A1 Classic

What an excellent race the LVRC A1 Classic turned into last weekend, after almost not starting at all.  A major mess up at the local authority meant that it had been odds on for cancellation until the organisers and police came to a last minute compromise and the race was allowed to go ahead as long as each age group raced separately to keep the bunch size down to around 30.  This meant that Giles and Matt raced in the A-group race, I went in the B-Group 2 mins later and John was further 4 mins back in the D-group.

Going up on the downs

Grah and I did the White Horse Challenge on Sunday, crossing the Marlborough and Lambourn Downs, which we found an excellent event If anyone would like to do it as their 1st sportive it is an excellent intro, not too hilly but a very frendly atmosphere. We got in a great group early on and everyone seemed to be working well. The first of the hills at the Broad Town White Horse saw a sort out and by the time we were approx half way round there was just Piers,(Irish bloke) Grah and myself.

The brothers grim ha ha

Our average ride time was a ‘miggies dangley bits’ short of an average of 21mph for the 95 miles
If you have trouble getting to sleep, my full blog is on the front page of www.cyclosport.org

Ewen (aka Boowen) I saw somewhere you got 8th on one of the stages at the weekend but results seem to have disappeared

Congratulations to Nick Yarworth for his win at the weekend

Ludlow CC Time Trials

Four laps of the LCC hilly circuit tonight. (K45/22.8)

Starting from the layby on A49 just outside Ludlow. 1st rider should be off at 7pm. Signing on at least 15 mins before.

Hopefully see you there.

More points!

Congratulations go to Simon on bagging another 12 points today for his second place at the Two Counties Road Race in Bridgenorth (the bad news is that he now has to race with the second cats!) and to Charler for a fine 9th place and his first BC points.

The race was an interesting one as it turned into one long war of attrition, with a big bunch of 80+ setting off from the neutralised zone at the top of the Hermitage (the hardest climb of the day oddly) at a cracking pace – one or two riders would then drop off the back on each of the long rises as the race belted along the A- roads for 15 miles or so before hitting the only hard-ish climb on each lap at the back of the Hermitage. 

Epic Conquers the Cobbles

Last weekend, myself, Morro and Weave all set off for the Tour of Flanders (or Ronde Van Vlaanderen) in Belgium. The plan was to travel to Dover on the Friday, short ferry trip, then 2 hrs drive to our hotel on the outskirts of Brussels. Then, on the Saturday we’d head into Ninove, (about a half hour drive), and ride the classic 140km cobble-laden Tour of Flanders sportive. Followed on Sunday by watching the pros ride the same route (except they will have already ridden 100+kms!), then back home on Monday morning. Here’s how it went….

Breaching the Castle !!

Ok Castle Coombe today with Epic well represented. Slight mystery, as Matt wasn’t there for the start. The weather forecast was dyer if the truth be told and the wind was always to be a feature The 4th cat race lined up and goodness me there were well over 100 riders eagarly awaiting the start flag dropping. As our pre race discussion all of us would stay near the front. See photo below as Epic retain a consistant top 20 presence.

At least the weather for us held apart from a little drizzle. Despite all our riders staying very close to the front, on the finishing straight about half way through the race and with a cross/headwind riders jostled and the inevitable contact was made with the resulting scrapping still ringing in my ears, when Charler pulls alongside to inform us that Dave (Greek) had come off, over the bars and face planted What followed was the longest lap of the race to see if he was up ! Thankfully he was walking wounded, talking to he medics.

We commenced the final laps, ready for the sprint and as the charge started, Graham was well placed, I was acting as wing man and Charler was near the front but more exposed to the wind. How no-one came down I’ll never know but out of all that Grah, was actually, Grahon1, grabbing himself 9th and a point on the score board . Charler and myself both managed top 20 but we were more relieved to see Greek in good spirits dispite his drama, although the road rash on his head looked harsh !!! That’ll teach him to be so damn good looking ha ha (only joking Dave) All wishing you a swift recovery

Simon and Pete rode very well in their own races, finishing in the pack on each event. I’m sure Pete and Si will expand, they certainly had the pooey weather !

Well done Grah, I know you felt you could have got more but now you’ve started ……..

Happy (pre Easter) Bunny

Ok, so it wasn’t one of the European Classics or Premier calandar but today I rode the Kenilworth Wheelers crits at Victoria Park, Leamington. The morning consisted of a 25 lap race then about 40minutes later a 40 lap race, yes 2 races in quick succession The circuit is an oval with a reasonable surface. In the first race, 40, 4th cat riders lined up, the pace was a surging type of event with things getting very hectic on the prime laps, £5 but you would think it was £100 the way riders jostled for each of those laps. On completion of one of those prime laps and as riders recovered I put in an attack taking a rider Geoff Dingley with me only for the bunch to quickly accelerate and a lap later we were back in the fold So several laps later a bunch sprint was inevitable. Things were nervous as handlebars and wheels touched but as things opened up and riders faded on the long finishing straight, I moved up and sprinted. Oh dear, the dreaded sound of clattering bikes behind in the bunch was aweful I knew I had got in the top 10 and was amazed to later find out that I was 6th

The second race was a quicker affair altogether as a few stronger riders that had obviously abstained from the first race, were quick to make their presence felt. The primes were up to £10 and that certainly livened things up Just past halfway point and a rider unfortunately caught his handlebars in a hedge which immediately threw him off and threw him back across the track  into the bunch, carnage as riders had nowhere to go !! Luckily only a couple had to retire and the racing moved back up to full pace. With 3 laps to go one of the stronger riders mentioned earlier, made his move that was to prove successful, he powered his way to hold off everyone for a well deserved win, second was taken by a last lap escapee and as the bunch launched into the finishing straight, I found myself in a well advanced position, jumped a gap as riders tired and as the line approach, it was a case of ‘go on’ give it a go and out the saddle I found I was approaching the line quicker than most, encouraged by that I dig a little deeper and lunge OMG ( Oh my god ) I had got 3rd :-0 What does this prove ? Well any one of you can do this, I have never had a sprint to talk of but today, well keep looking over your shoulder Cav, I’m a coming ha ha

Unfortunately none of you were there for me to share, my best road performances to date, hence the wittering on but on this coming Friday at Castle Coombe I’ll certainly work to help whoever is feeling good