The distinctive black and blue of the wobblies, who have provided the Lincs League overall winner for the last two seasons (Jim Coleman 2008, Neil Sentance 2009), was out in force for the first race of the season.
Kim Paxton was in group 1. Dave Herd and Toby Kiely were in group 2. Phil Etches, Phil Atherton, Chris Samler, Ross Tomblin and Peter Barnes were in group 3. Paul Conneelly and Neil Sentance featured in group 4 with Jimmy Coleman in the scratch group 5.
Group 3 contained some 30 riders and had maintained a high pace to catch groups 1 and 2 before the bell in the 3 lap race. Groups 4 and 5 caught the main bunch with half a lap remaining and the 50 strong peloton headed for home at a furious pace. Several mini attacks came and went and the bunch was all together as it headed up the final rise before the sharp turn left and the sprint for the finish.
With riders all over the place there was only room for the strongest and bravest, and some would say foolhardy. When the dust had settled the winner was ex-professional Dave Miller from Newark. Jimmy Coleman had got 2nd place. Paul Conneelly had made an audacious bid on the outside to nab a commendable 5th, defending champ Neil Sentance got 7th and Chris Samler battled for 15th place. Phil Etches finished well within the huge bunch as did Peter Barnes and Toby Kiely. Well done to both of these young riders for not bottling it, unlike Phil Atherton and Ross Tomblin who came in just after the back of the bunch after 'backing off' when it got too hairy. Kim and Dave H finished a little further down after managing to hang on for most of the last lap.
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