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| 1970 World Champioship |
Two contrasting events over the same distance approached in different ways with the same objective and different outcomes. The Leicester Forest '25' on my local 'Six Hills' A46 course that was used for the 1970 World Team Time Trial course.
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| The Rolling A46 |
It was won by the mighty USSR from Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands. Britain was represented by the cream of the Time Trial scene at the time '100' Competition record holder (
03:46:37) Ant Taylor Oldbury & District, with Houndslow & District duo Martyn Roach and Jeff Marshall all three were BBAR top five the year before, the odd man out was 'Huge Gear Man' John Tooby (Coventry CC) but their time only good enough for 16th place (from 21 starters!) This was when the TTT was an amateur affair. By the time Britain hosted the
World Championships again in 1982 and the TTT was held on a hilly course over the South Downs at Goodwood (in the pouring rain) we had gone over to almost exclusively roadmen (Joe Waugh, Bob Downs, Steve Lawrence & Phil Bateman) placed also 16th (from 21 starters again), winners were the Nederlands from the Swiss and the less mighty Russians in third (Czechs 6th) so no change there then!
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| Team GB in the rain at Goodwood |
I'm using a fixed again, put up to 54 x 15 that's 96" or slightly above what I have been using in the evening 10's and on here two weeks ago. It was raining 'Cats & Dogs' in the morning as we are having allot of showers so I have no chance for a ride just a bot of stretching and twenty minutes on the rollers in the now sweltering heat but by the time I get to the start the roads are pretty much dry apart from the off DC bits where I will just take it easy. Only fifty percent of the riders start a legacy of the rain but I hope for a good workout and a moderate good time in the blustery conditions with the 'Rolling' nature of the course
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| A46 pedalling action |
I had a tail wind start to the turn at Widmerpool and then a little climb up to the roundabout the only place I need to get out the saddle as its steep and I'm barely moving at the top. We go half way back to
Wymeswold (It's Stilton city round here with
Cropwell Bishop &
Colston Bassett up the A46) under the dual carriageway and back to Widmerpool again. Coming away from the far turn I was caught by Dave Ellis (Mapperley RC) twenty minutes behind me but on the first lap of the circuit and we passed and re-passed each other before he turned off.
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| Winner Dan Barnett |
It was tough work into the wind but once back at Six Hills there was a long section dropping gently down to the finish at Thrussington where I was able to average 30mph which is 110 RPM on my moderate gear but nothing compared to the 155RPM and 45 mph finish (on aero bars somewhat hairy!). 56:15 was good enough for 7th place 98RPM Av. helped by that last section and two minutes faster than two weeks before. Winner was Dan Barnett (drag2zero) 52:42 from Nick cave (Lutterworth) 53:26 and Ellis 54:38 able to pull out more time on the fast sections
As a point of interest Dan's speed (all be it over 25 and not 60 miles) 28.46mph would have been faster then the four man Russian squad put up to win the World title in 1970 28.18mph. My speed 26.7mph would have been faster than the British quartet 26.36mph
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| 1970 Team Time Trial Result |
A week later I'm playing away on the A11/14 otherwise known as the E2/25 or the Newmarket bypass, the API/Metrow Zak Carr Memorial '25' is developing a reputation as a fast event on these roads that can be exposed and windy, it had been calm all week and then Saturday morning it blew up a bit 15mph from the North which is good for this course which travels NE to SW. We are staying with friends in Bedford so no chance of a ride in the morning but I do get 25 minutes in the rollers at full pelt.
I'd asked for an early start so off number 10 but with David McGaw a minute behind me who was second to Alex Dowsett in his recent record breaking '10' ride with 19:24 How long before he catches me? Well as I stick to my high revving attack (on gears this time) and its very fast with the wind half behind it takes him about nine miles! I'm still inside 20 minutes at ten miles and 96RPM but with the wind taken out of my sails I have to tackle the harder return. I get caught up behind a tractor (on the A11!) and have to pass it TWICE! as its going uphill faster than me but not when I get on the flat, it also passes my two minute man which just puts me in the outside lane, I eventually get rid of it on the long flat middle section.
Ooh! its hard coming back and my hard week has caught up with me and my revs drop markedly, the finish is more covered and I finish with a bit of a flourish. 53:47 is a decent ride in the conditions but there are some fast times McGaw has gone close to 30mph with 50:06 but only good enough for 8th the winner Matt Smith (Velocity) 48:34 and a string of 49's, my time good enough for a lowly 43rd but I'm happy with my form on limited racing o7ò
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