A Bright day for Nova at the Scotton 100!

The 15th annual Scotton 100, 100 kilometers of off road sections linked by tarmac around Ripley, Brimham, Dishforth and Aldwark, took place on last Sunday with a full field of 100 riders. It was a perfect spring day but after a wet winter the riders will have been dreading the effects on the off-road sections with more mud and standing water than in recent years. The lead group was soon whittled down after a frenetic first off road section at Copgrove and then Nova’s Duncan Mullier pulling hard through the Ripley estate before having a mechanical and having to chase back on. The group was further whittled down on the difficult section from Brimham to Bishop Thornton, when around fifteen riders were left to contest the lead. The mud increased as the flat lands after Ripon were reached, with Nova’s Paul Lehan working hard at the front even after colliding with clubmate Mullier on a particularly wet section. It wasn’t until the penultimate off road section was reached, a concrete slabbed climb and then a muddy descent through a quarry and onto the A168 near Arkendale, that the lead group was cut to five riders. Mullier pulled hard again and teammate Jonty Bright and Stefan Macina of Aurelius Cycles emerged clear on the final road section from Arkendale to the finish at Staveley. Mullier’s time trialling ability was used to ensure that no one from behind could catch back on and he lead out Jonty to be first back in 3:13. Nova had an incredible showing of strong rides from Andy Holgate, Paul Lehan and Simon Ketteringham who all figured in the top ten. All riders would like to thank Dave I’Anson of Clifton CC for organising this fantastic event in support of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.