Club Hill Climb Championship

5 club members will be riding the club hill climb Championship this Saturday, 4th October at Leith Hill.

Why not ride out and cheer them on as they try to win the John Bornhoft Memorial Trophy that the organising club, The Kingston Wheelers are presenting to the winner.

Riders and start times are Trevor Lenthall 11:15; Andy Hicks 11:17; Matt Berry 11:21; Parky 11:23; & Paul Alderson 11:25.

Race HQ is at Forest Green village hall.

Start sheet

Double for Nicole

Olympic champion Nicole Cooke completed a unique double on Saturday when she outsprinted her rivals for gold in the World Road Race Championships. While Italy celebrated taking both gold and silver in the men's road-race yesterday – won by Alessandro Ballan – Cooke has secured her place in history by becoming the first woman cyclist to clinch both Olympic and world titles in the same year.


Knee injuries last winter left Cooke doubting whether she could continue racing, but she kept going to pull off two lifetime ambitions in one season. "I'm very proud of what I have achieved," Cooke said. "The Olympics were one dream come true, but part of me always wanted the World Championships too." Cooke's Beijing victory meant she was a marked woman from the start of the 138 kilometre race, held here in north-west Italy. The technical course dotted with steep, short climbs and dangerous switchback curves made the race unpredictable, with a break of 12 riders, including Britain's Lizzie Armitstead, almost holding out until the finish. But when a five-rider move then went clear in the final lap, Cooke was quick to ensure she was part of it. Playing it cool, not even the numerical superiority of the Germans could rattle her. While more impulsive rivals like Dutchwoman Marianne Vos attempted to forge a gap, the Welshwoman bided her time.

Then in the final sprint, when Vos charged for the line, Cooke simply drove past her in the last 10 metres to add world gold to her Olympic medal of the same colour. "It wasn't really a question of tactics," Cooke insisted. "I knew what was the best option for me and followed my instincts as best I could. Marianne started the sprint, I saw her come past and I knew all I could do was get in the slipstream and try to go all the way to the line."

'Out of the Blue' [Re-run BDCA 50 (25)]

How do those riders manage to do fast times early in the season? While the rest of us are packing in the miles and going slow some are turning out 20 minute '10's and 52 minute '25's. I never seem to get going until the tail end of the season and I started racing in March! But I never seem to have any speed 'early doors' as it were, It takes months of training and racing to hone my performance but by this time of year I've got my act together and raring to go when there are hardly any events to ride. After my top '100' a few weeks back I pinching Roger Hammond's Club Record for 25 miles in the BDCA '25' on Saturday afternoon, the event was supposed to be a 50 mile time trial but road works on the A50 meant this was no longer feasible so the event was reduced to a '25' this after it had been cancelled the first time because of the weather on 8th August. This was excellent news for me as quite a few riders were bound not to turn up as a '50' mid season looks attractive but at the end of September is not everybody's cup of tea
Looking at my '25' PB of 56.30 (26.55 mph) you would not have put the current record of 51.52 (28.92 mph from 1996) within my grasp but I had got within a minute of it last year in an event (also on the A50) which was deemed 'outside the rules' because the start and finish had to be moved (further than 2.5 miles apparently!) because of roadworks at short notice. Also (slightly apologetically) I now have a '50' and '100' time faster than my '25' I just don't ride that many and all the ones I do ride seem to be on hard days (or I puncture).
No such worries on Saturday, early fog burned of to reveal one of the most beautiful days of the year and as I sat at home watching the World's women's road race from Varese Italy unfurl, I had to bid farewell to Nicole and Emma and Sharon to make the start at 3.30. I went to sign on to find the event had been commuted and I along with several others were not best pleased as we had prepared for a '50'. There was nothing we could do the race was already on so I made the token gesture of removing my second bottle cage and waved goodbye to my distance aspirations for the year. I sat in the sun waiting for my time to go to the line, I had done an hour in the morning with a few hard efforts I knew I wanted to start fast but the prospect of a '25' meant an even more urgent beginning to my effort. When I got to the timekeeper the wind had dropped and the news from the early starters was tantalisingly promising.
I have Marina Bloom (Rugby CC) a minute infront, no slouch the last time we met I was throwing up at the side of the road in the 12 hour and we spent an hour in each others company as I suffered the worst of my half day misery. I had caught her in the first four miles as my pulse topped 160 and my speed over 30mph, I had to keep this up for the duration and the outward leg proved the tougher of the two with slight crosswind from the South. I was 15 seconds down on my target (5 min) man Charles Taylor (S Pennine RC) and I could see scratch man Barry Charlton 'on a bit of a charge' over half a minute up six minutes behind.
The second half was a blinder, my speed hardly dropped below 32mph as I engaged top and it stayed there (56 x 11) on the shorter return. I had caught my 2 and 3 minute men having a private battle closely followed by Marina's husband 5 minutes infront of her and a friend Paul Austin (Retford & Dist. Whs.) on his road bike because of his bad back (he thought he was riding a '50') I gave him a big shout as I passed ( he almost fell off his bike he told me later)
I was pushing all the way to the line and knew It would be close to the record (computer gone again!) but my final time of 50.46 (29.55 mph) was staggering, I coughed all the way back to the car, a 5 minute 44 second improvement a big chunk to take off in one go (more than I'd taken off my '100' time). Charlton ran out the winner 4th fastest of the year 49.14 (30.47 mph) Scott Povey (Shirley RC) already a 50 min man this year tantalisingly close to a sub 50 ride in 2nd spot 50.04 [ he came closer last Sunday with 50.02 in the Port Talbot '25' while 'The Hutch' was doing a season's best 46.27 (32.29 mph)] and Taylor third 50.31 I'd managed to hold him on the way back. Marina best lady with 57.30 My time puts me in The top 15 fastest riders of the year.
So sorry Roger records are there to be broken and I had several attempts to crack the '10' in the season and while I set a PB I knew I would not get close again this year. And all this came out of the blue on a day when I thought I'd be riding an end of season event of no consequence, it had been brought to my attention that although this event was before the end of the month it was not a BBAR qualifier but I hope It's ratified as a proper 'Open' as there were quite a few PB's on the day for those that turned up.
Interesting to note my stats. for the event pretty much the same as last weeks '50' Av. HR 155 Max HR 165 but rpm 88 as opposed to a paltry 82 last week so I'm not as much of a grinder as I thought. On the way home Alan phoned to say Nicole had won the World Championship - Perfect day!

Thanks

Many thanks to Roger Jackaman for getting me back to Dorking yesterday. Un jour sans as they say, not helped by a slipping seat post (possibly the cause of all the lactic acid in my thighs) and a puncture at Box Hill, where I lost the adaptor for my pump. Anyway, I got home eventually, 7 hours after I'd set out for Cobham!

Ride to the sun

If you are ever flying across the Pacific or are on the west coast of the US do what you can to spend some time on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

It is beautiful -but far more relevant has some great cycling.

The highlight is the "Ride to the Sun" which comprises riding from the beach to the summit of mount Haleakala which is 10023 feet high.The ride is 35 miles going up this one hill.It is billed as the longest single ascent anywhere in the world and having done the ride this summer I can easily believe it. The climb just goes on and on and on.

Every year in august they run a race on the route www.cycletothesun.com which I am relieved to say I missed by about 2 weeks.

I did the ride on a bike I had hired for the 2 weeks we were there from Mauicyclery (I rented bikes from about 5 different cycleries around the US this summer and even now cannot get used to this -ie" shall we go and have a look at Dauphin Cyclery","have you seen the deals in Evans Cyclery" etc .There are links to Mauicyclery on the above link.It is run by Donnie an ex proracer and it is a top shop. Lightspeed or Scott with Ultegra,3 mechanics all ex pro racers and /or pro team mechanics,Lance signed shirts on the wall etc and Donnie likes to ride -a lot.So 3 or 4 times a week he takes groups out and whenever anyone gets a bit frisky -think Parky giving it some chat up Ranmore (until he gets cramp) ,or Matt silently and leathally grinding you into the dust in his big ring up Coombe Bottom -he proceeds to destroy them just to remind them it is his shop,his ride and actually his island.

Anyway one day I was there Donnie took a ride up to the summit of the big volcano and though still suffering from a chest infection,I had to do it. The ride though long is very varied.You start underneath palm trees, with the sound of turquoise waves crashing onto a perfect golden beach ,with a gathering of thonged blonde beauties admiring your sculpted thighs .(One part of that description is not entirely accurate -there are no palm trees)

Then -Bang!-2000feet of climbing in 6 miles with a lead in before the climb starts of about 100 yards. This takes you up through pineapple trees ,past churches -lots of churches, and up to the foot hills of Haleakala where there are lots of cows,horses and cowboys -real ,rodeo riding cowboys. Then after about a mile of flat -bang and up you go again for another 2000 feet through avocados,coffee trees,and eucalyptus woods.
You now begin to have superb views of the pacific and one side of the island and at this stage of the day you can still just about remember the things and thongs that you left behind.

Then at about 4500 feet ,the steepest part of the climb kicks in -betrayed on the map by the suspiciously Alpe d'Huez ish squiggles. It is good that you quickly get another 2500 feet of ascent but ,although the road is helpfully smooth -it is now getting quite tough. Actually that is not entirely accurate -you have now ridden the equivalent of the climbing of the Tour of the Surrey Hills on the same hill and all you can see is the same road disappearing ominously into the clouds.
It is hot but not overpowering -about 90 deg f at the bottom and I guess now about 75-80deg. The country is now opening up ,grass land and open meadows and since I had now been riding for about 3 hours I am helpfully told by one of the other riders that the record for the ride is not much more than 2 .5 hours -held by Jonathan Vouters while still a pro-and I still have 2 hours to go.

Eventually it begins to look a bit more like a volcano should look like -grey/black rubble basically-as you ride through the cloud into bright sunshine and a never ending blue sky.The road continues to bend and joy of joy the wind kicks in -nicely into your face -and body of course to make it more of a challenge in case it was feeling a bit too easy. Then just after Donnie and his guys leave us -at the entry to the National Park -and we begin the final 3000 feet of climb -I get a puncture.The 2 guys I am riding with say shall they wait ,I say no it is fine.They say are you sure .I say yes fine (through gritted teeth).They take me at my word and ride on .Bastards -whoever reallyt means leave me on my own when they have a puncture.?Where was Sabin to whip the tyre off for me. A few weeks ago Colin Parkinson changed the whole puncture for Mark Williams -who was still faffing about getting his pump out by the time Colin had got it sorted out.These USA fellows have a lot to learn.

Finally -after about 45minutes I catch them up and smile -more gritted teeth -as I ride past them and leave them to have to watch me go away from them-with the wind now being extremely irritating on one tack and then not seeming to help much after the next hairpin.

Finally -after a pretty slow 5 hours I am at the top with views of over 70 miles across the sea and being able to see more or less the whole of a spectacular and very green island.

Then barely much over an hour later we are back at the cyclery after the big adrenaline rush of a 30 mile descent and to be told by Donnie how he has ridden the race in under 3 hours .........

For some more pictures of this year's race sent to me by a guy who I made friends with -when I met him and his mates on their sunday morning ride see www.proactech.com/gallery2/main.php

YRC '50'

Final events in the 2008 British Best All Rounder were completed this weekend (I have re-scheduled BDCA '50' next w/e but not BBAR qualifier) so while Paul Alderson was doing a 200 mile round trip to the Severn RC event on Sunday I had a second 250 mile trip up to North Yorkshire in two weeks for the Yorkshire RC event on Saturday afternoon.
The day was glorious and sunny for a change and I got quite excited at the prospect of not getting wet in a race (last time 27 July). No hold-ups on the way there so plenty of time to get ready and to the start. Once on the way in the race it was obvious not a 'float' and I had to struggle with the cross wind to keep up a good tempo, my pulse was above 90% from the start and there was no point where I felt comfortable or 'ontop' of the ride. I went through 25m in 56 minutes so I knew a PB was out of the question but I pressed on for a placing, I tried to pick it up on the fast sections and not loose time on the tougher parts but I was going so far into the red that I knew I would pay for it later, sure enough in the end the body said enough and with average pulse of 154 and max at 167 this felt like a '10' or '25' effort I was way over my normal comfort zone for the longer distances
I ended up in 6th place with a time of 1.52.10
I was interested to see what Ex. Comp Record holder Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs.) would do and he didn't disappoint, his time of 1.41.44 was a clear winner in only his 3rd or 4th outing of the season. This ride was done on a mountain bike with triple chainset (in this respect he was copying myself who used one in the early season) modified with aero bars and TT wheels. He had ridden this to 283 mile win in the W Cheshire 12 Hr. (to make up the team!) and only lacked a '100' mile time which would have put him in the top 5 of the BBAR.
Photo's courtesy of cyclingimages.co.uk

GHS Final 11 Sept 1976

I just noticed Tom Nason In the GHS Final in N London on Sunday, when I raced as a schoolboy, we rode as a team in the GHS final in 1976, we used to compete for our schools in those days and myself, brother Phil and Steve Gowar (in my year at Dunraven in South London) Together we had won the team in the English Schools Cycling Association National Championship 2 months earlier with a National Record so we had high hopes to repete this in the GHS
I was 'allowed' to use a 93" top gear for this event, I was only 14 and 6 months old compared to Steve just comming up to his 15 year and Phil nearly 16 (believe me it made alot of difference in those days). The course was the 010/2 on the A1 near Chesterfield was possibly the fastest course in the country at that time, this is what it said in my racing diary about the event
The wind was going the wrong way for superfast times, started very slow and dident get going till about 3 miles. Realy tried hard and fought the headwind. Coming back was a real flyer and I had to keep twiddling to the finish. Was fairly pleased with my effort though we lost all hope of the team when Steve puntured. Though we would not have won it from the Hendon
Local boy Ian Gilbert won the event with 22.28
Self 25.37 (my PB was 25.24 done on a 81" fixed in the ESCA final)
Phil 23.39
Steve DNF
We had beaten the Hendon in the ESCA event but they had some good riders Steve Bent I remember but they were all Phil's age, Steve and I would not get another chance to compete for the GHS although we did defend our ESCA team title in Liverpool the next year with a very young brother Alan.

Good luck to Tom (No72) on Sunday

Swift Therapy for '100' Blues (in the style of The Sun)

My season long course of Hundred mile aversion therapy was successfully completed at the weekend, the distance I find most difficult to do well , with my seventh and final session in the Team Swift '100' event in North Yorkshire. After competing in four '100's on fast roads the last couple of years I decided to ride on a greater variety of courses, this summer usually meant a hard slog around 'B' roads in variable weather conditions to good results but very slow times. The one exception to this being the N Midd'x & Hert's which I won and gave me a time of 3.54 for my BBAR, before the weekend I was placed 15th in this competition which requires a '50', '100' and 12 hr. to be completed with 0.016mph improvement on last season thus far.

Sunbathing Yorkshire style

There have not been that many fast '100' mile events this year so far and quite a few riders had alot to gain (more than me) in this the last event of the year, and a potentially fast one I did a PB and broke the Club Record in it last year. As Fiona drove up the A1 two hours North of Leicester the sky became quite blue and the sun came out, quite at odds with the flooded fields and swollen rivers, they had obviously had alot of water in the last couple of days. The organisers had made provision to use another (slower) course should this one on the A168/19 on the edge of the N. Yorkshire Moors prove un-usable on the day.
I sat in the car park sunning myself thinking back to last weeks Inter-Club when we all got drenched (once again) and my last dry race over a month ago, where had the summer gone? A short ride to the start I had Carl Ruebotham from the promoting club 5 mins infront and Paul Holdsworth 5 Min's behind, I would use these two as my target men try and not get too far behind the former (currently third in the BAR) and 'have a go' at beating the latter who had caused me so many problems in the Nat 12 Hr. I started fast under the impression that the wind was from the South and I had a steady climb up past Knayton to the turn at the A684 at Ellerbeck, on the return south I realised I had a following wind and my speed hardly dipped below 30mph (56 x 11 x 110 rpm = 42mph) back at Disforth (34m) the first lap completed I was only a minute down on Ruebotham so I knew I was going well, my computer had packed up (again) so I only had HR and my clock to guide me on my race, I was up on Holdsworth by a minute. The second circuit I felt the gentle climb up to the far turn alot more and the wind was getting up, the weather was deteriorating and large black clouds were hovering over the moors.

Fresh from another soaking


I asked Fiona for coffee as my legs felt tight from using a big gear into the wind (I was using my 50 inner!) The caffeine helps I find but we missed three times and we were in a torrential downpour by the time she got it to me. The rain was bouncing 6 inches off the road and was very soon awash and I was riding the ridge in the tarmac to keep out the worst, it continued for 15-20 minutes until I reached Disforth for a second time I was 2 minutes down on Ruebotham but well clear of all my usual rivals, I was pulling clear and knew I was doing a good ride but this is where things can go wrong as your effort and your pacing have to equal to your physical and mental preparation. The final time to the final turn at 87 miles I just put it in a big gear, not my usual style (70rpm) but I had the strength for it after a long season and I suspect that my computer reading 20mph was wrong but I pressed on regardless, I was utterly soaked but it had stopped raining. Going into the final turn I saw Ruebotham and I was level (he must have had trouble?) The roads up this end were rivers of water and I was frightened I might puncture as there was grit all over.
On the way back for the final time I was getting cramp in my thigh (not now!) I had to put my gear down and 'spin it' out a bit but on every rise I could feel it there like a snake waiting to sink its fangs into my leg. Fiona was jumping up and down at the side of the road, she does not usually get this animated but she sensed that I was onto a ride, the cramp meant the finish came along before I could get it all out and 15 minutes inside my start time meant 3.45.55 I almost couldn't believe it as my computer has gone wrong so many times recently and given me the wrong data

New PB and a Club Record by over 5 minutes

Riding back to the HQ the River Ure in Ripon had burst it's banks and we had to detour everybody in their wet racing gear, but nobody wanting to ride their best wheels through the mire (Vince Macklam had broken his leg in 3 places last year hitting a drain on flooded roads riding back to the HQ after winning the Yorkshire '50') luckily Fiona had given me a top, I was still a bit stunned by the time, I'd taken another 2 minutes out of Ruebotham in the last 13m downwind leg! I'd beaten some top riders. Special mention does have to go to Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) who did the fastest '100' of the year a spectacular 3.32.23 puts him in the top 10 of all time in what was far from perfect conditions. He even put over 5 minutes into 2nd place Ian Cammish (The King of the '100's) having his best season for years at 51 and looking like being runner up in the BBAR.

Hill climb

Hi, just wondering if anyone knows the exact date and time of the Hill Climb this week?!