Surrey Duo - Redmon GP des Gentleman

All smiles at the start

Final event of the season a 15.4 mile GP des Gentlemen in and around the lanes South of Dorking from North Holmwood to Beare Green, Clarkes Green, up to Rusper then back through Newdigate and finish outside Holmwood Park. This is a two-up but with a difference 'The Gentleman' today is Andy Hicks' and I am his 'Pacer' I ride at full time trial pace and Andy gets to come past me in the last 200 meters and cross the line first.

So no changing position, Andy gets a free ride to the line, he must have thought there was a catch but who else would come up with such a one sided competition than the French! Traditionally its an old pro with a young turk but these days its got a bit competitive and old pros are not the 'Puffing Billys' they used to be. Andy is a handy athlete and I have to 'Pace' him over a hilly course not my favourite parcours at the best of times, Andy always drops me out on the club runs when the road goes up.

Andy and myself in the Surrey lanes (Pic Matt Scoles)

We do not have a chance to practise, I go around the course the day before as it's a few years since I rode this with brother Alan (I rode a version with President John Bromley in the 90's) but now in its 39th year its become a bit of an end of season 'Classic'. Its rained in the night but by the time we take to the line among the early starters its warm enough for Andy to discard his arm warmers. We have done a ten mile warm up "Do a bit at race pace" says Andy he was suitably quite when I was on the 'rivet' concentrating on going a bit faster than he usually does in a time trial.

The skip speaks! - Hutch warms up

We still managed second spot (Pic Matt Scoles)

As we head up the A24 there is a bit of headwind but I'm more worried about puncturing on the wet roads, Andy is tucked in, I take it steady, to give us both a bit of time to get into the flow of racing. When we get onto the Capel bypass I begin to pick it up but I have to keep my legs spinning its not your normal Dual Carriageway course. I've put a 53 ring on instead of my usual 56 as we pass onto the Rusper road, suddenly Andy is not there, I wait, I might have dropped him on the greasy corner but we get together again and he is blowing a bit, the road surface is very bad and I almost overshoot a corner and all the time Andy is trying to stay with me with almost no vision. I give him some encouragement on the stiff climb up to Rusper as we catch our four minute team (two minute intervals) and then the first team on the road from the promoting Redmon, the riders going very slow now we are at the top of the course but out of the trees, the light is better as are the roads

SWRC - Dream Team

A sharp left and we have a nice decent but it is tricky with the broken surface in the tuck position  we begin to motor a bit, past the tearooms at Tanhouse farm, no time for a stop today Andy! Newdigate is thankfully free of the early morning paper buying throng but once left and onto Henfold lakes we are behind a tanker and a car insists on passing even though we are flying almost blocks the way but they all clear away and we have a clear run to the finish. There is a slight drag up to Inholms Lane and while I pile on the pressure Andy looses my back wheel again and when It comes for him to sprint past me at the 200m mark (which was at least double that!) his legs were gone to jelly and I could see he had had a tough time on my wheel but like the champion he is he got out the saddle and gave it everything he had

Winners - Pollard/Hutch (In Gear)

 We saw a few SWRC friends around the course, I don't think Andy noticed as he was concentrating, it's difficult to go fast in the spray of a back wheel in a tuck position and avoid all the pot holes and muck but he did a magnificent job, we were leading with the biggest 'plus' on standard right up until the last of the 52 teams came in and then it was Michael Hutchinson and Dave Pollard (In Gear) the defending champions that beat us, they had to do the fastest time on the day as well and I think our fifth on time not too shabby for a combined age of over 120 years o7ò







Redmon GP des Gentleman Result

World Masters - Manchester Velodrome

2Km Pursuit - Result

By my own standards I did a poor 2Km Pursuit on the Tuesday, inexplicably going back nearly two seconds on the last two years and as a consequence only 12th place. This was tempered  fellow Brit (Scottish) Peter Ettles taking his first World title (he had multiple British and European) beating the milti-talented Italian and newly returned rider Mark Wiffin taking the Bronze in the fastest time of the competition just showing how important it is to get your best ride out in the qualifying heat as both Ettles and Dardi (fastest qualifier) both went slower in the Gold medal ride off - only Peter less slow giving him a well deserved top spot. Beter has been one of the outstanding track riders since I have come back to track racing and we have had some rare tussles over the years but he is head and shoulders a better pursuiter than I am and even though I had put in allot of effort to improve my technique my speed is sadly lacking. I hope that will change with the opening in the new year of the indoor velodrome at Derby thirty minutes up the M1 so with some track time I may still one day get on the podium in this discipline.

Pursuit Report - VeloUK

Dardi (It) Ettles and Wiffin

 The next day I had to defend my 10Km Scratch race title, it's not like I have to defend anything just be in the race and make my prescience felt. Heats are always tense but I was through OK without expending too much energy but with only twelve to go through and seven of the eight British qualifiers in my heat there was intense competition from the British camp and no joy as rider fought to stay safe but out of trouble as well, no good here if you mis time your effort or use too much energy too soon.

10Km Scratch -Flanked by the Bronze and Gold medallist (last years Silver in-between)

10Km Scratch Race - Result

The final in the evening a totally different affair, there was a consensus among the British riders with a third of the field in the 40 lap final that we would have to make the race fast as there were a number of excellent sprinter types who would easily win if it came to a mass finish. Peter Ettles and Steve Clayton made a break in the first lap (after getting caught up a little game of 'Bunch Bagatelle' first!) When they were eventually pulled back Courtney Rowe had another attack until the group out front got so large that it fell apart with lack of impetus. I weighed in shortly after to try my luck and keep the pace high, the bunch was pretty much lined out all the time and one of the US and an Italians pulled out and it began to fracture as the race reached half way. I was watching for an opportunity to break again but it never really arrived, the German Blasczyk stole my thunder and with 5 to go the Dane Hartkopp went after him. I think the British riders made for an excellent race and many in the commentator and the crowd enthused about the race after but we lacked a coherent end plan and played into the other strong riders hands as they had to do very little pace setting until the end. I was marking the fast French rider Vernet but with 3 to go I had to take up the chase as the leaders already in an unassailable lead, I trailed in 9th the French rider blasting past me with a lap to go thinking we were the front unaware that the medals were up the road. The Dane caught Blaczyk on the last lap, a very strong rider but both these new to our group and the Chile rider Droguette who has had some near misses in recent years the best of the rest. Just as you get rid of riders into the age above riders come in fresh from taking a pasting in the age group below where they are no longer competitive but still very good riders, with me mid way through my age group I was looking distinctly average where before I was a contender.

Scratch Race Report - VeloUK

It was turning into an intense few days as we had Points race heats the next morning, each year there seem to be more riders and heats in most age groups not necessary but another nerve jangling effort to get through to the evening final. I had points on the board early and as I won the third set there was an almighty crash with three riders going down, one of these my good friend and track 'buddy' Adrian putting a hole in his Io (expensive) and demolishing the top tube on his track bike (very expensive) making continuing impossible and that large hole in his wallet was accompanied by that on his hip, limbs and pride. The only upside (for us!) with one DNF was there was only the required riders left in the track so we did not have to race the rest of the way. The other heat complete without incident and ten British riders through we could hope for better this time.

British effort - Ian Greenstreet, Courtney Rowe ?(USA) and Ralph Carter

I had planned to take the race on early but as with much track racing plans change and you have to modify or in this case completely change your plans in order to just be in with a chance of a medal, a group went away early and while they did not get a lap they were mopping up all the points and only six sprints so after two of these I did a massive two laps on the front to pull it all back together, this had two outcomes, 1. i was 'blowing' and could do nothing for a few laps and 2. Not get in with the next move that did just the same as the first, parked itself up the road and made effectively neutralised the race. after a bit of skirmishing and after I'd recovered my composure (another two sprints) so I did another big turn on the front to pull it all back together, I now had less than twenty to go and nothing on the board. Annoying! I was in the same position last year but had done nothing in the race, as was my plan but here I needed to redeem myself as I had not made much impact on the race only pulled it back together Twice! I set off over the top with Pursuit winner Ettles on my wheel and we made a quarter lap, unfortunately Blaczyk was ahead and the Dane Hartkoop with us and refusing to work. Peter pipped me for second with 10 laps to go and we passed the German but our break looked doomed but with nothing to loose I set off again, on my own this time with seven to go

Points race - Result

I held it at half a lap but had to ease off for fear of having nothing at the end and lapping the field not an option now, and with three t go I wound it up to keep the baying bunch behind me to the line which I managed with a wheel to spare and take the final points. With no laps taken and only six sprints seven points could have got me a medal but I fell short by a point as the charging Dane took 2nd on the final and overtook me and the point I lost to Ettles now looking very costly. 'Close but no cigar' as they say, the same three riders in the medals as the Scratch race with the German and Dane swapping and Droguette the Bronze again. I was the top British rider making my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 4th (with 9th) in the last 3 years not looking so shabby but I've missed a medal this time o7ò



Scratch Race Report - VeloUK

Andreas Hartkoop - Michael Blaczyk - Miguel Droguette (Double medalists)

World Masters Countdown

Next week I have the World Masters Track from the Velodrome in Manchester. Defending my Scratch race title and trying to do better in the Pursuit and Points Race (Only one place to go there!)
Its going to be a pretty intensive few days, Pursuit on Tuesday, Scratch on Wednesday and Points on Thursday, heats in the morning and finals in the evening so needing to be ready to race at 9.00am and then focused and ready for the rest of the day, late evenings and odd eating patterns. At least we don't have to worry about the weather, but the atmosphere can get very intense and claustrophobic so I'll take a road bike (with mudguards) just so I can get away if it all feels too much.
I will be riding my 35 year old Roberts track bike, a proper steel 'Iron' with chrome and Cinelli components so never mind all that trendy 'Fixie' nonsense some of us are still keeping the faith. My father Philip bought for me on my seventeenth birthday, and I hope he's watching me still. Brother Phil had an identical one (although he does not know where its gone to!)

I had a final race on Saturday North Midlands VTTA '10' on 010/3 the latest incarnation of the famous 'O' course on the A1 from Ranby to Blyth where the Competition Record for the Ten Mile was set by Ian White (Clifton CC) in the mid 70's. 20:50 was a good ride for me on 100" fixed if I had not been held up at a level crossing on the way to the start and so I had 2:27 late start against my name that cost me 5th place on Standard, Fastest was Dan Barnett (drag2zero) with an astounding 19:15 but one of the most improved riders of the year and now being trained/mentored by Matt Bottrill (go figure!) Ride of the day and winner on Standard was Ron Hallam (South Pennine) with a time of 25:02 (+8:15) an age record at 84 years o7ò



World Masters Track Website

North Midlands VTTA '10' Result

Keep the Faith - Manchester Whs. '50' - Club Record ..........o7ò

With the Manchester Wheelers having their 130th Anniversary (Is that Carbon or Titanium?) they promote the last gasp 50 mile time trial for all those with an interest in the BBAR and those like myself  who think we can improve. The course only just in the Manchester district starts at Blythe Bridge on the Stoke end of the A50 like the Stone Whs event a couple of weeks ago but comes right down to Etwall in Derbyshire. The Tommy Barlow Memorial finishes up the feared 'Concrete Mountain' past the JCB factory at Rocester but has a lovely decent out and this autumnal day at the tail end of the season.

Club Record 1:45:56

I had been blown around on my Friday ride to work after a difficult week, I'd had a disappointing ride last weekend in the Bert Christian Memorial promoted by my own Notts & East Midlands VTTA on the A46 just South of Newark, I'd given myself an easy week and hope for a sprightly and encouraging ride with the World Masters only two weeks away but my time and more importantly my performance was brittle and lackluster in the windy conditions, my time was average but crucially I went back on most of the riders I performed well against in the Stone Whs and the BTTC the week before so I was plunged into a gloomy week of what ifs and maybes about my form and fitness, two weeks after the BDCA '100' I should be solid but I was up and down the gears unable to settle and in the end my frustratingly fragile ride started to eat away at my confidence. I have to kept the faith, no more fitness to gain no, from here on in it was all going to be about condition and self help, no trainer to turn to I just think about what I have been taught and what I have learned

For the Saturday I am blessed with a wonderful autumn day, I go out for an hour after breakfast, quit hard on my legs but Its the only warm up they will get, the start is fast and to hit this event too hard could mean I pay later when I need it in the last ten miles
There is a dusting of rain as I sit with my coffee and compose my thoughts, I'm one of the last so most of the other riders are out on their effort, now like the calm before the storm. I sit at the side of the road waiting my turn, a bus pulls into the lay by where we are starting from just thirty feet in front (it's not a bus stop!) Is this a sign? Am I to be blocked and baulked today? I start and get on with the race

My legs feel good, 19:27 for the first ten miles dropping to the dog leg to Rocester which is slower B roads and two new roundabouts and I get baulked a bit on a couple of these so 21:38 but once back on the A50 I'm still feeling good 20:23 and the far turn at 31 miles comes up with no problem. Shortly after Charles Taylor (South Pennine) the National '100' champion and my five minute man steamed past, I do not look at my splits in the race these days, too much information and it spoils the race if you are going badly so either he's going well or I'm having another dismal day (when I look at it later I'm over 29mph to this point) 21:51 and I still save a bit for the 'Mountain' looming in the distance, It's getting near dusk and the light makes the speed feel deceptive, always feels faster and all I have to do is not overdo it on the series of ramps that make up the last ten miles, each one increasingly harder and as you press your body for more as you reach your threshold for pain and lactic acid fills every sinew of your legs, at one point when the pain is the worst I glance down and see my speed at 20.5pmh! How can I be going so slow? It's not encouraging and my advantage is slipping away. As the end is near, going over the top is the worst though, as you try and pick up the pace again, you need to have a masochist streak, nobody to see or encourage you just you and your self inflicted suffering

With less than a mile to go Robert Hayes from the promoting club catches me for a minute, he must have been chasing me up the final drags using me as a target, he was only 10 seconds up at the far turn but has come back better, that's what catching a rider can do but once past me he slumps a bit and I am able to go past him and cross the line. 22:34 for the final split so I lost about a minute on that section over most of the return (the winner 20:07 So you can see where he gets the power down) 1:45:56 is a seventeen second beating of my previous best and always satisfying to go into another minute, from being a forty six man into a forty five man. Great feeling!
Charles Taylor has pounded back to 1:37:33  but he has been beaten by 'Scratch man'  Adam Topham (High Wycombe) 1:37:19 to seal the BBAR for the third year Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest) 1:39:34 surely the first rider to do +30mph in his first 10, 25 and 50
I'm happy with a PB and a club record for the ninth time in seven years on seven different courses o7ò


Manchester Whs. '50' - Tommy Barlow Memorial Result

Nottingham & East Midlands VTTA '25' - Bert Christian Memorial Result