In my experience very few riders seem to sport m*dguards on their commute to work. Surely it’s basic potty training for cyclists?
I have just seen a new product on the CW website that seems very original in its thinking and elegant in it solution. So far so good, but it has a really scuzzy name – the Crud Roadracer.
See http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/394392/crud-roadracer-mudguards.html
Miles Back
21Aug 09
The annual John & Dulcie Walker road races have been forced to off the roads by Thames Valley Police and will now be held at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit on September 13.
The LEL (London-Edinburgh-London) has been been over for a couple of weeks now and riders have begun surface again to post some photos and films of the ride.
The Willesden CC were well represented on the LEL by Martin Lucas, Mel Kirkland, Yoshi, Mark Green, Peter Turnbull and Paul Stewart.
Here is one particularly good film that sums up the challenge of the event and the joy of an English summertime ride through the country.
Miles Back 20 Aug 09
Hi, I raced last night and got 7th place, now need four more points to
progress to Cat 3 (first season of racing), cheers, Peter Dixon.
Message from Suzz about the two-up time trial in September. A two-up is always great fun (no sniggering, I talking about cycling!), so let’s have a good turn out for the club. Just need someone to match my glacial pace and I’ll be on the line.
See Suzz’s note below for detail
Miles Back 18th Aug 09
The Next 25 mile time trial is to be held on 6th September on the CC114 Circuit (near Great Missenden), with the first rider off at 07.31. It is a 2-up, but you can also ride as a Solo. The closing date for the event is Tuesday 25th August, so If you would like to enter, then please could you let me know by Friday 21st, as I shall be away most of next week.
Suzz
Despite the threat of rain on Saturday the 1st August we had clear sky’s and a fine afternoon for the club track champs with a turn out of 13 riders for the event. Although half were guest a good afternoons racing was enjoyed by all with Ray George winning the senior category and Kirsten Savage the under 16.
Meurig James has broken two Willesden CC records with a 19:56 for a ten and 3:45:48 for the 100.
The 100 was done at the Welsh National 100 and Meurig finished in 3rd place.
Well done.
Two cycling videos for your pleasure !
One total is total cheese, the other reasonablywitty. You decide!
Miles Back 15/8/09
(with due credit to NYC Bike Snob’s excellent blog).
Ray Kelly is organising a photo shoot and short ride with the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, the Secretary of State for Health at 11:00am on Thursday 13th August 2009
Please turn up in your best Willesden kit and best bike, as you’ll be in all the National papers, possibly even the Willesden & Brent Times. If you have any National or European medals, then bring those along too.
We need as many riders as possible so please make the effort to be there. The address is –
11:00am Thurday 13th August 2009
I decided to enter the points race in the Europeans as I had done so unexpectedly well in it in the National masters. Fortunately I didn’t wear my blue National Championship jersey, because i got absolutely thrashed and effectively came last. Them sprinters did me over! I decided that my best tactic for success was to attack early on and try to get away . And that’s what I did in the whole race – I attacked and tried to get away, repeatedly but was chased down. Anyway the good thing was that with me on the front quite a bit of the time , the 12.5km didn’t take too long (19 mins of rather hard work), and I was soon back in the stands having a cup of tea and listening to my Uncle Eddy saying that he had wanted to throw my mother’s crutch at Janet Birkmyer, but Mum’s grip was too strong. Ace-sprinter, Janet Birkmyer, picked up the maximum of 25 points by winning every single sprint lap. I got 2 points.
A few days later was the 2km Pursuit.
You had to get a good time in the first round because this determined where you were in the second round. Well!!!! I got a fantastic time in the first round and a PB – 2min 39.55s This was the fastest time of the day in my age group, the ‘older-than-you-look’ category, and it was good enough for me to be cycling for gold or silver. Inevitably, I was in a death-match with Janet Birkmyer, who had been able to conserve her energy in the first round as she had gone last and had the benefit of knowing the time she had to achieve.
I had a secret weapon – my fan club! Cassie Gledhill, Emily Hogge and Nicci Meadows- my mates from DNA Racing Team , all made the long trek to Manchester with the sole intention of making the biggest racket you’ve ever heard. They had their faces painted with ‘GO JAYNE’ in WILLESDEN COLOURS! I was so proud . It was great!
Simon Wicks ( Bloke) was walking the line for me, helping me stick to schedule, and it seemed to be going well. I was ahead of Janet almost from the start. Unfortunately it’s the last lap that counts, apparently, and she managed to do a phenomenal last lap and nipped over the line half a second ahead of me. Me -2.40.1 Janet- 2.39.6.
I got a SILVER MEDAL! I was so pleased! The medal ceremony was just like the Olympics – dollies with high heels and chrysanthemums and everything! We even had to do a lap of honour . I had a lovely day.
A full album of photo’s is available here
Ian Why, the WCC’s foreign correspondent, files this report back from the Champs Elysees, along with some photos.
Sorry I could not make the club run this week. I was in the capital of French France supporting two plucky Brits showing Johnny Foreigner what they were made of.
You'll be pleased to know that after three weeks of playing an intense stage racer Mr. Wiggins reverted to type on the parade lap and rode up the Champs Elysees saluting the crowd with a bottle of beer. What a star!!!
Cav managed to smile at people waving strange flags with three legs on them!
The only disappointment was a certain American who rode the parade lap 100 metres in front of his team surrounded by press motor bikes. No one saw him until he had passed by, disappointing loads of fans, especially the kids.What an ********! He didn't have the hump or anything, much!!
Alberto Contador was behind his team with a smile so wide he could have swallowed the Eiffel Tower side ways!!
Ian Why (a.k.a. B&Q)
This rider who obviously did not try too hard on the Champs Elysees!
Stuey O'Grady & Saxo Bank
Nicholas Roche son of Steven, who had a really good tour.
Cycling weekly have a compiled a good photo gallery of our brave boys in the tour. See http://bit.ly/iee1Y
Miles Back Jul 09
Miles Back received a call from Mark Brooking and Ray Kelly as they awaited for the last riders to pass through the top Scottish LEL control. It seems a group of five Italian riders were away and had built up a day’s lead over the nearest riders. Mama mia, those boys are shifting.
So far four bikes have been stolen on the event, all of them at or near the London start. Mark Brooking has proved to be a hero and has lent one of the riders his pride-and-joy Condor for the event. Also one Greek rider wrote-off his bike within audax-spitting distance of the start. So the Lee Valley bicycle industry should be comfortably defy the recession with replacements.
The modern Audaxer when not obsessing about lights and GPS downloads now manages to find time to keep a running commentary on Twitter. It seems the weather has been bad and a number of riders have packed it in.
No news on how the Willesden riders are doing as yet, but they are made of strong stuff
Miles Back 29 July 09
The WCC picnic will be held at Langley Park from noon onwards on Sunday next.
Water pistols optional! I think Brian is trying to organise some bicycle polo as well this year.
Cheers Gladys
Hi,
I’m e-mailing you in regards to the Dextro Energy triathlon, to see if any of your club members would be interested in potentially volunteering.
The triathlon will be taking place in Hyde Park on the 15th/16th Auguts. We are keen to get as many volunteers as possible to , participate and potentially be marshalls for the event.
Each volonteer will recieve a full kit which they get to keep at the end of the race and they will also recieve breakfast and lunch for the day.
Also if you can get 25 members or more to volunteer Dextro Energy will donate £250 to your club.
Please see website below for more details to pass on to any of your members who may be interested in taking part:
http://www.triathlon-wcs-london.org/index.php/en/volunteers
As the event is taking place on the 15th it would be great if you could ask your members to contact us this week, so we can get a rough idea of you by.
If you could also provide a telephone number so that i could contact you it would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Philippa
Everyone seems to have been watching the Tour de France this weekend. The only results I have are for the London Vets 10 mile time trial on Wednesday afternoon. The strong headwind on the way out made riding difficult but Pete Cookson recorded his fastest time his year with a 23.22 and with Gill Reynold’s ride of 26.22 narrowly missed thr team prize by 8 seconds. Also riding were Brian Moon 27.25 and Ron Purdy 31.27.
Club members Martin Lucas, Mel Kirkland and Paul Stewart were riding the 1400kms London to Edinburgh and Back Audax event .
Gill went down to Wales for a few days so I haven’t got any results from the events she rode there.
All for now, Regards,
Gladys
The weekend sees the start of the London-Edinburgh-London, 1400 kms of Audax fun(?). The WCC is represented by Martin Lucas, Mel Kirkland and Paul Stewart. I imagine UK and WCC Audax champion, Peter Turnbull, will also be riding, but I’ve yet to have this confirmed. Good luck guys.
The WCC are also heavily involved in the running all the logistics for the event. Jim Mears, Wendy Mears, Mark Brooking and Ray Kelly will be swapping sides and becoming White Van drivers for the next week, as they haul all the riders bags up and down the course.
MB
25 July 09
Wanted
Cycle coach to train enthusiastic primary children at a weekly go-ride club in Brondesbury Park NW6.
Our Year 5 and 6 children have just finished an eight week coaching programme with Ray Kelly and they’re all fired up and ready to continue their development. If you’d like to help take them to the next level we have a large playground and football field suitable for all types of riding. They’ll bring their own bikes too!
Pay – £30 per hour.
Time – 3.45pm -4.45pm, once a week. Any day Mon to Fri, to suit you
Starting – September 2009
Contact – Paul Kaffel paulkaffel@hotmail.com or Ray Kelly raykelly@britishcycling.org.uk
Richard Jerome took part in the Oakley Village road race on Saturday and was unfortunate to not join a small break that got away on the last lap.
There was a crash coming up to the finish area and Richard rode in just outside the points in 17th place.
