Report and images by Andrew Kennedy.
Peter Williams (Node4-Giordana) adds his name to the prestigious Howard Amos Trophy as winner of the 2012 Yorkshire Area Championships, held on the Sheriff Hutton circuit in North Yorkshire.
Lancastrian Williams, living in Skipton and holding a British Cycling Yorkshire licence attacked his breakaway companions on the final ascent of Bulmer Bank and soloed to a fine win in front of the appreciative Yorkshire crowd.
On paper the elite race of 80 miles was always going to be sewn up by the full time professional riders, with the likes of Williams, Tom Barras, James Sampson, Richard Hepworth and Tom Murray on the start sheet the rest of the field could be forgiven for thinking they were racing for the minor placings. But Williams and his training mates would not get it all their own way, with 2nd category riders David Shackleton (Wilsons Wheels) and Ben Kellett (VS Cycles) proving that good quality local riders can take on the pros.
The vicious one in five climb of Bulmer Bank sorted out all the contenders and on the first lap an escape group formed over the top of the climb. By the second lap that group had swollen to 12 riders which included, Kit Gilham, Tom Stewart, Jamie Burgan, Jamie Shirlaw, Ashley Brown, Peter Williams, Tom Murray, Richard Hepworth, Jack Cutsforth, David Shackleton, Dan Storey and Ben Kellett.
James Sampson (Node4 Giordana) was a notable absentee from the lead group and along with Nick Armitstead and Robert Watson Sampson was leading the chase from the main field.
The leading group was looking strong and the three Herbalife-Leisure Lakes riders Gilham, Cutsforth and Shirlaw were attempting to control things. With two laps to go it was Jamie Shirlaw leading over the climbs, and at the bell Shirlaw again put in an attack to try and distance himself. Peter Williams reacted and caught Shirlaw on the lower part of Bulmer Bank, immediately attacking and gapping him over the top. Shirlaw returned to the safety of the group but had missed his opportunity of a medal. Williams had gone and continued to solo his way to the finish claiming his gold medal by over a minute. Tom Murray led home the remnants of the leading group to collect silver with David Shackleton hot on his heels to get third.
In the junior race Joe Moses (Sportscover Altura RT) rode solo for three laps to win by over two minutes. Moses rode off the front from the gun and was soon joined by Connor Swift (Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo) and Peter Barusevicus (VC Bradford/Pennine Cycles/Stella Azzurra) This trio stayed together for one lap but the pace was too hot for Barusevicus. Connor Swift held onto Moses for another lap but the strong Sportscover Altura rider from Keighley powered away on a solo journey to claim victory. Swift faded on the last lap to be swallowed up by the main bunch. Alex Orrell-Turner (VS Cycles) and Nicholas Barnes (www.zepnat.com RT/Kuota/GSG) claimed second and third places.
The masters race was not quite so eventful. The bunch left it to the last climb to decide the honours with Richard Binks (Clay Cross Road Team) sprinting for the win, with Richard Moore (Squadra RT) second and Paul Musgrave (Clifton CC York) in third.
The women’s race saw Iona Sewell (GB Cycles) ride to victory by over a minute from Charlotte Walton (VS Cycles), Heather Tuffs from nearby (Clifton CC) came home in third place.
British Cycling spoke to the elite race winner and runner up at Sheriff Hutton, Peter Williams: “I enjoyed that, it’s good to get this win after the disappointment I’ve had in the last few weeks in the Premier Calendar races. I had to keep an eye on Jamie Shirlaw because he was looking strong on the climbs and coming through the finish at the bell he had a little dig.
“I was a bit worried about him because he’s quite quick in a finish. Just before Bulmer Bank there’s a short climb and Shirlaw went again there. I didn’t want to give him any room and went across to him. On Bulmer Bank I just hit it and dropped him, I had a gap so committed over the top. I felt good and was confident I could hold them off to the finish. But the best thing about today is for me a Lancashire lad to beat my Yorkshire mate Tom Murray in the Yorkshire Champs.”
Silver medal winner Tom Murray: “I’m disappointed with that, but I’m glad one of my best mates Pete Williams won it, we had the Herbalife guys working against us in that break, they had the numbers and were chasing everything down, I can’t blame them for that, but I’m glad they didn’t get the win or any of the medals. You know some of these local guys are very strong and everyone was working hard in that early break, we had to make sure they didn’t steal a win from us, so if anyone other than me had to win I’m happy it was Pete.”
Results
E123 Senior Race for the The Howard Amos Trophy
- Peter Williams Node4 – Giordana Racing Elite – 80 miles in 3:12.07
- Tom Murray Team IG – Sigma Sport Elite @ 1:16
- David Shackleton Wilsons Wheels Race Team 2nd
- Tom Stewart RST RT 1st
- Jamie Shirlaw Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com 1st
- Kit Gilham Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com Elite
- Richard Hepworth Cycle Premier – Kovert Elite @ 1:57
- Jamie Burgan Langsett Cycles RT 1st
- Ashley Brown Sportscover Altura RT 2nd @ 2:06
- Jack Cutsforth Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes.com 1st @ 2:51
- Dan Storey RST RT 1st
- James Sampson Node4 – Giordana Racing 1st @4:44
- Steven Guymer Active/CPCycles RT 2nd @ 6:31
- Matt Armitage VS Cycles 3rd @ 6:46
- Alex Mitchell We Love Mountains Racing Team 2nd @ 7:51
- Matthew Williams Team Hope Factory Racing 1st
- Daniel Keena Squadra RT 3rd
- Nicholas Latimer Rutland CC 3rd
- Nick Rylance Wakefield CC 2nd
- Mark Perry Dirtwheels Cycles 2nd
- James Baillie Langsett Cycles RT 2nd
- Danny Lowthorpe Langsett Cycles RT 2nd
- Duncan Moralee Sportscover Altura RT 1st
- John Tanner Sportscover Altura RT 1st
- Jack Clarkson Team Hope Factory Racing 3rd
- Robert Watson Paul Milnes/Bradford Olympic RC 1st
Juniors
- Joseph Moses Sportscover Altura RT 2nd 55 miles in 2:31.56
- Alex Orrell-Turner V S Cycles, Brighouse 3rd @ 2:06
- Nicholas Barnes www.zepnat.com RT/Kuota/GSG 2nd
- Ashley Proctor Sportscover Altura RT 2nd
- Peter Barusevicus VC Bradford/Pennine Cycles/Stella Azzurra 2nd
- Alastair Hepworth Batley Cycling Club 2nd
- Jake Womersley Sportscover Altura RT 2nd
- William Staveley Ferryhill Wheelers CC 3rd
- Connor Swift Bike Box Alan/Whiston Velo 3rd
- Jacob Trotter Hull Thursday RC 3rd
Masters
- Richard Binks Clay Cross Road Team 2nd 55 miles in 2:34:02
- Richard Moore Squadra RT 2nd
- Paul Musgrave Clifton CC York 3rd
- Tristan Emptage Crosstrax 3rd
- Stephen Bottomley Crosstrax 3rd
- Paul Bell Peak Road Club 2nd
- Paul Dixon V S Cycles, Brighouse 3rd
- Sean Smith Halifax Imperial Wheelers CC 3rd
- Stephen Gibson Peak Road Club 2nd
- Antony Goundry Active/CPCycles RT 4th
- Barry Mordue Crosstrax 3rd
- Richard Douthwaite Clifton CC 4th
- Andrew Whitehead Stocksbridge CC 3rd
- Andrew Richardson V S Cycles, Brighouse
- John Askew Active/CPCycles RT 3rd
- James Cullen Otley CC 3rd
- Tim Howcroft Otley CC 4th
- Mark Jacobi Peak Road Club 3rd
- Darren Bendelow Clifton CC 3rd
- Tony Grassby Peak Road Club 3rd
- Alan Dawson Rutland CC 4th
- John Wright Wakefield CC 3rd
- Karl Downes Active/CPCycles RT 2nd
- Martin Pitchford Scunthorpe Polytechnic CC 3rd
- Mark Fidler Sheffrec CC 3rd
- Neil Hendry Dirtwheels Cycles 3rd
- Mark Sadler Huddersfield Star Whlrs
- Craig Maude Rock Racing Team UK 3rd
- Michael Page Royal Air Force CC 3rd
Women
- Iona Sewell GB Cycles.co.uk 2nd 33 miles in 1:34.21
- Charlotte Walton V S Cycles, Brighouse 4th @ 1:07
- Heather Tuffs Clifton CC 4th @ 5:54
Full set of images here by Andrew Kennedy. Please click on the image to display set:
Howard Amos Trophy Winners
West Yorkshire Division
Year Name Club / Team
1971 Keith Lambert Bradford Elite
1972 Pete Watson Clifton CC
1973 Pete Watson Clifton CC
1974 Arthur Metcalfe Hartlepool CC
1975 Dudley Hayton East Bradford CC
1976 Chris Boyd Leeds RRC
1977 Mick Day Pennine CC
1978 Des Fretwell Keighley RC
1979 Pete Watson Clifton CC
1980 Bernard McGowan Leeds St Christopher
1981 Danny Horton Halifax RC
1982 Phil Bateman Leeds St Christopher
1983 Jonny Clay Leeds RRC
1984 John Kennedy Bradford Wheelers
1985 Dave Mann Bradford Wheelers
1986 Steve Rigby Leeds RRC
1987 Dave Rayner Bradford Wheelers
1988 Phil Sheard Bradford Wheelers
1989 Paul Barrett Bradford Wheelers
1990 Richard Binks Huddersfield RC
1991 Ged Millward Keighley Velo
1992 Rob Harris Clifton CC
1993 Phil Ambler Featherstone RC
1994 Pete Coggins GS Orion
1995 Darren Bendelow Morley CC
1996 Duncan Moralee Featherstone RC
1997 Rob Reynolds-Jones FS Maestro
1998 Ian Holmes VC York
1999 Race cancelled due to foot and mouth disease
2000 Chris Young Team Marie Curie
Yorkshire Region
2001 Glyn Shirley Fausto Coppi
2002 Wayne Randle Wakefield CC
2003 John Charlesworth South Yorkshire Police RT
2004 Martin Ford Racescene CC
2005 Mark Wordsworth J E James RT
2006 Kevin Dawson Agisko Viner Cycling TV
2007 Dean Downing Rapha Condor
2008 Dean Downing Rapha Condor Re-Cycling
2009 Tom Barras Plowman Craven
2010 Tom Murray Sigma Sport
2011 Kit Gilham Sigma Sport
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