National Hill Climb (Run on the Bank)

The Mills of Matlock World Heritage site in the Derwent Valley


First week off racing so with Fiona's permission I rode out to see the National Hill Climb on Sunday in Matlock after a day in the garden potting up my geraniums for the winter, well I only rode from Derby as it was raining when I left Leicester although the forecast for later in the day was bright and sunny but It wouldn't be the first time they got it wrong this year.
Took me old winter fixed bike to try and blend in, hill climbing is a bit of a dark art, all those anti gravity tablets and riders with less fat than a whippets tail who come out of the dark recesses of the bunch as soon as the roads go uphill. Last one I'd been to watch won by Daryl Webster some time in the early 80's but this year a bit of an open race with it being on a 'climbers' hill (as opposed to a 'roadmans') just over 800m of gradually steepening tarmac that started 50 yards off the main street in the centre of Matlock on Bank Road.


No easy start, a brick behind the back wheel and straight into the climb, it was about 50/50 those that favoured traditional 'fixed' as opposed to 'modern' gears
As soon as I arrived I was accosted by a spectator "I'm in the South Western" a face I did not recognise but up for the day on the train and we spent the afternoon together,. He was a bit of a hill climb aficionado having done a bit of racing and seen quite a few Nationals (yes he'd see all of Daryl Websters wins - 4 in total 1983-86) He knew all the classic climbs Beeley - Curbar - Pea Royd Lane - Monsal Head - Holm Moss and the gearing and quite a bit of the form of the riders so I let him talk me through the event as the last time I rode a hill climb was probably back in the 70's on Ranmore, this 13 and a half stone baby is not prepared to put himself through this kind of pain for public consumption but it does make a wonderful spectacle as the riders grind and puff their way up the hill in slow motion. There was a crowd of several thousand with whistles and horns and shouts to encourage every rider up to the finish line, several riders were caught before halfway and nearly everybody took it seriously. There were quite a few riders out in their 'civvies' hard to recognise without helmet and glasses (if you know what they look like at all) I had a chat with Barry (Baz) Charlton one of the fastest solo/trike riders in the country, we compared seasons, he said he would be getting more into road racing next year, great I thought another potential competitor out the way or until the novelty wears off!!

Chris Myhill 1st Vets 40-45 (1.10.7) 2.46.5


The sun came out and our side of the valley was bathed in a bit of late summer warmth, the early starters (of a field of 150) had gone and I'd missed Bill Bell (Gemini BC) the Southern tip but he was 2nd fastest at half way (58.4) and fastest to the top so far with 2.25.4. His time was to hold out until the final 10 riders as 5 time winner 'Gentleman' Jim Henderson (Southport CC) could not topple him with(1.6.3) 2.26.5, Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan) made a fantastic finish after being slower at the midway (1.3.2) to record 2.24.2, and all that remained was for defending champion James Dobbin (Artic RC) to blow his chances with a ride outside the top 20 after breaking his crank in the warm up and riding on a borrowed bike (& shoes!) Dave Griffiths was the unlucky one to miss out on a medal in 4th (1.8.0) 2.29.6 Lewis Cowley (Plan B) 5th 2.30.2 the only other rider inside a minute at half way (58.1).Blackburn & Dist.CTC won the team prize led by the first Junior Adam Pinder 8th (1.12.6) 2.34.6

Champion Matt Clinton rode (42 x 20) 55.8" fixed gear

Dave Clarke - Lacuna(For Sale) 6th (1.9.3) 2.31.0

James Dobbin 21st (1.10.6) 2.45.3

Medal Winners and Full Result

Time Trial Finale (Waterloo Sunset)

Paul Alderson and I had one final ride on our TT bikes on Sunday in the Hillingdon CC '25' the Handy Cross course on the A404/A4 near Marlow . A chill morning with thick fog over the Thames as we (Myself and brov Alan) descended off the M40 down the starting leg I've heard so much about. (and which prompted Paul to go and buy a 56 chain ring after his last ride here a couple of weeks ago) Paul had done his fastest time (54.06) in this event last year and had tempted me out for one last lung bursting effort.
A pretty decent full field with Paul a seeded rider at number 90, I was off somewhat earlier (at 45) having entered when my PB was still a mid 56 minute ride. I'd been out to meet up with the Saturday run from Cobham and it was good to see all the groups ready to go out but I cut short my ride so as not to overdo it, as luck would have it I had the wrong keys to get into Alan's flat in Wimbledon so I had to pick up some from Judith uptown at Somerset House, that was all I needed another 20 miles in London traffic (on my TT bike!) people must have thought me a courier as I bumped over Waterloo Bridge.
It is cold enough to see my breath, I keep wrapped up until the last moment and then peel away leg warmers, arm warmers I leave on, It is calm, hardly enough wind to rustle the autumnal leaves still clinging to the trees
The start was the closest to the old Q10/19 'ski slope' on the A21 at Tonbridge we used on the 80's devastatingly fast, bikes used to develop a speed wobble in a crosswind as riders approached speeds not usual for a bike. Apparently that has been a problem here and Paul said he could only go down on the 'drops' but I had no such problems and I stopped pedalling top gear when my revs went over 120 (47mph). The course turns off the A404 and goes onto the Old Bath Road (A4) towards Reading a more bumpy affair with numerous kinks in the road, I had to work at the little rises to keep my pace up but I caught my seven minute men by the turn. I began to go better on the return, I think I over geared myself on the way out, that fast start makes you think you can keep that gear going when you should strike the right tempo for the terrain. Back on the A404 I was enjoying my ride, the feel of the pressure in my chest, cold from the air, full lungs but not painful, the arch of my back which lends the power to the legs like a dam holding back the water solid and still, legs pumping, I'd lost a bit of time but not here, in full flight right to the line and then the release as you feel the hotness of the effort push back into your cheeks and your legs, that is a nice feeling the effort is over.

I stop and I get into the car with Alan, we go back up the road to give Paul some encouragement, Police cars are in a lay-by, a mum taking her son to football has knocked off a rider, thankfully the rider is not badly hurt but it makes a bad scene by the side of the road, the boy has missed his match and looks about to cry, the woman has her arms across her chest and stares blankly as riders go past. Paul is doing a good time, not his best but looks smooth and in control, crouched low over his bike in his familiar knee warmers and dark glasses.
At the finish the talk is of the accident and the recently crowned BBAR champion Nik Bowdler of the Farnborough & Camberley CC, a local rider to SW London its a fair few years since the BBAR crown has been a 'Southerner'(1995 Gethin Butler Norwood Paragon) His time today 51.53 for 3rd and I feel better about my ride 53 dead (7th) just over a minute behind him, that was my target for the day, Paul 55.17 in 15th (but only 15 seconds off 10th) in a tightly packed result Winner Baz Charlton 51.14 from Scott Povey 51.31 holding onto their form right to the tail end of the season

LVRC TT Championship (Battle of Edge Hill)

Starting in the fog

My second event over the weekend, I had the LVRC National Time Trial Champ's on the Sunday, based at the lovely village of Warmington at the base of Edge Hill in Warwickshire, this village is one that I pass through many times on long rides South of Leicester usually after battling down the Fosse Road into a headwind and then return cross country in the direction or Northampton.
Scene of the first decisive battle on 23 October 1642 where Charles I won the battle but lost his chance to retake London because he was too cautious to move against the Parliamentary forces plunging the country into a four year Civil War.
All I had to do was ride my bike down and back along the B4100 and up the Fosse Road for 22 miles as fast as possible on a beautiful sunny day with light wind and a bit of fog which lifted as the sun which has been absent for much of the summer burned off.
The LVRC do not run many time trials so it's difficult to assess the field, having done some fast times this year which would have put me in line for the position of favourite, and still in good form, it all depended on the day. I knew the course and it was hilly, for a TT course, but would it be too hilly for me to put my time trialling skills to use over a field that consisted of mainly roadmen?
My main opposition would be Paul Stubbs from the promoting club (MI Racing)and the 40-45 road race champion the 'runner up' Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) who I'd beaten the last two weekends and top 'Tester' Kevin Tye (olds racing.com). The latter of these was a DNS so I went to the line knowing that it would be me upholding the 'Testers' art against the pure roadmen.

The profile does not look made for me!


After the day before I could feel the result in my legs but with a decent warm up and the first five miles was fast and I could 'ride out' some of the effects, I swept passed vintage motorcars going to the Heritage Motor Centre (on the course) at 30mph comfortably. Onto the Fosse it was a different matter, the Romans built them straight (the roads!) but to the detriment of the contours and although I'd ridden this way plenty of times racing along it was another matter, I was into the red too often to be happy with the way I rode but when the road goes up and your speed goes below 12mph all you can do is pray that It doesn't go on too long and press harder.

Charging along the Fosse Road

At the turn I was about 10 seconds down on Eagers 4 minutes behind me, I tried to pull out a bit of speed on the more rolling sections and I was going well but I still had the finish. As with all fast starts there is a price to pay, and we were all due a tough finish. I had kept a bit back but climbing to the finish if a TT just adds insult to injury (a RR finish maybe) but It was the same tough climb for everybody and it hurt like hell, a bit of a sprint as it flattened out over the top to the finish, and my effort was over, I sat at the side of the road and recovered my composure in time to see Eagers come through in three and a half minutes my effort had not been good enough, how many others would beat my time? As it turned out none, I was 2nd after all the other 'B' riders were in. Eagers the winner in 51.34 myself in 52.10 and Mike Donally (Stourbridge Velo) another 14 seconds back, close enough to be respectable but not close enough to feel that I could have done any more under the conditions (and having ridden yesterday) Stubbs was back in 6th proving that It wasn't purely a roadmans event and that 'Testers' do have something to give even on hilly courses.

Receiving my medal from top lady 'Tester' Ruth Eyles


Honary SWRC member and club run stalwart Dave Worsfold was riding under the LVRC banner in the 'E' cat race and managed 1.02.56 on a startlingly modern road bike (Look & SRAM) but still with Binda and Christophe I'm confounded!
After the event the winner confessed he'd been riding more TT's because he'd got his 1st cat licence and the road events he would ride were no longer available to him, It had given him the practice necessary to beat me on the day, no mean rider against the clock under normal circumstances unlike the King of England he drove home his advantage and the course just gave him the edge.

The Winners
A.(40-44) Andrew Meliak olds.com racing 51.03
B.(45-49) Andy Eagers Derby Mercury 51.34
C.(50-54) Phil Bill VC Elan 53.23
D.(55-59) Peter Greenwood Clayton Velo 52.46
E.(60-64) Barrie Mitchell MI Racing 54.02
F.(65-69) Mick Ives MI Racing 59.38
G.(70-74) John Dixon MI Racing 1.01.17
H.(75+) Trevor Fenwick Bournmouth Jubile 1.12.22
Lady Ann Stanley Plan B Racing 1.02.29

Rudy Project # 8 - Final

I'd not ridden a Rudy Project time trial since the early season, too much to fit it in with the BBAR so there were those out to place in the series and local riders like me trying to get a place on the day (and a free pair of socks). I'd raced this circuit a couple of years ago when I was just getting going on my comeback, 9th in 47.11 behind the winner Ray Hughes 42.01.
Quite a hilly course (8m) to be covered twice plus a bit (three for the Elite), I'd been off the bike two days and all day on my legs at the Bike Show the day before. Did an hour in the morning and because it's local at Middleton between Mkt. Harborough and Corby I had time to ride a lap as warm up as well.
Circuit courses mean that you do not get to see the opposition, so you have no idea how you are doing and with two laps you catch riders on their second lap or on their first a lap behind, very confusing.
The day was delightful but the course is 'lumpy' as that is the nature of these races, hilly one side and fairly flat the other so with a SW wind super fast along this section which made the hard parts even harder, still same for everybody and much better than the sleet and gales that I'd ridden the early season event. I went as hard as I dare without getting into trouble on the first lap inside 20 minutes but still 45 seconds behind Richard Prebble (G S Strada), what was he doing in our event? Well he is a veteran, just at 41 (when he should be with the Elite). The Vet's race on 'target' as well as 'scratch' it all adds to the confusion as these are translated into 'points' for the overall.
I must have eased off on the second lap as I was slightly slower in 20.03 but in the final analysis my 42.57 good enough for 3rd place only 1.27 behind Prebble the eventual winner, Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley RC) squeezed between us in 2nd place with 42.21 the winner of the series on 'Scratch'. 14th place John Woodburn (VC Meudon) 47.28 was the winner on 'Target time' (+12.08) and the winner of the series.
Jimmy Wright (Preston Whs.) won the 'Elite' 1.02.15 Kevin Dawson (Sportscover) the winner of the series 2nd 1.04.33 and 3rd Bradley Johnson (Sportscover) the Espoir winner in 1.05.07. On reflection my ride good enough to be within a minute of these two after 2 laps.

Kevin Dawson - Having a rest from the BBAR


Just before the off I was talking to Bradley Johnson, helped him on with his 'Camelbak' plus a bottle for a 25 mile race! Taking after his mentor Kevin Dawson who he joined in the 'Sportscover' team this year and always a fan of keeping hydrated but I thought this going a bit far. At 22 years old Bradley has applied for Dave Rayner funding as I know we in the club support this organisation in memory of a young rider who died tragically young. He hopes to go and race in Europe and make it on the road, I wished him good luck and did not mention that it was another BBAR opponent for next year out the way (currently 7th) we have had a fair few battles this year (he won mostly!) but come on a long way from when I caught him for 7 minutes in last years Swift '100', he says he remembers me coming past and I must have given him a shout as it would have been near the end as he did 4.03.09 but I beat him by 12 minutes. This year a 21 minute improvement to 3.41.32 and there won't be many in the 'flat lands' that have done that and a 12 hour! If only he had not had two punctures and that snapped chain he may have run out the winner as he was less than 4 miles off Ian Cammish's winning distance.



Bradley a man for the future?

"Blowin in the wind"

And did it blow! The strongest crosswind I'd ever raced in for the Nottingham Clarion '25' on Saturday, thankfully the expected rain held off but it was touch and go as the event uses the A1 on the southbound leg of this two lap course and the B1164 back to Tuxford. 50mph gusts were blowing the riders into the kerb and I had to fight to keep a straight line, un-usually my arms as well as my legs ached afterwards!
After my record breaking ride last week it was back to normal with a 57.31 for 4th place (again) brought me down to reality after a week on cloud nine. There were quite a few non starters and a fair few DNF as riders decided that they could not cope with the conditions, others just rode on their 'oldschool outers' what is this not able to control my aero bars so I stopped racing, wouldn't have happened in my day
Winner was Kevin Dawson (Sportscover) having a quite season but under the conditions put in an impressive 53.02 for the F.A.Widdowson Memorial Trophy, 2nd was ten time winner Julian Ramsbottom (De Rosa RT) over a minute back in 54.12 Third was Bradley Johnson (Sportscover) in 55.29 who I would say is the new kid on the block, only 22 years old and a much improved rider this year, unusual for such a young rider to be up there in the BBAR and the long distance titles but along with (slightly older) Andy Baston (Wrekinsport) lending some youth to the Time Trialing scene. I took a couple of handy scalps by a handful of seconds Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) and Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley) tied for 5th in 57.34
Getting close to the end of the season now but a few were eking out their season with me, riders like Dawson and Dalton have the final Rudy Project (leading Elite and Vets respectively) next week, I'm riding as It's local at Corby and I have the LVRC TT Championship the next day near Banbury. After that I have the Hillingdon '25' with Paul Alderson on the A404 at Marlow the week after and then the LVRC Track Champ's at Newport the first weekend of November. I hope to see a few of you a couple of weekends later at the same venue for the Track Training Weekend being organised by "Freewheelin'" Roger Jackerman, be there! Take it away Bob

'25' CLUB RECORD - 50.46

Thought you might enjoy this picture taken last Saturday in full flight at the start of my recent record breaking ride in the BDCA '25'. This is about a mile from the start on one of the uphill sections before getting onto the A50 so I'm on the inner ring! Notice I carried a spare tyre and a Co2 canister even though I'd taken my second bottle cage off so I can't have been that worried about the extras that I carry for the longer events. The bottle is only half full but I did take a drink at the turn and the rest went onto my legs. The frame is a standard road frame bought second hand off my old pal Steve Gowar (he rides for Sigma RT - Sorry Gary!) I used it for a season but found it a tad small and a bit rigid for the road, I have used it for every distance from '10' miles to 12 Hours.