Puff Puff's #3

14^th-Mar-2006

The 3rd Event of the Puff Puff's Lung Opener criterium series was held on Monday night at the cycle track in Maindy Cardiff. The opening race of the evening for Cat 4 riders saw a large field contest the 30 minute plus five lap race. The field stayed together for the duration of the race and the results were decided on a bunch sprint. Abertillery Wheeler' Gareth Chislett lead out the sprint on the closing laps, but the strong head wind on the home straight saw him falter and slip out of the placings.

1. C Rosser - Cardiff Ajax
2. K Jones - Pontypool RCC
3. J Hughes

The main event of the evening was a 25 mile race for Elite and Cat 1, 2 and 3 riders which attracted a quality field with many riders having travelled large distances to enter. From the outset, brothers Matt and Luke Rowe - Glendene CC/Bike Trax, kept the pace extremely high until finally they managed to escape off the front of the bunch with a small group including Jason Streather - VC St Raphael, Matthew Beckett - Cardiff JIF and Steve Bonnici - Team Economic Energy. The pace was relentless for the next twenty minutes, barely reducing below 30mph, as the field gave chase with Martin Latewood - Abertillery Wheelers, and Christopher Tidball - Ogmore Valley Wheelers managing to hold the break to half a lap. However, a fine policing effort by Jamie Streather - VC St Raphael, ensured that the break succeeded in taking a lap. The high pace of the race decimated the field, with only eleven riders finishing.

1. M Beckett - Cardiff JIF
2. J Streather - VC St Raphael
3. C Mattinson - Cheltenham & County CC
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Abertillery Wheeler's Martin Latewood finished in 10th place.