The Thursday night Criterium was hosted by Equipe Velo at the MK Bowl. Richard Santhouse and Josh Lovell from the Banbury Stars Cycling club entered the 4th Cat only. This was Josh’s first time at the Bowl, whereas this was Richard’s second race at MK hoping to improve on his previous result.
It was an overcast day with a slight headwind at the southern part of the loop, perfect for crit racing. The race started relatively steady with only a few riders putting some efforts on the front. Richard and Josh both lead the group for a few laps, many of the riders weren’t willing to work hard, normal racing tactics. After a few efforts a few riders dropped off the main group by the final lap there was 7 riders in total. The final bell was rung to indicate the last lap, all of the riders were now thinking about the finish. As the riders approached the final bend, Richard went for an early sprint but couldn’t hold onto lead position over the line. The race was complete with Richard Santhouse 5th and Josh Lovell 7th. A successful night for the Banbury Stars team, both riders receiving crucial points.
