The next day we have the Points Race so the same thing again, heats in the morning and finals later that evening. Even with the attrition of the previous day there were still enough riders for heats, one rider with a very black eye and a fair bit of skin lost in the Siberian wars! But only twelve to go through and with only three sprints (30 laps) only twelve lots of points available (5, 3, 2 & 1) so in theory one point enough to go through, unless riders got a lap (unlikely). In reality some riders would get more than one so it was possible to go through with zero if you were well up in the final sprint, this was still beyond the current British National Champion who went out without a point but I gleaned a single in the first sprint so I could afford to take it easy while the others sprinted and sweated it out (to be fair one of the S African riders did get a lap on his own!)
Points Final - Half way
The final would be an altogether different affair and require different tactics, I like to wait until the second half but its only a twenty minute race and with only six sprints (60 laps) these days its a game of Poker how long you leave it. Two sprint places (if one of those is a win) enough to get you a medal these days and with such a good field riders unlikely to gain a lap. Those first few sprints are always ferocious but the British rider Blair Buss (Swift) getting away from the gun and takes the first sprint so that means reduced points for all that effort but its the first three from the Scratch race Faris, Baxter and Rice in the frame for the rest of the points.
Unsurprisingly its Peter Ettles the fourth placed rider from the Scratch taking the second sprint from the other Argentinian Pereyra and that man Baxter again with previous World Scratch Race Champion Peter Toth (CAN) edged out for the single. I had a go at splitting the field before the previous sprint but with a rider away its not possible so I use my timing and I manage to clip off the front and overhaul him keeping the bunch at bay (2:55:00) to take the third sprint, five points on the board and second at half distance behind Peter Ettles who has scored in the second and the third behind me (8 Pt's.) Toth is also there again picking up two points this time but two consecutive efforts like that for so little return is almost too much to recover from and he does not score for the rest of the race. Buss who took the first sprint by staying away has gone straight out the back and lost a lap (eventually DNF) its 5 points that will not count in the overall so even less points needed to get a medal. For the next sprint an Argentinian and an Italians are away with Ian Greenstreet in the middle picking up three, the other Italian Dardi picking up the one remaining.
I could afford to gain my composure in the bunch but top road-man Mike Twelves (MI Racing) riding his first Masters goes away solo to win the next sprint just from Baxter and the Faris the first two in the Scratch close on his tail. The top six all separated by three points so it would all come down to the final sprint, the other Pereyra & Ettles leading with eight Twelves, Baxter and myself on five, Faris third in the middle with six.
Breakaway with Ian Greenstreet
50-54 Points race - Result
I attack at the first opportunity (3:02:50) while the others are still blowing, slipping between two riders to shake off any company, only Greenstreet gets up to me and I have to make a big effort to get on. We have a decent lead and press our advantage with six laps to go. Unfortunately we were the victim of a bit of teamwork from the Italians who kept the pace high and although Ian and I work well together we do not get the lead we need. We were caught with a lap and a half to go, its the first time I've been the victim of this type of partisan riding and the culprits were docked their points in the result but the 'leadout' not only took us out of the sprint but helped Faris and Baxter to first and second in the final sprint and in the overall result. Peter Ettles held onto the Bronze by virtue of being well up in the final sprint and Pereyra dropped from first to fourth so the biggest looser When you analyze the points scoring its the same riders in the points as were up there in the Scratch Race, The same Gold and Silver Medalists (as last year and the year before when I was Champion in the Scratch and Silver in the Points) It leaves very little but scraps for the others in the race My five points still good enough for Fifth place to go with my Silver and two Fourth places in the last four years but I was in the mix right up to the end was so close to taking a medal
The Points Podium Baxter (AUS) Faris (ARG) and Ettles (GBR)
Team GB1
We had a days break and then the Team Pursuit on the Saturday the final day of the Championships. I'd had to purchase a GB skin-suit for the performance so we all 'matched'. It was a little on the snug side! But then I guess a 'speedsuit' does what it says "On the can" It kept everything in place and a little unforgiving but I don't think I'll be using it for a '100' TT any time soon
Not being able to come up with a suitable name, some don't want it to be humorous or a pun and others not wanting it to be to serious or Po faced like 'The Apprentice' we settled on the hopeful and catchy GB1, it made us sound like a record speed attempt but at least we got in early and did not have to be GB2. Three Kilometres that's twelve laps of the track, only three efforts each on the front and then hang on in between.
The Team - Ian, Peter, Nigel and myself (and a nice bike)
We are a team who have all won medals at the World level (Two Gold, a Silver and five Bronze between us) so plenty of fire power, what we have not done is practice enough, not short of experience and speed but what you need for the TP is technique. We had sorted our order at the practise sessions and had Ian the slower of our more experienced riders going 'Man One' as he was the steady option as managing the start and the transition to speed the crucial thing you can only do under race conditions, Peter took the second part here with me third and Nigel tucking in at the back. The ride went as well as could be expected, we had Rachael (new '30' Competition Record holder) at track-side calling our numbers. We had no problems with the changes or splitting up, I think this being the last event of the week we were all pretty tired. Nigel did two turns and swung away leaving the three of us to finish, I did the final two lap stint as its negledgible if a change on the last 3/4 lap is worth doing as the front rider has to swing out on the final banking to let the other two inside and we finished nicely
We were half a second a lap off the pace to qualify with 4:31 for the ride-off (only four) and had to settle for 6th. Not bad for a team of all 50+ riders giving away quite a few years to the other teams. Baxter (AUS) and Tim Lawson (GB) the only 50+ riders in the teams that qualify. We have to look on it as good practise for two years time when we will all be in the 55-64 group for the TP. We were a little deflated as we did think we had a chance but like many of the other events the competition gets tougher every year and this time age and practice against us but we looked good and feel that we will go faster in the future
In the finals it went to form with the Welsh squad just holding on for
the Bronze and in the final the Champions for the last two years the USA
made it a triple crown with another World Record time (to go with
breaking it in the morning) The Aussies had to be content with the
Silver but they went inside the previous WR as well.........o7ò o7ò o7ò o7ò.......
10 mile Result
For the final event of the week there is the Brian Cossavella 10 mile, (Brian to organiser of the Masters for 10 years until his untimely death at 54) a race open to all competing during the week, Its always a good race and with the full age range from 35+ always a test for us in the upper reaches and I was the only 50+ finisher last two years in 13th and 11th place albeit a lap down. This year I try and do better. Amazingly fast from the gun to the sound of Rolling Stones music in the background (Brian's choice!) riders are already getting shelled out the back. I hang in there and at half distance the race splits apart and I manage to stay in the front half. By the time I get to the end I have no effort left for a sprint which goes to Matt Glanville (AUS) from Martin Van Wyk (RSA) and John Mc Clelland (GBR) I roll over in 8th place one behind Baxter (AUS) the only two 50+ finishers o7ò
Cossavella Winner with the Director of the Masters Ian Emmerson
A nice innovation this year the organisers (BC) had most of the
racing put on the UCI You Tube channel), I have put links below and
approx. time
I thought I'd come up with the perfect solution to avoiding the dreaded lurgy in the run up to the World Masters, I'd work from home away from all the germs and risks of cross infection, the house in need of attention so why not kill two birds with one stone and re-paint the house as part of my preparation. I was careful to not overdo it on rest days (Mon & Fri) so light duties only, nothing above ground level.
2KM Pursuit Heat Result
This year I'd been asked by some other riders to be part of the Team Pursuit discipline, age groups are blocked together 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and >65. two of our number are the Bronze from last year but we are all 53 and above now so it will be tough to qualify against those nearly 10 years younger. In the normal five year age groups you can feel the competitive edge drift away as you progress and with tight competition and always a stream of young talent results are more difficult the older you get until you graduate to a new age group. This is my forth year on the 50+ so I'm expecting it to be tough, the riders that took the titles last year were new-by riders like I was the year before
I have not ridden a TP since 1983 the All London Title and the SWRC were the winners! Alan, Phil and myself, our fourth man on holiday so we rode as a three, myself doing full laps (on Herne Hill!) we beat the De Laune and the Old Kent. Alan was at University so not very fit, we gave him my best wheels (Campag 28 spoke shod with silk tyres) I'd won the Individual Pursuit earlier in the meeting. Equipment a bit different these days, bigger gears, faster speeds, on a banked track (I'd ridden a TP at Leicester) but not on aero bars it was all pretty daunting
We had a get together for a weekend in Leicester, utilising the new Derby track. It went pretty well, we did some flying 2Km with changes at race speed (16.5 second laps) and some starts, hard on your legs, cant do more than a couple in a session. Then we did a day at Newport, the day after a Derby Track League meeting, two days in succession in what I kindly describe as 'Petrie dishes' of germs, and of course the day after I come down with a head cold, all my good work to avoid picking up a bug and 10 days before it's all come to nothing
GOLD - Monthier (FR)
I have a few days off the bike, all the heavy work is done so just the taper to complete, it's started a few days early, hopefully this will clear up before my first event the Individual Pursuit. I'm hoping the TP practice and TL will have benefited my performances. IP not my best discipline but It gets you into the swing of it all, get used to the pressure of competing at this level. The feeling of going out for a final (heats even worse!) is quite exquisite, almost unbearable during the time you are there, and then so soon it is over and you need to be doing it all over again. The only drug sanctioned at this level, adrenaline!
BRONZE - Wiffin (GB)
I do my usual preparation for the IP and I go two seconds faster than last year, only 2/10th off my best but such is the competition I drop from last years 9th to 15th this. Can there really be that much competition? Last years Champion Scot Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) does not it into the top four! So does not qualify to ride for a medal. The winner is French Ex Pro Pascal Monthier from the Italian Luciano Pasquini but as last year Mark Wiffin manages to move up from fourth qualifier to take the Bronze from evergreen Italian Roberto Dardi
Next up the Scratch race, we have no rest this year, three events in three days, heats in the morning and finals in the evening. I have done three day training/racing sessions all though the season to prepare for this, What you cannot prepare for is the sheer psychical stress of it all. The Scratch race always the most nervy and fractious, heats are only 15 laps, not enough time to have a sort out, always skittish and dangerous. I'm in the second heat so watch the pattern of the first, whatever happens ours will always be different, It pays to pay attention, only twelve to go through. We have all three Argentinians in our heat, they always come to race, but they leave a trail in their wake, everybody need to be careful
Three to go in the Scratch - Argy Bargy on the inside
Our race is twitchy and fraught, just a continuous series of involuntary lurches as Ian Greenstreet (GB) tries to get things moving but there are too many good riders and you have to be confident you can sprint it out or pack up and go home. Coming up the final sprint I feel a rider try to push me to get out of the pack, I'm concentrating on my race and stay put. On the final lap there are three incidents that split the pack, I'm in front of the first as a rider (Argentinian) hits the deck, there is the sound of metal and carbon as well behind me then in the final banking a South African rider on the inside also comes a cropper, I have to swerve up the banking lifting myself over the incident I pull my foot out the cleat in the heat of the maneuver, I manage to hold onto the bike and cross the line in 11th place, a near thing for both crash and qualification, if there had not been so many incidents I'm sure others would have got past me and I would not have made it
Scratch Race
The final in the evening, we are the last race so 10pm, I always go into the Scratch race with an open mind, its not my preferred event and I don't think one rider can influence the outcome, you have to get your position right and keep your powder dry for the final strike as there is unlikely to be a chance for a second. Its been a good few years in our event since anybody has got away in the final during the race it all happens in the last five laps. Daniel Casper (USA) won the 45-49 yesterday with a well timed break with six to go, a perfect move after a tough race where the British riders made all the running but slipped up in the finale. Would I be so lucky? Our race is shorter 30 laps, they go past at a rapid rate,Ian Greenstreet has a go early on (again!) with the IP silver Pasquini and Dardi gets up to them but it all comes back together as last years silver medalist Blasczyk (Ger) and Toth (Can) get across. There is no more concerted attempts to get away and its lining up for a big sprint. I have kept well out of the way up the back watching the moves but with five to go I follow Toth up the inside (3:36:20) as I sense he will attack but the bunch comes down on us and we have to kick back hard. This effort takes me to the front, not the place I need to be but as my dad always said 'In the last five laps you just keep going forward until you hit the front' the back of the bunch is not where the race is.
Mike Rice - Bronze
As we enter three to go I am perfectly placed at the front, all the main players are there, the speed is high and the riders 'wall to wall' so going over the top not much of an option. Crossing the line I am in a dangerous squeeze with riders coming at me from above and below and I touch riders on both sides but manage to hold it and not hit the deck. I have to get out of my 'box' and in doing so loose my place at the top table but it was just too dangerous. As i extricate myself I see that it is an Argentinian rider coming up the inside on the Cote d' Azure (3:37:32) that has caused the squeeze in getting to the front up the inside, he goes on to follow Dardi's attack from two out with a lap to go and win the race by a long way (3:38:25) I come behind the inital scrum in 8th place but lost my place when it just got too risky with riders crowding the front caused by the mass of riders crowding the front.
Scratch race - Result
I go to make an official complaint to the judges about the 'Argy' riding up on the blue, they say they are looking at the video, its outside the last lap so I don't hold out hope that they will find anything but they inform me it was this rider who 'manhandled' me in the morning heat (and got an official warning for it on the result!) The result stands Gustavo Faris (ARG) the winner from Geoff Baxter (AUS) and De Laune Michael Rice third closing fast but just mistimed his effort. Last years Champion Blasczyk has crashed on the final bend in the melee, He was foregoing the Points and had booked the track for an hour the next day (£750) to attack the Masters Hour Record so I guess that will be off! I have to say its the most dangerous and perilous days racing I've ever been involved in. I feel a bit disconsolate with my effort and the fact that I backed off at the crucial time, all I can console myself with is that I survived to race in my favorite and best event tomorrow o7ò
50-54 Scratch Podium - Baxter (AUS) Faris (ARG) and Michael
A nice innovation this year the organisers (BC) had most of the racing put on the UCI YouTube channel), I have put links below and approx. times
Andy Hicks and myself had unfinished business from last season in this the final TT of the season, The 'Classic' season closer and now celebrating its 40th year the Redmon GP des Gents in the Surrey heartland of Dorking and the A24 where we (Andy at least) ply our sport week in week out. We were beaten last year by ace tester Dr Michael Hutchinson and Dave Pollard of the In-Gear racing team, we went away licking our wounds badly prepared and ill served by the course and the conditions. This year we only had to contend with an invited list of past winners including a couple of Yates brothers paced by their semi-pro sons and some other stooges and their professional pacers but then that is the name of the game to see an old soldier whipped around an unsuitable course for a man who should be sitting with his feet up reading the Sunday Telegraph colour supplement.
Andy and I do not fit into either category, we are a bone-fide club team of some class but could we pull the wool over the wolf's eyes and steal a win? The organiser did us the dis-service of starting us early Again! Last year we finished and the good Doc was still doing his warm-up in the sunshine.
Skydiver Andy
Andy and I has been out on the rain soaked roads in the cold. This year the same off a good hour before the favorites but at least it was dry and windless this year, we had also done a survey of the course, the 'Original' out to Clark's Green back and along to Ockley before climbing to Kingsfold and returning along the A24 to Beare Green (18.65 miles) We coasted around well above 'evens' on the Saturday and I thought it might suit us better than the lumpy (& bumpy) Newdigate ride last year.
The 'Classic' course
Andy moved his aero bars apart to give himself a better view of my back wheel and with no spray to deal with he had the opportunity to tuck in nice and tight on the fast sections. There was still danger, plenty of cars doing I don't know what! but at least the road surface was better. Andy looked more Skydiver than cyclist in his Casco helmet and his harness/number (back and arm!) combo and a BLACK! skin-suit Do the SWRC not have the capability to reward our National Road and Time Trial Champion with some race-ware to befit his status than a dull generic garment, he should be in a 'Speed-suit', he might break a few National records, he's not slowing down (much) as he gets older
I start steady, we are into a headwind going South but I think its more from the East and we are well protected by the ample tree coverage (Surrey/Sussex has the most of any county, Leicestershire the least, It's no wonder I feel battered some weeks) We already have the Morley family pair (Kingston Phoenix) in our reach, at 73 potential challengers but not at their speed. Soon after the Pearson CC all women pairing of Karin Brameld and Allyson Fenton fall four minutes as we reach the Clarke's Green roundabout. Andy takes it all a bit wide (National RR you say?) but we are soon together and heading back, this is allot faster than last years course, we touch 40mph at some points, probably dropping down to Ockley (12.98m) where a car turning right nearly has me going up the pavement, that is where a ride around the course is invaluable, we were prepared for it and we only lose a few seconds
The road down to the far end is a real roller coaster, I have to make sure Andy is still on my wheel over all the rises, this is where we lost it last year, Andy into the red on a climb and it takes valuable recovery time to get over, a luxury you can ill afford to give away when the top teams know what they have to beat.
Past Winners 1976 - 1993
The Marches Road rises up to the Owl Pub at Kingsfold (16.83m) it is the only part where I have to ease back a bit and give Andy due respect his age (I hope he does the same for me next time up Coldharbour!) We catch pair No 1 Alistair Lang and the oldest man in the field 82 year old Geoff Goat of the promoting club, and now we are on the Dorking Road with the final push to the finish. Mole Valley (Specialist Cars) has all their Porche, TVR and Noble super-cars out the front but we leave them standing as we get into top gear at Clark's Green once more. Andy has to come through for the last 200 meters and unlike last year when he had nothing left this time I had to hang on not to get left behind. We had what I though a decent time 41:51 26.74 mph Av. for a fairly hilly course, that's faster than Andy has gone in a '10' this year, the Standard +2.00 does not look that impressive as we had +5:23 when losing to Hutch/Pollard last year but a different course and we don't know what the Standards are based on, we hope its not a bit of gamesmanship. Its a long wait for the rest of the field Greg Hunt and Dan Sadler (RT 316) we saw out recce the course with us so taking it serious but 42:20 only good enough for 6th and at 49 never going to trouble us on Std. The next team unusual in that 53 year old Kevin Tye was pacing 49 year old AndrewMeilak (Velorefined) but seeing how the former is the VTTA National '50' Champion and the latter merely a very fast Veteran and their 40:14 good enough to go fastest but 1:45 behind on Standard so maybe their plan may backfire. My tip after breaking the age standard Hour Record during the year Robert Gilmore (Houndslow & Dist) and some time Pro Wouter Sybrandy (Sigma) only managed 43:40, at 64 Robert has put up some useful individual times but here he could not hang onto the youthful Dutch rider The other 70+ contender Ben Fielden paced by his teammate from the GS Stella David Shepherd, he and I have had some rare battles over the years and this season we have been nip and tuck as we are the same age. 43:31 and a +1:16 makes them 2nd on Std. by a single second Tye/Meilak 3rd +1:15 There's always somebody you never think about, this year its another Sigma rider Peter Hardcastle pacing the 40 year old lady rider Elise Sherwell (Look Mum no Hands!) 41:12 is a phenomenal ride and +1:05 gives us a scare.
Past Winners 1994 -2014
So it only remains for those Yates brothers to come in, to be fair Christian is on better form than Sean these days and both paced by semi-pro 'Chips off the block' so to speak Jesse and his 55 year old dad Sean (In Gear) could not keep the title in deepest Sussex 41:25 -0:27 and younger brother Christian a year younger than me paced by Sean's eldest 19 years old Catford/Banks Liam to 41:28 -0:53 on Standard
So Andy and I were 5th fastest again on time but more importantly we took the Bill and Marjory Griffiths Trophy for the best Standard time for a 'Gentleman' now we all know, or at least every one of us that has tried to keep up with Andy when going up Pebble or White down thathee ain't no 'gentleman' in fact he can be a bit of a monster but I was glad he was on my wheel and now all we have to do is defend it in a years time when he will be just that little bit older and I will be that little bit wiser o7ò
Going back to review the tail end of the season, it seems like a long time ago to the National '10' but the day after I had an unusual occurrence a TT win! I rode the Coalville Whs 2 up (one rider a Vet - that's me) on the BH with Kelvin Southan (MG Decor) and we trounced the somewhat limited field due the the torrential rain on the tricky Gryffydam course (18.64m) used for last years CTT circuit Champs going over a minute faster than I did solo 45:44. Second place went to 'Roadmen' Jon Knapp/Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) and Robert Stephenson/Neil Taylor of the promoting club who tied on 47:11
A day out at the BDCA
I did another wet Tuesday evening '10' (third in three days!) before lining up for the BDCA '100' on the following Saturday, this is a season target as a qualifying event for the VTTA BAR. At least I have a '100' under my belt (4:08:25 in the Anfield) but I was hoping to go considerably faster here on the smooth tarmac of the A50. I had felt a bit under the weather (all that rain) but I think with the big events you are able to stave off a few niggles but this is the start of an important few weeks as my recent block of training brings something to the speed game I hope to set a few PB's and even a Club record in the next month. Only hope my grumbled don't develop and I crash and burn, such is the fine line between pushing your body to the limit and not over it.
I had a massage the day before as a treat, but it was probably a mistake not to do a ride or have it the day before as I could feel it in my legs all through the race and while it felt like the onset of cramp none materialised at all. I usually expect a few twinges in the last ten miles as to push your legs into the red but I held back a bit and did not go as hard over the first half as I possible could have. 1:51:56 for the first '50' was still good. There was a North wind so it was pretty cold and several riders suffered from the cold in the second half, where your body generates less heat through the reduced effort and once the core temperature drops so does performance
Adam Topham (High Wycombe) the reigning BAR and in need of a good time as the BAR elect Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest) had broken the Competition Record for the distance a month before (3:18:54 - that's 30.1659 mph Av.!) he started 5 minutes behind me and came past at 23 miles going lickety-spit I get around on only the two (500ml) bottles of carb mix and two caffeine gels so I carry a third of water for extra weight and Fiona does give me a half bottle of coffee which does both jobs with 25m to go
I did relatively the same ride as last year 3:46:53 and only a minute off my PB, the difference was the number of riders going faster, I dropped from 17th this year to 24th, a ride like that 5-6 years ago would have garnered a top ten (even a top 6 in a BBAR event) Lots more younger riders in the event and some amazing times, The wheels came off Topham's effort in the second half but he still recorded 3:22:40 but he was beaten by the National Champion Charles Taylor (S Pennine) 3:21:31 the second and third fastest 100's of all time. Joe Skipper a 27 year old Tri Professional came in third 3:33:41
N & EM VTTA '25' Bert Christian Memorial - 54:03
I had a week to recover before the Stone Whs '25' a long time favourite at the end of the season traversing the same roads as the '100' it descends the 'Concrete Mountain' at the far end giving some of the fastest splits that get riders excited until the prospect of the ascent and if your effort is badly paced then a lot of pain to go with a dismal time. I try and keep it steady at the start but 9:26 is still well over 30mph so 8:50 is only slightly off 34mph and 10:07 through the turn without getting too out of breath, it looks to good to be true. And it is 11:50 looks pedestrian by comparison as you come into the Westerly wind but still only just outside 30mph for 20m. The CM is too long even to max out on, it goes up in stages and you have to go in and out of the red like intervals, not great for Old'uns 12:13 is the straw that broke the camels back and I finish with 52:28, fastest of the year by nearly two minutes and good enough for 13th in a classy field as the pure speed-men wilt on the hard return. Alex Royal (Army CU) wins in 48:17 but he is the only 30mph rider Lee Suthard (Weaver Valley) 50:33 and wile old fox Jon Surtees (Swift) 50:51
I had a dilemma a week later, to improve my '25' or my '50' time, Sat was an afternoon event on a new fast course in potentially warm (Indian summer again) but having done a 52 in the Stone Whs could I go better? I also could improve my relatively slow '50' more than a few minutes off my PB, last year I broke the CR in the Manchester event on the A50 (Again! ) But the Wheelers finally decided to stop promoting this end of season Classic as there are 'issues' with promoting so far away from their base. Events need fast (& safe) coursed to be popular but sometimes getting the support is difficult and another late season banker relatively close is replaced with an overnight stop for (potentially cold) Sunday early Breckland over at Attleborough on the A11.
In the end I do both, It's sunny and hot alright but just too windy again to better my 52 but I do my second fastest of the year 54:03, all my time was lost in the first half and I was playing catch-up in the second as I head for 7th. Ian Guilor (Mapperley CC) 51:42 wins it from Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley) 52:03 and Adam Coffey (Alford Whs) 52:06 close behind in third. Ron Hallam (S Pennine) sets an age Std. record for 85 years 1 :03:23 that's a +23:32 needless to say he won from 60 years young Geoff Platts (MG decor) who could still bash out a 52:57 for forth overall but still not be within five minutes of Ron on Std.
'Big' Ron Hallam (S Pennine) 1:03:23 at 85
The next morning I am up at 4am staying with the Hopkins in Kings Lynn to lessen the travel and Peter who has been away from racing this season will be my 'second' and hand me a bottle If I need it. As it turns out its very cold, only made better by the lack of wind. this is what we used to call a 'float' but its too cold to get going and
while I give it everything from the gun and I get the better of the wind
which rises
later I can only go through 25m in 54:14. Adam Topham has another chance to retain his slipping BBAR crown having failed last week in the Yorkshire RC event to overtake Bideau by .009mph with an amazing 1:38:10 (the fastest of the year) here he was again with another tilt, he sure was going down fighting. In the end he went back another two minutes 1:40:08 but still a 30mph ride on a cold morning. I was one of the early starters and my 12th place 1:49:48 was my fastest of the year by a handful of seconds. Peter Harrison (GS Henly) and Ian Holbrook (Stone Whs) also looking to improve their top 10 BBAR places with 1:44:20 and 1:45:06 respectively
The Mercia '30' is my final TT of the year and a few days before the World Masters Track, I've been off the bike for a week with a bad head-cold so my 'taper' for the Masters has started early but all the work is done and I just need to recover from my malade and the Mercia event on my favourite A50 will give me an indication if I am over the worst. I have done three evening Track League meetings at the new Derby Velodrome in preparation for the Masters so I'm hoping a bit of track speed will rub off on my TT'ing (but more of TL later in the year) I've not ridden a '30' for a couple of seasons, a bit of a curates egg of an event but today there are two! The Leo is a traditional Record breaking event on the A14 at Newmarket and this year it has been revised and much is expected but just too far to go when you need to be resting up. I set the Club Record here before and I will need to go close to my season '25' time to beat it.
This has the benefit at least of being mid afternoon and its mild and windless, I try and keep a lid on my 'good legs' gears down a bit so I hit all the tough sections hard and the 'dog leg' to Doveridge which give us the extra five miles is a tough section with a bad road surface. We get a brief rest bite coming back to the A50 as the wind seems tougher than expected but on the A50 trans-versing the Midlands the direction is crucial and the direct Westerly today is blowing down the gully of a road making life and faster speed difficult. 33 minutes to 15 miles is not auspicious 27mph but then things begin to turn and so does my speed. I come back at a few seconds over 30mph and break the Club record by seven seconds 1:03:16 10th place. Steve Irwin (N Lanc RC) is the winner 57:46 and the only 30mph all the way (31.1598 mph actually) followed by local Baz Charlton (lyme RC) 1:00:22 and Paul Flemming another half minute back in third 1:00:52
There were more spectacular results in the Leo event, Stuart Birnie the long distance specialist who I'd put over five minutes into last week in the Breckland 1:00:47 and ten riders inside the 'hour'. Winner Matt Smith (Velocity) 56:49 thirty years ago that would have been a good result for a '25' The topping on the cake , my good friend Rachael Elliott (Newbury RC) broke Competition Record for the distance 1:03:29 beating the 1999 time of Jill Reams by a minute and a half, a sound beating! o7ò
My second claim club the Hinckley CRC were promoting the National Championship '10' TT on the local Wolvey course near Lutterworth. It would provide a contrast to last years event on the Uber fast V718 along the Humber estuary. I set a PB in coming 83rd with 19:58, this year it was on a course I have ridden over sixty times but never got inside 22 minutes (best 22:01 in 2011 & 22:05 in 2009) a difference in speed of nearly 3mph Av. and while the Wolvey course does not look on paper that slow a couple of drags and a 'draggy' road surface along with almost zero traffic makes it a true test for the 'Testers' art of power and pacing
'Warming up' in the rain
In the meantime I'd improved my PB in the '10' by a single second on the 'V' in July and in a full dress rehearsal I'd done 22:02 in the Tuesday evening before the race, I usually ride a 92-94" fixed on an evening hoping to attain 100 rpm but Here I'd put my gear up to 100" so only a modest 90 rpm but I tried it on gears and not a great deal of difference so I opted for the fixed on the day. I had a good chance of winning my age category being the second fastest, but there was a clutch more C's (50-55) just behind me there could be no slacking
There may be no traffic on this road but there was plenty of farmers driving combines and tractors up and down the lane in the week before the event, it was harvesting after a hot few weeks the men and machines work around the clock to get the job done so when I rode around the course the day before there was plenty of action. As I arrived marshals were sweeping up wheat over spill on one of the junctions but then just on queue the heavens opened as we were all warming up at the HQ and what looked like a potential clash of interest for the road space disappeared as all the workers disappeared unable to do any more.
21:57 on my fixed (2nd 'D' 50-54)
So a warm-up in the rain (I was to ride three events on consecutive days, all in the rain!) on the rollers with everybody doing likewise, some under gazebos more prepared but on summers like these I seem to have done it a lot more than normal. The field laid out in order of fastest so my 62 made me 88th fastest in the field of 150, , my minute man only a second slower but I planned to catch him! Almost all the riders fastest times have been done on the 'V' but here on the lowly ranked K41/10 there would be a democratisation of conditions and times. I went to the start. it was pleasantly warm and still, I'd taken my visor off on this course you need to see the road surface and in the rain it's just a distraction.
Rain did not stop the action
I went as hard as I dare in the conditions but lost a few seconds at the turn with a car taking my line so I just had to take it slow and safe, my HR showed 156, almost a record for these days and only 154 on the way back but my average 150 so as good as I could have hoped. I was closing in on my man all the way, I could see the Oxford rider in his orange kit getting closer but in the end I was 3 seconds shy of the catch. The last mile is the fastest and gears would have helped but I still hit over 35mph as pushed myself all the way. In the end a new course PB 21:57 almost exactly two minutes slower than last year. Things were looking up in the age awards he fastest in my age group Ian Greenstreet had a puncture after a couple of miles and that threw the competition wide open
Bottrill's final National
The rain eased a bit for the final ten 'The favorites' but the roads were still wet and the conditions much the same for everybody. James Boyman (Farnham RC) was top of the leader board from a lowly No 90 (60th fastest) 20:01 from monster big Josh Williams (Revolution Racing) the coming man at 23 years who had placed 4th in the '25' just after him at No 91 with 20:08. Nobody could dislodge him until 7th from the end Richard Bussell (RST Sport) 19:36, only four races to his name this year but a 18:17 on the 'V' and a ten year old bike put together for £1000 to take on the best in the country. Ryan Perry (Langdale) the winner of the National '25' went out but did not come back, unshipping his chain at the turn and then flinging his machine into the hedge. The final three, local Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughn) who rides the Tuesday evenings on a regular basis and does 'low' twenty rides came within five seconds 19:41 but he was up against the man riding his final National after a couple of years dominating the TT scene and the defending holder and final man. Matt Bottrill (drag2zero) As last year it was close all the way but Matt could not dislodge the leader, his time 19:45 only good enough for third, only four riders inside twenty minutes (last year 85!) and the winner a few seconds inside two minutes faster than the winning time in 2014 17:40 so all things considered true to the course that had managed to tame the favourites and let some new talent into the fray.
Winning my age was not to be I missed out by 13 seconds, I did however improve my place in the country to 81st perhaps if Ryan had not flung his bike it may have made for different result o7ò
Power meters seem to be all the rage for fast times these days, giving the riders an indication of the power necessary to optimise their training and racing performances. I told myself I'd look into it when I no longer managed a personnel best during the season in a time trail. It looks like my money is safe for another year as I scraped a PB by the smallest of margins in the evening City RC (Hull) '10' on the V718, a long way to go for an evening race and the last one I had a late start and it was cold, I got back home after midnight so an early start just after 19.00 was also a boon for a bit of heat still in the day
I'd only done 23:11 in the previous evenings Hinckley club event so the expectation of going 3 minutes faster seemed an impossible prospect, but this course is so unusual, fast it seems under any conditions as my local course so slow. After a modest first five miles in 10.00 dead I stormed home in 9:57 and a nervous wait to see if the timekeeper gave me the benefit of the single second.
I had a trips to different sides of the country next, first the Shaftsbury '50' at Newmarket with an overnight stay with friends in Bedford. It garnered a hard ride on a terrifically windy day. I was inside 53 minutes at half distance but the slog back saw me drop to a disappointing 1:50:46 as I'd eased off in the first half to give myself a better chance to battle the wind in my effort to negative split more of my rides. On this day I was well wide of the mark.
VTTA '25' dashboard fare
The next weekend required a visit to South Wales for the VTTA National '25' necessitating another overnight stop in nearby Neath. I rode down the course on the Saturday evening where Michael Hutchinson set competition record 45:46 in 2012 and Matt Bottrill went 3 seconds faster two years later. It was a lovely breathless evening warm and I touched 40mph on the start hill so I was expecting a great event with all the top over 40's in the country. I was alarmed and dismayed to be greeted with strong winds and lashing rain when I arose the next morning
VTTA '25' wind & rain (Photo - Kimroy)
I was off early at No 10 so I was waiting outside the HQ with the organiser when the slightly worse for wear local opened up at 6.45 swearing he was doing us a favour, 'it' not having to be open for another 15 minutes! Some of the locals had already decided not to start but us far travelling guests to this lovely corner of the country had to make good on our commitment to the cause. After helping to setup a few tables and lay out the numbers I was off to get ready parking at the finish as I figures I'd need to get into the car as soon as I finished as the temperature still not above ten degrees. The only problem with this a five mile ride to the start, half of it up the start hill in a torrential downpour. I made it to the start with a couple of minutes to spare having given myself an adequate 25 minutes but I was blowing a bit but I was WARM! Alarmingly only one rider in the top ten had started, the race was a bit of a blur as my visor fogged and the motionless trees that lined the lush valley and had been a picture the night before were a streaked and cloudy mass. I finished with 54:15 good enough for 12th on Standard (+14:24) and 9th fastest, longer travelling even than me Derek Stewart (Deeside Thistle) won on Standard so the Champion with a plus of +20:26 and late starting Brian Sunter (Condor RC) second once again +18:58 with a handy 56:11 at 72 years Gavin Hinxman (Kettering CC) who had travelled down on the morning fastest in 51:09 and third on Std +16:17
VTTA '25' Hinxman Stewart and Sunter Team (Bynea CC)
Although I did not find the roads busy or dangerous the result sheet showed only 61 from 157 entrants had started. a record number of DNS for my racing career
I was in London in early August for the Epsom '10' on the course at Rusper back half a minute on last year in similar conditions 21:47 not able to turn around a 11:18 first half despite the 10:28 second half. I think I was still fast asleep, after another early rise at 4am. I went back along the course after I'd finished to give fellow SWRC rider Fidel Gonzales a shout to the line and he recorded a PB 26:10. Event won by Simon McNamara (South Down Bikes) 20:24
LFCC '10' last corner 21:50
Next morning was the VTTA National '50' on the A3 in the Surrey hinterland, Alan joined me this time (4am again!) but this time it was foggy and cold and I needed some warming leg rub before heading off Brow Hill to do two laps between Petersfield and Liphook. Despite a very even ride over the whole distance I found it difficult to get going 54:39 at half way as the sun gave a bit of muted heat away and I struggled to find any rhythm. Maybe I should stick to all fixed or gears as the chopping and changing between styles of racing play havoc with your pedaling tempo and you find yourself unable to settle. I ended up with a slight improvement for the season 1:49:56 Winner was Brian Sunter 1:50:57 (+44:46) a National record for a 72 yr old. Kevin Tye (Velorefiners) recorded a spectacular 1:40:57 (+40:24) fastest and second on Std.
I have been building my fitness towards the end of the season so the National '10' promoted by my second claim club Hinckley CRC on my local Wolvey course at the end of August is an obvious choice to judge my fitness for the Worlds in October. I ride their Tuesday evening '10' most weeks for training and I've been trying to beat my times on here from a few seasons ago. My best ever 22:01 August 2011 had seemed a long way off but in recent weeks I'd got within 20 seconds of this and then last week 22:02 On my computer I had 22:00.6 but on this occasion the timekeeper took the second away so I will have all to play for in doing my first sub 22 minute ride on the a course that should give a more accurate position of riders in the country than the super fast 'V' The event closed on 21:00 and I'm off number 62 as opposed to 55 last year (riders go off in descending order of time) o7ò
A few weeks of racing dominated by the Track, I entered my first proper 'Open' meeting since 1984! At a track I'd never ridden on before, the Newcastle-under-Lyme track at Stoke. It was on of the National Hard Track League run throughout the season and although I had a series of 'B' I chose to do the Elite races with some of the top track riders in the country. A lovely outdoor track in a park with a good tarmac surface, the rain of the day before had cleared up. The meeting had quite a bit of sprinting (Senior won by Sean Mayer the son of an old friend (and adversary) from the past. There was Ladies and schools so plenty of time to recover between the races. I didn't show myself up too much in the 'warm-up' Scratch or Points races, not out first in the Devil (but suddenly ran out of puff!) It was the day after the National 50 so my legs ached like buggery anyway and it was all down to the 20Km Scratch finale. As I say legs were about shot so when six of the top riders set off up the road I sat tight in the bunch and bided my time for them to gain a lap while doing a few strong turns and then when it was all back together I was able to hang in and got 8th overall in the finish sprint.
Ceremonial Opening at newly re surfaced Halesowen
A couple of weeks later I had the British Masters Track at Newport, I did a dismal 2Km Pursuit (slowest ever!) for 9th but when you are in the company of the World Champion Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) then all performance is relative. And such is the competition here that even he could not retain his British title and pushed into second spot by World Bronze medalist Mark Wiffin (Tavistock Whs.) 'newby' to this age group but a rider with another World class time Johannes Roux (Giant) only taking the Bronze. After feeling great the day before in the 8Km Scratch final. I was here there and everywhere, up the road in a break of four most of the race but i could just not get it to stick as the others were unable or unwilling to make a real go of it (a bit of both I suspect) so as we finessed the finish I'd used most of my bullet's and ended up 7th with the same podium as last year Peter Ettles Ian Greenstreet (Newbury RC) and Adrian Ward (Shaftsbury). In the Points race I fared better but with the race reduced from 60 to 40 laps (& only 4 sprints) it became a 'sprinters' race and as I never get going until half way I was off the front chasing the eventual winner Ian Whittall (Manchester Whs) with Ettles an Greenstreet when the bell went for the end of the race. We were only 20 meters short of lapping the field (so 1/4 lap!) which would have seen us taking all three medals (10 Pts for gaining a lap) as I was I had to settle for 6th the Manchester rider winning (with 9 Pt's) from Ettles and 'newby' Michael Rice (De Laune) 3rd an old friend from Herne Hill (& Dunraven days) who got up in several of the early sprints
1982 Winner
I had another visit to my past this last weekend at (newly resurfaced) Halesowen Track for the Dudley GP another National Hard Track League meting . It rained all morning so the start delayed for a couple of hours and then an opening ceremony with the Mayor and all that jazz. I was a bit more confident here knowing a few more of the riders and having a few more races in my legs but I'd done a terrible (I thought) ride the last week in the Belper RC 25 (54:34) and set out to recover my TT legs by doing a few hard sessions in the week so my legs feeling a bit wobbly after 70m yesterday and track legs suspended until later in the year. I suppose I never worry that I will be able to 'turn on' my track legs, I've never been the super quick type so transition not all that difficult but having done some specific track sessions and a bit more racing has definitely had an effect on my 'testing' ability so I needed to reverse it If I want to put up some decent times
In the bunch with William Fotheringham
All the races were quite long 20 lap Scratch 32 lap Points and a Devil that went on forever (I went out after 12 or so) and with only a Ladies and Schools Omnium to compliment it we were up and down every twenty minutes. It was tough going, the wind blew up making the home straight a bit of a graveyard and I'd left my 94" gear on from the indoor track making it even tougher. I was determined the the best riders would not get away from me this time and there were a few more endurance riders to take on the chasing and the wind discouraged riders from going out on the attack too much so all the races stayed together apart from the end of the Points when I attacked and got half a lap up by the finish, this with an early win gave me my highest place.
Alistair wins the Billy Jones '10'
William Fotheringham the Guardian journalist is a Halesowen A & CC member and races in my Masters age group but he has not been around recently claiming no time to race but he was sponsoring the final race and gave a good account of himself without walking off with any of his own money. At easter I started reading his Eddy Merckx book while staying at Adrian's, I did not know if I was going to get on with it but within a few chapters I was gripped, the only sad part I had to leave it behind half finished but not much time to read in the season so I'll put it on the list of things to catch up with along with the Sean Yates and Sean Kelly books that brother Phil just gave me (he needs to get out on his bike more!)
Podium Loney, Rutherford & Notley
The final event was the Billy Jones '10' forty laps of the track in the company of some pretty fierce (and allot younger) competition. I was determined to stay with the leaders this time however hard the pace went and the race developed differently and I was able to hold the pack all the way to the finish. David Bradley (Vertex) helped by making a solo attack that lasted for the first half of the race but was destined not to succeed in the wind and he was pulled back and by this time in the race the contenders had decided to settle for a sprint finish so there was a bit of finessing before the final gallop and it was Alistair Rutherford (NAB) from James Notley (Mammoth) and long travelling young Scottish rider Zac Loney (LFH).
I had won this race in 1982 with a solo win when there were only four riders left on the track, three of these were SWRC riders as we decimated the mainly sprinting field with constant attacks one of my favorite memories of racing o7ò
