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
So what about the Willesden riders who qualified for PBP by riding the Bryan Chapman Memorial 600 last weekend ?
Mel Kirkland, Peter Turnbull and Martin Lucas are just 3 who spring to mind.
Apologies to Mel, Peter and Martin, no disrespect intended. Just didn’t have their results. Will try to improve my psychic powers. Miles Back