Moses fancies Keighley chances in nationals (From Keighley News)

Moses fancies Keighley chances in nationals

10:50am Thursday 4th February 2010

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Tom Moses, sharpened by his World Cyclo-Cross Championship experience last weekend in the Czech Republic, expects big things of Keighley and district riders in this weekend’s National Championships.

“I can see three or four titles coming our way at Sutton Coldfield,” said the 17-year-old Oakbank pupil.

“Ed McParland, Robert Watson, Chris Young, my brother Joe and myself are all in with a shout in our respective races.

“I feel fit after riding in Europe last weekend, and that will give me an advantage over some of the other riders who haven’t ridden competitively for three weeks.”

Moses was the leading British rider in the junior men’s race in Tabor last weekend, finishing 36th.

He said: “We knew we would be facing snow and ice on the course, which was new for me, and we spent a couple of days getting used to the course, which was on a hillside.

“They tried to make it rutted but it was still icy.”

Starting on the fifth row out of seven of the grid was not the ideal position but Moses (pictured) attacked early and was soon in the top 20.

He confessed: “You know you are not going to win the race from the fifth row but after the first couple of laps I was moving up the field.

“Then I started to make the odd mistake as I tired, which cost me some places.”

Moses was one place ahead of Luke Gray at the end, with the third Briton, Luke Grivell-Mellor, in 50th.

He was 3min 24sec behind winner Tomas Paprstka, from the host nation, but four seconds in front of Gray and 2min 31sec ahead of Grivell-Mellor.

Moses had mixed emotions after the race and reflected: “I was disappointed that I slid down the field but to get up to 36th from the fifth row was really good.”

As for this Sunday lunch-time’s race, he says: “There are four or five who could win it – Dan McLay, Luke Gray, Luke Grivell-Mellor, myself and Perry Bowater.”

Moses (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) won the national junior title last year in Bradford and the consistent teenager has already won the National Trophy Series junior men’s crown this winter, winning two of the races.

McLay (Hargroves Cycles) has won three rounds and could have won the overall title if he had ridden every event, while Gray (Hargroves Cycles) has also won one round and defeated McLay at Rutland.

Bowater (CC Giro) has been on the podium three times during the Trophy season.

Joe Moses’ under-16 boys’ race is on Saturday lunch-time, and he has McParland (JD Cycles Ilkley) for company.

Keighley’s Young, also of JD Cycles Ilkley, is among the favourites for the veterans’ 45 race on Saturday afternoon.

The championships were originally scheduled for the weekend of January 9-10 but were postponed because of snow.

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