Mayday Madness - Inter Club / National '10'

Michael Hutchinson an impressive winner of the National '10'

Alan and I set out at 11.00am Sunday for my first National 10 mile Championship, Bank Holiday traffic on the M25 caused us to miss the Women's event but we drove down the course from the Stockscross Jct. of the A34. Brought back memories of the clubs Open '25' and '50' which used to start in this lane (in the 80's) at the top of Speen Hill on the Old Bath Road which was the venue of so many the clubs events and its participants efforts from its earliest days.
A bit of a rolling course but with a good surface with plenty of tree cover on a glorious sunny day with little or no wind. I went for a warm up around the course which was 15 minutes ride from the HQ at Woodlands St Mary, some riders were already on their turbos warming up but I prefer to get a feel for the day and the course and my rollers stayed in the car. Alan mingled with the elite of the country's short distance riders and their helpers. The course felt not so bad and I went around non-aero in 24 minutes (25mph) thinking that the race itself would be allot faster when kitted out & psyched up to race
Start order was in descending order of time done in the last 12 months, the first riders were beginning to return as we rode to the start, my start position (No 59) a minute behind Peter Dickerson (RT 316) we are old foes from schoolboy days when he was in the Surrey Roads CC. No 56 Adrian Lansley from the local North Hant's RC zipped passed late for the start (see video) but later we were to find he must ride like that all the time!

Cresting the climb after 2 miles


I had planned to go out as fast as possible try and get my minute man in sight by the turn at 5.5 miles and then reel him in on the harder second half but as we were only a second apart on actual PB I thought this slightly unlikely. There was an incline a Km after the start climbing 30m in 1.5 Km (1:12 steepest) and I was 12 secs up at the top of here (Alan shouted) which gave me encouragement as climbing (let alone in a TT!) not my strong point. I settled down for the body of the race but to be truthful in a '10' there is not much let up when I checked my PR was over 160 which only ever happens at the start (if at all) in any other race.
I was behind two cars going through the 30mph zone in Stockscross so backed off so as not to take pace and gave the turn my best criterium style effort and recorded 11.41 (28.72mph) at this point I was 36 secs up on Dickerson but only a hard 4.5 miles to go. I think my pacing went a bit awry here and my lack of practice (and age) got the better of me, I only closed another 20 secs by the finish and that was with an all out effort in the last mile to finish in 22.05 four seconds short of the catch. 10.24 (25.09mph) for the second half
I rode back up the course to the top of the hill to watch the final hour of riders with Alan and Martin Kostler, some of the riders using massive gears to very little effect on these moderately fast road, three of the last ten (seeded) riders were DNS which was a disappointment as this left some big gaps in the 2 minute intervals but Dangerfield (Shorter RT) was impressive only a few weeks back from Australia and already some speedy performances in his legs seemed to float along the surface but only good enough for 3rd on the day 20.14 (9.21).

Tennant


Fastest to the turn and 2nd overall young road man Andrew Tennant (Halfords) 20.04 (10.24) but pre-race favourite Dr.('Hutch')Hutchinson pulled out 40 secs on the young pretender in the last 4.5 miles 10.34 (31.95mph) to the turn for a final 19.34 an incredible 29mph, 2mph faster than Tennant.

Dangerfield


Supprise of the day was local rider Andrew Lansley in 5th place (from a place outside the top 100 on time!) with 20.27 (10.52) pushed more fancied riders out of the picture. I was 4th fastest in my age category (45-49) won by Charles McCulloch (Shorter RT) 20.47 (11.07) so can I blame age? in 8th overall also part of the winning team with Dangerfield and Mark Holton 20.55 (11.06)

The women's event was won by defending champion Julia Shaw (Utag Yahama) 21.49 from Lynn Hamil (Team NCA) 22.39 (12.06) and Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael) 22.50 (12.15) fresh from her gold medal at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester
Junior event won by Joseph Perett (Glendede CC) 20.47 (11.05) from 16 year old Conor Dunne (Hemel Hempstead) 21.34 (11.38) and Tom Yeatman (Glendene CC) 21.47 (11.40)
I was supposed to ride the Brighton Mitre MG '10' on the BH morning but after two efforts in two days my body failed to respond at 5.30 in the morning, mind I'd only got to bed at 3.00am after a night on the tiles, sometimes you have to know when there's nothing more to give


Podium Tennant Hutchinson Dangerfield

My effort good enough for 67th The Full Result Here

As a bit of preparation I had a bit of pre-championship practice at the Inter-Club on the Saturday morning. There was a full field of 25 (any more and the time keeper cannot get to the finish in time) getting up before five was not the best but the morning was and we all gaterered in Rusper lane by the A264 on the Horsham bypass to test ourselves now that the season was well into its stride.
I was riding a fixed wheel of 96" so as not to overdo it on my ride to work bike (Summer) with some aero's fitted, and did 20 minutes on the rollers as I watched the others away as I was penultimate rider. The (not gift) hill at the start I had to attack with gusto to keep my momentum, I could feel my breathing restricted when I got over 100rpm which was my top whack in the slightly restricted position. Put in a bit of a spurt at the finish catching Jerry just before the final roundabout and spinning out down to the finish
It's always bad to loose by a few seconds but I crashed to third in 21.45 only 11 and 2 seconds behind Epsom pair of Emmerson and Malloy but the SWRC packed the next four places with a top ride from Simon in 22.41 handing out a beating to Jon in 23.19 and Martin Kostler 24.04 (on the comeback trail and training hard we hear) Tom only 10 seconds off a PB with 25.57

The full Result

Back to Back - Back to Black

Another tedious weekend of high winds and driving rain and hail only tempered by the fact that it was from the mild South West rather than the bone jarring North East, I'd had a recovery week in anticipation of a hard back to back events but these are compounded by atrocious weather conditions and I headed out to the Swift '50' on the A1 out near Tuxford. I had the chance to drive down the course and thought the event might be cancelled as there was allot of spray from the heavy and frequent showers but eventually the first riders came along.
Local Retford resident Paul Austin was standing outside the HQ when he should have been on the road saying he "didn't fancy it" and another 30 were of the same opinion from a nearly full field. I determined not to make it too painful after last week as this race had a near 25 mile pull into the wind on the outbound leg so I kept my gears down and tried to keep my revs up in the mid 80's, I'd forgotten to put a magnet on my front wheel so I had no computer which as it turned out I did not get too worried about my slow progress to the turn. I was about level with my 10 minute man Paul Dring (Echelon) although the new turn at Gonnerby Moore made that difficult to judge with the wind and two roundabouts to negotiate just as another dose of stinging rain deluged the A1.
The return was an altogether more civilised affair and I was able to get a bit more into my stride as I passed through the wind tunnel which had seen my speed drop dramatically at Long Bennington on the way out and then Newark a bit of a climb but much easier with a bit of a tail wind. For the second week in a row I was caught, last week Marc Mullender (Walsall RCC) for a minute and here a week later by Anthony Nash (Scunthorpe Poly) for two minutes, a fast local short distance man stepping up to fifty miles (once in a blue moon he told me later) it's all very well starting in a fast slot you have to be able to walk the walk and in the last couple of weeks I'd been found wanting but on both occasions by classy talent (I comforted myself)
Nash and I found ourselves in a bit of a tussle as we passed and re-passed each other on the way to the finish, I would peg him back on the drags and he would press his advantage on the faster parts as I kept to my high revving target, he was often out the saddle as he urged his bike forward with a swaying torso and pounding legs, I was able to pull away at the tough finish as we mopped up several infront I had to be careful not to take pace as I was the caught rider, at the finish we compared rides and I apologised If I had interfered with his 'effort' but he had done enough for 4th on the day with 1.52.27. Winner was Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs) 1.48.14 from Joel Wainman 1.49.08 and Carl Ruebotham 1.50.29 both from the promoting club, I'd beaten Dring by a mere 3 seconds for 8th place.
I did not get home untill after 8pm and out the door again at 8 the next morning after a brief leg rub and sleep for the Stratford CC round of the LVRC Percy Stallard National series at Shipton-on-Stour. Clouds looked ominous once again and Dave Worsfold and I sat in the changing room layering on waterproof clothing until we looked like the Sunday joint ready for the oven.

Leading the bunch in the wet - Some take it more cautious than others

The A and B age groups raced together and sure enough as we rolled away the heavens opened and the bunch was soon soaked through, I was one of the few with winter overshoes (still in my kitbag) but there was no stripping off arm warmers and gilets as the race wore on they stayed for the duration as the rain lashed down for the first 3 of this 5 lap (75 mile!) race. I think a combination of the distance (several said it was there longest race ever) the rain and the strong winds (still) made the race an unusual one, two riders got away in the first mile and stayed away for the duration, no matter what people tried the race never got going it just spurted to life every now and again like a mis fireing engine and we see-sawed our way through the race leaving the escaped duo to a maximum lead of 2 minutes. But you had to give them their due, I would not have wanted to stay out front for over 70 miles

Final Gallup for the finish - I came past most of these riders by the line apart from the one in red, I had no idea how far infront of the rest of the bunch in the distance

I took it easy for the first hour to let my legs recover from yesterday, I kept well up on the hills but I have to say my legs were OK and keeping away from the big gears had saved my legs. I had a few efforts to get away or get in a working group but they all came to nothing and then on the last lap it was just a waiting game for the finishing sprint up the hill which I coped with but you know I'm no good I'm just not fleet enough (or light enough!) to get up the front in this sort of finish made for the Judges and the bunch was well spread out. No cramp either, if it was going to happen it would on a day like today. As it turned out we averaged over 22mph to finish in 3 1/4 hours on what is a pretty tough course with lots of twists and turns, the results (& some pics) can be found on the LVRC website

Dirt Sir!

NB Just looked at the result and found I was placed 6th in the B race (12th o/a and both the escapees were 'A' riders Geoff Giddings (Raleigh RT) winner and Dave Kirby (Coventry CC) 2nd so we were sprinting for the outright win in the 'B' race. Andy Webb (Kenilworth Whs.) winning the bunch sprint from Roy Sumner 'A' (Port Sunlight Whs - second one to beat me this w/e) Jon Stephenson 'B' (Endura) 2nd and Graham Payne 'B'(Whitfield RT) 3rd

WARNING!

Beware there's been a spate of manhole nicking over the last couple of years as the price of iron and steel increases but it has got to epidemic and dangerous proportions here in the Midlands. Just over the border in Warickshire the road planners had the idea to use narrow manholes on the Fosse road. I can't think I've seen them elsewhere - I cannot think why not!



Their plan has spectacularly misfired as (unlike the usual square ones which are hinged and hard to nick) these just lift out and Hey Presto! an instant bike (death) trap. Currently there are about thirty missing in a five mile section and with the winds of late best to make a wide berth

Windy Weekend

Another week battling fierce wind in the midlands, I (and the weather forecasters) had expected a let up at the weekend. I'd ridden at Mallory Park on the Thursday and the Ploughman Craven 'boys' were out in force having a bit of a get together before the Lincoln GP up the road on Sunday. In the end they carved up the field taking the first five places while I hung on in the bunch & finished in a group off the front in 12th but there were plenty of retirements in the worst (windy!) conditions I can hardly remember racing in.
Saturday did not bring any restbite for the South Pennine '25' on the A50 up at Uttoxeter, some riders had travelled a distance (88 returned entries for this popular course) but what they got was a windy welcome and a spit in the eye for their efforts. With Thursday's ride still in my legs I felt OK but unlike the BDCA the block headwind to the turn did not allow me any time to get into my stride and I battled all the way - with very little effect, I was supprised to keep up 25mph but the return was not the panacea it promised and although I averaged 30mph+ I ended up with a 54.53. I'd gone back a bit (-one & half mins) on some of my rivals although nearly everybody was slower than three weeks ago. Winner Bottrill (De Rosa) on a new Argon TT bike 49.30 (-only 4 secs!) Stuart Dangerfield (Shorter RT) making a comeback (from Australia) 2nd 50.03 from James Perkins (Zenith CC) 50.06 Top roadman Andy Tennant (Halfords) 4th 50.31 a foray into TT'ing to get a time for the National '25' and Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 5th 51.28 (-one min 13 secs)

On the Sunday I rode over to watch the Lincoln GP as I'd had my entry back from the LVRC Alford RR (Late!) the sun was out from early I set off just after 8.30 as the race started at 10.00 and its shorter these days (only 86 miles) so as not to close the roads all day. I went the long way past Ragdale Hall (health spa) and along the Vale of Belvoir (Belvoir Castle) to Grantham and then past the numerous military air bases that dot this part of the landscape Londonthorpe, Cranwell & Waddington with a row of AWACS early warning aircraft lined up on the runway. 70m at 19mph on my winter bike (it usually rains, I've learned form years of riding to the event!) But today the arm warmers come off as I ride around the course, the field is pretty split up by this stage with a group of 10-12 off the front from which the winning trio will spring on the final lap.



One weekend you ride with them and the next their leading the Lincoln GP - John Tanner (Winner 1997 and 2nd no less than four times) only 15th today




Winner for the third time Russell Downing (Candi TV - Pinarello) from Ian Wilkinson (Halfords) and third Chris Newton (Rapher - Condor)

I then rode the 55 miles home straight along the A46 (Fosse Rd) with a bit of a tail wind as the heat went out of the day getting home at 5pm (at 21mph) 130 miles all told and my legs are a bit stiff, It's my first '50' next weekend so I'd better get them in shape, this is where the BBAR begins

ZENITH CC - Nigel Measom Memorial 2 Day Stage Race

Let the battle begin!

Stage 1. Sat (am) 2.7m Time Trial - Lutterworth - Kimcote
Bright sunny and little wind promised a fast start to this my annual trip with the top roadmen, my first road event of any sort this year short of Mallory Park where I took a pasting in the rain on Thursday preferring (risking) that to another turbo session (Ahhhhhhh!) Over twenty first cats including the Doncaster mafia this year (Sportscover & Planet X) both with teams of five, doing less racing these days now there all vets (or nearly!) with family's (a family day out for them of sorts!)
They didn't have it all their own way in the opening stage and it was local boys Matt Bottrill 6.31 (De Rosa) and James Perkins 5.46 of the promoting club sandwiched Kevin Dawson 5.40 (Sportcover) in the Prologue with me half a minute down (but 20 seconds faster than last year) in =9th 6.03 with several others.

Stage 2. Sat (pm) 63m - Gilmoreton - Kimcote - Bruntingthorpe
This stage just a glorified criterium on flattish roads around Bruntinthorpe aerodrome run off at 27mph the judges lost track of the laps and we did an extra (7m) lap, not to the advantage of a group off the front as we were 30 seconds down at the time


In a Yorkshire sandwich between Dawson (winner) and Tanner (3rd) Bottrill in Yellow (4th)

The bunch kept splitting under the pressure of the constant attacking and the Yorkshire 'boys' put pressure on Bottrill in yellow a bit isolated with only one team mate, at one point a combine of East Midlands riders got together to pull back a big break as they stuck to their task the rest of the bunch got an easy ride and the other Sportscover/Planet X riders kept a close eye on the front but did not try and break it up. We all came together in the last mile apart from Mark Lovatt (Planet X)1st and C. Hyumphrey (Sportscover)2nd and A. Bird (Team Echelon) 3rd and I managed to get up in the finish sprint for a top 15 place Tim Lawson (SIS) winning the bunch sprint (he will be one of my opponents in the Masters Pursuit later in the year I feel) from Bottrill

Stage 3. Sun (am) 80m Gilmoreton - Bruntingthorpe - Walton - Peatling Magna
Using half of yesterdays circuit but a bigger loop to take the lap over 11 miles of rolling countryside and a wicked wind had developed overnight which made the days racing hard as hell. Same pattern as yesterday with the Yorkshire 'boys' ganging up on Bottrill who had hung on to his lead overnight, but this time he could not relie on the help of others which melted away under the constant attacking. It was all I could do to stick near the front of the bunch and work to pull back the various groups that went up the road, my legs just do not have the explosive power to cope with all the starting and stopping but when I get in a smooth moving group I'm OK and I sat making the tempo on the hill to give myself an easy ride and deter anybody from attacking a couple of times. After sixty miles there was a general re-grouping just as Lovatt, Dawson and Tanner went away on their own to take the stage win (& the major honours) a group of nine formed from the bunch and I could not quite get with them penultimate time up the hill and dropped back to the bunch and we paraded around for the final lap beaten men although by this time over 20 had retired (one crash). I came in at the front(ish) of the bunch 3 minutes behind the winners but satisfied I'd been in the race and given it everything, my final place 21st. Lovatt won both road stages but lost out to Dawson in the overall due to a poor prologue Tanner 3rd and Bottrill 4th after gamely chasing all day my enduring image is of Lovatt attacking up the big hill on the big ring with a big cheeky grin on his face looking at the man in yellow as if to say " Get some of this" Yorkshire 3 Leicester 1
I was tring out Carbon bars (and stem) for the first time after getting pins and needles in my hands in several races over the past couple of years and I can say that It seems to be a big improvement as I was definitely gripping them bars for all I was worth on occasions over the weekend, It gives the bike a bit of a different handling but I think that also has something to do with deep carbon wheels that I have only been using for half a season and they are disconserting on windy days.
I did not have a recurrence of the cramp which blighted my road racing last year, maybe I'm just fitter but my legs felt OK (up until the last hill) but It would take a lifetime of racing to match those guys in the attacking style that they like to go all out until the opposition quits.

This man can sell your energy drink?

Result Here

Catford '10' (Old Skool A+)

Bit of a rest week for me, so after getting caught in the last 200m at Mallory Park on Tuesday after being away for the last 6 laps on m'tod I only one event at the weekend. I had my second outing in the Planet X Old Skool series, this event on the Q10/19 had captured my imagination when I saw it in the series being one of the courses we raced all the time in the early 80's. I needed a focus for early season before the longer races of the BBAR begin next month, It looked like a fine morning, the sun was rising as I crossed the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford (just missed the cutoff for free travel at 6.00am!) as the morning progressed the wind got up a bit and I felt the early starters (6.15!) had the best of it and then as I was warming up on the rollers it began to drizzle and there was a dry patch under me on the tarmac as the rain got harder.
I decided not to put my 28 spoke wheels in (under the conditions) and the 'ski' slope at the start looked not as fiercesome as I remember it but as I came down at 48mph into the wind it was real enough, could not get top gear (the 11) but we only had a 12 top all those years ago age had taken it's toll on the spring in my Campag Super Record gear and I stopped pedalling half way down, it's a gradual climb all the way to the turn could I roll back the years on my old fashion machine, I was going OK but speed down below 20mph at one point - Cripes! and I dare not look at my speed going up to the turn after catching Carol Gandy my minute woman at the base of the slip road. I was 12.50 to the turn, not great I would have to go 30mph+ to beat 22 minutes, saw Cammish on the way back 7m behind me and gave him a nod and then gave it everything inside the white line (shortest distance) for the last mile as the road curves gradually round to the left to the finish at the base of the Tonbridge bypass. I'd stopped the clock at 22.15 a bit of a disappointment I thought as I'd set my heart on getting close to my old PB (21.10) but not on this day, just too hard, and we used to race on Saturday afternoon in the blazing heat, just what we didn't have so no fast time. My mood lifted when back at he HQ news came that I'd beaten Cammish (by 50 secs) a good margin and the first time since my comeback (if I ever have!). I'd won the Old Skool event and 17th overall (I was 78th in the Hull RC event! Cammish 76th) in the main event, winner Matt Miles (Wildside 707 RT) with 20.22 Full Result here Cammish was gracious in defeat and came over to congratulate me (where's the SWRC from then?) Alan and I a bit starstruck and he missed his photo opportunity (for the blog) Photo's of the event (I'm near the end)
My only problem fitting in the two 25 mile races to complete the series most of which clash with other events during the season.
I decided to enter the National'10' on the May Bank holiday weekend, never ridden it before, didn't have one in my day (for women and schoolboys only) promoted by the Newbury RC at on the B4000 at Wickham Heath the Sunday, there is a website here with lots of info, I am in but only 92nd fastest with 20.36 should be some event maybe some of the club riders would like to organise a ride to see what is one of the most spectacular events in the TT calendar, there's an Inter-club the day before and on the BH I've entered the Brighton Mitre MG (72") at Steyning (G10/97) but they also run a Hilly, Hub Gear! and Standatd TT event and one for Road Bikes so something for everyone, you can even enter more than one if you like

BDCA '25'

Phew! back on the flat roads again, time to put the 56/50 back on and see if all this winter training is having any effect on my speed and stamina. Back to the A50 scene of some of my best rides last year and relatively local only half an hour up the M1 to EMA and along the A50 past the Derby's Toyota factory to the HQ at Etwall.
A bit breezy, been out for an hour in the morning as not off until 3.30 so plenty of time to get prepared for the ride, I'm still trying to get my legs over a midweek ride in very windy conditions left my legs a bit dead and body tired so I do 40 minutes of stretching which only confirms to me that my legs are not recovered but no more time just focus on the ride and do the best I can, It's an opportunity to see how everybody is going on a level playing field as many of the top riders are here.
Several riders nod acknowledgement as I go and sign on, not much is said most are in their own world of preparation, some are on the turbo in the car park, I will do a quick warm up on the bike (having been out in the morning) no need to get up too much a head of steam (as the start is fast wind from the N East)you can overdo the warm up and it is a lovely day blue skies and sunshine,brilliant for the time of year, it poured with rain last year and I did a middle 57 (but It was early morning) and almost cancelled because the road had been shut overnight.
I had to raine it in a bit at the start as it was fast but closed in on my MM and caught him at about 7 miles and then my 2MM over the speed bumps to the turn roundabout, my Av. speed 30.6mph I was about level with Ian Cammish (on a fixed) 10 min infront. The return was a different race, I was very unsettled in what gear to use and my speed varied wildly from 22mph on the uphill to 30mph+ on the down, I knew I was loosing alot of time but best to just keep it steady and not put too much effort into any particular place, damage limitation the only way to survive at speed another rider hove into view but the finish came before I had a chance to catch him and it was over, my computer showed short 54 so I was surprised when I saw 53.23 on the result board not good enough for a top ten on the day but better than I expected only just over a minute behind Geoff Platt (De Rosa RT) 52.11 - 6th who beat me by 4 minutes last week. Ride of the day the winner Matt Bottrill(also De Rosa)49.26 from Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 50.15 and Cammish (Planet X) 50.55 beating the hell out of me on the return and Scott Povey (Warickshire RC) 4th 51.26 also on a fixed (110" he told me at the start).
So a very successful ride for me on my first DC outing of the year, some of these riders have been doing fast times for two months while I have been averaging 23-24mph on the hills so no shame in not being able to turn it on when the going was hard, time trialing is a patient game and I'm in for the long haul, its still April
Next week 'Old Skool' outing #2 the Catford '10' on the Q10/19 Saturday

Easter Racing Pt. 2 - City RC '10' (Old Skool - B+)

N.B. Can you have one of these on the start of a post?
Just a quick note to say two old friends of the club accosted me at the Ashfield 2 Up and the Melton Hilly. The lovely Cheryl Owens rode with her GS Metro(partner) and we caught up over tea in the Coalville Whs Clubroom (the HQ) She now lives in Burbage (better than saying you live in Hinckley) which is tantamount to saying that you live in Darwin's waiting room (topical there), beware of places where they still point at aeroplanes! Name escapes me but another soul accosted me at the Great Dalby Village Hall and then seconded to pusher off, now in the Melton Olympic CC and missing everybody at the SWRC

So to Easter proper and the City RC (Hull) '10' on the 'uber' fast V718 (on the A63) now this had been designated the first of the Planet X - 'Old Skool' series for Retro bikes (No carbon, No Aero,) just back to basics TT'ing 80's style. The event was a run out for me as I fancied having a crack at doing a ride in the Catford '10' on the Q10/19 in Kent in a couple of weeks, I did club record on this course way back in 1982 (21.10) the same day Dave Lloyd broke Comp. record (19.11) but never attained the magic 20 minute ride that I thought capable so with my comeback in full swing I felt an early season challenge to go for it 80's style and see how I compare. Only half a dozen riders wheeled out their iron framed bikes on this occasion but that was not to play down the seriousness of the competition, If multi champion Ian Cammish was going to put his neck on the block you can be certain he would not want to be beaten in the 'Old Skool' style to which he is the undoubted and un-challenged King.
A good day and fast times were coming back from the senior event Derek Parkinson (Clevely RC - no relation) winning in 19.12 from A Duggleby (Shorter RT) 19.19 with a tie for third Phil Graves (Clifton CC) and R Handley (Maxgear RT) 19.28 I had only put my 'Retro' Dave LLoyd (do you like the symmetry?) together the night before and run out of time on my 28 spoke wheels (Campag on Argent 10's for authentisity) so I had to make do with a 'bastard' pair of 32's. Most of the rest of the equipment was Campag Super Record circa early 80's, I found some Mafac brake blocks to replace the well worn ones in discarded shoes at the bottom of a drawer and not prepared to buy new from Campyoldy at £4.50 each!
Campag fricton handlebar control as no DT bosses (to be fair the 'Lloydy' is from the early 90's but all steel) and drilled levers with the cables tucked under. Back in the day when 'Old Skool' was all we knew I never had a custom TT bike we just used to put some light (32 spoke for us heavy track buggers!) in our road bikes and away we go, but then in those days there was not so much difference as there is today. Single 53 ring (with front changer - screwed down) on 180 track cranks and a genuine Cinelli A1 stem & Merckx bars, the major difference a non Campag seatpin (they just didn't make them that long in those days - for compact frame) and cleated pedals, Cammish was using clips and straps (so Dave Worsfold is now not the only person racing on them in the country) and exposed cables. However I had my original 80's racing top (silk effect viscose) so I guess we were just about even on the un-aero stakes. It was quite liberating all that wind in your (lack of) hair it took me back to the days before we had to worry about power meters and Heart Rate Monitors, if you look at the picture yes that is what I look like under all that garb, and those that remember from before still biteing my bottom lip I think I lost out to Cammish in the 'cool' stakes.


'Old Skool' style

I went for a long warm up and to try out the bike, then tightened everything up (I'd taken my road bike as a fallback in case anything broke or fell off!) and set off for the start. A few riders were amazed that I was riding 'Old Skool' I was number 60a fast man and there was alot of fast new carbon bikes on show, people spend alot of money to go fast, training and preparing for a day like today and travel a long distance to a course rated to be a competition record course in the future, but I reasoned would I do a PB this early in the season? How much harm could it do to have a bit of fun on a bike I'd put together that had cost less than these guys had spent on their spare front wheel.

King Cammish


The race as with all 10's was over in a flash, just push all the way slightly harder on the way out but with no aero facade to hide behind you catch the full force of the elements. I only had a clock, no speedo so I had no idea of how I was going but my MM (a 52 minute 25 miler) was on the up ramp as I was going down so he had not gained that much on me(10 sec?) On the way back I did not settle into any rhythm but then this was my first DC race of the year and I've been used to going at 23 mph Av. here at faster speed it's difficult to handle the gears and the position so I just had to keep picking up the speed and the finish was soon in sight, my MM did not catch me but informed me he had done a short 21 so I reasoned inside a 22 (which was my target for the day) and I was well chuffed with that. Mr Cammish gave me a nod as he rode up to the start on his immaculate cream Guerlocci I coughed all the way to the car. At the result board it was evident how fast a day it was 30 inside 21 minutes and 10 inside 20 one of those inside 19 and the winner of the event (and a veteran to boot - Vets Comp Record?) Wayne Randall (PlanetX) 18.58 with Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 19.26 and John Surtees (RAF CC) 19.58 King Cammish came in 21.38 so he only beat me by 8 seconds and S.Ward (Team Swift) a further 2 seconds down on my 21.46 It was not easy but I thik I can go faster, now that I look in my diary for 1982 the Catford CC '10' on the Q10/19 I did 21.44 only 20 seconds down on Derek Cottington, If anybody fancies getting across to Tonbridge to watch you will have to get up early, traffic dictates that the event has to kick off at 6.30am I'll keep you posted

On the BH Monday I rode the Leicester RC Hilly '29' around the lanes of NE Leicestershire, the HQ in Syston North of the city so I had a leisurely ride out at 8 in the morning through the empty but sun filled streets of Leicester on my TT bike a bit conspicuous in my aero helmet but it was a lovely morning to be out on a bike after two days of drizzle. A few people asked me about the 'Old Skool' as they had seen the result and rated my position just behind Cammish, I'm seen as a bit of an enigma here, just a rider who rides all the local events but in SWRC colours, when I tell then I've lived in Leicester for 25 years they look at me a bit puzzled. I'm not out to do anything here in what is a pretty tough course, just don't be embarrassed and come more than respectable but what that means anybody knows? I start well but my legs are tired and it is a hard start into the wind, I catch my 1,2 and 3 mm before half way but that is about all I can do and settle in for the rest of the ride using my 42 inner and revving up the hills as hard as I can, the road along to Russian Farm is muddy and pock marked, I'm re-living Paris Roubaix I sat and watched on the sofa yesterday, lovely stuff. I suffer on Borough hill the toughest part of the circuit and then the long drag up from Thorpe Satchville I'd ridden in the Melton event last week, not so bad today and over the top I put it in the big ring and begin the decent to the finish at Queniborough 35 mph along here and feeling good although I cannot get top, no matter I need a bit of spinning after all that. Geoff Platts (De Rosa 4th - 1.10.06) coasts past me nearly caught me for 4 min but my time 1.14.11 four minutes faster than last year (and 10 faster than 2006) so going in the right direction but I'll never be good at these things (last year I'd been out for 50m in the snow the day before!) Winner James Perkins (Zenith CC) 1.8.29 from James Cambridge (Melton Oly.)1.9.15 and third Scott Walker (De Rosa RT) 1.9.32

Easter Racing - Pt 1.

After reading those last few reports, Does anybody in the SWRC ride anywhere close to SW London? Or are we all off around the country or Europe doing our thing! Anyway bit of an update on the Midlands (and the North) racing scene, last week I had my first back to back weekend of racing, on the Saturday I rode the Ashfield RC 2 Up '25' on the testing Griffydam course (the most windswept place in the windswept county)If I tell you that our Av. Sp. for the first five miles was above 33mph then you can imagine what the second half of this two lap course was like. My (usual) partner Mark is a whippet and offered no cover so we plugged away as the flags on the new housing estate near EMA and Castle Donnington were being shredded, we were just on 25mph as we went past the timekeeper (for the first time) and then from the aptly named Top road the flume ride began again as we touched 40mph on the twisty roads. Mark was beginning to suffer by now and I had to slow a bit for him on the second lap but we still came in under the hour in 59.54 for 7th place. Mark Lovatt(Planet X) and Mike Cummins (Raleigh) won it with 55.48 although D. Otter and Marc Mallinder the first Club team (Rutland CC) in 2nd spot over a minute down 56.56.
On the Sunday the Melton Olympic Hilly '20.5' solo this time and as I go back through my racing diary I'm sure I've ridden this recently but I have to go back to2006 when I was outside the hour (with a punture mind) must have put me off! As it was I managed 51.59 for 11th a mere 5 minutes behind Matt Bottrill (De Rosa) 46.51, I still caught my 3 minute men and beat Mark by 4 minutes, to be fair Mark was beginning to suffer by now, two night shifts as a fireman catching up with him.
Over the Easter weekend I had two races but on the Friday and Monday to give my body a bit of a chance to recover (from all that chocolate!), early season TT's are a bit tough on the body, you have to get used to the position not assumed since you last raced and the cold and wind are all tougher at this time of year. To be fair we have been blessed with some nice weather for a change, this time last year it was snow and ice so things are looking up for the summer, a later Easter always makes a difference, Easter was my first racing last year.

Bourne Whs. Hilly 22.5

Just got back from Portugal at the weekend, ten days of sun and I took the bike to get in a few miles and build a but of early season fitness



The previous week I had ridden my first event of the year the Bourne Whs (Where?) Hilly in Lincolnshire, I'd got a 2nd place in their early season Road Race a couple of seasons ago on the same course based at Essendine but also using some of the roads I ride alone when doing a 100 mile loop out this way through Stamford East of the A1.
I'd had a cold all week (my first of the year) after being ultra careful and avoiding anywhere and anything germ infested. Handrails and door handles have become Persona non Grata for me and Fiona and I have to include lots of hand washing after being in public places, this is no hardship for Fiona as she has (like most women I assume) an obsession with knowing and rating where all the best and worst toilet facilities are in the whole world. For your information Worst - Cairo central market & Best - Bicester Shopping Village. Is there a potential book here? I'm beginning to think myself with a touch of OCD with the paranoia of people and germs, turning into the Howard Hughes of Leicester. But a trip to Brussels on Euro star proved too much for my defences and my immune system was overwhelmed despite copious use of hand wipes. To be fair Belgium does not have an illustrious history in the toilet department a service station just north of Lille taking my top spot for sheer awfulness well up in my bottom ten (literally)
Not wanting to shift my cold onto my chest I did not go all out in the Bourne event, and finished up in 5th place but well off the pace of the winner James Perkins of the Zenith CC the local 'fastman'. I had been the 'scratchman' or the last man off so expectation was high but as I now miss two weekends away in the Algarve but It was good to get a race under my belt before going away which I'd never done
The south of Portugal was scorching all week (9 days) and I had to be careful over the first few days not to get burnt, those of us with less than the full quota of hair have to run a fine line between getting a tan on our exposed bonse and having a two tone line around our heads for the rest of the season and these first few days seem to be crucial as to get it wrong means six months of alternating peeling skin and a scalp like a map of Middle Earth

Keep that Uri Geller away from my bike!

Some times you get a 'Lucky Break' and sometimes a break is lucky, I had the latter (twice) riding to work the other day, I've done thousands of miles on my trusty spare bike. Descended mountains at 50mph+ or racing at Mallory Park it's the best part of 20 years old and one of the first carbon bikes ever produced (carbon tubes stuck into alloy lugs). The original one was my dad's and some years ago (early 90s) I was out riding when I found I could not use the front changer, I gave it a bit of a boot as I went along thinking "It's stuck or jammed" but a good hard Whack! with the right foot usually frees things up , but NO! On closer inspection the tube where it goes into the bottom bracket lug was barely in having come un-glued, the only thing holding the bike together was the front changer cable wrapped under the BB. I know some bikes have tension cables and the Dursley Peterson had a saddle strung from it like a hammock but this was a bit too much 'High Tech' innovation that even Eva Jiricna would not have approved of, I turned the bike over walloped it home and rode home gingerly. Specialised replaced the frame free of charge even though it was well over 3 years old and I noticed the tubes on this one had pins as well as glue. Its usually hung on the wall but it's always being pressed into action at various times as things go wrong through the season with bikes and frames, I've been using it as a winter bike with mudguards this winter since fatigue took my winter bike.




You can see a pretty big dirty mark in the break which means that it's been broken for quite a long time but I only got out the saddle at 15mph on a little side road and it snapped and I had a 'mono fork' for a brief few seconds as I came gracefully (and thankfully) to a halt, when I thingk about it afterwards, well It doesn't bear thinking about too much downhill, in a bunch, on a main road...........
Only the week before the bracket on my front mudguard had succumbed while riding along the busy A47 and the whole guard shot forward gripped by the tyre and wedged itself under the crown bringing me to a sudden and skidding halt. I was lucky that time as well, it took my computer sensor and magnet with it across the road but I was just shaken as I only had my hand on the bars and the other on the peak of the guard (wondering why my mudguard had gone so lopsided?) so let us all learn a lesson to check our bikes more often and if a repair needs doing, do it now don't wait and if something looks or feels strange stop and find out before you find out at 25mph with the unpredictable outcome, do not relie on luck

I'd just like to point out at this time that the South Western Road Club (All Stars) are currently 47th in the National Club ranking at the present time thanks to some sterling efforts by Paul Alderson over the winter months. On the same points as Rapher Condor but way ahead of Barloworld!
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/Rankings/RankingsClubs.asp?rank_region=

Third Overall for Paul

Paul Alderson consistent results throughout the winter months saw him take third overall in the E/1/2/3 category of the Imperial RT Winter Series at Hillingdon Circiut. Talking after the result which saw him move up to a 2nd Cat he said he wanted to get his 1st Cat licence by the end of the year and then mabe Elite after that, not a bad ambition for a man who just joined the over 40's. Go Paul!

Picture by Jonathon Bentman

I've got the 'Winter (Turbo) Blues'

Alan & I managed a couple of rides on the 'fixed' over the Xmas period, we went out on Xmas morning, me thinking for a lap of the park with nowt but a bottle of water and ended up at Windsor watching the police guards and the tourists. It was a plesant enough ride but the traffic was getting bad as we headed home for lunch with 60 miles in our legs

Old style


New style

Rode along the old Hampton and Thorpe '10' courses we both first started racing on back in the 70's, a strange ride down memory lane, Alan on his 'new' Pearson Touche and me on an old Allin probably got raced along these very roads



Just passed my 20th turbo session of the winter (since November) and the signs are there that I'm going a bit stir crazy. It's roughly two a week and although I only do an hour that last few minutes is beginning to wear a bit thin. I know it's all the rage and with the current patterns of weather making road riding nigh on impossible it's the only way to make a bit of effort (safely). I have it set up at work which is a bit annoying when you want to do a spontaneous session between Corrie and Eastenders, thankfully I've not had the urge yet and I feel that's the way it will stay at a safe distance Last night I had to curtail my session to 5 minutes as I had my very first turbo puncture, not prepared to change it I did a bit of stretching and came home, I didn't feel up to it anyway

Instrument of torture!
Special adaption unit

Went up to Manchester for LVRC track session the first Saturday of the year, trouble was it was between 7-11 in the evening so not back to Leicester until after one o'clock and I was so knackered I could only manage two hours on the road the next day

I got in a couple of tough back to back long rides mid January when Fiona & I went over to Essex, I rode most of the way (to Harlow) 100 miles and then 80 miles the next day with the Shaftsbury CC, only three others turned up and we battered ourselves in the wind and rain and I thought to myself "What am I doing here?" I knew the signs were not good as we rode over to the meeting point at Mountnessing so as we waited for the last man to turn up I took my food out of their (plastic) bags and put them inside my overshoes, it held off the rain for the first hour, but that was all. We all had mudguards and fought all day to stay off the back wheel of the person who didn't have the 'extra' mud flap



I took a weekend off at the end of January to visit friends in Devon and although I took my bike I only went out for a cursory two hours on the Saturday as my heart was not in it. I do not get on with the hills in winter and It didn't help matters that it was windy as well. After falling off five times in December and January I have managed to avoid doing so in the recent cold snap by staying on the main roads which is not pleasant but it just has to be done and I have not missed any of my twice weekly long rides but as the need for speed approaches a bit of better weather please!

STOP PRESS After quitting yesterdays turbo session I was full of riding on the way to work this morning, managed a magnificent 19 mph on my 72" over the wet but thankfully not icy roads, only the second time I've ridden to work in the last 10 days. Only downside was my pedal falling apart at the end of the road, I'd changed the bearing yesterday and not put it back together correctly Doh! Looking forward to the weekend, Yipeeeeeeee!

Early transport dilemma

Brother Alan helps me sort out my new TT bike in the garden before I whisk him off to Wimbledon for a game of tennis with his friend Bjorn
The innovative triple disc for extra stability as I had not yet mastered the solo, I do not seem to have sorted out my aero position but I think having to carry Alan in the tipper was potentially cramping my style



Alan very soon moved on to four wheels as the mountain bike had not yet been invented with a limited edition open top Freddie Grubb, note a biscuit in each hand in anticipation of the mobile phone and satnav

I fought the Law, and the law won

Brov'er Alan was caught and fined for riding on the pavement on his daily commute to work the other week, he just shrugged his shoulders and said "I was breaking the law, it was a fair cop" I on the other hand was a bit annoyed that he didn't put up more of an argument. Cyclists caught in this manner are soft targets for the Police who like nothing better than getting a quick and easy tick to say they did a bit of effective policing while we all know that in most cases cyclists are the injured party because the Police fail to clamp down on proper abuses of the law where road safety is concerned
Then on Sunday there was an article by James Daley in the Independents Cyclo-therapy column covering the same topic, If you are only armed with a bit of information on the subject then it's possible to have a good reason for being where you are and breaking the law!

Cyclo-therapy - Saturday, 17 January 2009

A few weeks ago, after I wrote in this column that I was prone to jumping a red light or two, I received an e-mail from a reader demanding that I turn myself into the police. Although I naturally wrestled long and hard with my conscience before deciding to ignore my correspondent's advice, karma soon came to get me.

Having been back on my bike for no more than 15 minutes after a two-week holiday in the United States, I ended up being handed my first cycling ticket – a £30 fine for riding on the pavement.

I have to say that I felt rather unlucky. As it happens, I rarely ride on the pavement. But in this instance, I hopped up for no more than 10 seconds after being squeezed off the road by an aggressive driver. Sadly, this very stretch of pavement happened to be just the place where two young coppers were spending their morning ambushing cyclists.

By the time I saw them, I was already back in the road. But alas; I'd already been spotted, and was ushered to pull over.

I think even the policeman who fined me knew that ticketing cyclists was a waste of his time, so he was very nice to me (not nearly as sanctimonious as most of the people who write me e-mails in reaction to this column).

And so, perhaps because he was so friendly, or perhaps because it was my first day back from holiday, I didn't even bother trying to argue – even after I noticed that his colleague was letting a pretty female cyclist go on her way without a fine.

However, once I got into the office, I remembered that I had a very good case for appeal.

You see, while riding on the pavement is technically illegal, the Home Office was careful to issue guidance about how and when cyclists should actually be penalised for doing so. And in a letter written back in 1999, Home Office minister Paul Boateng said the following: "The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so." In other words, it was not designed to fine people like me.

So I'll be taking Mr Boateng's letter down to court in a few weeks, in the hope of overturning my fine. Hardly worth the time for a £30 fine. But it's a matter of principle.

j.daley@independent.co.uk

On the situation of cycles being a threat to other pavement users ( a much quoted reason for cycles not being on the pavement)
The statistics show that cycling on the pavement, whilst it might be annoying, is not very hazardous to pedestrians. (These are the figures for pedestrian casualties for 2003, the latest I have available. They haven't changed much but overall road casualties have been going down)

V01 Pedestrian injured in collision with pedal cycle: 2 (Yes, TWO)

V02 Pedestrian injured in collision with 2 or 3 wheeled motor vehicle: 19

V03 Pedestrian injured in collision with car, pickup truck or van: 290

V04 Pedestrian injured in collision with heavy transport vehicle or bus: 109

Source: National Statistics Office.

Hillingdon Winter series - Race 2 Saturday 13th December 2008

No wonder Paul's not turning up for club runs on a Saturday

Man of Race : Paul Anderson - South Western RC

A much reduced field lined up for the start in atrocious weather. Continuing on from the start last weeks Man of the Race Rudie Marias (Norwood Paragon CC) attacked but with a slightly reduced distance no one was going to let him ride away. Bill Butterworth (Team Quest) and former overall winner Jason Streather (VC St Raphael) were also very active. Several other attacks were made notably from Edward Summerwell (Team Quest) all the way from Exeter but all to no avail until Joshua Worrall (Twickenham CC) went on his own. It was a brave attempt and looked as if he may have stayed away but some very strong riding into the wind in the back straight by Jason Streather, Rudie Marais and Steve Legg (RT316-Crown Lifts) pulled him back. Finally a TT specialist Paul Alderson (South Western RC ) back after several years went alone, his TT experience saw him stay away to the finish and an equally a brilliant effort by local Junior rider Martin Dawkins (Team Quest) held off Jason Humphries (Norwood Paragon CC ) for 3rd Place. Edward Summerwell lead the main group in some 55 seconds down with Jason Streather beating other fast finisher Vince Halpern (AWcycles) into 5th place. The award for Man of the Race went to Paul Alderson but Martin Dawkins’ effort ran him very close.

Series leaders Jerone Walters (Sigma Sport) and Paul Alderson (South Western RC) are equal with 200 points with Rudie Marais in 3rd with 190 points

Catch up with other events, or get down and ride
http://www.imperialracingteam.com/imperialracingteam/results0809.html

SWRC Dinner/Walk

Annual get together of the great and the good to dish out the silverware and toast the winners and tell the tales of how we nearly and not quite managed to live down the boasts of the twelve months ago one more time before we do it all again next year.
The preceding day I had gone out with the 'A' group from Betchworth to Westerham, giving the 'B's a head start we all ended up at the cafe together after the 'B's split under mechanical pressure while we had our own map reading blunders while carrying more computing power on our bikes than got the first astronauts to the moon. We were all glad to get there on one piece as the cold morning gave way to blue skies and decent riding conditions after a miserable week, I'd fallen off on the ice on Wednesday and sporting a few bruises and a rear end (on the bike) come unglued and clunking a bit, I only spotted it at the stop and rode home over Woldingham slightly more gingerly where Alan & I said goodbye and dropped back through the Xmas traffic descending on London.
The dinner at the Barley Mow in West Horsley was preceded by a walk through the countryside organised by Dawn Jackaman, twenty hardy souls turned up and set off across the fields where the black faced sheep ignored us as we splashed our way through the mud. It was a splendidly sunny and cold morning, we were all glad to be on foot rather than a'wheel, we stopped after an hour in a gladed wood some resting on the felled tree trunks and others catching the sun where it broke through the leafless trees. On through a wood yard where the wispy smoke from a fire of slow burning sawdust mingled with the trees to give the impression of early morning fog, and over a steep hill of flint where the trees thinned and we broke out with views over Hatchlands Park (NT) we completed the 7 miles in just under 3 hours (2 walking)
The setting for the dinner in a renovated barn attached to the pub was an excellent venue, the food was hearty and plentyful (lots of vedge and not overdone some of the roast potatoes a little on the hard side!)
President Geoff Redhead did an excellent job of MC'ing the official part of the dinner with a attempt to embarrass a cross section of the attended including yours truly but most know i'm quite capable of doing that myself without any help
I was pleased to be asked to present the 2 Up trophy (named in honour of my father Phil Sr) to the winners Roger Jackaman and Andy Hicks and also one (of the two!) regional Time Trial awarded to 15 Yr old Tom Nason for his rides during the season (the WLCA & the SCCU Best all Rounder)
Managed to have a chat with quite a few people (new members & riders who I rarely get to see in the racing season) Graham Collins who's L'Eroica exploits I loved reading about and still want to see the bike who went sailing on the Thames at Walton with my Grandfather. Tom and his dad Jeremy, Who will get to use the fast wheels this week?
Soon it was all over and we were heading back up the motorway (furthest to go always the last to leave) broken bike and trophys in the car