MID Devon Cycling Club riders were out in force over the recent bank holiday weekend, achieving notable results across various disciplines and locations.

The club made a significant impact at the Good Friday Easter Classic, a popular event attracting some of the largest fields in the country at Castle Combe Race Circuit, hosted by Chippenham Wheels.

They were proud to have riders participating in nearly every race, demonstrating the depth and breadth of talent within the club. A particular highlight was being the only club with three junior women competing, a fantastic achievement, and their performance in such a competitive environment was truly impressive.

Individual results included: U8 Risu Wikeley - 6th place, U8 Caspian Wikeley - 25th place, U12 Henry Hatton - 18th place, U16s Bayley Woodger - 8th place, Meryn Kitching - 13th place, Edward Fraile-Whysall - 7th place.

Adding to the club's pride, former Mid Devon youth rider Ben Meek took a fantastic win in the E124 race. Congratulations, Ben!

Onto the National Youth Stage race at Pembrey Country Park, where three talented youngsters, Lauren Fox (U14), Bayley Woodger (U16) and Meryn Kitching (also U16), took on the challenging 3-stage National Youth Stage Race over two days.

Stage One, Prologue Time Trial (1.7km): Lauren started strong, finishing in second place, just behind the leader. Bayley also had a solid ride, placing 19th, only two seconds off the top 10. Meryn, despite a difficult start, recorded a good time, finishing in 65th.

Stage 2, Criterium (Short Circuit with Time Bonuses): Lauren demonstrated her speed and tactical awareness, winning the stage and taking the yellow jersey overnight after securing all the time bonuses at the halfway point. In the under 16s, Meryn rode well, while Bayley was active at the front, working hard to control the early pace.

Unfortunately, Meryn was caught in a crash but was able to continue. A large crash on the final lap brought down 40 riders, and the final results were based on the times at the penultimate lap.

Stage 3: Lauren again showed her dominance in the bonus sprints, taking all the available seconds at the halfway point. Despite controlling the race in the final laps, she finished third in the final sprint, losing the overall lead by the narrowest of margins – three-hundredths of a second – to Annie Fearne, with the tiebreaker going to the prologue times. It was fantastic racing from both riders.

Bayley was once again prominent at the front, preventing breakaways in the fast-paced 80-rider field (averaging 27.8 mph), which saw many riders drop off. Bayley and Meryn finished together in the main group.

General Classification Results- Meryn 59th overall, Bayley 22nd overall, just four seconds off a top 10 finish and Lauren second overall under 14.

Finally, to the South West District titles where Maria Weymouth won the women’s category by 36 seconds while MDCC teammate Fiona German was another 1-17 behind in third spot.

“I’m super chuffed by the result,” said Maria Weymouth. “I had done only one, fairly disappointing, club TT before today and had a cold for weeks, so wasn't sure whether to ride or not.” Donald Brooks meanwhile was third in the open category.

The bank holiday weekend showcased the dedication and talent within the Mid Devon Cycling Club, with riders achieving impressive results across various disciplines. Congratulations to everyone who raced!