Is Dan the man?
By TMX Archives on 6th Jul 12
The Bradford clubs national Allan Jefferies Trophy Trial seems to have lost its appeal this year, with only 88 riders signed up on the entry list for the old established premier Yorkshire event this Sunday, July 8.
Last year Ian Austermuhle won the top award ahead of newcomer Richard Sadler, Dan Thorpe and Sam Haslam, but time played a strong hand and only four out of the 18 hard-course contenders managed to beat the clock.
Strangely neither Austermuhle nor Haslam has entered this time round and last year's Clubman winner, Paul Bennett is also missing.
Having said that Chris Pearson and Dan Clark will take on Sadler and Thorpe, while both Guy Kendrew and Phil Disney could upset the fancied front runners.
The course ranges through Wharfedale and Littondale with the Halton Gill Reading Rooms as the centre of operations and of course the legendary Halton Gill Ladies excellent catering team, who will feed the hungry hordes.
It is worth entering the Jefferies to sample the home produced food on offer!
Danielle Whitham rides her first road-based national and starts number one in the 88-strong entry.
Clerk of the course, Barry Fairbrother – with assistance from Steve Fairbrother, David Wilson and Mark Savage – has spent all week camping at Halton Gill to ensure full knowledge of the changable weather conditions.
And he has played a safe card with ten sections on lofty Fountains Fell – if it floods up there then the British Isles will be under
water!
The Sleets group is down towards KIlnsey, then the route heads for Kettlewell and the famed Wilkinson garage for fuel.
Hubberholme and Yockenthwaite close the road work with the Halton Gill waterfall likely to settle the final results.
