Raphael opens up in a classical fashion
Elite rider Raphael Deinhart showed his class to win the opening round of the Northants CRA handicap road race series in a 20-man sprint at Middleton.
The Loughborough-based German, who started in an eight-strong scratch group giving 12 minutes to the front of the race, had a length to spare over Paul Bennett (Melton Olympic CC) with third place going to last year's overall winner of the spring series, Brett Harwood
(I-Ride.co.uk).
A full field of 60 riders lined up in sunny conditions for the 30-mile race, over three laps of the Valley circuit, and the last of the longmarkers to survive – Welland Valley CC's John Taylor and Ray Taylor, Stuart Walters (Kettering CC) and Alison Lilley (King's Cliffe Flyers) – were only caught on the run between Medbourne and Ashley
on the last lap after a brave attempt to avoid capture.
John Taylor managed to stay with the new leading group, which included Deinhart, Harwood, Matt Barrett (Raleigh Avanti) and David Palmer (Cyclingbargains) from the scratch group, but Bennett, who started in the three-minute group, was dropped going into Ashley and only regained contact approaching the final corner before working his way through to the front.
Saturday's second round, also over 30 miles, is based at Old Village Hall (2pm).
Leading positions and locals: 1 Raphael Deinhart (Cyclepremier-Metaltek RT), 2 Paul Bennett (Melton Olympic CC), 3 Brett Harwood (
I-Ride.co.uk), 4 Duncan Thorp (Team MK), 5 Mark Botteley (Bourne Wh), 6 Phil Rayner (Welland Valley CC); 8 Tom Sexton (WVCC), eq 9 David Palmer (Cyclingbargains.com RT), Paul Brown (Numplumz), John Taylor, Vic Barnett (both WVCC), Hugh Boyle (Rockingham Forest Wh), Andy Fairley (Kettering CC) all same time as winner; 21 Ray Taylor (WVCC) at 1.20, 23 Stuart Walters (KCC), 24 Gregg Payne (RFW), 25 Nick Horder (WVCC) all st; 28 Lawrence Cox (WVCC) at 1.57, 30 Scott McCann, 32 Michael Salter (both RFW), 33 Alex Fry, 34 Mitchell James (both WVCC) all st; 36 Bradley Burbridge (C'bargains) at 2.16; 40 Phil Garlick (45 Road Club) at 3.36, 42 Paul Rothe (WVCC), 44 Stuart Sargeant (Team MK), 46 Ian Dick (RFW), 47 Jamie Scott (Sub7Bikes.co.uk RT) all st; 48 Nick Clarke at 4.26; 49 Martyn Brown (both WVCC) at 5.46; 50 Robert Woodford (RFW) at 6.56; 52 Maks Tarczynski (API Metrow) at 9.32; 54 Roy Crombie (RFW) at 9.53; 55 Stuart Dawkins at 14.03; 56 Andrew Ayears (both WVCC) at 17.43.
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Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
