Griffiths is back to his best with a win in Shropshire time trial
David Griffiths bounced back from a nasty injury after being knocked off his bike by a car to win the blue riband event of Shropshire time trial cycling.
Griffiths took gold and the Freeston Trophy in the Shropshire Championship 25 – also round 12 of the Friction Hydraulics Series – in 52 minutes 28 seconds on the fastest 25-mile course in the area between Berriew and Four Crosses.
And after finally being fully fit again after suffering nasty facial injuries in the crash earlier this year, he said: “It’s been a long road back from injury and illness, but I’m now at the level I was at when I got injured. I hope to keep improving and have a good latter part of the season.”
This keenly-fought race saw a close call for silver as Paramount CRT’s Mason Durant just got the better of Friction Series leader Tim Beardmore by 11 seconds with a fine 53:13 – also leading Paramount to team gold by 45 seconds from Revolutions Racing thanks to solid back-up from Chris Riley and Rob McGregor.
Beardmore clearly tried his hardest with a best ever 25-mile race on this fast, smooth surface, going home with a brace of medals after winning overall bronze and veterans’ gold – stretching his lead in both series.
Beardmore beat Bridgnorth CC team-mate Jonathan Mills-Keeling to the Veterans 25 Championship. Revolutions Racing’s Andy Rose took veterans’ bronze.
In the Women’s 25 Championship, Hafren CC’s Emma Serjeant put local knowledge to good use to take a dominant win in 1:02:42 and lift the Brian and Gill Morrison Trophy.
Serjeant came home 6:12 in front of Helen Tudor to seal that win.
She said: “Nice to be racing so close to home for a change. I was hoping for a faster time on the night, the night before had been a fast evening but a course personal best evaded me! I was still very happy to take the Championship gold.”
Women’s bronze was taken by Wrekinsport’s Victoria Doran.
In the Junior 25 Championship, Wrekinsport’s Ben Southgate took gold with a fine 1:01:10 having ridden a 25 the previous evening. He also won the Jack Pitchford Trophy for his efforts having pushed North Shropshire Wheelers’ Chester Romei into silver.
