Williams flies from the blocks to win Welsh cyclo-cross title

Gary Baker on 21/12/2011

Lee Williams ploughed through the mud of Brecon to emerge as the Welsh Cyclo-Cross Championships senior winner.

It was very much a belt and braces affair as the heavy rain and cold of Penlan made it a tough morning for all the competitors.

However, Team Wiggle rider Williams wasted no time in opening up a big gap on the field which he refused to relinquish for the race.

Cyclo-Cross requires riders to steer around a course and, on each lap, dismount, jump over a couple of hurdles and remount to continue.

With conditions deteriorating, Welsh Cyclo-Cross League leader Joe Lally, of CC Abergavenny, plus RAF CA rider Dan Lewis and Cwmcarn Paragons' Andy Baum tried to catch Williams.

A puncture ended Baum's chances of a medal as the leader negotiated the course in a solo effort to record a satisfying victory, four minutes ahead of Lally with Lewis another 49 seconds behind.

Earlier in the day, reigning Junior and Veteran Over-40s champions Will Worrall (Towy Riders CC) and Phil Roach (Rugby Velo) had also dominated the combined Junior, Veteran and Women's race.

Worrall finished 12 seconds ahead of Roach, with Junior Cardiff JIF riders Adam King and Matthew Thompson at 1.58 and 2.11 respectively after their usual race-long tussle.

Meanwhile, Claire Bowen (Abergavenny RC) came home ahead of Rebecca Hunt (Cardiff Ajax) to take the women's title, with another Abergavenny RC lady, Stephanie Best, in third.

The Veteran Over-50s title came down to the line as Cardiff JIF's Paul Bennett crossed it narrowly ahead of Ian Evans (Clwb Rasio Mona), with John Lloyd (mtb-marathon.co.uk) comfortably regaining his Welsh titles in the Over 60 Veterans category.

Currently third in the National Trophy Series, Dylan Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos-on-Sea CC) was favourite to take the Youth Under-16 title and, although waiting until the final lap, it was no surprise when he quickly pulled away from Bynea CC's Joe Holt to better his silver medal of last year.

Finishing in an impressive fourth place, first year Youth Tomos Owens (Brooks Cycles) added the Under-14 title to his collection and, riding strongly to seventh, Ffion James (Abergavenny RC) took the Under-16 Girl's title. Towy Rider Jessica Roberts comfortably won in the Under-14 Girl's race.

Among the rest of the juniors, the Under-12s was won by Craig Rogers (Birkenhead North End CC) from Solomon Kerfoot-Robson (Rhos-on-Sea CC), Joe Beckingsale, Megan James and Huw Higgins-Worrall (all Abergavenny RC).

In the Under-tens race, Rhys Thomas (Abergavenny RC) led through the field after the first lap but was passed on the second by rival Guto Dafydd (Towy Riders) and subsequently dropped out, leaving Guto a comfortable winner.

Towy Rider Eluned King was in determined mood and soon had an advantage over club-mate and rival Emma Finucane which she held onto to the finish. The Under-eights race was dominated by Josh Tarling, of Towy Riders, with Heledd Hunt, also from Towy Riders, the winning girl.

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