Talented Verulam Reallymoving juniors star on return to competitive cycling
Beth Watson of Verulam Reallymoving (pink jersey) at the Deux Jours de Cyclopark event. - Credit: JUDITH PARRY PHOTOGRAPHY
It has been a long time coming but Verulam Reallymoving finally got to spin the legs and get back to competitive cycling.
Some of the talented juniors at the St Albans-based race team have missed a full year of development and racing so were delighted to be able to head to the Cyclopark in Kent for two days of action across a number of age categories.
Hosted by Velo Club Londres, the Deux Jours de Cyclopark event consisted of two 30-minutes races per day for U14s, U16s and U18s, with cumulative time deciding the general classification and overall winners.
And as it was the first major event since lockdown, there were a lot of entries with some travelling long distances to compete, and a number of national-level riders.
Beth Watson (right) of Verulam Reallymoving at the Deux Jours de Cyclopark event. - Credit: JUDITH PARRY PHOTOGRAPHY
Yet Verulam held their own.
Racing in her first U16 event, Beth Watson finished seventh in GC while Amy Harvey, a new signing from Barking & Dagenham, and highly-rated Jamie Maxen, both put in a strong performances as a first-year juniors.
New Verulam Reallymoving signing Amy Harvey at the Deux Jours de Cyclopark event. - Credit: JUDITH PARRY PHOTOGRAPHY
Will Smith, a product of both the Verulam CC and Verulam Reallymoving system who now races for the Z Junior Race Team, took second on stage one and fifth overall in the U18 general classification.
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Not content with racing against the juniors, Maxen then took part in the Miche West Thames circuit race at Hillingdon.
Jamie Maxen of Verulam Reallymoving at the Miche West Thames event at Hillingdon. - Credit: GRIG MC
It was his first category three senior event and yet, with the support of Matt Davey and Chris Burns, he managed a fantastic fifth position.
Davey said: "It was super-fast and we were there at the end. We were in a few breaks but a group of four got away from the field.
"It’s a good start to the racing year against a high-standard field, which bodes well for the season,”
In other races Verulam Reallymoving won the fastest team prize at the fourth round of the Millennium Series time-trials, organised by Ickneild RC.
In total five from the team took part, racing 30km on the lanes and roads around Mentmore and Wingrave, but it was the times of John Jones, Issy Zimmerman and Mike Edmunds that counted towards the team category.
Jones, who was also the fastest 50-59 year old male rider, said: "It's great to be back to competing again."
Matt Pumo and Nick Coe were the other two.
