Battle Looms at Brighton Track

Gavin Smith catches up with the main contenders for the 2008 Sussex Cycle Racing League track crown.

Now that the 2008 World Track Cycling Championships have been decided in Manchester, it is time to ponder the next most important championship of the season: the Preston Park senior league title.

The big guns of Sussex and further afield will once more be battling for those all-important league points every Wednesday evening from 23 April to 13 August. Hot favourite will be Felix English, who at the tender age of 14 rocked the Preston Park faithful by scoring a convincing win overall last year. “I’d like to win the senior title again, as well as the league sprint, points and scratch championships”, English told me. “But then I’m also hoping to win the national youth circuit-race champs and a few jerseys at the British track champs.” So, much to the relief of his rivals, English will have other things on his mind this year apart from Preston Park. “I think I’ll be able to ride all the Brighton meets bar five or so”, he said.

Sparks are sure to fly when young English goes head-to-head against big Pete Mitchell. The world junior team sprint champion and world junior individual sprint bronze medallist began learning his trade at Preston Park some years ago, and this year he fully intends to take part as often as his busy schedule permits. Like English, Mitchell has grand aims for this year. First and foremost, to be selected for the under-23 sprint squad in the BC Academy, then also to win the European and the British junior sprint titles.

But with English and Mitchell likely to miss some meets, this might just open the door to a rider who can be sure to attend every Wednesday, perhaps someone of an exceedingly quiet, modest nature. Step forward Lee Povey. Asked what his aims are for this season at Preston Park, the several-times previous league champ retorted: “Win everything - quite simple really. I’d like to get the sprint title back (he hasn’t held it since 2005), but it’s going to be tough if Pete plays. I’ve had a good winter, getting my bad back out of the way and getting in a year’s full weight training for the first time in 6 or 7 years, so I'm pretty strong at the moment. Felix can be beaten this year, but I’m not telling you how!”

Master tactician Povey – who was the national masters sprint champion in 2006 - might well have in mind relying on a certain amount of co-operation from some of the other Preston Park aces, though they of course will have their own agenda. For instance, strong junior Adam Gent, who can always be relied upon to put up some attacking performances and was third senior last year behind English and Povey. Or another fast youngster Brock Duncumb-Rogers, who was very impressive last season with some remarkable displays of riding.

Experienced seniors Mark Burgess and Phil Bendall will also be well and truly in the frame. Burgess is reputed to be super-fit after a winter of hard training and an outstanding roller-racing victory, while Bendall confided to me at a recent meeting that he had adopted a killer diet for the winter – though he was in fact munching a delicious-looking cream cake at the time. Sean McClelland, fourth-ranked senior in 2007, has badly injured an ankle and, alas, will not be able to take part this season – at least not in the first few weeks.

The dark horse for 2008, though, may well turn out to be the runaway 2007 B league winner Martyn Potter. His class was evident for all to see last year with some fantastic rides, but it remains to be seen how he will fare when pitted against the big boys.

So, the most intriguing season for years is lined up at Brighton’s seaside track, and it is anyone’s guess who will be at the top of the senior table by 13 August. What’s certain, however, is that there will be some classic battles in all races, not just for the overall league titles but also for the regular championship events which take place every month.

And let’s not forget all the youth contests, which often provide some of the best entertainment for spectators, with riders aged from 6 to 16 vying for top spot each time. The U16/U14 league promises to be especially exciting, with all competitors on fixed wheel for the first time.

Try the Track practice sessions take place on Wednesdays 2, 9 and 16 April starting at 6.00pm. League meets begin on Wednesday 23 April at 6.45pm and advance registration and entry would be appreciated. For further details of the Preston Park programme and a registration form, log on to www.scrl.co.uk.