Mahoney has to settle for second place in the series

The Shutt Ridley Race Team rider sat in fifth place in the overall series going into the final round.

Sixth place or better would secure Mahoney the series title of Spring King. In an effort to stop Mahoney, St Albans-based Verulam ReallyMoving Race Team sent a contingent of nine riders.

Shutt Ridley had Jered Allcock, Gareth Harvey, Harry Lock, Justin Belcher and Leon O’Rourke committed to bringing Mahoney the result he wanted.

VRM RT tried to send their contender Ryan Allen up the road. Allcock, Lock and Harvey sacrificed their own chances as they pegged back several moves from the Verulam racers.

The constant pace had a bearing moving into the final phase when a counter attack set off with three riders breaking clear. Due to the relentless work and with no Verulam rider in the break, the Shutt riders were happy to let it go.

The top three spots were sorted so Mahoney needed third in the sprint behind to take the title. O’Rourke and Belcher tried to put Mahoney into position but he dropped to eighth and second overall.

Will Raymond of VC Londres secured the title with 16 points.

Five Banbury Star CC riders entered the final round of the Milton Keynes Bowl March Crit Series.

The initial pace was very quick with Simon Bull, Blaine Carpenter and Mark Boyles active at the front before the pace settled down. Boyles punctured just four miles into the race and had to retire but Liam Fishwick and Barry Duplock maintained good positions in the bunch, while Carpenter and Bull stayed close to the front.

It was down to a bunch sprint on the last lap, Fishwick and Duplock just strayed off on the last lap but Bull finished just outside the points in 14th place and Carpenter was eighth.

Banbury Star’s Roger Foster and Oli Wright went to Severn Stoke near Malvern for the Open VC Sevale 10 mile TT.

The field comprised 55 riders and Foster started off with a superb 24.02 minutes, finishing in 21st position, while Wright timed 27.05.