Mullier Wins and Retains Veterans' Title!

03/09/2011

Round 18 of the Fulford Cycles Time Trial League was the final event in the series and was the four mile climb on the private road from Lofthouse to Scarhouse Dam. This climb is tackled by some riders on their lighter road bikes and some on their heavier but aerodynamic TT bikes. The first half rises gently and arguably suits the TT bikes, the second half rises more steeply as the valley heads west into the inevitable head wind and as speed drops the lighter machine has the advantage. The early Saturday start and distance from Harrogate and York reduced the field to 15 riders. Challengers for the win were hill specialist and Darley Head winner Paul Caswell, all round TT man Duncan Mullier, looking to regain the veterans' title in style, record breaking School Boy Edwyn Oliver-Evans and course record holder Greg Ketteringham, making a rare appearance. Mullier went early using brute force to grind his TT bike into the wind and up the steep final pitch to cross the line in 12:11, just over a minute off the course record and 40 second down on his PB, set on a less windy day, was it enough? It wasn't until Oliver-Evans crossed the line, swapping the road bike he set the school-boy record on in even higher winds last year for a TT bike, in 12:52, a new school-boy record, that Mullier's time began to look special. Paul Caswell, the biggest threat, was to cross the line next and after pipping Mullier by a single second to win mid-week he repeated the feat but on Oliver-Evans with a time of 12:51. Mullier's imperious 40 second victory was sealed when Greg Ketteringham, suffering from lack of competition crossed the line in 13:38. The victory gave 41 year old Mullier his second successive veteran title in style and capped an amazing season. Arguably the ride of the day went to Rob Senior who smashed his PB to split the big four with 13:07 in fourth place. In sixth and seventh came a brace of ex-multiple veterans’ champions, Simon Hudson recording 13:56 in 6th and super-veteran champion Tony Kent in seventh with 14:05. Tim Jarvis came home in eighth in 14:14, ahead of Gordon Simpson (15:09) and Ian Caswell (15:21). In the ladies event Alison Sarmiento took maximum points in 16:54.

The 2011 season had eighty-three competitors and saw all the 2010 champions retain their titles. For Ian Fairweather of Yorkshire Road Club his nine wins and one failure to finish with a puncture gave him the perfect score in this best of nine series, scoring three course records in the process. Although his title was never remotely in doubt he may have been looking over his shoulder, as injury took its tole, at the charging Duncan Mullier of Harrogate Nova. Mullier's hopes of retaining his Veterans' title looked slim with the arrival of the highly experienced and super consistent Nigel Goscinski of Yorkshire Velo and in the first half of the season Mullier looked more consistent than last year but clearly off the pace of Goscinski, suffering defeats in all of their meetings except the Hilly 19. After the mid-season break however Mullier emerged a different rider and went on to beat Goscinski in five out of six of their meetings, the last four in a row. Mullier's best nine of five wins and four seconds along with one course record and a further five veteran course records and silverware of the Triangle Trophy, Hilly 19 Trophy and Veterans' Title show how far this rider has come in five seasons in the sport. Third place Nigel Goscinski of Yorkshire Velo looked the class act and testament to the raging competition with Mullier is that Goscinski's four veteran course records this season now leaves only four of the eighteen records that are not in his hands or Mullier's. In fourth place, with a late surge, was Nova's Paul Caswell, returning to time-trialling after several year’s absence. Pre-season he won the Scotton 100 cyclocross race and added a win in the Darley Head Hill climb. In fifth place was Nova’s Simon Ketteringham,dropping from third last year, it has been a case of other riders getting faster rather than Ketteringham getting slower, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that he competed in the 110 mile Fred Whitton Sportive in the Lakes, came in the top twenty at the three day 100+ mile a day Tour of Wessex and produced a stunning result to finish second in the 110 mile, 750 rider, Etape Du Dales. Sixth and seventh was a case of the broken collar bones. Nova’s Dave Morris came from mid table respectability last season to be a top challenger and could well have finished higher had not his season ended after event thirteen. Nova’s Tony Kent broke his collarbone early on but returned to take the super-veteran title. Nova stalwart Chris Mawer, in eighth, was one of three riders to compete in all eighteen events and had to commute 350 miles to one event to maintain that record. In ninth was another much improved rider, Nova’s Rob Senior spent the season rewriting his personal bests. In tenth was Nova school-boy Edwyn Oliver-Evans, who broke an amazing nine school-boy records. Next season he moves into the junior category where he will no doubt wipe out those existing records too! The ladies’ title was retained by Nova’s Joanne Ketteringham who won a straight nine but then went on to complete a further six events, suffering just one reversal to Corinne Mitchel right at the end. Special mention must also go to those riders who contested all events. Duncan Mullier was the only rider to finish all 18 events with Chris Mawer and Dave Barker also competing in all eighteen but puncturing in one each Chris Mawer and Dave Barker also competed in all events last year! All the riders would like to thank Vaughan and Margaret Caswell who organised and timed every event.

Ladies' Competition
Pos Rider Points
1 Joanne Ketteringham 270
2 Corinne Mitchell 262
3 Alison Sarmiento 256
4 Caroline Mullier 166

Mens' Competition
Pos Rider Points
1 Ian Fairweather 450
2 Duncan Mullier 438
3 Nigel Goscinski 425
4 Paul Caswell 409
5 Simon Ketteringham 404
6 Dave Morris 402
7 Tony Kent 378
8 Chris Mawer 374
9 Rob Senior 373
10 Edwyn Oliver-Evans 365

Several riders from across the district competed in the Yorkshire Cycling Federation 30mile event on Saturday. The prevailing storm conditions meant that conditions were ever changing with the early starters suffering blustery wind and increasingly heavy rain. The late starters enjoyed virtually still conditions but near torrential rain. Steve Smales, starting number thirty recorded a time of 1:05:09 to finish seventh. Next local competitor due to start was Yorkshire Road Club's Ian Fairweather, who sent his apologies and stayed dry. Ian Peacock of Harrogate Nova recorded a good 1:12:48. Mike Hutchins, also of Harrogate Nova completed the course in 1hr 14min 55sec in the terrible conditions, after also competing in the Scarhouse event in the morning! 

 

Photos for Darley Head and Scarhouse on the photos link.

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