Willesden Cycling Club

Mike Ellison did a solo 400 DIY Audax last Sunday morning, connecting the three cathedrals of Westminster, Canterbury and Winchester. No wonder he was on his kneees by the end. Here’s his report.

Cathedral Crusade 400K

As expected no-one turned up to try the ride. Obviously too hard! The ride started off very well with a puncture in the first 200m! For various reasons it took an extremely long time to fix and I eventually restarted at 06:00.

Westminster Cathedral at dawn

The first leg to Canterbury went very quickly – 92K in just over 3 hours, which is probably a little too fast for me and I may have paid for it a little later on. The A2 is OK – nice and wide with plenty of cycle lane space. The road rolls a bit but it’s not too bad. I didn’t stop on this bit which is why it went by so fast. Made a mental note to slow down a bit.

Caterbury Cathedral

The next leg – 203K to Winchester – was a bit different.
Firstly it was into a south-westerly headwind. This was a mistake. I had looked up the weather conditions and so I knew which way the wind would be blowing. I had decided to ride the course in a clockwise direction and for some unknown reason I didn’t change my mind. It would have been much more sensible to ride it anti-clockwise direction and get the benefit of a tailwind. However it was too late for that.

Winchester Catherdral

Secondly, even though it was a main road bash I managed to lose the route on a couple of occasions and ended up doing an extra 25K. I took the direct route through Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, Crawley, and Petersfield and it was OK – very little traffic and mostly a good surface. I had to stop a couple of times to refill the bottles, but that was it. Finally arrived at Winchester at 21:00 – the computer said 330K in 15 hours. This equates to about 300K in 13.5 hours which is possibly a little fast for me, especially as I had a lot of headwind and no-one to draft behind.

I didn’t need to stop for long because I had plenty to keep me going but then I saw the ‘Big M’ sign and weakened. After a couple of burgers, a hot apple pie, and a large coffee I finally set of on the last leg at about 22:15. This one was the slowest. I have never been much good at judging pace and rely on the computer to keep my concentration. At night I can’t see that so I am lost. As it turned out I averaged a tad over 20kph for the 110K so it took me just over 5 hours. It was a relatively easy ride – A33 then A30 – and the only problem was at Basingstoke where once again I lost the route. I couldn’t find a sign thar said ‘London A30’. Eventually I found a couple of friendly plods who sorted things out and put me back on course. Once again I didn’t stop on this leg – and I bottled out of ending back at Westminster, instead heading straight home.

Finally arrived home (Ickenham) with the computer reading 440K in 21.5 hours. This equates to about 400K in 19.5 hours which was just within my maximum aim of 400K in 20 hours. I would like to have done it a little faster – 400K in 18 hours – but it was still a good ride for me.

Overall it’s not a particularly challenging ride, and I reckon a strong audaxer could easily get round in well under 16 hours, depending on how long they stop for. Being a main road bash, route finding is a doddle except in the main towns, so if you have a go then take maps for the towns sections.

Mike the Bike
Hon Sec.

The ACP has just started confirming entries to the PBP. For those of you who choose the have the documents returned by email, you will now find 24 assorted files awaiting your inspection . Happy printing!

Your swipe card and frame number will be issued to you when you report to the event HQ in Paris.

OK let the panic buying begin (I’ve already started mine!), but only after you have paid Kelly for your Support costs.

John Davies (Dossard 4251 … what’s your number?)

My thanks to the CTC for pointing me in the direction of a lovely old film made in the 1950s. I have had the film on a betamax video cassette for over 15 years, now it is available via the miracle of Youtube.

The documentary follows a group of riders taking the train from Willesden Junction to Rugby for a cycling tour. Enjoy a by gone world of stress free railway journeys, car free roads and an incredibly cheesy commentary.

John Davies

PBP Entries

Peter Marshall published a list of PBP entrants on the 4th July.
If your name is not here then he has not received your entry!!!
Some fast talking and groveling might secure a place, but you need to contact Peter of AUK today.

Peter has received completed entry forms from the following WCC riders –

Ayres, Stephen
Brooking, Mark
Davies, John
Deaner, Andrew
Ellison, Michael
Falvey, Denis
Fisher, Danny
Green, Mark
Hopper, John
Kelly, Raymond
Kirkland, Melville
Lazarus, Norman
Lucas, Martin
MacDowall, Bob
Mitsumoto, Minoru
Oliver, Ian
Sekido, Yoshiji
Turnbull, Peter
Wainwright, Tim
Williams, John

Apres la deluge……Le Tour

After weeks of grey murk the clouds magically parted to reveal Le Tour in all its glory. What a fabulous weekend it was.

Trafalgar Sq was rammed full on Friday night for the opening ceremony. A great evening only slightly marred by those two precocious children speaking French. Missed the fireworks whilst enjoying a good Chinese meal in Soho.

Prologue was good, with Kloden and Cancellara showing breath taking power as they steamed up the incline towards the Albert memorial. At the end of the race the knot of Willesden riders concluded the French Gendarmes had mega cool kit and hardware. They made the Met look frumpy and just a bit podgy.

By Sunday we were beginning to flag, but managed to find the energy to drive/ride down to Tonbridge to see the riders whiz up the 4th Cat climb. There was an excellent turnout there by an highly enthusiastic crowd. Following the race there was a ride-by of vintage bikes, a marching band and the massed drums of the what could have been the Tonbridge Pagan society. Rounded the day off a treat.

How was your tour?
Post your impression by clicking on “comments” below

Gill Reynolds didn’t let the Tour stop her from competing at the weekend. She rode the Bec CC. 10 on Saturday at 6a.m. and was 3rd fastest lady in 26.06 and then rode her fastest time of the season in the Hertfordshire Wheelers event on Sunday, a 24.56, before travelling down to Kent to see the Tour.

Cheers Gladys

Want to save yourself 40 quid and the bother of getting up before dawn on a wet sunday? Then read Ian’s very amusing report on his British Cyclosportive ride.
Miles

Wake up at 4am, sheets of rain. Do I need this? After entertaining the idea of turning round and going back to sleep, I get up anyway.

Grey and damp by the time I arrive at Greenwich. Humour not improved by a dismal cup of tea.
Wait in line with the other early starts, looking for others in the hallowed green, but saw noone. and pushed off at about 6.08. Somewhere, Victoria Pendelton was starting us but I never saw her.
And then it got much better. A gentle run to the bottom of the park and the chip timer start by the gate. Lots of traffic lights and roundabouts and the shock of steep, short Bostal Hill.
Not exactly scenic along the lower Thames, but little traffic and lots of cyclists, grouping and breaking up as those not in club chaingangs found their pace-mates.

After about an hour Gravesend, then the first country and sunshine! Off with the boil in the bag then speed past the first feed stop, dropping down to Rochester. Along past new flats built on the bank of the Medway, their inhabitants oblivious to the hundreds of passing cyclists. Then up a short but very steep little hill, under the M2 and through cornfields. Stopped at the Aylesford feedstop for water and Soreen – that stuff tastes weird!. Luckily tucked into a big group between there and Hadlow, as it was raining with a headwind. The group reduced as some people peeled off for the feed station and a smaller group persisted until Tonbridge where traffic lights and my inability to get my lardy frame fast up hills counted against me staying in a group. By now it was around 9am: a lot more traffic on the road, a lot more hills and the first groups of onlookers by the side of the road. Slowed down to feed and then found myself on my own for a bit, reaching the halfway sign in 3hrs 32. I had planned eight hours and realised I was going to come in well under.

Mesmerised by a very odd manoevre ahead by an old boy in his car, I missed the right turn off the A road shortly after Pembury. It only took 100 yards to realise my error, so just a minute lost. Most of the way the sign posting was excellent and with yellow police notice wanring of closure for the tour on almost every pole along the route as a reminder, it was hard to go far wrong.
The next stretch to Goudhurst was the most scenic. It is a hard climb up to Goudhurst with a lot of cars on a narrow road, but at the top of the hill, by the church, there were lots of people clapping and yelling encouragement- just the incentive to keep going I needed.

Dont remember much about the next bit, I was wheel sucking the guy in front and just starting to feel guilty when I looked behind and saw a long stream of riders behind me. Eventually merged into another big group that I dropped off eventually. Sissinghurst provided the first bad driving I’d seen, someone pulled out from the kerb in front of me and some idiot in a big 4*4 got aggressive, proving the stereotype.

Tenterden was the ride low point. It had been a long way without a stop and I wanted to call home to say I was running very early. Rode through the town with the feedstop a school on the far side. with nothing except tiny paper cups of water. Not even Soreen! It turned out the lorry supplying the stops had got caught behind an accident. Oh well, another energy bar. It became clear I was so far ahead of plan that there was little chance of the family getting to Canterbury before me.
Set off again and thought I was alone in the world until I turned round and saw I was leading a long line of about 20 riders. Welcolmed the chance to speed up with a much faster group that overtook and got to the last feed station at Aldington. I found this village is inhabited by special people who in the absence of Soreen and the other gunk, had put out the stuff intended for sale in the village hall for our free consumption. Never has a cheese and tomato sandwich tasted so good. Thank you!

The next stage took us nearly to the coast. The route ran along a scarp with occasional views overlooking Romney Marsh and the sea and at this point the wind had turned so it was riding east into a headwind. After a few miles, turned north and after a mile on the dire surface of the old A20, rejoined the TDF route that goes through Ashford. Up the last climb of the day, Farthing Common, which was much shorter than I expected. Along the edge of the downs in a startling sidewind and then a wind assisted 10 mile downhill along the Roman Road to Canterbury interrupted by a call that established I would not be greeted in Canterbury and then by someone asking after Rocco’s health (no idea who and he was too fast to catch and ask). One alarming moment as someone knocked me side on while I was doing 45kmph, followed by a profuse apology in a French accent.

Into Canterbury and the end. The last 200m is up a slight incline that you dont expect, along a narrow, coned-off stretch of road. It slightly took the wind out of my sails, geared up as I was for a sprint finish, and I think it had the same effect on the others just ahead of me. Finished in 7hr 13:58 and my HRM said I had used 5776 calories. I made up for some of that deficit with a huge sausage sarnie and then pootled across Canterbury to friends where I was met by my family and the usual huge meal our friends lay on. I just managed not to doze off afterwards.

Thoughts: The event cost £40 but felt like something that cost £10. The registration process the day before was a mess and I can see no reason why the numbers and chips were not just posted out. The feed station problem was aggravating, though I was carrying enough gunk to see me through, and the finish was an anti-climax. Definitely room for big improvements.

On the other hand the ride was great – more fun than an Audax, you got spectators, no need to worry about directions and the chance to ride in large groups. Plus I dropped my car key en-route and, yes, it was returned! A lot of riders complained about the traffic, but, hey, it was THE tour route minus the town centres (and who would’n’t want to miss Ashford), so you do get A roads. I suspect as an early start I missed most of the traffic, but once you got off the main roads, it was’n’t an issue.
I certainly hope it runs again, and, if London Dynamo can put in dozens of riders, so can La Squadra Verde.

Ian Oliver

I made a few changes to the blog as it was starting to look tired. I hope you find it an improvement.

Miles Back of Willesden

Dear All,

I’m Contacting you because Willesden Cycling Club need to supply 3 Marshalls for the NM & H CA F1/100 Time Trial on Sunday 15th July 2007.

The Start time is 06.00 but the marshalls will need to report to Tempsford Village Hall around 05.30.

If you could marshall on this day, then please contact me as soon as possible.

Kind Regards

Surendra Patel (aka SUZZ)
surendra.patel@thomson.com

John, I’ve just read your piece on the blog. It’s interesting how my impression of the event is so different in many respects to yours.

Ian Why and me were marshalling the event and were on site from 4.00 pm. We were allocated a great spot at the top corner on the finishing straight. There was a good crowd on this corner and all along the finishing straight from the start of the evening. The coffee vendor behind us provided us with great entertainment apart from good coffee. He was quite a character.

The Regional race which was the first event was well contended and certainly entertained the largely non cycling crowd around us. There was a really nasty crash on the finish line towards the end of the race. One rider was taken by ambulance to hospital. This all resulted in the race being neutralised for some time until the ambulance left and the debris was cleared from the course.
The couriers race was certainly no great spectacle. No one really knew what was happening and I was told that some riders had displayed a really bad attitude. I understand that it was accidental that one of the couriers injured the organiser who was also sent to hospital by ambulance. I would agree the evening would be better off without the couriers race but Rapha, who sponsor the event have a huge clientelle in the courier ranks. It certainly needs to be changed for next year though.

The All Star race was definitely a misnoma. The participants were cycling press journalists. Some names would be known to avid readers. Quite a good race though.

From where I was, the only time when the crowds vanished was when the typhoon struck. Ian and I held out as long as possible but even we had to abandon ship and take refuge under the glass awning around Smithfield Market. One of our main duties was to stop anyone going under this canopy but anarchy reigned when it rained. The no go area was chokablok.

The folding bike race got under way once the rain had eased to a force 10 storm and this race was really exciting. All of the business types in the event rode hard and fast. Suits were ruined but all were clearly lapping up the excitement of the event. I don’t know how they all stayed on their bikes. Small wheels are not designed for cornering at speed. I am told that one rider did a 360′ spin and in doing so, his bike came undone in the middle. He just put his foot down, clipped the bike together again and carried on. The winner received a Dahon folding bike as a prize and had certainly earned it.

The main race was the Elite Criterium. Some of the best riders in the country (and beyond). This was truly exciting when Warrick Spence attacked in the opening lap and stayed away for 40 of the 60 minutes of the race. The crowd clapped and cheered every time he came by. You didn’t have to be a cyclist to know that his effort was exceptional.

Unfortunately for him, with the speed of the race resulting in the peloton splitting. A really good working group took up the chase and Warrick was caught in the closing laps. He ended up being 4th but was still the spectators favourite.

Robert Elms from BBC Radio London did much of the commentary and the event was broadcast live on the radio for some of the time. Great publicity for the sport. Robert is a regular cyclist and was clearly enjoying the event.

The location of the event was super. Smithfield Market and the numerous bars and restaurants providing a splendid backdrop and atmosphere. Certainly, the event needs some tweeking for next year. That’s to be expected. I thought it to be a success and look forward to going next year.

Ray Kelly

The Smithfield Nocturne was well supported by the Willesden on Saturday Night.

I arrived at the circuit around 7pm and became instantly depressed at the lack of crowds. The historic location of the circuit consisted of long rows of empty metal barriers with very little evidence of human inhabitation. Odd knots of spectators were seen around the circuit but not the throngs I had hoped for.

On arrival the “All Stars” race was in full progress. A unique feature of this race was that there was not one star in the entire field. The strung out race eventually ground through to its finish. The hard working commentators then began to enthuse over the impending courier race. After a wait of geological proportions the courier race started to happen. A series of gritty looking courier types assembled on the start line, each trying to feign boredom. I on the other hand was experiencing the real thing. A punch up flared and a rider split opened the head of a race official. Great PR for cycling guys! Thank you very much. The race got under way and it was clear that no one had a clue what was going on. It was thoroughly and unexciting and completely baffling to all onlookers, including the commentators.

The black clouds hovering over the circuit proved to be real and not in my depressed imagination. As they emptied their cargo monsoon conditions prevailed for the next 30 minutes. This was a turning point in the evening as during these dreadful conditions the commuters folding bike race took place. Dressed in suits and ties the entrants had Le Mans sprint to their folded bikes. The racing was great and exciting, the riders were putting on a great show and bringing the whole event alive. They were showing how exciting bike racing can be to the man in the street. The previously inanimate crowds cheered on the riders and as the weather dried, more and more spectators arrived. I would never have believed how fast a Brampton could go. This was shaping up to be a great evening.

The elite race of the evening was extremely well organised and promoted. The main riders, most of the big names in UK cycling, were individually presented to the public. There was a real buzz in the air and my mood had now swung fully to complete enthusiasm . The racing was fast and exciting right from the drop of the flag. The crowds now lined most of the circuit gave great support to the riders who were doing an excellent job of entertaining us. A really great evening was in the making.

Rapha and Condor did a great job on Saturday evening. They were appallingly let down by the London courier race and they should strongly consider dropping this race. The rest of the event was excellent and I hope we shall see it run again soon.

John Davies

Ray Kelly reminds us that this Sunday is Johny Morris’s Charity ride. This is a traditional ride for the WCC, following a route that links a series of pubs over a 30 or so mile meander through the lanes of Buckinghamshire.

The usual deal is to pay £5 to enter, unless you are sponsored.

The start is at 10am from the Black Horse Public House in Fulmer.