Review of the Year(s)

2005 Criterium on my 80's Roberts

 This year was my tenth one of racing, I decided to take a broader look back over the last decade see how it progressed

This was the first year that I did not write anything in my diary with regard to targets for the year. 2013 had been a momentous year ending with becoming World Champion. Coaches always say 'Have a target or an objective to build up to' but with the caveat that its "realistic" and "achievable" I've always tried to do this but after such a year. Just what is realistic any more, could I even rest on my Laurels? I pretty much immediately decided to carry on and defend my title and train and race with pretty much the same training and racing plan but my targets evolved over the year

 Dad's Specialized Epic TT style

In August I had covered 100,000 miles in those ten years, before that I was doing about 4000 miles per year trying to shed weight I'd put on over my 30s, in 2005 I made a conscious decision to race if my weight got down below 14st (I'd been up near 18st!) I did just over 8000 miles that first year and raced on my old steel Roberts that Alan had been using and gave me to dip my toe in the water. I then moved on to my dads old carbon Specialized 'Allez' which was nearly 15 years old but seemed to take the pounding and did sterling service as a TT bike (with homemade aero's on upturned bars) on which I completed my first 12 hour ride and my first BBAR campaign. It also stood in as a race bike when the Roberts succumbed to age, fatigue and my pounding weight breaking at the bottom bracket and a training bike when my Roberts winter bike went the same way of its racing sibling. It finally retired a couple of seasons ago when replaced with Titanium frame the result of winning the Planet X 'Old School' TT series in 2010

2006 Riding the final Eastway on the Sigma

My mileage increased year on year eight then nine thousand miles, a big jump up to 13,000 miles for three years as I sought to conquer the BBAR top twelve which I did in 2009 (11th) but I almost went as fast in 2011 (less than 0.07 mph) for 16th when I went over 280 miles in the twelve hour but could not find the consistency at the shorter distances, I think I was just too tired from all the travelling and racing from March through to the end of the season. My mileage had dropped a couple of thousand miles a year in that time as I got more into doing my track racing having surprised myself winning a European title at the first time of asking in 2009. For the last three seasons my mileage has been around the 7-8000 which is about eight hours a week on the bike total! Riding to work, touring, training and racing

2009 European Champion on my trusty Roberts

There's nearly 14,000 miles of racing in that total, five years it was over 2000 and the most 2378 miles in 2007 when I managed seven '100's in the season honing my pacing but It paid off as I won the first of my two CTT National age standard medals. In those ten years I have only won the one 'Open' event, the North Middlesex & Hert's '100' which was over a quarter of a century after my first open win in the 1982 Hertfordshire Whs. '30' (Hertfordshire seems to be good for me maybe I should move there!) I lost an open win by a single second and I missed a bronze in the European Track by less than1/25 of a second! The Breckland 12 was stopped while I was leading, the next year in the same event I did the fifth furthest 12 hour distance for a veteran ever but did not win the vets prize on the day (in fact I was third!) 

My first year I started racing in June and rode 27 events much as I've done these past three seasons with just over thirty. In the middle years that was anywhere between 45-55 and most long distance with 3-8 '50's and '100's where this year only three '50's and a solitary '100' (but in an effort to break the 30mph barrier 21 10s!)

2010 50 miles on Parlee

All in all I had a decent season, I was never going to match my results on the track but 4th in the Points race and 9th in the Scratch race makes me easily the most consistent in my age group (in the World!) over the past three seasons. I came within an ace of improving my '100' time only beaten by bad luck but over the years I have been lucky with mechanical issues probably the worst breaking bearings in wheels during the 12 Hr. (twice!) .This year I did break the club '50' record for the ninth time and joined the 30mph club at ten miles making me the 83rd fastest in the country Oooh! Next years National '10' is on my local evening '10' course at Wolvey so as its very slow maybe I can put local knowledge to good use and climb up the standings a bit.

2011 Breckland 12 Hr 283 miles

In accordance with my decision to start racing later in the season, my yearly mileage balances out a bit more, the first six months are about the same as the second, up until 2010 I was doing the greater part of my riding in the early part of the year building up the miles in my legs. In 2007 I almost did 8000 miles in the first six months and three times I did over 1500 miles a month, the next year I balanced it out a bit better doing over 1200 miles from January. I calculate that to be sixteen to eighteen hours a week, well over two hours a day and when I look at my diary I can see I was not missing many days (three to six a month) compare that to today where I miss three or four a week!. November has been my resting month, mileage has gone down to as little at seventy miles total! But as I have got older I have learned no matter how much I need a complete rest to keep riding, a month (two weeks even) can see me put on a 7-10 pounds and that is hard to shift or at least you have to shift it before you can start training. So these days I just carry on banging out 3-500 miles for six months of the year which affords me the conditioning to start training.

2012 Fixed TT setup

So what should be my target for 2015? I would still like to win a British Masters track title (three at Silver and Bronze) despite winning a European and World title, I still think I can get a medal in the Pursuit, my times are decidedly average despite being one of the fastest starters but with the opening of the Derby velodrome this year maybe now is my opportunity to nail that. And while I'm about that then forming a team to attack the World Masters Team Pursuit event might be fun as well

I creep ever closer to Roger Hammonds club record at ten miles, its now less than a second a mile (or less than 0.23mph faster) away and I would dearly love to update some of those club team records at '10' '25' and '50' with some help, so if anybody feels the inclination to ride a fast event on a fast day then let me know. I'm still not old enough to get up there at National level with the VTTA, I have gradually increased my placing in the National Vets BAR every year to be a firm fixture in the top ten but I'm still about twenty years off winning pace while people like 83 year old Ron Hallam can do a short 25 minute '10'  and Rob Pears only a year younger can get inside 50 minutes for '25' o7ò

Sabin visit

On a recent visit to London caught up with Sabin over from Majorca as he says its too hot over there!

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