Sunday, 25 October 2009
Tom provisionally 18th in National BAR
With a season that didn't last long enough Tom clocked some consistent times late in the season for him to finish provisionally 18th in the National Junior BAR. He has already bettered his 10mile TT time so with a good winter's training he hopes to move up the ranking during his last year as a Juvenile.
Friday, 23 October 2009
photo challenge
The scenery throughout the ride was superb.The views in Haut Provence in particular were stunning.Phil Deeker ( who rode 300 cols in 29 days 3 years ago ) did a quite brilliant job in organising the whole trip but especially the route.I guess we went on 3 main roads for any distance in the 10 days and that was it.Most of the time it felt like we were on closed roads.some of the hotels were better set up than others for the bikes.This one was perfect for some very nice toys.I guess most people were on carbon but there were quite a few titanium bikes and a number of steel.
Dan of Team PILL at the top of Col de Corobin ( I think)
the descents were almost as memorable as the climbs.This was I think on day 3 en route to Sisteron on the col de Filys.This was a good day as it was meant to start with the Isoard but oh so sadly it was also shut with snow.
These forks came off the bike of Ira Ryan an frame builder only working with steel from Portland in the US who rides with Rapha.He is both a top man and a builder of superb bikes.Look him up on the web.Rapha sent over 2 photographers for a couple of days.They were better photographers than they were drivers.They drove Ira into a ditch on a downhill section and wrote off his bike .This meant he lost about 3 days of the event with an injured hand.
Always good to see the van -once in the morning and once in the afternoon with lots of goodies.
There were 4 downhill crashes.This fella descended very well but not so good on gravel...His right hip looked even better than his cheek.
9th day on a superb contour round a steep and deep cirque
The roads were so quiet riding 2 or 3 abreast was never a problem.
Nick A
Vertically challenged
It was clear before the start of the event that the second day was going to be"interesting".Every evening after dinner in the hotel Phil-the organiser-would give us a briefing for the next day's stage-putting up a large map with the high points ,as it were,clearly marked.
The second featured ,Madeleine,Glandon,Croix de Fer,Mollard,La Cochette,Le Collet ,Telegraphe and nicely topped off by the Galibier ,picking up the Lauteret on the way to the hotel at Briancon.The estimated climbing for this day was 5,500 metres over 210 kms.Sadly that amount of climbing neglected to include the little bumps not being cols along the way.
So,after a long and wettish ride,we found ourselves at Valloire beneath the Galibier in the rain at about 5.30pm with the light fading fast due to the now heavy rain.For the only time on the whole trip Phil had miscalculated just how long a stage we faced.
My Garmin showed at Valloire with just Galibier to climb and feeling more than a little fatigued,I had already climbed just under 4,900m already.Bloody hell no wonder I was stuffed.With the Galibier it was going to be a 6,300m day before getting back to the hotel.
Oh joy when I saw the those ahead of me all sheltered from the rain and not going anywhere because the rain at Valloire was falling as snow and the Galibier was shut to cyclists....
Here is the Galibier about 2 hours later from the coach that we fortuitously were able to commandeer it having driven past the cafe we were all huddled in.
This is the top of the col La Chau at the beginning of the 9th day with only 14 more cols to climb that day.A superb day for our penultimate day ending up at Montmelian .
Monday, 19 October 2009
BLRC REUNION
BLRC Reunion, 18th September 2009.
Not long ago I joined Gary Smith’s “over the hill club” ride around West Sussex. It was billed as a social ride (no faster than 16mph at the front was a suggestion widely ignored). The weather was super and there was a good turnout. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, starting and finishing at the Somner Ponds in Barns Green. The pace was mostly quite brisk and I quickly learned my level of ineptitude on the many climbs. We enjoyed a great lunch at the Hollis Arms in Lodsworth; Gary organising with le patron a table for eighteen in the garden. There was some lively conversations; a snippet of one from the far end of the table catching my attention: “if I hear anymore about what it was like in the fifties,” someone pronounced, “I may commit a murder!”
This pronouncement caught my attention, because I am one of those guilty of living in the past sometimes; going on about how it was then; how amazing feats were achieved on fixed-wheel bicycles, that today you wouldn’t go shopping on; how the Tour de France heroes rode on their own, fixed their own bikes and so on, ad infinitum. But don’t get excited, murderer in waiting: I’m not about to abandon fifties reminiscences.
Recently, I reunited with a friend of mine from the sixties, with whom, as a member of the same team, I raced regularly: Nev Barrett, a hardened northerner from Sheffield, hobnobbed in the olden days with the British pros of the era, Steel, Russell, Robinson, Maitland and the like, when a member of the Falcon Road Club, a BLRC affiliated club.
Nev and I were in the Simba Cycling Club, of the Union of Kenya Cyclists, affiliated to the UCI, (at that time based in Rome). The team was supported by Raleigh (East Africa) who kept me in frames and wheels for a few years and Nev for some strange reason rode a Peugeot, given to him by Hughes Motors, the local Peugeot agent. A third, very strong, rider in the team was Mohammed Akhbar who, in his spare time, was the goalie in the Kenya National football squad. I digress, because that is all another story.
I reunited with Nev, now 77 in age, when he wrote to tell me he had just taken delivery of a new carbon Casati Challenge bicycle to prepare for the 2010 season and by the way, you are invited to the “Falling Leaves” BLRC reunion at Hathersage, Derbyshire on 18th September. My qualification to attend the Leaguers reunion was somewhat flimsy as I didn’t progress past a Junior licence in the fifties, but Nev justified my inclusion by saying my old 1st cat Kenya licence would suffice: “We were, after all, Leaguers at heart!” I jumped at the chance.
I found my way to Hathersage, about ten miles west of Sheffield on a bright mild September morning. I met Nev and bumped into John Herring, introduced to me the week before by our impeccable President at the Ronde de Picardie. Before mixing with the growing crowd of ageing Leaguers, we chatted for a while before being interrupted by “Spanky” McFarlane, with whom suddenly I found myself alone. It was no accident that I found myself alone with Spanky and I soon realised what my “murderer in waiting” was going on about: Every rider at the reunion knew Spanky only too well. Spanky was a pretty good “Independent” (semi-pro) in the fifties and sixties and I was now about to learn every minute detail of his career. I can’t remember half of his exploits, but I do remember his tale about a race in the Isle of Man in ’61 when Fausto Coppi (near the end of his career) passed Spanky on a climb mangling his gears and Spanky reached over and put Coppi’s chain back on whilst stressing up the climb. Sure he did.
Twenty-eight riders set off for a short tour around the Derwent Reservoir where famously the “Dam Busters” practised with their bouncing bombs before their heroic attack on the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany by nineteen Avro Lancasters of the specially formed No. 617 Squadron of the RAF. On the ride I chatted with Brian Robinson, now eighty something, still twirling the pedals strongly, but probably not quite as well as when he was the first Brit to win a stage of le Tour de France; stage 7 in 1958, as well as finishing well in the 1955 Tour.
Not long ago I joined Gary Smith’s “over the hill club” ride around West Sussex. It was billed as a social ride (no faster than 16mph at the front was a suggestion widely ignored). The weather was super and there was a good turnout. I thoroughly enjoyed the day, starting and finishing at the Somner Ponds in Barns Green. The pace was mostly quite brisk and I quickly learned my level of ineptitude on the many climbs. We enjoyed a great lunch at the Hollis Arms in Lodsworth; Gary organising with le patron a table for eighteen in the garden. There was some lively conversations; a snippet of one from the far end of the table catching my attention: “if I hear anymore about what it was like in the fifties,” someone pronounced, “I may commit a murder!”
This pronouncement caught my attention, because I am one of those guilty of living in the past sometimes; going on about how it was then; how amazing feats were achieved on fixed-wheel bicycles, that today you wouldn’t go shopping on; how the Tour de France heroes rode on their own, fixed their own bikes and so on, ad infinitum. But don’t get excited, murderer in waiting: I’m not about to abandon fifties reminiscences.
Recently, I reunited with a friend of mine from the sixties, with whom, as a member of the same team, I raced regularly: Nev Barrett, a hardened northerner from Sheffield, hobnobbed in the olden days with the British pros of the era, Steel, Russell, Robinson, Maitland and the like, when a member of the Falcon Road Club, a BLRC affiliated club.
Nev and I were in the Simba Cycling Club, of the Union of Kenya Cyclists, affiliated to the UCI, (at that time based in Rome). The team was supported by Raleigh (East Africa) who kept me in frames and wheels for a few years and Nev for some strange reason rode a Peugeot, given to him by Hughes Motors, the local Peugeot agent. A third, very strong, rider in the team was Mohammed Akhbar who, in his spare time, was the goalie in the Kenya National football squad. I digress, because that is all another story.
I reunited with Nev, now 77 in age, when he wrote to tell me he had just taken delivery of a new carbon Casati Challenge bicycle to prepare for the 2010 season and by the way, you are invited to the “Falling Leaves” BLRC reunion at Hathersage, Derbyshire on 18th September. My qualification to attend the Leaguers reunion was somewhat flimsy as I didn’t progress past a Junior licence in the fifties, but Nev justified my inclusion by saying my old 1st cat Kenya licence would suffice: “We were, after all, Leaguers at heart!” I jumped at the chance.
I found my way to Hathersage, about ten miles west of Sheffield on a bright mild September morning. I met Nev and bumped into John Herring, introduced to me the week before by our impeccable President at the Ronde de Picardie. Before mixing with the growing crowd of ageing Leaguers, we chatted for a while before being interrupted by “Spanky” McFarlane, with whom suddenly I found myself alone. It was no accident that I found myself alone with Spanky and I soon realised what my “murderer in waiting” was going on about: Every rider at the reunion knew Spanky only too well. Spanky was a pretty good “Independent” (semi-pro) in the fifties and sixties and I was now about to learn every minute detail of his career. I can’t remember half of his exploits, but I do remember his tale about a race in the Isle of Man in ’61 when Fausto Coppi (near the end of his career) passed Spanky on a climb mangling his gears and Spanky reached over and put Coppi’s chain back on whilst stressing up the climb. Sure he did.
Twenty-eight riders set off for a short tour around the Derwent Reservoir where famously the “Dam Busters” practised with their bouncing bombs before their heroic attack on the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany by nineteen Avro Lancasters of the specially formed No. 617 Squadron of the RAF. On the ride I chatted with Brian Robinson, now eighty something, still twirling the pedals strongly, but probably not quite as well as when he was the first Brit to win a stage of le Tour de France; stage 7 in 1958, as well as finishing well in the 1955 Tour.BRIAN ROBINSON then and now
I also spent some time in discussion with Ken Russell, winner of the 1952 Daily Express BLRC Tour of Britain. 
Ken Russell interviewed by a young Jimmy Saville at the end of the 1952 Tour of Britain and as he is now.
Ken Russell interviewed by a young Jimmy Saville at the end of the 1952 Tour of Britain and as he is now.
Later, at lunch, I talked at length with Tony Hewson, winner of the 1955 Tour of Britain, Tour de France finisher, successful rider in the Warsaw-Berlin-Prague Peace Race and author of two fine books. At least, he convinced me they were fine (and just happened to have a copy of each in his musette) which he sold to me at a discount and signed with his good wishes: “ In Pursuit of Stardom – Les Nomads du Velo Anglais” and “A Racing Cyclist’s worst Nightmare”, both published by Mousehold Press.
Tony Hewson today
Tony in the middle “In Pursuit of Stardom”
Tony Hewson today
Tony in the middle “In Pursuit of Stardom”During this wonderful day, meeting, riding and lunching with some British Stars of the Past, I was asked, “What is your claim to fame, Graham?” “My claim,” I replied, “ is that I shouldn’t be here!”
Friday, 16 October 2009
BBAR 2009 - 11th - 25.771 mph
British Best All Rounder but whats in a title? (always a contentious title - why no road racing or cyclo cross?) That's the way its been since 1930 when the competition was run for the first time in conjunction with Cycling Weekly now that esteemed magazine, Cycling 'Weakly' as its come to be known among the disenfranchised racing sector of our community. They do not cover time trialling hardly at all (the National Championships perhaps) but did you know Chris Boardman's 17 year old '25' record had been broken? Maybe if you read this blog but not in what was the UK's cycle racing publication. Boardmen, Engers they made the front cover when they achieved this feat, the blue ribband distance for time trialling now reduced to a footnote in a couple of weeks or a review of the year.
Your even less likely to read about the BBAR, the cumulative speed for 50 and 100 miles and 12 hours racing (divided by three so the shorter distances have more weight but moot point) I will blow my own trumpet here and tell you that I've broken two of my own PB's at '50' and 12 Hours this year to achieve my highest ever miles per hour average and position of eleventh, that 10th spot just eluded me by just over 1:10th of a mph
Winner as last year to prove it wasn't a fluke Nik Bowdler (Farnborough & Camberley CC) with a slightly reduced speed of 27.206 mph Second was 47 yer old (same as me) Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs.) who last competed in the BBAR in 1996 who broke (his own) comp record for 12 hr. 302.46 miles (25.2mph) but missed out by 25 seconds in the late season YRC '50' (a course we now find out to be 0.4 m long! - so you do the maths) Third Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) having a 2nd go after placing 5th in 2002
I have to say I fell down on the '50' again, despite doing a PB in this distance and having already told you the shorter distances make more difference to the 'average' Neil Skellern (Congleton CC) pulled out a terrific 1:44:07 to push me down the extra spot as his '50' was more than 1mph faster than mine even though I was faster in the two other events there was a string of faster riders I held at bay among them Paul Holdsworth (Houndslow & Dist Whs), Lee Bark (Stowmarket & Dist), Gary Drew (RN & RM CC) and Aran Stanton (VC St Raphael) with what I consider my best ride of the year, the 12 Hour where I beat my PB by over nine miles to do 276.5 miles (23.04 mph) in terrible conditions although to be fair I do not think this was a great summer for 12's (Wilco's ride excepted). My '100' only twenty seconds slower than last year but I was more pleased with my consistency after last years experiment with pacing over numerous rides at this distance this year I managed 3:46, 3:47 and 3:52 in the National on a bit of a slower course so I should be able to do my BBAR in less rides if I can translate this targeted success to the 50 mile
This is my 4th attempt at the BBAR and I jumped 4 places with this years speed that would have places me 12th last year when I only went from 18th in 2007 (25.044 mph) to 15th in 2008 (25.374 mph) and there has been some close racing with 22 riders over 25 mph (a speed that would have got you a top ten place as little ago as 2005)
There's always a few in & out for various reasons 2nd last year Supervet Cammish (Illness) and Bradley Johnson (Road Racing in Belgium) as with the 'East' connection Platts, Lubin and Smith but in comes 'Wilco' Charlton and Ex Tri Pro Julian Jenkinson (Utag Yamaha) in 4th, also 5th Navy man Sean Childs (RN & RM CC) with 2 x 12 Hrs and a 2nd place in the Nat. 24 Hr. to his name he was the stamina man of the year. After our season long battle for places and times Andy Jackson (Pedalsport) finally ended up in 9th after missing last year.
With no Platts or Cammish who are both 50+ Wilco and myself the joint oldest in the top 12, Brian Phillips (East Grinstead CC) at 50 I think the oldest in the top 20
My final time of 25.771 mph would have been enough to win the BBAR up until 1977, with the exception of 1970 - John Watson (Clifton CC) and 1976 Phil Griffith (G S Strada) but since the early 90's with the advent of aero bars and disc wheels the times have gone stratospheric, the winners speed not dipping below 27mph since Gethin Butler in 1994. Kevin Dawson holds the record for the most wins (ten) and the fastest in 2003 with 28.260mph but Andy Wilkinson only just behind with his only win in 1996 28.236mph, Michael Hutchinson's fastest of his two wins in 2000 27.558mph although he did record 27.786 when being second to Dawson in 2003
Your even less likely to read about the BBAR, the cumulative speed for 50 and 100 miles and 12 hours racing (divided by three so the shorter distances have more weight but moot point) I will blow my own trumpet here and tell you that I've broken two of my own PB's at '50' and 12 Hours this year to achieve my highest ever miles per hour average and position of eleventh, that 10th spot just eluded me by just over 1:10th of a mph
Winner as last year to prove it wasn't a fluke Nik Bowdler (Farnborough & Camberley CC) with a slightly reduced speed of 27.206 mph Second was 47 yer old (same as me) Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs.) who last competed in the BBAR in 1996 who broke (his own) comp record for 12 hr. 302.46 miles (25.2mph) but missed out by 25 seconds in the late season YRC '50' (a course we now find out to be 0.4 m long! - so you do the maths) Third Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) having a 2nd go after placing 5th in 2002
I have to say I fell down on the '50' again, despite doing a PB in this distance and having already told you the shorter distances make more difference to the 'average' Neil Skellern (Congleton CC) pulled out a terrific 1:44:07 to push me down the extra spot as his '50' was more than 1mph faster than mine even though I was faster in the two other events there was a string of faster riders I held at bay among them Paul Holdsworth (Houndslow & Dist Whs), Lee Bark (Stowmarket & Dist), Gary Drew (RN & RM CC) and Aran Stanton (VC St Raphael) with what I consider my best ride of the year, the 12 Hour where I beat my PB by over nine miles to do 276.5 miles (23.04 mph) in terrible conditions although to be fair I do not think this was a great summer for 12's (Wilco's ride excepted). My '100' only twenty seconds slower than last year but I was more pleased with my consistency after last years experiment with pacing over numerous rides at this distance this year I managed 3:46, 3:47 and 3:52 in the National on a bit of a slower course so I should be able to do my BBAR in less rides if I can translate this targeted success to the 50 mile
This is my 4th attempt at the BBAR and I jumped 4 places with this years speed that would have places me 12th last year when I only went from 18th in 2007 (25.044 mph) to 15th in 2008 (25.374 mph) and there has been some close racing with 22 riders over 25 mph (a speed that would have got you a top ten place as little ago as 2005)
There's always a few in & out for various reasons 2nd last year Supervet Cammish (Illness) and Bradley Johnson (Road Racing in Belgium) as with the 'East' connection Platts, Lubin and Smith but in comes 'Wilco' Charlton and Ex Tri Pro Julian Jenkinson (Utag Yamaha) in 4th, also 5th Navy man Sean Childs (RN & RM CC) with 2 x 12 Hrs and a 2nd place in the Nat. 24 Hr. to his name he was the stamina man of the year. After our season long battle for places and times Andy Jackson (Pedalsport) finally ended up in 9th after missing last year.
With no Platts or Cammish who are both 50+ Wilco and myself the joint oldest in the top 12, Brian Phillips (East Grinstead CC) at 50 I think the oldest in the top 20
My final time of 25.771 mph would have been enough to win the BBAR up until 1977, with the exception of 1970 - John Watson (Clifton CC) and 1976 Phil Griffith (G S Strada) but since the early 90's with the advent of aero bars and disc wheels the times have gone stratospheric, the winners speed not dipping below 27mph since Gethin Butler in 1994. Kevin Dawson holds the record for the most wins (ten) and the fastest in 2003 with 28.260mph but Andy Wilkinson only just behind with his only win in 1996 28.236mph, Michael Hutchinson's fastest of his two wins in 2000 27.558mph although he did record 27.786 when being second to Dawson in 2003
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
LVRC Time Trial Championship
A second case of deja vu in just over a week as I come home in 2nd place (or Silver if you prefer) in the 45-49 age category of the LVRC Time Trial Championship at Warmington (Stupid boy Pike!) in Warwickshire on Sunday.
A drizzle while I warmed up on the rollers turned into a full downpour for the event but nobody escaped and luckily there were no accidents on the twisting 'P' shaped course alongside the M40 to the Harewood House roundabout on the Fosse Road and then back through Kineton and Gaydon near the Heritage Motor Centre.
The start on the B4100 was down a long hill but unlike a normal Time Trial where there is a tendency to 'gift' you a fast start the roadmen 'hardmen' of the LVRC make you finish up the said hill which makes for a lung bursting finish on the slopes up to Edge Hill.
A last minute slap of embrocation was quickly applied as the rain came down harder, I was the last in my age category away last years victor (Andy Eagers) wasn't riding and BTTC Champ (Kevin Tye) DNS so it was looking good for me. Having not ridden in the cold wet conditions for ages I was slow getting going but cautious as there were some tough hilly sections before the finish and I made sure I reved up and over all of these catching several riders but my minute man proved elusive when I had a minute of road ahead.
There was a steep decent into Kineton with a tight left hander at the bottom and my brakes on carbon took ages to take effect as I tried to keep a close line without ending in a ditch. Back on the B4100 at Gaydon and the road straightened out and I was able to see I was 10-15 seconds up on my MM but I could not close the gap any more
The winners
In the end Michael Ellerton (Team Swift) beat me by 39 seconds 42:59 to take the title, he had beaten me by over a minute in the recent Team Swift '25' so it was to 'form' and I had to be happy with my 43:38 and the runners up spot, Tim Booth (Newark Castle) my mm was a further 16 seconds back in third. I was 4th fastest overal, only two of the 'A' cat (40-44) Champion James Heaton (Leasure Lakes) 42:48 and Andrew Meliak (ODLS Racing) 43:36 while the 'C' cat won by Jim Moffatt (Spirite RT) 43:46, 'D' Peter Greenwood (Clayton Velo) 44:30, 'E' Tony Taylor (Team Endura) 46:18, 'F' Roger Iddles (Stourbridge Velo) 45:21, 'G' Mick Ives (Team Endura) 49:53 and the ladies Ruth Eyles (Beacon RC) 45:33
That's my final event of the year - 55 Events
4 x Hilly
1 x circut TT
1 x 2 Up
1 x 3 Up
7 x Crits
3 x RR + 1 x Prologue
11 x 10 (2 x OldSkool)
9 x 25 (2 x OldSkool)
3 x Track
3 x Pursuit
8 x 50
3 x 100
1 x 12
Total 1993.7 miles
A drizzle while I warmed up on the rollers turned into a full downpour for the event but nobody escaped and luckily there were no accidents on the twisting 'P' shaped course alongside the M40 to the Harewood House roundabout on the Fosse Road and then back through Kineton and Gaydon near the Heritage Motor Centre.
The start on the B4100 was down a long hill but unlike a normal Time Trial where there is a tendency to 'gift' you a fast start the roadmen 'hardmen' of the LVRC make you finish up the said hill which makes for a lung bursting finish on the slopes up to Edge Hill.
A last minute slap of embrocation was quickly applied as the rain came down harder, I was the last in my age category away last years victor (Andy Eagers) wasn't riding and BTTC Champ (Kevin Tye) DNS so it was looking good for me. Having not ridden in the cold wet conditions for ages I was slow getting going but cautious as there were some tough hilly sections before the finish and I made sure I reved up and over all of these catching several riders but my minute man proved elusive when I had a minute of road ahead.
There was a steep decent into Kineton with a tight left hander at the bottom and my brakes on carbon took ages to take effect as I tried to keep a close line without ending in a ditch. Back on the B4100 at Gaydon and the road straightened out and I was able to see I was 10-15 seconds up on my MM but I could not close the gap any more
The winners
In the end Michael Ellerton (Team Swift) beat me by 39 seconds 42:59 to take the title, he had beaten me by over a minute in the recent Team Swift '25' so it was to 'form' and I had to be happy with my 43:38 and the runners up spot, Tim Booth (Newark Castle) my mm was a further 16 seconds back in third. I was 4th fastest overal, only two of the 'A' cat (40-44) Champion James Heaton (Leasure Lakes) 42:48 and Andrew Meliak (ODLS Racing) 43:36 while the 'C' cat won by Jim Moffatt (Spirite RT) 43:46, 'D' Peter Greenwood (Clayton Velo) 44:30, 'E' Tony Taylor (Team Endura) 46:18, 'F' Roger Iddles (Stourbridge Velo) 45:21, 'G' Mick Ives (Team Endura) 49:53 and the ladies Ruth Eyles (Beacon RC) 45:33
That's my final event of the year - 55 Events
4 x Hilly
1 x circut TT
1 x 2 Up
1 x 3 Up
7 x Crits
3 x RR + 1 x Prologue
11 x 10 (2 x OldSkool)
9 x 25 (2 x OldSkool)
3 x Track
3 x Pursuit
8 x 50
3 x 100
1 x 12
Total 1993.7 miles
Monday, 12 October 2009
Club hill climb championship
This year the club hill climb championship was held as part of the Bec CC Hill climb at Titsey Hill - a short 700yard romp up a 1:6 with 1:4 in places. I unfortunately had to bow out with a bad chest cold, Mark Williams' excuse was that he had done a 70 mile hilly sportif in the morning!Here is Joe Friend climbing on his drops all the way up
Andrew Canning below pulling out all the stops - he could still barely stand 10 minutes later!
Alan Parkinson and Nick Allen gritting their teeth as they come to the top of the really steep bit with just 50 yards to the finish.
Alan Parkinson and Nick Allen gritting their teeth as they come to the top of the really steep bit with just 50 yards to the finish.
The atmosphere was fantastic, closed roads, hundreds of spectators and despite the miserable weather for the late riders a wonderful occasion, definitely one to repeat next year.
Hometown Ride - New Forest Sportive
It appears that there was a lot of sportive activity last weekend. On Sunday October 11th I made the 70 min drive from Guildford to Brockenhurst for the start of the New Forest Sportive. This was to be an advertised 100 mile event although my little bike computer was honest enough to show 101.3 miles - close enough I think....The weather was damp, and with a nasty wind, it was a bit chilly. The plan was to start after 0900 and push the first half. The profile suggested most of the 686m of climbing would be completed in the first 60 miles, which meant that all I would have to worry about after that was my fitness (still returning after a broken rib) and the wind on the open plains of the New Forest National Park.
With six sportives under my belt this year already, I was ready for the art of riding a bit, drafting a bit etc. As it turned out I joined forces with Paul Sewell (Bigfoot Bike Club) and together we were able to keep the pace at a reasonable level.
The new club kit did me proud and I posted a time of 5h 21min 13seconds claiming a Gold standard and the 3rd fastest time. With Marmotte on the agenda for 2010, it's time to concentrate on improving my fitness over the winter!
Thursday, 8 October 2009
FROM HERO TO ZERO
HERO to ZERO in 12 hours
L’Eroica is a 210kms event, largely on a hilly course of strada bianca (gravel roads), held in the Chianti region of Italy for Classic bicycles with riders wearing classic attire. I was invited as a guest of L’Eroica organisation to attend their 2009 Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony. This, as a result of being in the ‘top ten,’ so called Imprese Eroiche, (heroic feat) in the 2008 edition. How this could have been, is beyond me; it was certainly nothing to do with speed. However, having received the invitation, I was encouraged to prepare my 1950’s Owen Bryars machine to take part again this year. An interesting bicycle that I purchased second-hand in 1951 from a SWRC member, used by me in time-trials and road races until the end of 1956, when I sold it to a work colleague and by chance, had it returned to me a couple of years ago.
The dinner went well; I found my place on the podium with others and received an engraved wine decanter, presented by a lovely young woman dressed in 19th century costume. Amidst tumultuous applause, when the audience was informed of the great heroic feat (!?) performed by an Inglese of great age I was tempted to kiss the lovely young lady on both cheeks in true Latin style. As I approached, the look of apprehension upon her boat kept my deeply entrenched English reserve firmly in place so I pretended to say something important to her and the moment passed without embarrassment for neither her nor I.
I was travelling with friends from Norfolk and Essex, old soldiers in the Eroica campaign: I rejoined them at the table in time for the main course and after consuming a few glasses of Chianti Classico, returned quickly to the hotel at Castignoli to prepare for an early start in the 2009 event. I drugged myself with a couple of sleeping tablets and noticed, before dropping off into deep slumber, my watch showing 11:17 pm.
In the morning I signed-on at 5:00am, feeling very fresh and alert and was soon on the road; Fenix lights blazing and assisted by a full moon, high in the sky. The first 9kms rolling along on smooth asphalt, before taking a new deviation for this year, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the (famous?) Baron di Brolio. Not the sort of thing one would normally do at 5:30 in the morning, but I was soon to discover why the organisers thought it was so important: The riders’ celebration took the form of climbing 2kms on strada bianca to the summit of a very stiff climb to ride past the Castello di Brolio, the dead Baron’s family seat. What fun in the dark, especially as it was followed by a death defying descent into the blackness of the valley below.
After about 30kms, two of my friends passed me but I met them again at the first control by which time it was quite light and the skies were clear. The control was at about 48kms where I enjoyed some jam tarts, bananas and a peach, my first food of the day: I was still feeling good and on schedule for a ride better than last year. I set off with my pals but was dropped on the next very long gravel climb. At it’s steepest, probably around 25%, near the top., I suddenly had the sensation of the rear wheel slipping, but I was still sitting: It wasn’t that at all; the thread was stripping on the 5 speed freewheel block! This was a serious blow and I was forced to stop and walk to the summit. A closer investigation revealed that the bottom gear sprocket had stripped and not the entire freewheel. Old technology; old rubbish.
Heartened by this, I pressed on, safe in the knowledge that I still had a 38” gear to winch me to the top of the steepest climbs. On the flat for a while, I was going at a fair pace when suddenly the strada bianca dropped steeply downwards. The hard stony surface gradually developing into quite deep shale; controlling the hurtling Bryars causing great difficulty. The MAFAC brakes were screaming and pretty ineffective at the best of times (how did we manage with this equipment all those years ago); now they were not helping at all. I was shocked to see other competitors walking down this incline: Did they know something that I didn’t? Suddenly on the very steep descent was a a sharp right hand bend and on the bend was a deep erosion channel cut by rain water at an angle to the road.
There was space at either end of the channel but I was hurtling along, far too fast; could not steer away in the deep shale and hit the ditch straight on.
Crash, bang, wallop: Shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and then my head – Crack: The fifties leather “hairnet2 helmet proving as useless as it always was. I lay still for a while, to make sure that everything was still working, but was pulled from the track by passing riders. One in particular, a German chap, Siegfried Leimfelder, had some bandages, made a wad, and stuffed it into the hole in my head which was bleeding profusely. While he was busy with this, I noticed that the front tub had partly rolled from the rim: I struggled up and forced it back int5o position. The handlebars were askew, so I wedged the front wheel between my knees and turned them into line. At this point I noticed that my left knee wasn’t looking too healthy; abandoning the idea of continueing I was forced to sit down on the verge with Seigfried still pressing the wad firmly into my head hole.
To cut a long story short (or shortish), many riders stopped to offer assistance; an ambulance was called; I was laid on stretcher; given paramedical first aid; transported for 50kms on rough roads to the Siena General and A+E hospital. I spent six hours, mostly on my back, being examined, prodded, poked, injected, squeezed, scrubbed, (those stones were everywhere), x-rayed, tested, patched and stitched, by the most efficient professionals that could be found anywhere. Meanwhile, the Good Samaritan, Seigfried, had walked 7kms pushing my bike, with his, along the rough hilly road to the next control and persuaded the (no assistance available) officials to transport my Bryars back to the HQ in Gaiole in Chianti; and they very kindly obliged.
I had completed about a third of the event prior to the calamity, but at least I was in good shape until then. When discharged from the hospital I was met by Mick Madgett (Madgett Cycles, Norwich) who had finished the event and driven to the hospital to find me. As we were leaving, a nursing orderly thrust a sheaf of papers upon me, including full details of the day, results of the tests and so on. I noticed that the time of my admission to A+E was recorded as 11:17! From Hero to Zero in exactly 12 hours! Next year will be better.
L’Eroica is a 210kms event, largely on a hilly course of strada bianca (gravel roads), held in the Chianti region of Italy for Classic bicycles with riders wearing classic attire. I was invited as a guest of L’Eroica organisation to attend their 2009 Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony. This, as a result of being in the ‘top ten,’ so called Imprese Eroiche, (heroic feat) in the 2008 edition. How this could have been, is beyond me; it was certainly nothing to do with speed. However, having received the invitation, I was encouraged to prepare my 1950’s Owen Bryars machine to take part again this year. An interesting bicycle that I purchased second-hand in 1951 from a SWRC member, used by me in time-trials and road races until the end of 1956, when I sold it to a work colleague and by chance, had it returned to me a couple of years ago.
The dinner went well; I found my place on the podium with others and received an engraved wine decanter, presented by a lovely young woman dressed in 19th century costume. Amidst tumultuous applause, when the audience was informed of the great heroic feat (!?) performed by an Inglese of great age I was tempted to kiss the lovely young lady on both cheeks in true Latin style. As I approached, the look of apprehension upon her boat kept my deeply entrenched English reserve firmly in place so I pretended to say something important to her and the moment passed without embarrassment for neither her nor I.
I was travelling with friends from Norfolk and Essex, old soldiers in the Eroica campaign: I rejoined them at the table in time for the main course and after consuming a few glasses of Chianti Classico, returned quickly to the hotel at Castignoli to prepare for an early start in the 2009 event. I drugged myself with a couple of sleeping tablets and noticed, before dropping off into deep slumber, my watch showing 11:17 pm.
In the morning I signed-on at 5:00am, feeling very fresh and alert and was soon on the road; Fenix lights blazing and assisted by a full moon, high in the sky. The first 9kms rolling along on smooth asphalt, before taking a new deviation for this year, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the (famous?) Baron di Brolio. Not the sort of thing one would normally do at 5:30 in the morning, but I was soon to discover why the organisers thought it was so important: The riders’ celebration took the form of climbing 2kms on strada bianca to the summit of a very stiff climb to ride past the Castello di Brolio, the dead Baron’s family seat. What fun in the dark, especially as it was followed by a death defying descent into the blackness of the valley below.
After about 30kms, two of my friends passed me but I met them again at the first control by which time it was quite light and the skies were clear. The control was at about 48kms where I enjoyed some jam tarts, bananas and a peach, my first food of the day: I was still feeling good and on schedule for a ride better than last year. I set off with my pals but was dropped on the next very long gravel climb. At it’s steepest, probably around 25%, near the top., I suddenly had the sensation of the rear wheel slipping, but I was still sitting: It wasn’t that at all; the thread was stripping on the 5 speed freewheel block! This was a serious blow and I was forced to stop and walk to the summit. A closer investigation revealed that the bottom gear sprocket had stripped and not the entire freewheel. Old technology; old rubbish.
Heartened by this, I pressed on, safe in the knowledge that I still had a 38” gear to winch me to the top of the steepest climbs. On the flat for a while, I was going at a fair pace when suddenly the strada bianca dropped steeply downwards. The hard stony surface gradually developing into quite deep shale; controlling the hurtling Bryars causing great difficulty. The MAFAC brakes were screaming and pretty ineffective at the best of times (how did we manage with this equipment all those years ago); now they were not helping at all. I was shocked to see other competitors walking down this incline: Did they know something that I didn’t? Suddenly on the very steep descent was a a sharp right hand bend and on the bend was a deep erosion channel cut by rain water at an angle to the road.
There was space at either end of the channel but I was hurtling along, far too fast; could not steer away in the deep shale and hit the ditch straight on.Crash, bang, wallop: Shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and then my head – Crack: The fifties leather “hairnet2 helmet proving as useless as it always was. I lay still for a while, to make sure that everything was still working, but was pulled from the track by passing riders. One in particular, a German chap, Siegfried Leimfelder, had some bandages, made a wad, and stuffed it into the hole in my head which was bleeding profusely. While he was busy with this, I noticed that the front tub had partly rolled from the rim: I struggled up and forced it back int5o position. The handlebars were askew, so I wedged the front wheel between my knees and turned them into line. At this point I noticed that my left knee wasn’t looking too healthy; abandoning the idea of continueing I was forced to sit down on the verge with Seigfried still pressing the wad firmly into my head hole.
To cut a long story short (or shortish), many riders stopped to offer assistance; an ambulance was called; I was laid on stretcher; given paramedical first aid; transported for 50kms on rough roads to the Siena General and A+E hospital. I spent six hours, mostly on my back, being examined, prodded, poked, injected, squeezed, scrubbed, (those stones were everywhere), x-rayed, tested, patched and stitched, by the most efficient professionals that could be found anywhere. Meanwhile, the Good Samaritan, Seigfried, had walked 7kms pushing my bike, with his, along the rough hilly road to the next control and persuaded the (no assistance available) officials to transport my Bryars back to the HQ in Gaiole in Chianti; and they very kindly obliged.I had completed about a third of the event prior to the calamity, but at least I was in good shape until then. When discharged from the hospital I was met by Mick Madgett (Madgett Cycles, Norwich) who had finished the event and driven to the hospital to find me. As we were leaving, a nursing orderly thrust a sheaf of papers upon me, including full details of the day, results of the tests and so on. I noticed that the time of my admission to A+E was recorded as 11:17! From Hero to Zero in exactly 12 hours! Next year will be better.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Autumn Epic Sportive
Some of the SWRC A group travelled across to mid Wales to ride one of the last cyclosportives of the summer. Myself, Trevor and Dave rode this event last year in really awful weather. This year it wasn't too bad and five of us all enjoyed it. The Start was in Knighton, Radnorshire, and the 95 mile course went over towards the Ellan valley.
Placing Name TeamName Time RiderNo Cat Standard
1 James Richardson Fenland CC 04:50:49 853 40-49 Gold
26 simon howard South Western Road Club 05:15:21 334 40-49 Gold
31 trevor lenthall South Western Road Club 05:16:13 662 40-49 Gold
46 Sabin Gaztelua South Western Road Club 05:24:21 866 Over60 Gold
63 David Reynolds South Western Road Club 05:29:46 645 40-49 Gold
101 Alan Parkinson South Western Road Club 05:39:43 666 18-39 Gold
There was about 600 entrants who rode the 150km course.
Placing Name TeamName Time RiderNo Cat Standard
1 James Richardson Fenland CC 04:50:49 853 40-49 Gold
26 simon howard South Western Road Club 05:15:21 334 40-49 Gold
31 trevor lenthall South Western Road Club 05:16:13 662 40-49 Gold
46 Sabin Gaztelua South Western Road Club 05:24:21 866 Over60 Gold
63 David Reynolds South Western Road Club 05:29:46 645 40-49 Gold
101 Alan Parkinson South Western Road Club 05:39:43 666 18-39 Gold
There was about 600 entrants who rode the 150km course.
The best way to finish the season
Last weekend at the Agiskoviner Open 10 mile time trial on the Bentley course, Tom finally managed to record his third PB for the season at a different distance. He rode well in very windy conditions on the outward leg and maintained his form to record a 25m 37s time and as a result won the Junior 1st prize! Now for the winter training!
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
more press coverage
I can now say that..."I was in the Dauphine Libere", and hope that no one asks me to explain that I am referring to the newspaper rather than the race. I am back row second one along on the left.
Pleased to see here that my distance tally has now gone up to 2200kms with an average 4200m per day for the 10 days.It is getting better by the day....
Nick A
September's survey
1st
2nd
3rdI find this particular type of question, your favourite pro jersey, very difficult to guess what will be the most popular. As it was the black & white ones that came out on top. 1st was Cervelo closely followed by Saxo bank, and Caisse d'Epargne 3rd.
I was a bit surprised that TDF champ Wiggo's team Garmin didn't come higher up the list.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Nottinghams Clarion - Goose Fair '25'
Half the field DNS'ed in this event on Saturday as gusty winds of 40-50mph+ put many from travelling and a few decided they didn't like the look as we had to go down (South) a 6 mile section of the A1 between Tuxford and Carlton on Trent. It was a case of deja vu as exactly the same conditions faced us last year with a spot of rain thrown in to make it more uncomfortable.
I considered not riding but after a warm up with my 'OldSkool' (Argent 10) front wheel fitted I had no problem controlling my bike although I noticed a few going out with 50mm deep fronts! The wind was across (from the West) on the A1 blowing you into the kerb which was OK and after a few miles I was barrelling along at 30mph even reaching 40mph at the far end as the church spire in Carlton made a handy turn marker.
The return on the 'Old Great North Road' which runs parallel to the A1 was a bit more problematic as the gaps in the hedges meant that you were blasted from the left as the side wind made tricky and tough going, road was pretty quite though and you just had to make the best of it on the rough road surface which used to be the main road from London to York.
I caught a few as it was two laps finishing their race but I had to go out on a second lap after recording 28 minutes for the first half, I got into my stride and saved a bit for the last time up to the finish which did not seem as bad as I remember (am I a goldfish in a bowl?) My time of 55:54 was good enough for 3rd place behind Lee Tunnicliffe (Fit -For Dauphin) 54:31 and Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley RT) just getting the better of me in 55:38 after I beat him by 3 seconds last year.
I considered not riding but after a warm up with my 'OldSkool' (Argent 10) front wheel fitted I had no problem controlling my bike although I noticed a few going out with 50mm deep fronts! The wind was across (from the West) on the A1 blowing you into the kerb which was OK and after a few miles I was barrelling along at 30mph even reaching 40mph at the far end as the church spire in Carlton made a handy turn marker.
The return on the 'Old Great North Road' which runs parallel to the A1 was a bit more problematic as the gaps in the hedges meant that you were blasted from the left as the side wind made tricky and tough going, road was pretty quite though and you just had to make the best of it on the rough road surface which used to be the main road from London to York.
I caught a few as it was two laps finishing their race but I had to go out on a second lap after recording 28 minutes for the first half, I got into my stride and saved a bit for the last time up to the finish which did not seem as bad as I remember (am I a goldfish in a bowl?) My time of 55:54 was good enough for 3rd place behind Lee Tunnicliffe (Fit -For Dauphin) 54:31 and Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley RT) just getting the better of me in 55:38 after I beat him by 3 seconds last year.
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Club Run - Wych Cross
There was a distinctly autumnal feel to the SWRC club run gathering at Betchworth yesterday; many more arm warmers, gillets, knee warmers etc. than we have seen over the last few weeks! Numbers looked a little depleted too, not least the A group which numbered just two: Richard Gordon and myself – we know some are off riding in Wales today (Sun) but what of the rest?
Undaunted we set off for Wych Cross as planned; a slightly more convoluted route than I had originally planned took us to Smallfield then on to the familiar route of Copthorne, Turners Hill, Sharpthorne, a loop round Horsted Keynes then up to the Llama farm at Wych Cross http://www.llamapark.co.uk/ , which Co. Mr Garmin is at 208m which explains why we felt like we had been climbing for ages as well as battling into the blustery wind. Without the usual A group suspects to hide behind it was all beginning to become hard work! The llama farm was quiet, even the llamas (or is that llami?) seemed to be sheltering from the wind, personally I’d have thought they were better designed for a windy day.
Having come clean about being under charged (honest aren’t we) we began our return by retracing to Horsted Keynes, a nice if chilly descent, then a lumpy section across to Balcombe via Ardingly, on past High Beeches (no sign of the C’s, they must have been well ahead of us), Faygate then Rusper where we cut across to Ockley
where Richard headed for Guildford via Leith Hill and I took a route over Coldharbour and down into Dorking to finish with the predictable Juniper, Headley etc. total distance 80 miles; which although a bit short by current standards seemed quite enough for a blustery day in a group of two. At least the sun had made an appearance for our return but it really never got warm, perhaps we have been spoiled by all that sun in September?
Undaunted we set off for Wych Cross as planned; a slightly more convoluted route than I had originally planned took us to Smallfield then on to the familiar route of Copthorne, Turners Hill, Sharpthorne, a loop round Horsted Keynes then up to the Llama farm at Wych Cross http://www.llamapark.co.uk/ , which Co. Mr Garmin is at 208m which explains why we felt like we had been climbing for ages as well as battling into the blustery wind. Without the usual A group suspects to hide behind it was all beginning to become hard work! The llama farm was quiet, even the llamas (or is that llami?) seemed to be sheltering from the wind, personally I’d have thought they were better designed for a windy day.Having come clean about being under charged (honest aren’t we) we began our return by retracing to Horsted Keynes, a nice if chilly descent, then a lumpy section across to Balcombe via Ardingly, on past High Beeches (no sign of the C’s, they must have been well ahead of us), Faygate then Rusper where we cut across to Ockley
where Richard headed for Guildford via Leith Hill and I took a route over Coldharbour and down into Dorking to finish with the predictable Juniper, Headley etc. total distance 80 miles; which although a bit short by current standards seemed quite enough for a blustery day in a group of two. At least the sun had made an appearance for our return but it really never got warm, perhaps we have been spoiled by all that sun in September?
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