MANSFIELD CYCLIST ROSS LAMB WINS EAST MIDLANDS ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mansfield’s best kept secret is how local businessman Malcolm Hall describes Pro Cyclist Ross Lamb as. ‘’He gets on with the business of winning without the public support he deserves. I’ve known Ross since 2017 when I was part sponsor for the team he raced with and during that year he came 2nd in the championships, something that has rested heavy with him ever since, so winning this year was an itch he needed to scratch’’  

Ross rides for British Team Swift Carbon UK and has brought the cup home after a long wait since Chris Allcock won the race in 1996. He joins an elite club of Mansfield cyclists winning championships which also includes Jonno Harper who took the cyclo cross double in 2015. 

Ross’s race calendar has kept him away from the championships for some years as he has been racing on the continent in both Belgium and France, but it was his performances there that came to the attention of Swift who had no hesitation in offering him a place on the team when it was formed. 

This year he has been in world level events including prestigious races such as the Tour of Portugal and the Tour of Britain where he has been rubbing shoulders with Mark Cavendish and World Champion Julien Alaphillipe to name but two. 

Friend and mentor Mick Padley said “after the quality miles he put in as part of the aforementioned races I knew he would be carrying some form and when he took a solid 4th at the Elite event the Beaumont Trophy, round the tough Northumberland moors, I felt sure he had the legs to do the business at the East Midlands Championships” 

‘’At the Championship race Ross was keen to push the pace on and dragged 3 other riders away with him and when I assessed his breakaway companions, I knew the win was a possibility and sure enough he brought it home’’. 

But Ross hasn’t got time to rest on his laurels as he prepares for his final race of the season the National Championships held at Lincoln on the 17th October. “The Nationals are a tough race “said Ross “with all the pro riders coming home from around Europe to challenge for the title but I’ll be giving it my best to get my hometown of Mansfield’s name to the fore” 

The Nationals consist of 13 ascents of the infamous cobbled climb of Michael Gate but racing on cobbles is something that Ross became accustomed to during his time in Belgium.