BROMSGROVE Olympique Cycling Club had several medal winners at the Wolverhampton Wheelers Prize Presentation for young riders last Friday. The event was held for riders who competed in the West Park Circuit Race Series and Track Leagues throughout the summer.

Alex Billington took gold in the under 14s time trial, Ross Dingley scooped gold and a trophy in the under 12s circuit race and Will Goulbourne won silver in the handicap and bronze in the time trial. Gavin Ballantyne, Francine and Genevieve Billington also took medals.

On Saturday, Olympique took a mini bus of youngsters to Manchester to see the World Track Championships, with great excitement as Yvonne McGregor took gold in the pursuit and the Great Britain team won silver in the Olympic Sprint. On Sunday several club members returned to the Velodrome to watch Rob Hales ride to bronze in the 4000m pursuit, while others competed in the cyclo-cross in Ludlow.

The treacherous conditions caused several riders to come to grief, including Dave Goulbourne, Richard Yates and Mike Cooper. In the under 12s, Sean Weston finished 13th and Jason Dingley 22nd. In the youths, Will Goulbourne was fifth, Ross Dingley eighth, Peter Yates ninth, Tom Williams 13th, Peter Banham 14th and Adam Deller 17th. In the vets/juniors/ ladies, Paul Weston took 10th, Rob Twigg 15th, Geoff Dingley 18th, Mike Cooper 22nd, Gerry Blackmoor 30th, Richard Yates 31st, Dave Goulbourne 33rd and Trudy Dingley 34th. In the seniors, Phil Blacker was fourth and Luke Twigg 28th.

As a taster for the World Champion-ships, a large contingent of Olympique riders spent an energetic afternoon on the superb 42 degree banked timber boarding. Taking to the track only minutes after the GB Olympic team finished their training session, over 20 members tested their speed and nerve at numerous different events. The choice of the older youngsters and many of the adults was a motor-paced session. In this event a small group of riders chase the back mudguard of a special motor bike at speeds starting at around 20mph increasing gradually to nearly 40mph, shedding riders on the way as lungs and legs give up.

For many of the novice and younger riders, the best session was a one lap (250 metre) standing start time trial. Ross Dingley was the fastest with a mid 23 second ride. Competition was extremely close amongst many others, Trudy Dingley beating fellow mom Sam Coxhead by a mere tenth of a second. Moments earlier Sam had equalled daughter Natalie's time of 28.55 exactly. Dave Goulbourne did his first competitive event apart from cyclo-cross, recording a respectable 26 second ride. Others to have a go included Steven Boyle, Genny Billington, Tom Williams, Will Smeeton, Laura Goulbourne, Gavin Ballantyne, Nick Freer and Michael Hartnett, all recording under 32 seconds.

Other fiercely contested events included a two kilometre team pursuit and Olympic Sprint events between the fastest youth team of Francine and Alex Billington, Will Goulbourne, Ross Dingley and Neil Cartlidge and Geoff Dingley, Tony Boyle, Derek Yapp, Ian Billington and Adrian Clifton. Both were won by fractions of a second by the youth teams but revenge was promised for the next session in January. The final event for experienced track riders was a four kilometre scratch race. Ian Billington took highest place in fourth, around half a bike ahead of Alex, with Adrian Clifton and Tony Boyle close behind.