On Tuesday 17th June the Willesden CC are promoting the races at Minet Park, Springfield Lane, Hayes UB4 0LT.
Race program is as follows –
18:45 Youth races for U16/U14/U12/U10/U8
19:15 4th Cats – 45kms
19:15 Elite, 1st, 2nd, 3rd -70kms
Please be there to support your club and cheer on your clubmates. Wear your Willesden Kit with pride and passion, Forza squadra verde!
Yours in sport, Jumbo James
The Vets have been in action this week.
On Wednesday in the London and Home Counties 10 at Fifield Gill Reynolds was the fastest lady in 27.22 and with Ron Purdy recording 32.59 they were the 2nd team on Standard. On Saturday they were joined by Brian Moon and rode the Spirit Racing Team 10 at Leighton Buzzard returning in 25.51(Gill) 27.17(Brian) and 31.18.(Ron). Gill took the 2nd fastest lady award and was also the 3rd fastest vet on Standard in a field of 90 riders.
Gill continued racing on Sunday and went down to Petersfield to ride the Hantspol.C.C. 25 mile and with a time of 1.07.26 was the 3rd fastest lady.
Ed Packard seems to be riding in local events. During the week he rode the Polesgate Club 15 miles in which he recorded 37.07 and the ICA Crowfield 10 retuning in 25.05. I think as a student he finds getting to events in this area either costly or involving too many miles on the bike.
Cheers Gladys.
P.S. I don’t know if you understand how the Age Standard works but you are given an allowance which increases as you get older. Gill’s in a 10 mile event is 31.30 and Ron’s 34.06. So if Gill records 26.00 her plus on Age standard will be 5.30.
No Licence Required
Welwyn Track
Gosling Sports Park
Stanborough Road
Welwyn Garden City Herts
AL8 6XE
Dates: Saturdays 14th June, 28th June, 05th July. 2008
Arrive at Track at 1-30 pm for Briefing and Warm Up
Sessions: start at 2 pm; finish approx 4 pm
Helmet Required.
Refreshments Available.
Youths £5; Adults 16 and Over £ 10
Payment on the Day – you can just turn up, but it would help us in knowing numbers in advance.
Contact: Brian Wright (willesdencyclingclub@yahoo.co.uk put Track Day in the Title)
Twickenham Cycling Club are pleased to promote the inaugural Twickenham CC Womens Team Series Race to be held under British Cycling technical regulations
Womens National Team Series – Round 3
Sunday 22nd June 2008, 11:00am, 53 Miles (85Km)
Windlesham, Surrey
Race Headquarters: Valley End C. of E. School
Highams Lane, Valley End, Chobham, Surrey . GU24 8TB
Even though it’s a team event, we can put individual riders in the Twickenham Team or in the Impsport Composite team.
Entries normally close on Sunday 1st, however contact Graham Macnamee at gmacnameewcs@aol.com ASAP
It’s not often we get a local girls only race – so it’s an opportunity not to be missed!
A race for all levels of ability.
Ray Kelly
Saturday! Cold, grey, damp and windy. Not a day you would choose to go and watch a cycle race at Hillingdon. However Richard Jerome’s performance in the Cat 3/4 Support race to the prestigious Hillingdon GP made the trip worthwhile.
I joined a knot of Willesden supporters to witness Richard ride a mature and calculated race, where he was constantly near the front of the group looking lean, keen and mean. The new squadra kit looks really fresh and sharp in the peloton, which must give any Willesden rider a psychological boost. To me Richard looked to really dominate the race and he was looking a very real threat.
At the bell Richard was in a good position as the peloton swished past and disappeared from our view. We waited expectantly for them to round the final bend. As they did we spotted Richard, still in a winning position. It was a long slog up to the finish line, directly into the teeth of a nagging headwind.
Still Richard was looking good; could this be a podium position? Suddenly Richard disappears from the outside edge of the track. Had he blown? Where was he? A few seconds later he reappeared on the inside of the track with good space all around him. He had a clear line to the chequered flag. “Push Richard, push, push, push” we all urged. In the last 100 metres his opponents just had that ounce or two more of energy and our man finished just a second or so behind the winners. It was close and a highly creditable 6th place.
Well done Richard. It going to be even more exciting when you have a few more Willesden team mates to join you. What a great summer of Willesden racing it is going to be.
Forza Squadra Verde!!
Miles Back
Ian Oliver has sent in this story of inappropriate bike usage from Sweden (contains mildly adult themes). See http://tinyurl.com/5d5sf6
Mark Brooking is keen for some company on this years Dunwich Dynamo. The 16th running of this 120 mile/192km event will take place on Saturday, 19th July 2008.
The ride is free to enter and you have to make your own way back from Dunwich. The FAQ for the 2007 event tells you all you need to know about this marvellous event. See http://tinyurl.com/5raxvv
Email Mark Brooking at WillesdenCyclingClub@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to be part of the WCC team.
Ian Why has volunteered to be a Marshall on the Smithfield Nocturne to be held in central London on Saturday the 7th June.
Ian says volunteers assisting on the night as marshalls and support staff will receive £10 cash for travel expenses, a goody bag to include a ‘T’shirt, free food and refreshments.
If you would like to volunteer then contact Tony Cosstick ( his details are t.cosstick at blueyonder dot co dot uk)
See http://tinyurl.com/5d7u5c for more details on this event.
This enjoyable family weekend was organised by Jim and Wendy Mears and included the top level teams such as Cycling Wheatley (John, Lynne, Robert and Nathan), Team Brooking (Mark, Wendy and honorary Brooking, Lynn Cobb), Tandem Team Kelly (Ray and Jan), plus Brian Moon, Vyv Baker and Miles Back.
The IoW Randonnee follows a 100k signposted route around the whole of the island taking mainly minor roads and lanes. The course is quite hilly and involves around 1100 metres of vertical. A 55 kilometre route is also offered, which follows a lovely quite cycle lane through the centre of the Island. Both routes enable riders to enjoy the tranquillity of the island and its wonderful scenery. This year over 1,600 riders took part, with honour of youngest rider going to WCC’s Nathan Wheatley who at the age of eight completed the 55km route. Chapeau Nathan!
John Wheatley, Director Sportif of CW, takes up the story …..
The tandem hit 28 mph on one of the descents between Cowes and Bembridge, but still Nathan (8) was vanishing into the distance. I remembered that his braking technique usually involved destroying trainers by dragging them along the road. And the week before on a trial ride it had emerged that left and right were still interchangeable concepts in his young mind.Still, we’d always have the memories, of him demolishing half a jar of ‘Cheeky Monkey’ chutney
1644 riders had evidently started the 24th Isle of Wight randonnee www.cycleisland.co.uk, laid on by the Wayfarers Club, with volunteers to sign the hordes on, serve up mountains of rolls and cakes, stamp the cards and sell the marvellous badges to finishers. All this and no entry fee, just an ice cream tub with a note asking for donations towards the hire of the hall.
The 55k ride was the one for us this time rather than the 100k round the island. We left that to the rest of our party, and the 1600+ others, and joined the few on the short one. From Alverstone our route followed national cycle route 23 all the way up to Newport and then Cowes, along a disused railway converted for cycling and walking.
Our hotel (carefully selected by Jim and Wendy) lacked some of the comedy of previous years. Vegetarians have previously enjoyed cauliflower and carrots (the meat eaters side veg) covered in the gravy. We have been asked to select orange juice OR cereal for breakfast. Our keys were waiting for us on a table – except for Jim and Wendy, who had a key ring but no key.
Nathan survived the 37.69 miles (thanks to Lynn (not to be confused with his mum Lynne) who helped him up hills) and is keen to return again soon. Robert wants a double chainset.
John Wheatley
Having spent hours training and perfecting their bike set up, cyclists don’t like to admit that their personal best times often have much to do with course choice and the weather. Yesterday, PBs fell up and down the country on a still, sunny day which was ideal for riding bikes. The Shaftesbury CC 10, held on the E2/10 near Cambridge, attracted a superfast field of 120 riders, half of whom ended the day going faster than they had done in the previous 3 years.
I didn’t quite know what to expect, having not ridden this course before, but I did make sure I was well-hydrated and warmed up before starting. Once onto the dual carriageway, it was straight into a 26.5-28.5mph cruising speed. Even on the few uphill bits, I didn’t go below 23.5mph. I’ve never known 10 miles to pass so quickly and this was one of the most comfortable races I’ve done, despite the heat. As I approached the finish I checked the clock: I was well on for a new personal best, the question was by how much. Knuckled down, and crossed the line in 21:50, knocking 51 seconds off my previous best effort. Afterwards was fairly shocked that this constitutes an average speed of 27.4mph! My mum’s Clio doesn’t go that fast. Had a bacon sandwich to celebrate, then, as ever, went to catch the train home.
It’s been a while since I last recorded a personal best – last August in fact – and I was beginning to think I was going backwards rather than forwards (which, I guess, would be an impressive feat on a bicycle). The quality of the field meant I finished 56th out of 120, the event was won by Michael Hutchinson who did an incredible 18:26, the fifth fastest 10 time since 1998, and a new course record. Though that is a superhuman effort, I was left wondering what I could’ve done with a proper TT set up. Can’t be many months away now!
Ed Packard
An email exchange between John Williams and my self about the Primavera cycling race next weekend ended with the immortal quote from “Breaking Away”. It’s exclaimed by the character Dave on leaning that Team Cinzano are coming to his home….
“Mama, the Italians are coming, the Italians are coming!”
This quote is followed by the most wonderful five minutes of cycling film. So to celebrate the film and the start of the Giro d’Italia this weekend, here it is.
Miles Back
The current club runs list ends on the last Sunday in May. We have a number of regular venues that we use, but it would be good to explore some new destinations, or possible link up with an event such as a road race, or meet up with the South London WCC contingent.
Also would anyone like to lead a run?
If you have any suggestions, then either add them as a comment to this posting or email the WCC at WillesdenCyclingClub@yahoo.co.uk, with “Club Run” in the title
John Wheatley
Club Captain
More importantly, on Sunday, Willesden put in a good showing at the Hillingdon 25 near Marlow. Richard Jerome, riding his new 57-tooth chainring, clocked a 59:00, for his second fastest time ever (and 34th place) I did a 59:11, having cycled 30 miles out to the start in a mutinous mood, which is also my second fastest time ever (35th place) Stuart Birnie, somewhat hungover and also having cycled 30 miles out to the start, did a remarkable 1:01:29 in his first ever 25, moreover, he wasn’t using aerobars or a silly hat (42nd place). Chris James did a 1:08:38, and disappeared off to watch a road race that afternoon (62nd place).
What all this means is that Willesden CC, while not winning the team prize, nonetheless managed to get a sub-3 hour team time for Richard, Stuart and my time (2:59:40) – I can’t recall this happening since I’ve been a member of the club, so this is an achievement which must be celebrated by allowing Stuart to get in a round of beers, seeing as these obviously have a performance enhancing effect when combined with kebabs.
Mick Fountain had a crash near the finish, so Richard and Stuart manned the electronic scoreboard with great aplomb, while Mick got patched up. Best wishes to Mick for a speedy recovery, and many thanks to Hillingdon CC for a top event.
Ed Packard
Ed Packard would like to borrow a bike bag between 6-9 June for his large Condor road bike. He is off to ride the Paris-Roubaix sportive and needs the bag to take his bike on the Eurostar.
