Willesden Cycling Club

Mark Brooking and Ray Kelly have booked their places for Paris having bagged their 600km PBP qualifier over the weekend. This makes them the first in the Willesden to attain this for the 2007 event. They rode the “Beast from the East” course a week in advance of the actual event in order to reccy the out the route for the 80+ riders already entered for this event.

Conditions on the 300km outward leg from Waltham Forest to Taunton Dean were very windy. With the section across Salisbury Plain being particularly gruelling. The night time sections were very cold, with temperatures plummeting to 4C. Mark was prepared for this and was carrying some form of high-tech self heating coffee system to whip a nocturnal expresso. Just the job to warm the cockles and keep you wide awake during the night section.

Mark is finalising changes to the route sheet this week, principally caused by an unexpected road closure at 30km in to the ride. So allow a little extra time to pick up new directions when you report to the start this Saturday morning. There is a healthy entry from Willesden riders, all eager to book their place with Ray and Mark on the start line in Paris.

A. Badger

The time trialists have been out and about this week. Ed Packard, who had a fall from his bike on the wet cobbles whilst riding through Hyde Park, teamed up with Richard Jerome to ride the Bicester Millenium C.C. 2up 10 on Tuesday evening over a 2.5 mile circuit at an RAF base and finished with a time of 24.14.

Wednesday afternoon saw Brian Moon in action in the London Vets 10 at Billington and recording his fastest 10 of the year with 26.25. On Saturday Ron Purdy rode in the Lampard 10 and finished in 30.36 on a very windy day when most people were indoors watching the cup final.

Sunday- Chris James rode in the High Wycombe 25 at Maidenhead and returned 1.07.42 to record his fastest time of the season. Gill Reynolds rode in the National Championship 10 in Cambridgeshire and did 26.13 and Ed Packard who was visiting his sister, a nurse, who was home on leave from Iraq, rode in the Stowmarket and District 10 and again finished in the top third of the field with 24.27.

Hope the weather cheers up for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Cheers Gladys

Another windy afternoon at Hillingdon, this race featured a few Primes and for once I decided it would be best not to contest these and save myself for the overall sprint. Several small groups threatened to get away and one group looked to have succeeded up until the main bunch caught them right in the last corner.
Luckily I was near the front when this happened and managed to sprint into 9th place.

Richard Jerome

Results
1 Joe Skelton Brixton Cycles
2 Roger Woodford AW Cycles s/t
3 Harry Bolstrode N/A
4 Mark Matthews AW Cycles
5 Russ Turner London Dynamo/Cyclefit.co.uk
6 Alan Sherman Kingston Whlrs
7 David Farrow Eagle RC
8 Stuart Jackson Team Quest
9 Richard Jerome Willesden CC
10 Russell Painter Norwood Paragon CC
11 Richard Stannard Sigma Sport
12 Adan Cutterell Addiscombe CC
13 Gavin Spiers Reading CC
14 Chris Jones Bynea CC

1st woman – Janet Brkmyre Planet X/SheCycles.com

As a warm-up to the BBQ season, the Westerley & Willesden Cycling Clubs are organising a visit to the Rebellion Brewery at Bencombe Farm, Marlow Bottom, Bucks.

Here is Richard’s exciting report from Tuesday night’s racing , his writing style really makes you feel as though you were there. Miles B.


I got a new frame at the weekend and was really keen to give it a good thrashing round Hillingdon. I left work in Slough at 6:00pm and with the wind behind me I managed to get to Hillingdon for 6:45 to sign on and warmup, the bike was handling really well and was much faster than my last frame.

I knew it would be a hard night, but then I saw the blue and pink Volvo’s of PCA and realised I was in for a kicking! I was relived to find a new team mate (who’s name I have now forgotten -sorry) we had a chat about possible team tactics but I think the main objective was to survive.

The race went off pretty hard and we both tried to stay near the front. This worked quite well as due to the tough conditions lots of riders were struggling at the back and leaving gaps open. It wasn’t long until a few gaps opened up and a break formed including PCA, Colin Roshier, ex- Willesden member Gavin Smith and Joel Stewart. The wind was really tough making it impossible to get away but I really wanted to push myself tonight and test out the new bike so I took a chance and had a go at the front and got away for about half a lap, I came round the corner into the wind and it was like riding into a brick wall and I was quickly swallowed up by the bunch.

I was really starting to suffer from several efforts I had put in during the race. I began to notice the field had got smaller and some of the usual riders were watching the race from the sides, so I was pleased to still be in the race at this point. Although there were about 12 riders away in the break I wanted to put in a good sprint and with 2 laps to go Des Gaylor really put the hammer down and strung out the remaining riders in the bunch. However I was placed about 8 riders back at this point and in a good position for the sprint. We came back round and the lap board still said 2 laps!!! There had been a mistake with the lap board and we had to do another lap and by this point I was shattered and did not have anything left in me to contest the sprint. I finished at the back of the bunch.

Really pleased with the bike and the race was excellent training, no Hillingdon next Tuesday as I am getting a kicking from Ed Packard in a2-up!

Top ten placings – E/1/2/3
1. James Millard Plowman Craven RT 1:01:57 28 laps/42km
2. Tony Gibb Plowman Craven RT st
3. Gordon McCauley Plowman Craven RT st
4. Joel Stewart Agiskoviner +0.15
5. Walter Sybrandy Agiskoviner +0.25
6. John McLelland Agiskoviner +0.30
7. Vincent Halpern AWCycles st
8. Colin Roshier Team Quest st
9. Mark Bruce Agiskoviner st
10. Bill Butterworth Team Quest st

Richard Jerome

Last Saturday saw the Willesden host the 400km round of our Audax Super Randonneur series. Chris Beynon did an exemplary job of organising the event and producing a very clear and accurate route sheet. The entry card was full and Chris was obliged to close off entries several weeks prior to the start. The popularity of this event meant that the reserve list grew longer with each day.

In total 70 riders took part and among them were 14 Willesden members. The ride started in Chalfont St. Peter and went via controls at Woodstock, Tewesbury, Chepstow, with a final stop Membury Services on the M4. Along theway it takes in the legend/leg-end that is Yat Rock (20% average gradient).

Yat Rock – the camera lies it is steep (Photo John Williams)

Conditions on the event proved cold. As the day wore on (and I wore out) it seemed to get much colder, with a northerly wind causing much of the damage. Over post-ride tea and cake Mike Ellison told us that he began to suffer from hypothermia during the night section. John Williams who was riding with Mike takes up the story

“ It was after midnight and the temperature had plummeted. We were both suffering badly from the cold, compounded by fatigue. Our lack of warm clothing was a real handicap although the fact that I am naturally more insulated than Mike gave me an advantage. Mike was definitely getting hypothermic and we were both starting to worry as the next possible place to warm up was in Henley. “

“So, with great presence of mind, Mike spotted a pub that was having a lock-in and bowled in begging for old newspapers to stuff down his jersey. Not only did he get newspaper, the landlady also gave him one of her husbands old jumpers that she didn’t like any more! “

“Meanwhile, I had to explain to the assembled drinkers what Audax was all about. Bemused sums up their reaction. Just how do you explain that you’d prefer to sit on a bike for 23 hours in the freezing cold rather than stay in a cozy pub that locks you in?”

The time limit for the event is 27 hours, however Mel Kirkland must have spotted something good on the telly as he arrived back first, despite being over 30 minutes late at the start. Mel covered 250 mile course with 3,800 metres of climbing in around 17 hours.

At the other end of the scale were the trio of Kelly, Brooking and Davies, who were combining the Audax with an in-depth survey of coffee and bun offerings from all the cafes and service stations along the route. They rolled in with about 10 minutes to spare, with the excess caffeine proving particularly helpful in covering a largish distance in the last minutes of the event.

The Willesden Youth Development Squad (Jack and Karl) were last seen at Woodstock. It turned out that they had to pack due to mechanical reasons and took the train home instead.

John Davies

Grandfather’s Cafe, Tewsbury. The occupants suit the name!
(Photo: John Williams)

On Sunday on the Amersham Road Richard Jerome finished in 1.06.59, Jayne Payne did a personal best in 1.09.30 to take the club’s handicap award, and Brian Moon rode a fixed wheel and recorded 1.16.00.

Gill Reynolds retumed from Majorca and rode in the rain at Maidenhead in the London Vets 10, to take the 3rd fastest Vet on Standard as well as being the fastest Lady Vet. A third of the field, including Ron Purdy, didn’t start because of the conditions, but I was kept busy serving the teas. Returned home in time to watch the snooker!!

Cheers Gladys

The dates for the WCC’s annual road race have just been announced!

The Jack and Dulcie Walker Road races will be contested on 16th September 2007, using the Mentmore Course. Event HQ will be at Cheddington Village Hall.

More details to follow from organiser Chris James.

On a windy Wednesday night, several Willesden riders set out for 11 laps of gruelling solo punishment at the second Westerley 10 on the Hillingdon circuit.

Chris James: 29.2? (sorry, can’t read my handwriting for that last digit…)
Melissa Arkinstall: 29.33 (who would like it pointed out this was ‘just for fun’ and she ‘was more concerned with getting home for dinner’, though at the end was claiming ‘not hungry anymore’)
Stuart Birnie: 27:20 (impressively beating his previous Westerley 10 time by nearly a minute, fuelled by a week of relaxation in Turkey) Ed Packard: 25:35 (3 seconds slower than the first Westerley 10, and interpreted as further evidence of a terminal form slump)
The winner, I think, was Malcolm Woolsey with a 24:40, but this is all to be confirmed on the Westerley website in due course!

Ed Packard

Richard Jerome has made his debut on the blog with reports of his recent races.

Welcome Richard.

AW cycles road race – Woodcote 3rd April

The race was going quite well for me until the bunch was split by a horse that had been spooked by the cyclists. I was at the back recovering fromgoing up Goring Hill and spent the rest of the race trying to catch the bunch. I was joined half a lap later by another 10-ish riders who were also victims of the same incident and we all worked well together to try and getback to the main race and use the race as training.

With half a lap to go Itried to get away on one of the hills and was joined by two other riders and we managed to get away from our group and redeemed ourselves slightly.


Thames Velo Road Race – Great Milton

I left quite early for this race and it was a good job as I managed tobreak my car on the M40. Luckily my Dad was able to get out to me and weabandoned my car and he took me to the HQ.

It was a very windy day and a few small groups had managed to get away butnot for long. Due to the lack of a decent hill it was likely to be a bunchsprint at the end so my plan was just to sit in and conserve my energy forthe sprint. The previous year I had sprinted off too early and found myself rolling in at the back of the race so I really wanted to make sure I didn’t repeat that.

A decent group of around 8 riders had managed to get a small gap between us and them and as we came round for the last climb up Claire Hill I thought if they managed to get up there they will probably make it to the finish line. I tried to catch them on the road up towards Claire Hill and managed to drag the rest of the race with me, I really struggled up the hill after this and this took a lot out of me. I left my sprint as late as I could but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was also stuffed from my earlier efforts so I rolled in just behind the bunch in 61st. Whoops.

Richard Jerome

Melissa Arkinstall (recently of Team GB) was achieved 1st Lady at the Hillingdon duathlon on Monday 23rd.

On the following Saturday she finished 10th in her age group in the British National Champs at Ashbourne. It was a tough course with 900 feet of climbing on the run and 2,000ft on the bike however she managed to improve her time by over 11 minutes from the same course last year.

Plenty of room on the blog for moreresults, just email Miles at willesdencyclingclub@yahoo.co.uk with your achievements, struggles and stories.

The fine weather has stirred some of our road racers into action. On Wednesday night at Hillingdon in the VeteransLeague RC event Tony Woodford finished in 2nd place in his age group and Chris James 3rd in his section.

On Saturday Ed Packard in the BUSA 10 at Oxford recorded 25.02. Meanwhile, Adam Pawlikowski , riding in his first time trial at Leighton Buzzard in the Norlond Combine 10, finished in 25.59 and Ron Purdy recorded 30.00. Adam then went over to Hertford on Sunday to ride the Southgate C.C. 10 and recorded 25.59 again (You could say he is consistant!)

Brian Moon travelled to Aldermarston to ride in the Newbury R.C. 25 and returned a time of 1.08.58.

In case you are wondering what Gill has been doing- she had a cold last week and this weekend she went off to Majorica for a week taking her bike, of course.

All For now,
Cheers Gladys

Last Sunday’s Bluebell 100km Audax turned out to be a real crowd puller. The prospect of a sunny day plus the best bluebells to be seen in many years seemed to be the draw. We were not disappointed. It was an excellent ride with swathes of bluebells on display in all the woods between Ruislip and the turn at Wendover. On hand at the World’s End Garden Centre were Ian and Pauline Why who had a busy day processing all the brevet cards and scraps of paper being used as make shift brevet cards.

The route was pretty much the same in previous years except that the leg busting climb opposite the Deep Mill dinner was replaced by a more gentle climb up Chalk lane. Old “favourites” like Stoney Lane and the climb up to Harefield were retained to test riders in the last 20km of the ride.

A garden party atmosphere greeted the riders on their return to Ruilip Manor. Tables and chairs were arranged under the shade of trees, with plenty of restorative food on offer for the hungry hoardes.

A great day out and thank you to Liz Creese and Rocco for organising it.

John Davies