and Ryan Smith, finishing creditably in fifth and tenth positions, whilst Adrian Grimwood worked desperately hard all race in a chasing group and deserved better than his 22nd placing.
 
The big event of the day for Elite, First and Second category riders was very exciting, eventually coming down to a six-man scrap, with circuit favourite Gary Baker surprisingly being edged into second spot by in-form Simon Gaywood from Luton.
 
Criterium Town Centre racing comes to Ixworth on June 29th with a similar programme of races for all abilities including novices.