Harvey takes the win and Ward comes home fourth

With most of the Shutt Ridley Racing Team on a training camp in Calpe, Spain, sprinter Gareth Harvey headed to Abingdon.

The constant wind was enough to discourage breakaways so the race stayed together for the first 40 minutes. Any moves were covered by Harvey quickly and nothing was sticking.

Harvey kept at it though and with just five laps to go a break of four riders broke the elastic and rode away with Shutt Ridley Racing Team rider looking strong in the break.

The riders worked together well and came into the sprint with a gap. Harvey powered away from the other riders to take a comfortable win and a further ten points.

Banbury Star Cycling Club’s Jonathan Ward came fourth at Abingdon.

The club had 11 riders braving the conditions in a biting cold wind but a dry and safer circuit to race on.

The 4th category race started at a frantic pace with a break of five riders forming early on in which Ward and Blaine Carpenter quickly established themselves.

The wind played havoc with the bunch behind, with a couple of the Star riders getting dropped despite their efforts to stay in touch. The big loser was Michał Wisowski, who punctured halfway through.

Towards the end, the bunch failed to catch the break and Carpenter was dropped as he struggled with the junior gearing he’s required to run. Ward was still in the breakaway and finished a credible fourth.

Behind, the main bunch sprinted for the minor points with Rueben Trotter finishing fifth and Simon Bull just out of the points. 

Meanwhile, Banbury Star CC’s annual 23 mile Hardriders TT on Sunday has had to have the route changed at the 11th hour, due to road works and traffic lights at Ettington.

Regulations allow only one other option, a ten mile fast and relatively flat course along the B4100 from Warmington to Gaydon and back.

Despite the course being changed, the entry of 70 riders remains unchanged. 2017 winner Jack O’Neil (Team Jewson) is back to join 23 Star members for the race.