Dan Patten works hard at Dunton.

Fresh from a weekend's hard riding in Belgium, where he was unlucky with a mechanical on Saturday and then forced a break in the closing stages of a kermesse on Sunday to take a creditable 26th, Dan Patten took the more local option on Bank Holiday Monday and competed in the Bill Temme Memorial Criterium at Ford's Dunton Test Track.

Despite a snow storm as the race rolled away, there was a strong field present and all were there to race on a weekend where many races had been cancelled. The attacks went from the gun, with James Jackson (Plowman Craven RT) in particular, trying to shake things up. As ever at Dunton, the bunch were very attentive and it wasn't until the race was 45 minutes old that a move finally stuck, with Dan at the head of things in the company of Heron Cyclesport duo Andy Lyons and Adam Norris. As with many of the day's attacks, the bunch deemed this strong trio too dangerous and hauled them back in, as another pair of riders went on the counter attack. Straight away, Dan Patten attacked in pursuit and, taking Adam Norris and another rider with him, they soon caught the lead duo and set about pulling away from the bunch. Finally it looked like a break was going to stick and, when Andy Lyons bridged across to the escapees and added his considerable strength to the lead group, the gap increased and the bunch began to break up under the pressure of the pursuit.

Dan and Andy Lyons combined forces to ensure the break stuck and, with five laps to go, the break were clear and holding off a three man chase group containing James Jackson and Graham Galvin (Team Economic Energy). Dan then had his work cut out in the finale coping with the experience of Lyons and the sprint of Adam Norris, and with the rest of his breakaway companions unprepared to do the work required to win, Dan had to respond to the moves of the Heron Cyclesport duo alone. As the race reached the final corner, Andy Lyons opened up a gap at the front and, forced to take the initiative or risk seeing him ride away, Dan attacked and pulled up to him, only for the rest of the break to then attack Dan. Adam Norris proved how strong he is in the sprint and took the win, with Dan taking fifth, a great result but not quite what he deserved after all of the work he did in shaping the race.

Results:
1.) Adam Norris: Heron Cyclesport
2.) Joe Skipper: VC Revolution
3.) Matt Carden: Team Quest
4.) Jake Butler: In Gear Development Squad
5.) Dan Patten: PCA-Ciclos Uno-Isaac RT