2014-2015 BikeArt Winter Series. Round 4 Photo Report - UPDATED, More photos

With a slight frost and sunny conditions the riders had a firm to good track to race on. The course had the usual mixture of tight, single lane forest tracks and wide fire roads giving ample room for overtaking. There were no craters to catch out the faint of heart, just a mix of twisty and straight, with the odd gradient and the prospect of stronger winds and rain, arriving later during the racing and prize giving.

Some of the categories had already been won by riders with maximum points from their previous three rounds. There was however still enough to entertain the spectators and push the riders, with podium positions still to be decided in most classifications.

In the 4-Hour Solo Male (16-39), favourite to take the top spot was Andrew Cockburn. He'd already stashed two firsts in rounds 1 & 2, but a no-show for round 3 still left it open. With the high standard of competition in this category, nothing could be taken for granted. All Andrew needed was a top three or thereabouts finish to secure the title, having previously won it a couple of years ago. Fate however intervened, tube problems in lap 4 slowed his progress, eventually causing his  retirement from the race.

4-Hour Solo Male (16-39). No:711 Andrew Cockburn well placed in the lead pack, prior to tube trouble. 

The 4hr Solo Male Vet top podium spot, was one of those already claimed. Paul Ashby took it in round 3 with maximum points. As he has done so for the last ten years, never having lost so much as a round. Paul was riding again today and yes you guessed it he came in first.

After three rounds, the second and third 4hr Solo Male Vet series positions were still up for grabs, with No. 828 Mark Wingar (GRT) sitting in second place going into round 4. 

Tim Plimmer, Number. 850 (Lutterworthbike cycles rt) however had other plans for the number two spot. With a lap matching duel with fellow 4hr Vet rider No.816 Jason Nunn, Tim finally edged ahead of Jason in lap 6, to take the last three laps and gained enough points to ease Mark down to the number 3 spot for the series.

Over in the 2-Hour Solo Female 18-39 category Laura Sampson No.658 (Gipping Race Team/Sussed Out Suspension) had also claimed the series with her three outright wins from the first three rounds, giving her maximum points before going into round 4. Laura did not disappoint her supporters and notched up a further win to cement her hold over this category.

The 2hr Male ranking's were led by No.394 Benjamin Houghton, who had accumulated a previous two wins and a second place. 

Looking at the series points before the last round, rider No.364 Glenn Stanford (Team CCN) had enough points to upset the applecart and possibly take second or third podium spot for the series. For that to happen Sean Rayment No. 386 had to record 120 or less and Glenn had to come in the top three. In the event all theories flew out the window, as the first and second places were taken impressively by No.495 Richard Jones (Numplumz/ Pitsford Cycles) & 2nd No.478 Stephen James (Renvale RT - Cannondalespares.com) with Sean Rayment finishing 3rd, securing his Series 2nd on the podium. Glenn Stanford finished 10th. 

Series winner Benjamin Houghton was 5 seconds behind Sean Rayment in 4th place.

A fastest lap time for the event was recorded by Richard Jones No.495 (Numplumz/ Pitsford Cycles) who went on to take line honours in the 2hr Male race.

Rider No.478, Stephen James (Renvale RT - Cannondalespares.com) took 2nd place in the round 4, 2hr Male event. 

There was the chance of a change to top of the series points over in 2hr Male Vets. Rider No.167 Derek Wilson (MHR) who had missed round 1, had been raking in max points with two wins in rounds 2 & 3. 

Determined to hold on to his Series lead, No. 8 Darren Evans (Team CCN / KTM / Nuflex / Chain Reaction / Streetlife) fought hard to hold Derek off but succumbed to the pressure in lap 4 & 5 giving Derek three straight wins to take the Series.

No.167 Derek Wilson (MHR), who started to pull away from Darren in lap 3, taking the lead in the race category & the Series.

2hr Junior Female race winner, No. 640 Sophie Wright (CCN) also won the series and was joined on the podium by twins, 641 Ria Mobbs & 642 Jade Mobbs both from Welland Valley Cycling Club.

No.602 Ross Marriott (Naked Bikes Hai-Bikes Imp Sport). Out on his own on the climb to the one mile marker. Ross finished 2nd in the 2hr Junior Male round 4 race.

2hr Junior Male rider, No. 621 Owyn Wallace (ARROW CYCLES), leading a group through the tight forest track around the one mile marker.

Rnd 4 2nd placed Fun Female rider No.994 Rea Cox (Arrow Cycles). Having won Rnd 2 and a second place in Rnd 3 she moved from 6th to 2nd in the Series.

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