After the BH excess Fiona & I had a week in Devon visiting friends so this gave me the opportunity to ride the National Championship '25' at Holdsworthy in the SW, notorious for their non flat courses but this will live in the memory as the hardest for years, I've ridden 'Hilly' events on flatter and faster roads than these so my modest time & position reflected my unsuitability for this type of course.
The event itself was top class, the village of Holdsworthy just north of Dartmoor was closed to traffic, I should have taken note when somebody at work mentioned that he had started a hilly hiking weekend at the turn village of Hatherleigh. we had a tour style ramp in the main square to start from and a band in the background, no that I noticed I was too busy trying to stay focused on the event (and upright) as light rain began to fall.
It leveled out a bit but James caught me at 7 miles at the bottom of another climb on his single 65 ring! By the top he was 20 seconds to the good and my moral as well as my speed was gone from the race, up to the high point where a tractor came un announced (and not stopping) out of a side road and I had to overtake it on a blind corner on the now wet roads.
I thought I would be Ok to the finish by a succession of seeded riders (I was in the last 25 after all) caught and passed me as I toiled on the way back now knowing what was in store. Michael Hutchinson was the slowest winner since 1987 in 53:36 despite unshipping his chain and loosing 30 seconds but Matt Botrill was only 36 seconds behind and youngster Andrew Griffiths (Orbea) a furthe 12 seconds back. Julia Shaw (Drag2zero) won the womens race in 59:20
I had a restful few days off only doing a couple of hill intervals as I find the roads down here too tiring for long rides so I may as well as make it hurt but keep it short
On returning I had the VTTA National Champ '25' the next week on the E2 (Newmarket bypass A14/11) Jonathon rode as well although unhappy with his 58:09 time complaining of a phlegm chest and not able to take advantage of the fast return after a drudge out to the Four went ways turn. He did a demon warm up on the turbo and I could hardly keep up as we rode together to the start, I think he put too much into the start. I was quite satisfied with my 53:49 with plenty left in the tank, I was saving a bit for the next morning as I had the Finsbury RC '50' on the A1 at Bedford a mere 12 hours later Kevin Tye (Allstars) was fastest 3 seconds inside 30 mph and Derek Stewart (Deeside) from North of the border the fastest on standard (VTTA Champion) with + 27:01, 57:59 at 74 years of age
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| Jon (Pic by Sarah Brooke) |
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| Kevin Tye 49:57 (Pic by Sarah Brooke) |
I was expecting rain (see Alan's Herts Audax - below) but the morning was sunny and importantly calm after weeks of blustery conditions, I started cautiously to 'ride in' my legs I could still feel the previous days race. The two lap event gives plenty of opportunity to observe your fellow riders as you need to pace your ride without getting caught up in racing the opposition, as the race progressed the wind got up but the traffic also began to flow which tends to cancel this out. I finished with a 1:52:52 after loosing a minute on the final 12 mile leg into the wind as my legs began to feel the pressure of back to back racing, not to worry an excellent time and good to feel solid in both rides.
Ian Cammish (Planet X) was fastest 1:44:46 after 51:29 the day before, I'd broken the club record in this event in 1982 doing 1:57:21 with a double wheel change at 22 miles (broken spokes) and a slow puncture for the last part of the race while Cammish had been the winner that day 1:45:14 also some things never change
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| Finsbury '50' on the A1 (David Jones) |
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