MOLLY KOSTKA and Zoe Parker both secured podium spots with second places in the fourth round of the West Midlands Youth Closed Circuit League at Curborough near Lichfield.
A warm and sunny day with a strong headwind down the back edge of the circuit greeted riders and Kostka was in full speed from the outset and maintained her speed to finish runner-up in the U8 event.
Her Stratford Cycling Club team-mate Elise Storey was fifth and Molly’s sister Fifi Kostka, aged just four, came seventh.
Parker was once again in fine form in the U12 event despite having raced at Halesowen in the track league the night before. She rode in a small group just off the pace of the lead boys and powered through to take second place.
Also in the race were the Sams – Abbott and Greenwell. Abbott managed to get into the lead group for most of the race but as the attempted breakaways increased so did the pace and he slipped into the second group where he worked with the others until the line, eventually finishing ninth. Greenwell finished 17th in the large field in what was his second ever race.
In the U14 race Matthew Jordan had a fantastic time and looked in better form than the previous week. He spotted an early breakaway and managed to close the gap to help form a small select group who worked together and time-trialled their way to the finish line.
He finished in an excellent seventh place in a race which averaged 23mph over its 45-minute duration.
Also in the U14 events representing Stratford CC were Oscar Martin (eighth) who worked tirelessly to try to close the gap on the lead peloton and rode much of the latter part of the race on his own and Joshua Darlow (16th). Representing Rotor was Lewis Tinsley who worked well in the third group on the road, performing well in the sprint finish to come home ninth.
In the U16 boys’ race Jonathan Masters stayed with the peloton for majority of the fast, furious and unpredictable race before working with a smaller group. He then led them over the line to finish a creditable 12th.
