Seven days after winning the National Championship, Jody Crawforth proved once again he is the man to beat win a convincing victory in the final round of the National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series in Derby.
Arctic Premier RT rider Crawforth won by almost a minute at a muddy Markeaton Park, where previous series leader Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) could only manage fourth.
That meant the two were tied on 268 points, but his victory in the last round gave Crawforth the verdict in what has been a hotly-contested and entertaining six-race series.
?It was so muddy that all I could do was ride as hard as I could, there wasn?t really any room for tactics,? said the Surrey-based rider afterwards.
He certainly practices what he preached. Crawforth flew out of the blocks and was never caught, establishing a healthy lead over the field while never totally shaking off dogged Belgium visitor Ben Berden, who crossed the line second, 44 seconds off the pace.
If Oldham had finished third he would have clung on to the overall by the narrowest of margins, but Bishop Auckland-based Stuart Wearmouth (Picarsso Pulman) finished 17 seconds ahead of him in third spot to leave Oldham tied with Crawforth and destined to lose the yellow jersey of series leader.
?It?s great to win the series as well as the championship,? added Crawforth. ?I just hope I can keep the form going for the Worlds in two weeks.?
Crawforth rides the senior race alongside Oldham and Ian Field, and is looking forward to the event at Hoogerheide in Holland.
?It should be a good race. I?ve heard it can be muddy sometimes, but also that it can be fast, so we?ll just have to see what the forecast says. I like it when it?s a bit slippery, but also when it?s fast as well.?
National Trophy Series (Round six, Derby).-
1 Jody Crawforth (Arctic Premier RT) 59-05
2 B. Berden (Belgium) at 44sec
3 S. Wearmouth (Picarsso Pulman) at 1-45
4 P. Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) at 2-02
5 I. Field (Hargroves Cycles) at 3-03
6 R. Jebb (Wheelbase) at 3-16
7 S. Bowers (Hargroves Cycles) at 3-53
8 S. Thwaites (Crosstrax) at 5-47
9 L. Williams (Abergavenny RC) at 6-38
10 M. Thwaites (Asfra Flanders) at 6-46
Under-23s.- Scott Thwaites. Juniors.- Tom Moses (SSC Cyclesport). Women.- Suzanne Clarke (Science in Sport.com). Over-40s.- Noel Clough (Fietsen Tempo). Over-50s.- Roy Hunt (Torq Colnago). Youth.- Sam Lowe (Go Sports Spex).
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