teamwallis-CHH Cycling Team

Tanfield, the sixteen year-old who earlier in the year rode for the GB Junior team in the notoriously tough Junior Paris Roubaix, again displayed a nerve and talent as precocious as a particularly presumptuous greedy young thoroughbred to finish second in the final round of the cup but with a large enough points cushion to take the highly polished silver cup and the jersey.

Standing under the impressively fair commissaries’ pistols of Mr Dave Morton, ably assisted by Mr Ben Dobson, Mr Kevin Kilcullen and Mr Duncan Woods, the pack of sweaty cycling predators could perhaps be forgiven for lolling along under the bizarre heat of the Indian summer sun. Hitting temperatures of 30C, the summer of Middlesbrough was long overdue, and arguably, a lazy tootle to the beach of Seaton Carew could have been a marginally more pleasant proposition to haring round a 1km circuit fifty times like loopy lycra-clad gerbils on a sun-soaked wheel. But there was no tootling to be had. The guns were fired, and within seconds, the hearty smiling souls stood slothing along the top tubes, were again transformed into the torturous line of unquestionable anguish.

Whilst spectators were questioning the riders’ sanity, other question marks were hanging in the air… would points jersey leader Will Brown (Fietsen Tempo) regain some form and panache and see him take off on another points winning spree? Would Tanfield be able to match the craftiness of the returning Richard Meadows (Velo 29)? Would all the Super Sweepstake tickets be sold?

Brown, never one to make a pretty picture whilst racing his bike, ineffectively wrestled his bike along in the line of misery for half the race, until the attacks became too frequent, whence he wrestled his bike right out the back of the line to be reduced to tootling round with the newly promoted 2nd category rider Paul Anderson (Phian Carbon). Brown’s spectacular loss of form over the past two rounds was in stark contrast to the speed, reasonable style and courage shown in the first two weeks, but such was his early commanding performance in the points competition, he still managed to bag the win finishing with a two point lead over Simon Baxter (Herbalife).

Tanfield, resplendent in his yellow tunic under the glorious Middlesbrough sun, was keeping a beady-eye on the ensuing battle. An early long lasting solo attack by National TLI M1 Criterium Champion Dan Smith (Velo 29) was brought to heel and the expected attack from his team mate Meadows was swiftly countered by the attentive Tanfield. The two star riders opened up a half minute advantage, but the line of pedalling pain refused them any further quarter and with five laps remaining, the gap was cut in two, the strong testing bones of Baxter forcing the speeding line closer to their perilous prey.

But the small bag of seconds was to be enough for the daring duo, and the expected outcome was a win for the fast legs of Tanfield. Rounding the final bend into the home straight, no one for sure knows what happened, but Meadows led from the length of the straight with Tanfield carefully perched to attack. The attack never came, and Meadows took an easy victory. Whether Tanfield was resting his fast legs for the morrow’s National Junior Madison Champs, or whether Meadows’ girlfriend Miss Amy Benson had her pretty little eyes menacingly fixed on the impressive victory flowers ‘by Edwina of Marton Road’, could this be the first race to be sold at Prissick? The day certainly had a continental flavour to the event, with sponsors, podiums, spectators, flowers, image girls, prizes, refreshment tents and oodles of sun, that whatever the sleazy reasoning, it fitted in just nicely. So on the podium, it was Meadows taking the Flowers by Edwina and Mulebar Energy Pack from Tanfield with speedy Jack Rees (Velo 29) taking the last step and earning a kiss from the image girls.

Tanfield was again in front of the crowd for his cup celebration, reversing the role with Meadows on second spot, with the absent but consistent Tom Barras (Cycle Premier) taking third.