SSSCCRRL 2026 Round 4

View result and tables

All Photos by TeamBA

Race report

by Will Fotheringham

Every year it happens at least once in the handicap league, that the front groups evade the fastmen in the scratch group, and it happened this year at Bobbington in round 4, where the finish was contested by 18 survivors of groups one and two, with the victory going to Damien Guest of Wolverhampton, from Joe Charley of Stourbridge – the latter “fresh” from organising the West Midlands most prestigious race of the season, the National under-23 series round at Welland just four days earlier. 

Bobbington is the toughest circuit in the series, but it often throws up this kind of result, mainly because the two-mile climb to Six Ashes tests the scratch group in a different way; if it splits, as happened on the last lap, there aren’t enough numbers to give the group any kind of speed. Plus the climb creates all kinds of nuances with riders trying to save their strength to hang onto the better climbers. But variety, as they say, is the spice of life…

Given 13 minutes to close on group 1 and six to close on group 2, the scratch group made rapid inroads, closing to 4min behind group 1 by the top of Six Ashes for the third time. However, group 2 made rapid progress as well, and was only 1min behind group 1 at that point; the gaps had tightened further by the bell, with the front two groups coming together the final time up the climb. 

In the scratch group, however, things had changed, with a split in the group prompted by Halesowen’s Luke Mannings, who took with him former pro Andy Turner, and Bridgnorth duo Ian Gilkes and Matt Clarke – the latter making his first appearance this year – although they were unable to get the gap back and finished a minute behind the 18 rider group that contested a tight finish with Guest, Charley and 3^rd placed George Coombes of Aerologic spread across the road side by side.

The split in the scratch group had implications for the overall title race as well, with leader  Kirk Vickers (Holohan Coaching) finishing at the back of the second part of the group, and crucially 15 places behind Coombes who took the leader’s jersey by just two points. In the women’s standings Hayley Wells (Aerologic) had another strong night finishing 12^th in the lead group, while George Bromley (BCC) held his lead in the junior table. 

Next round will be Charlton on July 9; we will try and re-arrange the cancelled Pattingham round for July 23. 

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Result

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Cat	Time	Pts
1	83	Damion Guest	Wolverhampton Wheelers	2nd	1:26:27
2	3	Joe Charley	Stourbridge CC	3rd	ST	93
3	4	George Coombes	Aerologic RT	3rd	ST	87
4	34	Nick Morris	Clee Cycles	3rd	ST	82
5	47	Tom Wieckowski	Gorilla Coffee Cycling Club		ST	78
6	38	Scott Palmer	Aerologic RT		ST	75
7	16	Jack Ward	Sharrow Cycling Group	4th	ST	74
8	40	Mark Pritchard	Aerologic RT	4th	ST	73
9	26	Dean Callister	Aerologic RT	3rd	ST	72
10	87	Phil Roberts			ST
11	17	Ben Wood	Wrekinsport	4th	ST	70
12	55	Hayley Wells	Aerologic RT		ST	69
13	29	Benjamin Hancock	Private Member	3rd	ST	68
14	54	Jeremy Harrold	Aerologic RT		ST	67
15	33	Stacey Morgan	Ludlow Brewery Race Team	3rd	ST	66
16	39	Kevin Payton	Stourbridge CC	3rd	ST	65
17	84	William Preston	Paramount CRT	3rd	+0:06
18	86	Chris Staples			+0:08
19	41	Luke Mannings	Halesowen A & CC	2nd	+1:00	62
20	8	Ian Gilkes	Bridgnorth CC	2nd	+1:01	61
21	28	Tomos Hales	Aerologic RT	4th	ST	60
22	88	Matt Clarke	Bridgnorth CC		+1:05
23	43	Andrew Turner	ATP Performance RT	3rd	+1:07	58
24	46	Noah White	Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club	3rd	+1:43	57
25	30	Isaak Herbert	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	2nd	+1:48	56
26	10	Thomas Herbert	Bridgnorth CC	2nd	+1:51	55
27	52	James Satoor	Bridgnorth CC	1st	ST	54
28	44	Kirk Vickers	Holohan Coaching Race Team	3rd	ST	53
29	23	George Bromley	BCC Race Team	2nd	+1:55	52
30	2	Chris Breeze	Black Country Racing Club		+3:17	51
31	82	James Bilson			+3:19
32	42	James Saunders	Halesowen A & CC	3rd	+8:07	49
33	18	Ian Williams	Stourbridge CC	4th	+10:56	48
34	24	Richard Bromley	Private Member		+11:10	47
35	6	Tim Cullinan	Bridgnorth CC	3rd	+13:16	46
36	81	Jonathan Dickens		4th	ST
37	13	Damian Lee	Stafford Road Club	4th	+13:43	44
38	57	Lorna Dangerfield	Stourbridge CC		+18:26	43
39	22	Matthew Bradley	Stourbridge CC	4th	+18:29	42
40	15	Neil Ruston	Dudley Cycle Club	3rd	ST	41
41	19	Robert MacGregor	Paramount CRT	3rd	+19:06	40
DNF	85	Phillip Blackwell	SCC
DNF	31	Kaleb Herbert	Halesowen A & CC	2nd		1

League Tables

Overall

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	38	Scott Palmer	Aerologic RT	230	0	0	0	82	73	75
2	44	Kirk Vickers	Holohan Coaching Race Team	228	0	2	2	93	82	53
3	23	George Bromley	BCC Race Team	211	0	19	17	66	93	52
4	34	Nick Morris	Clee Cycles	208	0	22	3	52	74	82
5	16	Jack Ward	Sharrow Cycling Group	207	0	23	1	74	59	74
6	33	Stacey Morgan	Ludlow Brewery Race Team	204	0	26	3	75	63	66
7	17	Ben Wood	Wrekinsport	196	0	34	8	69	57	70
8	28	Tomos Hales	Aerologic RT	192	0	38	4	57	75	60
9	30	Isaak Herbert	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	189	0	41	3	55	78	56
10	40	Mark Pritchard	Aerologic RT	187	0	43	2	46	68	73
11	26	Dean Callister	Aerologic RT	187	0	43	0	45	70	72
12	8	Ian Gilkes	Bridgnorth CC	180	0	50	7	50	69	61
13	18	Ian Williams	Stourbridge CC	167	0	63	13	71	48	48
14	22	Matthew Bradley	Stourbridge CC	159	0	71	8	65	52	42
15	4	George Coombes	Aerologic RT	154	0	76	5	1	66	87
16	42	James Saunders	Halesowen A & CC	151	0	79	3	56	46	49
17	29	Benjamin Hancock	Private Member	143	0	87	8	33	42	68
18	10	Thomas Herbert	Bridgnorth CC	142	0	88	1	x	87	55
19	52	James Satoor	Bridgnorth CC	141	0	89	1	87	x	54
20	2	Chris Breeze	Black Country Racing Club	138	0	92	3	40	47	51
21	3	Joe Charley	Stourbridge CC	137	0	93	1	44	x	93
22	47	Tom Wieckowski	Gorilla Coffee Cycling Club	132	0	98	5	54	x	78
23	50	Luke Brookes	RAF CA	132	0	98	0	60	72	x
24	55	Hayley Wells	Aerologic RT	127	0	103	5	x	58	69
25	46	Noah White	Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club	124	0	106	3	67	x	57
26	53	Simon Haycock	Aerologic	124	0	106	0	68	56	x
27	45	Ben Walker	Mid Shropshire Wheelers	124	0	106	0	70	54	x
28	13	Damian Lee	Stafford Road Club	124	0	106	0	36	44	44
29	24	Richard Bromley	Private Member	122	0	108	2	37	38	47
30	43	Andrew Turner	ATP Performance RT	121	0	109	1	63	x	58
31	14	William Panter	Paramount CRT	120	0	110	1	58	62	x
32	39	Kevin Payton	Stourbridge CC	118	0	112	2	x	53	65
33	7	Bryan Davies	Holohan CC	115	0	115	3	64	51	x
34	9	Phillip Glaze	Stourbridge CC	114	0	116	1	49	65	x
35	15	Neil Ruston	Dudley Cycle Club	114	0	116	0	34	39	41
36	6	Tim Cullinan	Bridgnorth CC	106	0	124	8	x	60	46
37	31	Kaleb Herbert	Halesowen A & CC	103	0	127	3	38	64	1
38	21	Genevieve Billington	Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT	88	0	142	15	39	49	x
39	57	Lorna Dangerfield	Stourbridge CC	83	0	147	5	x	40	43
40	19	Robert MacGregor	Paramount CRT	83	0	147	0	x	43	40
41	58	Jodi Mackinnon	Mid Shropshire Wheelers	76	0	154	7	35	41	x
42	51	Tim Burn	Wrekinsport	73	0	157	3	72	1	x
43	54	Jeremy Harrold	Aerologic RT	67	0	163	6	x	x	67
44	41	Luke Mannings	Halesowen A & CC	63	0	167	4	x	1	62
45	32	Louis Mann	Army Cycling Union	62	0	168	1	62	x	x
46	36	Anthony Neave	Stourbridge CC	61	0	169	1	61	x	x
47	11	Mike Jones	Paramount CRT	47	0	183	14	47	x	x
48	12	Rob Jones	Nova Raiders	46	0	184	1	1	45	x
49	1	Luke Bodin	Stourbridge CC	42	0	188	4	42	x	x
50	59	Kate Willis		41	0	189	1	41	x	x
52	48	Josh Williams	Clee Cycles	1	0	229	0	1	x	x

Women

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	55	Hayley Wells	Aerologic RT	127	0	0	0	x	58	69
2	21	Genevieve Billington	Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT	88	0	39	39	39	49	x
3	57	Lorna Dangerfield	Stourbridge CC	83	0	44	5	x	40	43
4	58	Jodi Mackinnon	Mid Shropshire Wheelers	76	0	51	7	35	41	x
5	59	Kate Willis		41	0	86	35	41	x	x

Junior

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	23	George Bromley	BCC Race Team	211	0	0	0	66	93	52
2	42	James Saunders	Halesowen A & CC	151	0	60	60	56	46	49
3	46	Noah White	Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club	124	0	87	27	67	x	57

Vet 40

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	38	Scott Palmer	Aerologic RT	230	0	0	0	82	73	75
2	34	Nick Morris	Clee Cycles	208	0	22	22	52	74	82
3	17	Ben Wood	Wrekinsport	196	0	34	12	69	57	70
4	18	Ian Williams	Stourbridge CC	167	0	63	29	71	48	48
5	6	Tim Cullinan	Bridgnorth CC	106	0	124	61	x	60	46

Vet 50

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	33	Stacey Morgan	Ludlow Brewery Race Team	204	0	0	0	75	63	66
2	8	Ian Gilkes	Bridgnorth CC	180	0	24	24	50	69	61
3	53	Simon Haycock	Aerologic	124	0	80	56	68	56	x
4	13	Damian Lee	Stafford Road Club	124	0	80	0	36	44	44
5	7	Bryan Davies	Holohan CC	115	0	89	9	64	51	x
6	9	Phillip Glaze	Stourbridge CC	114	0	90	1	49	65	x
7	54	Jeremy Harrold	Aerologic RT	67	0	137	47	x	x	67
8	11	Mike Jones	Paramount CRT	47	0	157	20	47	x	x
9	12	Rob Jones	Nova Raiders	46	0	158	1	1	45	x

Vet 60

Pos	No	Name	Club/Team	Tot	Drop	Diff	Gap	R1	R2	R4
1	24	Richard Bromley	Private Member	122	0	0	0	37	38	47
2	39	Kevin Payton	Stourbridge CC	118	0	4	4	x	53	65
3	15	Neil Ruston	Dudley Cycle Club	114	0	8	4	34	39	41

Teams

Pos	Team	Tot	Diff	Gap	R1 Sc.	R1 Pts	R2 Sc.	R2 Pts	R4 Sc.	R4 Pts
1	Aerologic RT	300			207	100	218	100	235	100
2	Stourbridge CC	273	27	27	197	93	170	87	206	93
3	Bridgnorth CC	258	42	15	137	78	216	93	170	87
4	Holohan Coaching Race Team	237	63	21	157	87	133	82	53	68
5	Halesowen A & CC	234	66	3	94	74	111	78	112	82
6	Wrekinsport	222	78	12	141	82	58	67	70	73
7	Ludlow Brewery Race Team	214	86	8	75	73	63	69	66	72
7	Sharrow Cycling Group	214	86	0	74	72	59	68	74	74
9	Paramount CRT	213	87	1	105	75	105	75	40	63
10	Clee Cycles	212	88	1	53	63	74	71	82	78
11	BCC Race Team	209	91	3	66	69	93	73	52	67
12	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	206	94	3	55	65	78	72	56	69
13	Black Country Racing Club	193	107	13	40	62	47	65	51	66
14	Stafford Road Club	188	112	5	36	60	44	63	44	65
15	Dudley Cycle Club	185	115	3	34	59	39	62	41	64
16	Mid Shropshire Wheelers	145	155	40	70	71	95	74
17	Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club	140	160	5	67	70			57	70
18	ATP Performance RT	139	161	1	63	68			58	71
18	Gorilla Coffee Cycling Club	139	161	0	54	64			78	75
20	RAF CA	136	164	3	60	66	72	70
21	Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT	127	173	9	39	61	49	66
22	Army Cycling Union	67	233	60	62	67
23	Nova Raiders	64	236	3			45	64

Course Information: Known as both Enville and Bobbington, this is another mainstay of the West Midlands road scene, in use for many years, and favouring the stronger riders who can climb and sprint. The toughest section is the 3km drag from the village of Bobbington to the Six Ashes pub, and this is followed by a rapid descent back to the valley. The breaks tend to go on the “heavy” little pull up past Highgate Common just before the finish.

Favours: climbers, puncheurs

Finish: the final 300m to the line outside the airfield is flat, although the curving final metres mean it’s possible to misjudge your sprint.

Recent winners: Oliver Searle (Two Counties RR 2024); David Griffiths (Two Counties 2023); Joe Brookes (Two Counties 2022).

For more information, see our course page on the Enville page.