Monday 16 May 2011
Photo Finish - First past the post
What does a dead heat look like? Unable to split the leading two ladies in the Hillingdon GP at the weekend Lucy Garner (Motorpoint) and Hanna Rich (Horizon Fitness) are given a dead heat from this photo finish. Lucy Garner who rode the Mallory event with the seniors last week (see below) is a local Leicester rider now with a pro team and a big future ahead of her but she will learn how to lunge properly as it looks like that last push for the line cost her this one.
Monday 9 May 2011
Lincoln GP - Alternative vote
I'd not ridden two consecutive weekends yet, still feeling a little bit poorly and tired after nearly 1500 miles last month but some way down on my biggest ever 2500 (that was nearly 30 years ago). I rode with a bit more success at Mallory Park on the Thursday evening at the Roger Martin Memorial race , only 28 riders including one lady Lucy Garner (Motorpoint) who had placed second a few weeks ago in on the Thursday (3/4/L/J) but tonight we have the Raleigh pros and a few Elites mixing it with the local warriors
A beautiful calm evening (for a change) and sunny to boot I ride up from work 6 miles away and then ride the 10 miles home to Leicester while everybody else gets into a team car or at least a car. I'm lucky to have it so close so I feel I need to ride even though Thursday is a bit close to the weekend (the Tuesday suited better, a bigger field and slightly more forgiving) but here there is no quarter given and you just have to dig in and hang on. After half way if I'm still in the race I can usually have a bit of a go If I'm feeling good or a group has gone away and its calmed down a bit
That's what it's like today, not hard (windy) enough for the big boys to batter the rest of us into submission as half of us hang on for grim death, it's not a pan flat circuit and depending on the wind and the way we go around (anti clockwise today) there are number of chicanes left in from the cars or motorbikes who have been using it during the day and these serve to slow things down and if you're good on the corners you can make up quite a bit
Lots of splitting and re grouping as the 25 laps (32m) wear on, sometimes we are lined out to breaking point and this happens to fracture as the race progresses and the legs turn to jelly, to be fair the Raleigh boys do chase down the breaks with their men in (sometimes) otherwise it would be very one sided (and sometimes it is) as a group of five get away and 2-3 of those Raleigh pros. And today was a case in point, five away with 6 to go and the bunch split in two (me on the front of the rear group), Lucy still in there, closing the gaps and generally riding a blinder as our average is above 27mph.
I have a go on the last lap after catching the front group with half a lap to go as they play cat and mouse in the build up to the sprint but there is not much in my legs and my attack is feeble and ten riders pile past me on the rise up to the line the group of five just in front. Local fast man third cats! Carl Sturgeon (Lutterworth) and Matt Jennings (Team iOptix) sandwich Matt Gee of Raleigh for the placings.
On Saturday I had a local Melton Olympic '10' on the (famed!) Six Hills A46 latest version, with the HQ at Seagrave, I would have ridden out but it poured with rain all morning and I contented myself with 40 minutes of yoga as a warm up and to try and get some mobility into my creaking torso and legs, fit with miles but lacking in any refinement, I had a good 10 Mlle warm up to so went to the line dripping sweat and keeping my gears low (cadence high) I set about the task of reshaping my fitness into some 'form' I caught my minute man after turning off the A46 on a triangular section (A6006) to Wymeswold (more cheese Grommit!) and then I had to overtake a horsebox trailing behind my two minute man the 'supervet' Ron Hallam (S Pennine RC) who I went past at nearly 35mph (he must have thought I was breaking comp record) but single roads call for drastic action and I don't recommend it for the faint hearted
Coming back into the wind was a bit of a chore as I plugged away in my middle gears trying not to loose too much time, I would have liked to put it in a big gear and push through it but without the form also not to be recommended, so I lost a bit of time but I think the race went OK although I'm still having problems breathing at race pace 22:08 Winner on form Matt Sinclair (Lutterworth) a couple of seconds outside 30mph
On the Sunday I packed my winter bike with a pannier and set off for Lincoln, only 55 miles away along the Fosse Way but out over the Vale of Belvoir to Grantham and skirting Sleaford up onto a plateau that looks down onto the River Trent on the left and the Fens on the right with numerous old and existing RAF bases and villages with names like Croxton Kerrial, Carlton Scroop & Boothby Graffo the latter the name of a comedienne who obviously thought it had potential
The Lincoln GP is a shorter race than in the past at only 86 miles but what it has lost in distance it makes up for in the eleven climbs of the cobbled 1 in 6 Michaelgate on the 7.8 mile lap, bike and rider are shocked & shaken as the race comes alive on this hill and the spectators get a great view of the race unfolding, I have to get out the door before 9.00 to do the 70 miles detour and a lap of the circuit in reverse which always takes longer as there is a rolling road closure and then watch the finish
Youngsters came to the fore with first and third places going to U23 riders as the old guard seems to be swept away and last years winner Chris Newton now retired, I watched past winners Kevin Dawson, John Tanner, Kirsten House and Dean Downing swept aside and it was newcommer Scott Thwaites Endura Racing U23 (03:21:58) from the two Motorpoint riders Ian Bibby & Johnny McEvoy with my old Thursday mucker Raleighs Liam Hoolerhan in 5th
I then had a 55 mile ride home into a headwind, shocker!
160 strong field
Just like the TdF
Natonal 25 mile record holder David McCann (Ireland)
To the winner the interview
A beautiful calm evening (for a change) and sunny to boot I ride up from work 6 miles away and then ride the 10 miles home to Leicester while everybody else gets into a team car or at least a car. I'm lucky to have it so close so I feel I need to ride even though Thursday is a bit close to the weekend (the Tuesday suited better, a bigger field and slightly more forgiving) but here there is no quarter given and you just have to dig in and hang on. After half way if I'm still in the race I can usually have a bit of a go If I'm feeling good or a group has gone away and its calmed down a bit
That's what it's like today, not hard (windy) enough for the big boys to batter the rest of us into submission as half of us hang on for grim death, it's not a pan flat circuit and depending on the wind and the way we go around (anti clockwise today) there are number of chicanes left in from the cars or motorbikes who have been using it during the day and these serve to slow things down and if you're good on the corners you can make up quite a bit
Lots of splitting and re grouping as the 25 laps (32m) wear on, sometimes we are lined out to breaking point and this happens to fracture as the race progresses and the legs turn to jelly, to be fair the Raleigh boys do chase down the breaks with their men in (sometimes) otherwise it would be very one sided (and sometimes it is) as a group of five get away and 2-3 of those Raleigh pros. And today was a case in point, five away with 6 to go and the bunch split in two (me on the front of the rear group), Lucy still in there, closing the gaps and generally riding a blinder as our average is above 27mph.
I have a go on the last lap after catching the front group with half a lap to go as they play cat and mouse in the build up to the sprint but there is not much in my legs and my attack is feeble and ten riders pile past me on the rise up to the line the group of five just in front. Local fast man third cats! Carl Sturgeon (Lutterworth) and Matt Jennings (Team iOptix) sandwich Matt Gee of Raleigh for the placings.
On Saturday I had a local Melton Olympic '10' on the (famed!) Six Hills A46 latest version, with the HQ at Seagrave, I would have ridden out but it poured with rain all morning and I contented myself with 40 minutes of yoga as a warm up and to try and get some mobility into my creaking torso and legs, fit with miles but lacking in any refinement, I had a good 10 Mlle warm up to so went to the line dripping sweat and keeping my gears low (cadence high) I set about the task of reshaping my fitness into some 'form' I caught my minute man after turning off the A46 on a triangular section (A6006) to Wymeswold (more cheese Grommit!) and then I had to overtake a horsebox trailing behind my two minute man the 'supervet' Ron Hallam (S Pennine RC) who I went past at nearly 35mph (he must have thought I was breaking comp record) but single roads call for drastic action and I don't recommend it for the faint hearted
Coming back into the wind was a bit of a chore as I plugged away in my middle gears trying not to loose too much time, I would have liked to put it in a big gear and push through it but without the form also not to be recommended, so I lost a bit of time but I think the race went OK although I'm still having problems breathing at race pace 22:08 Winner on form Matt Sinclair (Lutterworth) a couple of seconds outside 30mph
On the Sunday I packed my winter bike with a pannier and set off for Lincoln, only 55 miles away along the Fosse Way but out over the Vale of Belvoir to Grantham and skirting Sleaford up onto a plateau that looks down onto the River Trent on the left and the Fens on the right with numerous old and existing RAF bases and villages with names like Croxton Kerrial, Carlton Scroop & Boothby Graffo the latter the name of a comedienne who obviously thought it had potential
The Lincoln GP is a shorter race than in the past at only 86 miles but what it has lost in distance it makes up for in the eleven climbs of the cobbled 1 in 6 Michaelgate on the 7.8 mile lap, bike and rider are shocked & shaken as the race comes alive on this hill and the spectators get a great view of the race unfolding, I have to get out the door before 9.00 to do the 70 miles detour and a lap of the circuit in reverse which always takes longer as there is a rolling road closure and then watch the finish
Youngsters came to the fore with first and third places going to U23 riders as the old guard seems to be swept away and last years winner Chris Newton now retired, I watched past winners Kevin Dawson, John Tanner, Kirsten House and Dean Downing swept aside and it was newcommer Scott Thwaites Endura Racing U23 (03:21:58) from the two Motorpoint riders Ian Bibby & Johnny McEvoy with my old Thursday mucker Raleighs Liam Hoolerhan in 5th
I then had a 55 mile ride home into a headwind, shocker!
160 strong field
Just like the TdF
Natonal 25 mile record holder David McCann (Ireland)
To the winner the interview
Monday 2 May 2011
Zenith 2 Day - First past the post
After an Easter weekend riding to London & back plus a spell in the North Downs on Saturday going to help in the Club Open '10' at Farnham I was ready for a spell of racing, I rode the Thursday evening crit at Mallory Park and took a right pasting in the wind and finished a lap down (but still not last) and then had to get ready for the Nigel Meason 2 Day promoted by the local Zenith CC at Walton and on roads just South of Leicester
It was a day for kites and not for bikes
Race always starts with short TT (2.7m) but this year non aero equipment ONLY so on your road bike which was fine and democratic but into a gale of a headwind pretty uncomfortable for all concerned, there was much coughing and spluttering in the car park afterwards, I managed 7:25 for 40th place (same as last year) I think my days of getting up in the top twenty gone! Hill climb specialist and fair tester Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughn Cycles) came out on top with 6:42 easily beating Mike Dales (Velo 29) 6:53 a second ahead of Jamie Scott (Colbert RT) and and Darren Bell (Ellan Vannin - IOM) tied for 3rd
In the afternoon a 65 mile jaunt around the lanes Bruntingthorpe/Gilmoreton/Kimcote, always a bit busy with local afternoon traffic and farm vehicles and a small group of nine get away after half distance and finished a minute up on the bunch (me) with several little groups in between clipped off on the last lap Steve Guymer (Active RT) the winner from Russ Falder (Mammoth RT) who took the overall lead as Clinton was stuck in the bunch and Matt Foston (Langdale RT) third, I managed a bit of a sprint for 12th in the bunch which made me 35th on the stage and (still) 40th overall
Conrad gets to flag the race in
on the Saturday
Next day we had a circuit based on N Kimcote/Shearsby/B'thorpe and I had to start on my super light TT wheels as I noticed my back tyre a bit threadbare and with no glue in the cupboard not able to fix another, sure enough just completing a lap I broke a spoke on the hill up to the finish and had to wait for service, there had been an accident with a rider in the ditch so I had to wait over a minute and then get going. I had a tow behind the service vehicle up to the crash victim but he could not hang on to the car so we set off in pursuit of the bunch, I cannot deny I did hang on for a bit (well alot!) but there was 5-6 cars behind the bunch and I could not get through them all in the cross winds and it took me nearly a lap to finally make contact with a bit of a slingshot from the service car up the feed hill but my legs were in shreds and my careful plan to ease my legs into the second day now gone to pot. I took a caffeine gel (meant for later in the race and lots of drink) I managed to remove my arm warmers in the lee of a hedge out of the wind but the battle continued at the front of the bunch but I was on the back of the front half when the race split, a rider had a near miss when his left crank came off at 35mph thankfully he did not but everybody had to fight around him and the pressure was still on the front again and I was drifting dangerously near the back now as the feed hill approached, the speed went up and the bunch was blown apart at the back as riders sat up, although I carried on for half a lap doing bit 'n' bit hoping that the pace would ease with 3 others but the bunch had gone and I continued after a bit with another rider James Rutherford (SIS) surely the oldest man in the race at 55 as our two younger companions turned off for the HQ
It's the first time I've not finished this race I could see I would not have had the condition to go all the way, as I watched the race progress and the bunch disintegrate in the wind and only 40 risers finished in two bunches a couple of minutes apart. Graham Sumner (GB Fire) won the stage and second in the race clipping off the front on the last lap with Dieter Drodger (Team CF) who is the overall winner. J Shirlaw (Herblife) third o/a
It was a day for kites and not for bikes
Race always starts with short TT (2.7m) but this year non aero equipment ONLY so on your road bike which was fine and democratic but into a gale of a headwind pretty uncomfortable for all concerned, there was much coughing and spluttering in the car park afterwards, I managed 7:25 for 40th place (same as last year) I think my days of getting up in the top twenty gone! Hill climb specialist and fair tester Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughn Cycles) came out on top with 6:42 easily beating Mike Dales (Velo 29) 6:53 a second ahead of Jamie Scott (Colbert RT) and and Darren Bell (Ellan Vannin - IOM) tied for 3rd
In the afternoon a 65 mile jaunt around the lanes Bruntingthorpe/Gilmoreton/Kimcote, always a bit busy with local afternoon traffic and farm vehicles and a small group of nine get away after half distance and finished a minute up on the bunch (me) with several little groups in between clipped off on the last lap Steve Guymer (Active RT) the winner from Russ Falder (Mammoth RT) who took the overall lead as Clinton was stuck in the bunch and Matt Foston (Langdale RT) third, I managed a bit of a sprint for 12th in the bunch which made me 35th on the stage and (still) 40th overall
on the Saturday
Next day we had a circuit based on N Kimcote/Shearsby/B'thorpe and I had to start on my super light TT wheels as I noticed my back tyre a bit threadbare and with no glue in the cupboard not able to fix another, sure enough just completing a lap I broke a spoke on the hill up to the finish and had to wait for service, there had been an accident with a rider in the ditch so I had to wait over a minute and then get going. I had a tow behind the service vehicle up to the crash victim but he could not hang on to the car so we set off in pursuit of the bunch, I cannot deny I did hang on for a bit (well alot!) but there was 5-6 cars behind the bunch and I could not get through them all in the cross winds and it took me nearly a lap to finally make contact with a bit of a slingshot from the service car up the feed hill but my legs were in shreds and my careful plan to ease my legs into the second day now gone to pot. I took a caffeine gel (meant for later in the race and lots of drink) I managed to remove my arm warmers in the lee of a hedge out of the wind but the battle continued at the front of the bunch but I was on the back of the front half when the race split, a rider had a near miss when his left crank came off at 35mph thankfully he did not but everybody had to fight around him and the pressure was still on the front again and I was drifting dangerously near the back now as the feed hill approached, the speed went up and the bunch was blown apart at the back as riders sat up, although I carried on for half a lap doing bit 'n' bit hoping that the pace would ease with 3 others but the bunch had gone and I continued after a bit with another rider James Rutherford (SIS) surely the oldest man in the race at 55 as our two younger companions turned off for the HQ
It's the first time I've not finished this race I could see I would not have had the condition to go all the way, as I watched the race progress and the bunch disintegrate in the wind and only 40 risers finished in two bunches a couple of minutes apart. Graham Sumner (GB Fire) won the stage and second in the race clipping off the front on the last lap with Dieter Drodger (Team CF) who is the overall winner. J Shirlaw (Herblife) third o/a
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