All 76 starters in last Saturday's elite and support cycle races on the Hillingdon Winter Series deserved a medal for racing on a day which organisers described as the 'coldest ever' in 11 years.
After an icy week temperatures plummeted further on Saturday while occasional snow flurries added to the racer's woes.In the 21 mile elite race attacks came from the start but all were closed down. A three man group broke the pattern with 10 miles to go but only gained a maximum 20 second lead.
With a mile to go the field exploded, chasing and catching the leaders.
At the line the series leader, Jerone Walters (Sigma Sport) took the flag in 49 minutes, half a length clear of Chris Moores, second overall in the series.
Third was In Gear RT's Josh Cunningham while Kenton Road Club's Des Gayler finished in the middle of the main field.
The overall competition positions saw Walters retain his lead (1,010pts) but Moores (960pts) has halved the gap from the previous week.
With stronger team support than Walters the next few weeks should prove interesting for Moores.
Third placed Paul Alderson (South Western RC), however, is unlikely to threaten the leaders as he languishes on 650 pts. Team Quest's Ed Summerwell dropped from fourth overall last week to seventh after failing to start.
The 4th Category Support Race over 17 miles, meanwhile, saw a 28-strong bunch contest the finish with the win going to Rovert Moore (London Phoenix).
After 42 minutes of racing he was followed over the line by George Edwards (Kingston Wheelers) and Adam White (Reading CC).
