Blues’ cycle of success continues
Danny Axford who completed another fantastic season with Oxford University Cycling Club
Following the successess of last season, the Oxford University Cycling Club found themselves with much to live up to this year. Capitalising on a strong squad, the Oxford team managed to enhance their reputation, the season’s highlight coming at the Varsity Match which saw a comprehensive victory over the Light Blue pretenders. The BUSA season began with the Hill Climb Championships, held on the punishing Curbar Gap course in Derbyshire.
In the men’s competition, Danny Axford took the individual gold medal, with the Oxford team of Axford, Tim Wallis and Ian Shapiro taking the team silver. In the women’s competition, Rachel Hughes also won silver. After a strong early season on the road, the 2005 BUSA road calendar opened with the 10 Mile Time Trial. The Oxford riders performed well, with Axford taking the men’s individual Gold and the Oxford team of Axford, John Tuckett and Stefan Pantos bringing home a team silver.
The Oxford women had an excellent day, with Rachel Hughes taking the individual silver and the two Oxford teams coming second and third in the team competition. The road season continued with the BUSA Road Race, a gruelling marathon over 80 miles. Axford held his amazing form to take sixth place, having headed the breakaway group from mid-way.
The pinnacle of the road season is always the Varsity Match, this year held on a challenging course in Cambridgeshire where riders battled a strong headwind on the longest stretch of the triangular course. The Oxford team of Axford, Tuckett and Pantos put in spectacular rides to take the Varsity Match and the team gold medal in the BUSA competition.
The strength of the Oxford team was demonstrated further in the individual competition, as Axford took both the individual Varsity title and the gold medal in the BUSA 25 mle time trial. John Tuckett put in a personal best time to take the bronze. In the women’s competition, Rachel Hughes took silver in the BUSA competition.
Oxford’s mountain bikers had one of their most successful seasons this year, with top results in both the Varsity Match and BUSA The OUCC women dominated the Varsity Match, with Marcie Reinhart taking first and Katie King taking third in the individual competition, securing a solid victory for the Dark Blues. On the men’s side, Lloyd Pallett won the individual competition, earning himself a Half Blue, the first time an Oxford mountain biker has earned the honour.
In the BUSA Mountain Bike Championships, Reinhart brought home the silver medal to cap the spectacular BUSA season. With outstanding results in all cycling disciplines, the Oxford University Cycling Club have managed to improve upon the performances that saw the team claim the Team of the Year Award in 2003-04.
9th Jun 2005