Caelan rode all three races of the Winter Series hosted by Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club.
Race one of the Series [26.01] saw Caelan struggle with a severe cold and having to fight with racers he was not familiar with as he labored in the pack not able to go with the main field. He held on and after a few laps was able to gain places thanks to Maya Tarlton [LVYCC] helping him along and by the last lap he managed to take a hard earned fifth place. Luckily due to early ice on the circuit the final lap did not include the hill climb which would probably have seen him drop out due to his condition. Even a week later at his final race of the Winter in the Park Series 6 he still had not fully recovered and struggled for a 7th placing.
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Race two [16.02] and mild weather was the order of the day but again he couldn’t manage to stay with the two Welwyn Wheeler riders Tom Davies and Joe Kiely as they set a blistering first lap and sprinted away. James Fraser of Cycle Club Ashwell also took advantage and went in pursuit leaving Caelan in the second group for the duration of the race. As the bell sounded the riders entered the hill climb where just over half way up Caelan attacked and pulled away with James Fraser as a target but didn’t make the gap and took fourth. Welwyn took the honours again with Tom Davies taking his second first place in the Series.
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Race three [16.03] was cold with heavy rain and the riders were soaked from the start line. This time there was a large lead group of about ten racers from the field of near thirty and no one really pushed the pace in the difficult conditions. As the bell rang Caelan was boxed in by back markers and could only watch as the Welwyn riders and James Fraser headed up the hill with him in pursuit. At the hairpin following the downhill section, Joe Keily at the time in second tried to overtake his team mate and crashed out of the race leaving James Fraser taking his spot. Caelan soon reeled him in up the alpine section and on the tight final bend turned in on his inside and sprinted to the line to the shouts of home track supporters taking second.
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Overall Caelan took third in the Series and was extremely happy to take a podium placing this being his rookie year in the class.
Boy Better Cycle 