Newport Weekender

I rushed down to Newport Thursday afternoon to see the much anticipated BC Time Trial Champs around Celtic Manor, by the time I got there it was raining and a walk up the steep (1:4) road to the resort/start/finish gave some indication of the task on the 13 mile course covered twice and the information that the hill up the other side to the 2011 Ryder Cup course was steeper!

Wiggins catches Bottrill for 2 minutes at 11 miles

There were quite a few non starters on the ramp but all the favourites were here Millar, Dowsett, Geraint, amateur Bottrill and of course Wiggins smarting from being left out of Team Sky's TdF team. Jayson Boutell (Velopro) set the early pace off No 2. 30:02 for the first lap and then Russell Hampton (Athlonsport)  the first man inside thirty minutes with 29:34, Team Raleigh Mark Christian 29:01 bettered that. The favorites came through as the rain hammered down Bottrill already caught for 2 minutes by 'Wiggo' who was storming came through in 28:51 Luke Rowe 28:34, Wiggins 26:29  a good 30 seconds clear of the Welshman 'G' 27:07 and final rider Dowsett 27:32. Millar had already packed by this time feeling unwell and picked off by 'G'

'Wiggomania'

In the final analysis Wiggins was too powerful for all the other contenders on a course not best suited to the bigger rider, Ex National Hill Climb Champion Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan) said to me at the finish the hill was so steep that in the rain out the saddle his back wheel was slipping and in the saddle he was pulling a 'Wheely' up the climb. His time 53:56 was well ahead of 'G' and defending Champion Dowsett who was under the weather but put up a good defence

1 Bradley Wiggins Sky ProCycling 26:29 53:56
2 Geraint Thomas Sky ProCycling 27:07 55:04 @ 1:08
3 Alex Dowsett Movistar 27:32 55:17 @ 1:21
4 Luke Rowe Sky ProCycling 28:34 56:55 @ 2:59
5 James McLaughlin Guidon Chalettois 28:24 57:16 @ 3:20
6 Matt Bottrill www.drag2zero.com 28:51 58:03 @ 4:07
7 Mark Christian Team Raleigh 29:01 58:12 @ 4:16
8 Russell Hampton Athlon Sport – Cloud 9 Telecom 29:34 59:15 @ 5:19
9 Joe Perrett Team Raleigh 29:26 59:29 @ 5:33
10 Gruffudd Lewis Pedal Heaven-Colbornes 29:54 1:00:11 @ 6:15

Earlier in the day Emma Pooley (VC Norwich) won the women's event in 30:18 by nearly a minute fron Pearl Izumi pair of Kate Archibald and Dame Sarah Storey. In the Espoire event 18 year old Scott Davis (Madison) 27:45 (Only beaten by three of the Elite) he won by over a minute from Owen Doull (AN Post) and Dan McLay (Lotto) who had plenty of practice beating me in recent Tuesday evening 10's.

1 Emma Pooley VC Norwich 00:30:18
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:30:57
3 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:31:09

1 Scott Davies Madison Genesis 00:27:45
2 Owain Doull An Post – Chain Reaction 00:28:09
3 Daniel Mclay Lotto-Belisol U23 00:28:44

Essentially I was here to ride the British Masters Track at Newport Velodrome, I had the Scratch race on the saturday afternoon, no heats and only a 30 lap final which plays into the sprinters hands so it was essential that the race was hard. Ralph Carter (London Dynamo) had a long solo break after 10 laps and we left him out there until Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) made the connection to him too dangerous to let go so I helped close the gap and we were all together with 10 to go.

At six to go Ian Greenstreet who had been very quite made a solo break and had fifty meters and the bunch was in a line about to break apart, there was a brief regrouping Ettles went after the leader and when local Courtney Rowe (Cardiff Jif) and father of  Sky pro Luke took up the charge for the line with two to go I was on Sprint winner Adrian Dent's (Team Terminator) wheel in forth in the bunch, thinking I had the perfect spot when without warning he swung out of the line unable to take the pace any longer, I was lucky not to come down and lost a few lengths which I only had just over a lap to close and by the time I got up to Courtney's wheel the race was over the line. Ettles the winner from Greenstreet and my racing pal Adrian Ward (Shaftsbury) Bronze coming around the tireing Welshman and I was 5th.

The next morning I had the Pursuit, I was still a bit 'shocked' from my first track race of the year (could have done with a heat!) my time 2:30.421 only good enough for 7th behind Ettles Mark Wiffen (Tavistock Whs) and defending Champion Greenstreet. Now Wiffen a man on the comeback trail had placed second in the Sprint on the Friday and was having a go at everything, I knew the name as an Ex Leicester  Zenith rider and a handy pursuiter in his day but the remarkable thing about his ride was that he did it on without Aero bars just took the spacers out to get a lower position, the 'Ride of the Weekend' for me.

50-54 PointsResult

In the afternoon we had the 15KM Points (60 laps - 6 sprints) race, always a favourit for me and a chance for me to use my stregnth as the race progressed and after a few hard races. I sat out the first couple of sprints which were terifically hard fought Carter and Ettles taking an early lead. Because there were only twelve entries our race had been combined with the 55-59 race making a round twenty and it was the Pursuit winner Graham Barclay (Team Leslie) from this age group that took a flyer away on his own, I went after him and settled until Ettles got up to me and we shared the points as another group of five making two groups on either side of the track. This group of eight eventually lapped the field but I missed out on the next set of points as a rider from the bunch was away so I had no option if I wanted a medal to go for the final sprint as I knew I did not have enough points from my sprints although I had twenty from gaining a lap.

50-54 Points Podium

So without hesitation and with nine laps left I attacked again, I'd attacked after every sprint to keep the break away so one more time and I made sure I had nobody with me for while its nice to have company it can complicate things when you just need to go flat out. Within three laps I was half a lap up and I saved a bit from then on as I knew gaining a lap was not possible and the finish would be tight, as It was I held out without trouble speeding up on the last lap to hold off a speeding Ettles and Carter who ahd taken the Silver and Gold, I held the Bronze on 'countback' over Steve Clayton (Litchfield) with the same points but by virtue of my better placing in the final sprint

During the lunch hour we had dashed out to see the BC Professional Road Race come through Celtic Manor after an hour of racing, Luke Rowe was off the front the bunch was already well split up and Geraint who had un-shipped his chain on the hill was chasing like mad (he did so for the rest of the race) o7ò

Bronze Boys

BC Time Trial Report

BC Road Race Report

MASTERS TRACK

Points Podium - cdp, McCaw and Cross

Like last year these series of events at the Newport Velodrome (Felodrome for Welsh speakers) were my first target of the season so while its nice to have a bit of racing in recent weeks with no pressure on the results here no place to hide as the best in the country come together to race for the Masters Track Titles. It's promoted by London based Graham Bristow (Norwood Paragon) who I've known since my early racing days, Graham has a passion for the track cycling (and for motor pacing in particular) and promotes the Good Friday meeting as his father did before him. Its always good to see some old faces Dave Rowe (34 Nomads) back on the track after a nasty fall at the Worlds Masters last year that saw him with bad neck injury, even though he had only been able to get back on the track in the last month here he was to give it his best which in his case is usually pretty top notch, not bad for a rider approaching his seventieth birthday.
I'm with Adrian Ward on the Friday as he is in the Sprint but has to sit it out after an arrhythmic attack just before his ride, It's something he's had all his life and has learn ed to control but when he has an episode and his PR goes up over 220BPM then he just has to take it easy (lie down basically). So this gave me the opportunity to watch some racing I do not usually see, I'm giving a hand to Dubai based and Ex Phoenix (Kent) rider Martin Stephens, he is second fastest qualifier with high hopes of a medal but looses out to defending Champion Ralph Carter (London Dynamo) in the semis. Also in the semis Brad Thurrell one of the outstanding sprinters of my youth making a comeback, Adrian Dent (Terminator) wins it from Scot Ivor Reid (Clachnacuddin CC) and Carter third in a three up final!
Adrian has a 500m TT the next morning so while I go out on the road he prepares for that, The champion as last year and a repeat of the sprint but this time Stephens getting an excellent Silver and Reid third. The 10Km Scratch race has the biggest field of the weekend with all the sprinters and endurance riders up on the track, 24 in total and Ettles (Sandy Wallace) is off from the gun like he never finished the 500m! So even though we've warmed up legs go to jelly until its under control, Nigel Stephens (Finchley RT) takes a flyer and is away for over 20 laps on his own, it's a tremendous effort and at one point is about to lap the field but once the bunch takes on some momentum he is pulled back inside the last 10 laps and its building for a sprint finish, Ian Greenstreet (Newbery RC) strikes for home a long way out but is brought back and I get into position in the last kilometre on local rider Courtney Rowe (Cardiff Jif - Father of Sky Pro Luke Rowe) Ettles leads out fast and hard and although Courtney has won this before does not have the speed to come over him, myself likewise further up the track with even further to travel can only manage third. Until we come to a halt and find that Steve Clayton (Litchfield City) had sneaked away in the brief lull and taken the win so I have to be satisfied with 4th.

On the Sunday I have a double helping of racing Pursuit in the morning Points in the afternoon (evening as it happens!) It's only 2Km but the most pain that can be had on a bike, short of hill climbing and being hung drawn and quartered, William Wallace chose the latter over a spin around Meadowbank. There's no defending Champion so as the runner up I get the home straight final heat, No Pressure! I'm up against Carter, Greenstreet bangs out a time that would have won last year in the second heat so I ignore the remainder and try to focus. In the gate the twelve seconds count down and you are away, the rise itself does not feel good at all. Why would you practise these? I'm glad it's over soon enough, I could tell I was down at the bell but in the end my time only 1/10 sec slower than last year, only good enough for 6th this time though Greenstreet wins it from Ettles and Clayton. All these riders have come into my age category this year, my one year grace from these tyrants which proffered excellent results last year is over, I have a job on my hands to compete with these guys now!

Our 15Km (60 laps) Points race is early evening, it's a long weekend of preparation and recovery for 6 sprints, there are allot of potential outcomes for this race so you have to have a plan, mine is to be as aggressive from half way and test the riders who are all feeling a bit jaded. There are attacks for the first two sprints Phil Watkins  (34 Nomads) and Steve McCaw (Sandy Wallace) take these but It does make the pace hard so I get my chance early and I'm away, the Pursuit winner Greenstreet gets up to me and we share the work and I take the win at the next points (ian says he is being generous), McCaw makes a fantastic effort to make the half lap we have gained. With three of the strongest riders it's inevitable that we will lap the field and we do so before the next sprint. I now have to mark these two as my main rivals for the medals, I get 2 points in the next sprint and the others miss out, I know it must be close between McCaw the Veteran Hour Record Holder and myself, I can only go for the final sprint as final placings count where riders are equal on points. In the lull Clayton and Jerry Cross (Manchester Whs) gain a lap but it is so quick They gain no points and I am only paying attention to the others. Greenstreet and then McCaw slip off the front by 50 meters but I hold my position as I know it will all come together for the sprint and I need to be in the mix to be up for the points and as we wind it up the two are swamped, I am on Rowe's shoulder (again!) and cannot overtake but good enough for 3rd place and 2 Pt's. In the final count I miss out by a point to McCaw that early win put him in a commanding position, Greenstreet looses out for the Bronze by being too far back in the final sprint and with 4th place and one point going to the Manchester man.
I really enjoy the racing here and a bit of success makes it all the better, It's hard and aggressive racing with no quarter given (apart from Ian in the third sprint) but It does not feel crazy or dangerous as this group of riders I have been racing against for the past 5-6 years are all experienced and like to make the racing tough without making it desperate. Looking forward to the Europeans in September

Masters of the Universe

A terrible week at work compounded by bad weather meant I'd only done 30 miles on the bike up to the Friday and even a ride before I set off  for the British Masters Track Championships was thwarted by the rain and wind so I arrived at Newport 11pm somewhat unprepared. The previous weekend had almost been as bad and I rode the Walsall RC '25' on Etwall and then a more local  Hinckley CRC '25' in the wind and then wind and rain to undistinguished 57:12 and 1:01:06 respectively on my 94" fixed that was supposed to prepare me for the challenge of racing on the boards at high speed.

Silver,  Bronze and  4th - Almost a set

I could not face the 500m first thing on Saturday morning and sat it out thinking that the 10Km Scratch race would get me in the mood for racing, I went out for a 20 mile spin late morning to ease my legs off but it was still blowing a gale outside our little Velodrome bubble but I could not face being inside with dozens of other riders and opted for the lanes around the stadium which were quite and flat.
The Scratch race in my new 50-54 age group was a fairly tame affair. with only twenty riders and fairly tactical, although (Ex Old Ports) Phil Watkins and Mick Davis (Loughborough) made a valiant attempt to get away the bunch kept them in sight and nullified the move with 3Km to go, a new name to me but he had won the Sprint the previous day Ralph Carter (London Dynamo) and Jeff Baird (G S Metro) had a go but it came apart under the pressure of the finish with only Carter off the front doing a strong ride for a 'Sprinter'. Trevor Burke (Finchley RT) went after him, I was a bit slow off the mark and he had 20 meters on me but I made my way over the top of all the other riders at the bell in an effort not to become trapped on the inside and led out the sprint with 500m Silver medallist Ivor Ried (Clacknacuddin CC) a black clad shadow on my wheel and despite my best efforts he pipped me by less than half a wheel, Trevor had an even closer winning margin (Photo) over Carter on the line.

2Km Pursuit

I was pretty pleased with my effort, a bit of inattention and leading out Ried for the last 3 laps cost me a medal but as my coach (and father) used to say, in the last 3 laps only go past people, let them sort their own race out. I had a disturbed night probably the result of too much excitement and stimulation, coffee and red wine not helping. The 2Km Pursuit the next morning was an event I'd never won a medal at so with the reduced distance and no specific preparation to speak of I was in the dark as to how I would compare.
The judges rated me for a medal as I was in the penultimate heat against Carter but in the home straight so third seed, I only had a 95" gear on as getting away the key and so it proved, my 'lineman' had me up but Carter came back and was up with 3 to go, I put in my customary strong finish from 3 laps out, I was level with 2 to go and pulled out a second to record 2:28.745 to Carters 2:29.619, the final heat was an easy win for Burke 2:25.040 and as his opponent Davis could only manage 6th fastest and no other rider had beaten my time I had the Silver and my first Pursuiting National medal.

There was a long wait until the Points race in the evening so I went out for another 20 mile ride at lunch and those Pursuits surely take it out of your legs. There were only 15 riders for the final 15Km event, sixty laps and six sprints to decide a winner, I always sit out the first as they are always too hectic but I may have to revise this as there is little enough to get your teeth into. I went away with Davis after Baird and we made a trio but the speed was not enough and even though I won the next sprint easily we were pulled back, Burke took my 'softening up' to his advantage and went for a lap and nobody could go with him, he was the class rider of the weekend in our group and this effort to lap the field in less than ten laps netted him his third title of the Championships. I attacked allot to make sure there was no chance for others to recover and even though I only missed getting points at one other sprint I was pipped for the Silver by one point by Carter, I think as Burke had the lap he did not contest the remaining sprints that vigorously and that made it difficult for me to contain Carter even though I got up for 2nd place in the final sprint (with one away) and him out of contention but I had my second podium spot for the weekend.

15Km Points race

Full Masters Results here

Masters Track

Always feels like a week off and a bit of a holiday but in reality track racing at this level is the most stressful type of racing that I do, I'm in the twilight of my years in the 'D' (45-49) age group so it's been getting tough the past couple of seasons, falling on my head last year didn't help matters so this year the target is to get in the top 6 and avoid anything nasty of the ripped skin suit/damaged body variety.
First up the 15KM Scratch race, DNS last year as I preferred to hang out at Newport A & E with all the drunks and teenage mothers in flip flops, but this year we have to ride a preliminary round as there are more entered than the track will take (26) but at the eighth hour they relent and all 28 who sign on find our self up first. I forget to put my gear up thinking I will have a nice 'ride in'  on 90" but the race is run off fastest of all the finals 19:16 (slightly less than 30mph) and I find myself under geared, no chance of getting up in the sprint on this I think and with two away with 10 to go but I (and many others) think a break of three still away and nothing to go for so I surprised myself to get up for third in the bunch sprint with a bit of elbows and a switch inside as the front of the bunch fan out I nip on the inside but its as far as my legs will take me and I end up 5th, Winner is Steve Clayton (Litchfield RC) in an all new white strip instead of the usual blue and yellow so nobody knows he's up the road and Jeremy Greengrass (Vortex) a new name to me taking the Silver and Trevor Burke (Finchley) the Bronze to match his third that afternoon in the 750m TT.

The next morning we have the 3Km Pursuit and again have to go early just after 9.00 to make way for Points race heats after lunch (you guessed it straight to final) so I find myself up against 'in form' Ian Greenstreet (Newbury RC) in the third last heat so at least the judges rate me top six but you still have to do the ride and with my form I'm not confident. on 96" gear (put up 2" that morning but somewhat less than the 99" 'experiment' last year) I'd practiced my starting the previous Sunday (x12... Ouch!) to improve something which you basically only do 2 or 3 times a year, so all that you have learned you forget in the intervening winter, I'd watched one of our Olympic Track Champions Joanna Rowsell (Horizan Fitness) in our club '10' going away like a metronome a couple of months ago and decided I could improve. To be fair if you have time to look across the track you're either not trying or so good like the defending Champion Tim Lawson (SIS) who had just sold his company (SIS) for 7M the previous week, I hope he was celebrating because with a broken hip courtesy of a 'crit' crash he was not defending which left the field wide open for the mere mortals Anyway I was into my ride trying not to pass out under the stress of it all while still keeping composed and a reasonable line. I was clock/lap watching from half way as the tourniquet of pain that is the Pursuit starts in the legs and gradually moves up through the body until the brain is like an ice cream dropped into a hot pan almost certain to turn to liquid in an instant, with two to go I got a sight of Greenstreet entering the straight which put me two seconds up and I thought I was doing badly, Adrian my man on the line had been a blur and I'd not got any of the message that I was up from the start and only pegged back a bit at the end. I felt better for I was sure Ian who has been banging out 20 minute 10's would beat me easily, in fact I had him down for a medal but in the end the Gold went to Last years Bronze Peter Georgi (Giant RT) 3:37:069 Trevor Burke was up place in Silver 3:37:331 and Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) 3:38:863 My 3:43:014 was good enough for 5th just behind the Ex Scottish hour record holder Stephen McCaw (West Lothian Cl) I wonder who holds that now?
The final event of the weekend and my personal favourite the 20Km Points race, 80 laps of wheeling and 'dealing out' the tracks very own justice. You make the race hard and everybody will know they have been in a race, a bit of pain adds to the frisson of danger that make for a good race. Sprints every 10 laps (5,3,2 & 1) but gain a lap and it's 20 so choose a strategy that suits, 1's and 2's could settle this one if you want to stand on the podium and with so many good riders in my age group it was looking a tough prospect.
The first couple of sprints always a bun fight so I usually sit them out but a group of six away and two riders bang inot each other and fall from the top of the track, Philip Watkins (Ex Old Ports & first time on a 250m track!) goes down the track to avoid them, and what do you never do on a banked track? Never try to go under a falling rider, Phillip went straight over the top and crashing heavily. To be fair he got straight up but the Cardiff Jiff rider with the 'right angle' disc wheel did not come off so lightly, the race was neutralised for what seemed like an age but we did eventually get going with the break sneaking half a lap in the process. The result of this delay was the break were gifted a lap by the judges and the rest of us now had to play catch-up. I picked up 3 points at the next sprint and went on the attack but Greengrass who nabbed the win from me was less inclined & sat up, I continued for six laps on my own getting half a lap until a group of four got up to me but I was blowing hard and had to use all my reserves to 'get on' but a couple of laps later I was taking the sprint win and getting my reward for being out in front but it was hard won. We were eventually pulled back and the same two Ettles & Greenstreet with Watkins and the only rider from the first 'break' Tony Nash (Scunthorpe Poly) taking a lap in the next sprint. On the penultimate sprint  I got up for another 2 points, Greengrass beating me again! while McCaw away on his own and then the final sprint was again fast and dangerous with me using my elbows but nothing doing but it always pays to get up in the finale as on equal points position counts. I knew I would be well out of it with at least ten getting a lap, but old habits die hard
Nash was the clear winner with two laps gained but the first group had gained their lap without a sprint so none had gained any points and hardley any in the race, so it went with the smaller second group that took a lap to take the placings Ettles & Greenstreet, I was happy for them as they made the race when it was looking bleak and the riders who profited from the sloppy judging got nowt! I was 10th with 10 Pt's. enough to usually get you a medal but not on this occasion.
So a good weekend of recreation, I'd come through unscathed and with 28 BC points enough to retain my 2nd Cat licence, so not all good! Next year I go up a category......................................Phew!

Results here

Testing Track and Taking Time

After a difficult couple of weeks racing which saw me visit the Newport casualty department on Saturday night (think ER meets Gavin & Stacy!) to have my head examined after taking a tumble and banging my head (No Hat!) on the roads while warming up for the British Masters 10Km scratch race. My 'over the bars' incident saw me sitting out the afternoon race while my track 'buddy' Adrian Ward (Shaftsbury CC) did an fantastic ride and just missed winning in a blanket finish but the title went to local rider Courtney Rowe (Cardif Jif sic), Trevor Burke (Finchley RC) the bronze.

I was deemed not to have suffered concussion but it was after 10.30 before we got away and after super gluing a head wound and giving me a tetanus the nurse instructed me "Don't do anything strenuous for 48 hours" I proceeded the next day to ride a 3000m pursuit for which I managed a PB 3:40:911 but only good enough for 6th place (same as last year) won by graduate to the 44-49 group Tim Lawson (SIS) in new record time 3:30:260 from last years champion (& ex-record holder) Peter Ettles (Sandy Wallace) 3:37:861 'roadie' Peter Georgi (Epic) 3rd 3:38:350
Then later on the Sunday a hotly contested points race which saw some full blooded racing and me ride over William Fotheringham (The Journ'o in the Halesowen C &AC) at 30mph with one foot unclipped, I used him as a handy footrest but Adrian Adgar not so lucky and there were several other incidents it left everybody a bit nervous and I could only manage 8th. Georgi the winner from Ettles & Lawson So I returned home to lick my wounds and prepare for the National '100' the next weekend in Suffolk.
I did not do the ride I thought I might and I could only manage to scrape inside four hours by a second after a promising morning was disrupted by windy conditions and I found I could not keep up with my early pace and I faded in the second half. Not that this stopped Michael Hutchinson (In Gear) who won the event and made a clean sweep of all the National 'distance' TT for the second year running, his 3:23:04 less than a minute outside competition record was a truly amazing ride on a tricky morning on the A11 between East Harling and Browick just outside Norwich covered four times. Second was Julian Jenkinson (UTAG) 3:38:54 and third Andy Bason (Team PR) 3:39:32 a long way back.
The National '100' was tough going

Photo - Dave Jones
National '100' Result Here

Masters Track Results Here