Cycling: Hattersley secures series second

RISING Star Luke Hattersley clinched second for St Ives CC at Hillingdon in the Beyond Spring Criteriums Series race over the weekend.

Racing on a closed road circuit, Hattersley managed to escape the pack with five other companions.

As the miles rolled by, Hattersley became impatient and broke free with Ryan Owen from Welwyn Wheelers.

Although both riders realised that their attack stood a better chance with two people to share the work, taking it in turns to shelter and ride in the slipstream of the other rider.

But the road racers truce can only last for so long and, as the pair entered the last lap, a game of cat and mouse ensued, each rider being wary of an attack from their temporary companion.

Sprinting for the line, Owen managed to pip Hattersley, relegating him to second.

However, Hattersley was still delighted with the result, as it secured his second place overall in the series.

Elsewhere, club members were riding in the Eastern Road Race League event in Braintree.

Mick Watts and Leo Falkner made a return to racing after a gap of many months and, accompanied by regular Tom Caldwell, the three worked hard to try and establish a break-away group.

Ultimately, the race stayed together and it went down to a bunch sprint.

Watts clinched a respectable 11th place in his debut, while Falkner and Caldwell finished safely in the main bunch.