Lichfield Riders in Chase for Cross Honours.

The Cyclo-cross season draws to a close this weekend with the final round of the West Midlands Cyclo Cross Championships. It’s a mark of the burgeoning talent in the Lichfield club that it has several riders in contention for honours as the seasons final race at Daventry on Sunday.

In the veterans category Steve Whitehouse lies in second place 97 points behind the leader but with 100 points available for first Steve, who’s really come into form of late, still has a chance of overhauling the leader. Considering it’s his first season though this still remains a fantastic achievement for the Burntwood rider when you consider he heads another 112 riders and there are often 80 or more riders in each race. Steve has also produced a number of great performances in the National series of events and no doubt we will be looking to even greater things from Steve next year.

It’s a very similar situation in the Junior category, for under 18 riders, where Stuart Clayton has battled hard all year. Stuart has really developed this year and come to prominence in this competition. Arguably not his best discipline everyone has high hopes that Stuart will get amongst the major honours this year.

Meanwhile at the youngest end of the age spectrum Lewis Askey and Lucy Nelson have been magnificent and both lead the under 10 categories for boys and girls. Lewis, despite his tender years (he’s actually only 8) has ridden like someone several years older and finished well ahead of more senior counterparts on several occasions. Lucy has also ridden brilliantly leaving her other competitors, including many of the boys, trailing in her wake to lead the girls competition. Unfortunately though both will be missing from the final round as they head the top riders in the second round of the National Schools competition which is being held at the Cardinal Griffin school this Sunday. Once again Lichfield will be looking to get several riders on the podium as well as looking to Nether Stowe and Scotch Orchard to figure in the team awards.