WOLSEY
ROAD CLUB 
General Secretary Maureen Nichols Tel:01473 420136 |
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Editor Mick Pepper Tel:01473 610330 |
Website www.wolseyroadclub.co.uk
Enclosed is the Agenda for the Club General Meeting at Tower St on 6th September. Please come along if you can, when we will decide upon our promotions and affiliations for next year as well as have time for a chat and cup afterwards.
NEW MEMBERS
This month we are pleased to welcome two new members, Colling Burton from Ashfield, a former Ely & Dist CC member and Karen Eaton from Rushmere. We hope to see plenty of them in the future.
ICA LEAGUE
The Club had six members plus one day member featuring in the final result table, although no rider completed the requisite 12 counting rides to qualify for awards. Dave Higgins was our best placed in the Veteran category at 15th from 8 rides, followed by Fergus Muir 19th (7), Colin Clarke 23rd (5), Andy Pearson 24th (4).
In the Ladies section, Karen Eaton was 3rd with 3 rides and Maureen Nichols 10th (1)
MEMBER'S NEWS
A dull morning with a steady northwest breeze and occasional light showers saw several hundred riders at Glemham Hall on 8th August choosing between riding the 35 or 60 mile Bike Events "Suffolk Coast Ride". New member Karen Eaton and Mick Pepper chose the 60 mile version which took a clockwise circuit via Peasenhall , Wrentham and Southwold to finish in warm sunshine back at the Hall.
Between the 1st -10th August Jim Stow and a friend rode from Lands End to John o'Groats on a self supported fund raising venture. Riding an average of 94 miles a day with a maximum of 110, they experienced eight days of rain but thankfully the winds were light. The Charity to benefit from the ride is Wallace Cancer Care which would welcome donations at www.justgiving.com/walllacecancercare.
Colin Kindred had better luck with the weather than Jim when he rode the 500 mile Irish "South to North" ride. Riding from Lizen Head to Mallen Head over eight days from 14th August, Colin experienced one rain shower and went on to log over 660 miles with rides to and from the airport.
As part of the Mildenhall Rally Suffolk CTC offered 300, 200 and 100 km Audax rides when Karen, Colin K and Mick joined 120 plus riders in the 112 km (70 mile) event from Mildenhall. A new route this year went southeast via Stradishall, Long Melford, Thurston and Risby on probably the best day of the weekend with just a cold start and stiff northwest wind to contend with.Maureen and Ken Nichols were in attendance helping to start and clock in riders for all three distances.
RACING NEWS
Just ten events ridden this month which shows the season is nearing the end but the rides produced five individual awards and one team win to add to our haul.
It was a good day for a change on the Debenham, Pettaugh, Kenton circuit with a mild west wind ensuring there were no long headwind stretches. Roger Selmes led our trio, who were all in the hunt for SPOCO points, with 1.1.23 followed by Colin Clarke 1.4.33 and John Tovell who had the bad luck to puncture 1.6.27. A trio of 2nd claim members also rode with Barry Lee recording a very solid 58.23, Ted Saunderson 1.2.05 which gained him the 70+ age group award and Fergus Muir 1.10.07 on his trike.
EASTERN COUNTIES CA 10 - (E2/10) - 7TH AUGUST
It was the same wind on the A11 from Six Mile Bottom but it provided a headwind to the turn in the event reserved for the slowest entrants. Bob Quarton was back to form with 23.16 backed by Ged Coles 24.36 and brother John 25.22.
LVRC NATIONAL ROAD RACE - 8TH AUGUST
After his warm up the previous afternoon Ged rode the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists National Road Race Championship over seven laps of a six mile circuit near Guildford. Riding in the G and F age group event and with the finish approaching, Ged fell victim to cramp and finished 7th in the G(70-74) age group.
KINGS LYNN CC 25 - (B25/33) - 14TH AUGUST
Although less than 40 miles north of the E2, course conditions were quite different at Fincham for the trip to Mundford rab with heavy rain and hail showers, sunny periods and roads awash. This coincided with Roger, who was feeling out of sorts, recording 1.17.46 while Ted returned 1.13.55, but both were issued a dose of SPOCO points for their efforts.
VTTA (EAST ANGLIAN GROUP) 10 - (E2/10/) - 14TH AUGUST
It was back to Six Mile Bottom where a rising north wind made for an increasingly harder second half on the A11. Bob led us again with 24.11 followed by John Parkes 24.27, Ged 25.11 which won him 6th on Std medal and brother John 25.36. The event also produced the season's first team win which in VTTA events is based on Vet Std, with Ged +8.06, John P +6.33 and John C +5.54 for a 20.33 aggregate
ANGLIA VELO 10 - (B10/3) - 15TH AUGUST
The north wind was on the riders left shoulder for the trip to the turn from Besthorpe which was favourable for the course. Mark Pearce was our new leader with 24.13, backed by John C rejuvenated from the previous afternoon 24.27 and John P 24.52. John T followed with 25.08 which won him 1st in the 70-74 age group, while Ged recorded 25.28 and Colin C 28.07 for his fastest ride of the year.
TEAM SANJAN DESIGN 10 - (F2A/10) - 21ST AUGUST
An horrendously windy afternoon on the A428 from Hardwick, west of Cambridge, made it difficult for riders to remain on their tri-bars in the side wind. The difficult conditions saw John C record 25.54 and John P 26.26.
VC BARACCHI 50 - (B50/17) - 22ND AUGUST
Early morning rain delayed the start for 30 minutes on the two lap Waveney Valley course between Harleston and Stockton, resulting in damp, warm conditions and eventual sunshine. Traversing the roundabouts on the course that have to be crossed 15 times, Bob put in a good ride recording 2.8.45 which gained him his first ever vets prize with 3rd on Std. Andy Pearson feeling the effects of his recent effort in the French Alps and holiday, recorded 2.17.25.
TTWEEKLY.COM 10 - (B10/34) - 28TH AUGUST
The windy afternoon on the A14 between Higham and Westley provided a very fast run to the turn and a slog back, as well as sharp heavy showers that caught some riders. Bob did a good ride on the day recording 23.50, followed by John P 25.17 and Colin C who was caught in one of the showers 29.40. Mildenhall Audax riders on a road parallel to the course knew what the racers were experiencing.
VC NORWICH 10 - (B10/3) - 30TH AUGUST
Conditions were very similar to Saturday's on the A11 north from Besthorpe, with a cold start strong wind and heavy squally showers. Bob retained his top spot with 24.27 but within reach was Ged with a very good 24.52 which gained him 1st place in the 70 plus age group. John T's 25.51 made it a Wolsey one two when he finished 2nd in the same age group. John P was unlucky to puncture at seven miles and was let down by his spare and finished walking.
10 John Parkes 23.08 CC Breckland B10/3 30th June
25 Andy Pearson 1.00.43 Shaftesbury CC E2/25 8th May
50 John Coles 2.07.56 ECCA E2/50C 22nd May
100 Andy Pearson 4.49.13 Nth Middx &Herts CA F1/100 18th June
WOMEN
10 Maureen Nichols 29.45 Norwich ABC B10/43 3rd July
25 Maureen Nichols 1.13.32 VTTA E2/25 12th June
50 Maureen Nichols 2..41.36 Godric CC B50/18 27th June
Sept 6th Wolsey RC General Meeting - Tower Street
12th St Elizabeth Hospice Peninsula Pedal 5.5. and 11.5 miles starting 10.30 - £5 and Constable Country 50 mile starting 9.30 £15 - Royal Hospital School Holbrook Sarah Cawley Tel: 01473 723600. www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk.
17th "Bobby on a Bike" Charity ride from Sproughton to Boxford to watch Tour of Britain start 9.30 Morrisons, Sproughton Road. Ipswich - £5 entry on day. Details PhilBarrett@tesco.net
Oct 2nd CTC Suffolk Audax 100km Blaxhall Paul Fenton 01473 311222
7th Wolsey RC Committee Meeting - Diamond Close.
This is your last chance to win a Club Trophy this year.
15th Wolsey RC AGM. Tower Street, Ipswich
A French Trip - Andy Pearson
In December it all felt like a good idea. It would give us an objective and incentive to train in all weathers, knowing that there was a big challenge in front of us. Kesgrave Sports Tours (Me) kicked into action just before Christmas and hastily arranged Sportive entry, booking of accommodation, flights and hire cars. Objective was clarified… ride the Beaumes de Venise - Mont Ventoux Sportive in early June and then return to France 3 weeks later to ride the Vaujany, Prix des Grandes Rousses and then the big one.. the Marmotte in the next trip (riding the Grimpee de l'Alpe the day after the Marmotte would just be silly). Paul decided to come on the first trip and Alistair the second.. I would do both. I put my entry in for the four, Paul his one and Alistair all four of the second week… well, that is very silly! But it did get him an early start number. Everything was going well in Jan, honestly. My training diary (yes, I do keep one although there appear to be some big gaps in it) says it was icy most days however mountain bikes prevailed.. we even arranged lunchtime training sessions from work. In Feb, I went skiing and broke my arm/shoulder joint and things went downhill. However, the turbo trainer came in use and did a bit on that. By March I was back on the bike, one handed and putting some miles in. April was highest mileage yet. Working in London I rode home and we did the Headway ride.. It was here that Paul and I started to admire Alistair's training regime. He managed to keep up with us with minimal training.. riding 75 miles in under 4 hours.. We thought there must be something in this and started to major on this method. May came and went and suddenly we were wondering how we were to get to Stansted airport. I hired a car and Paul and I trundled off to Stansted. Dropped the hire car a spit from the terminal and went straight through to drop the bag.. only one to save Easyjet charges. The terminal was virtually empty and we dropped the bikes at outsize luggage. All set to go. Wasted around for a couple of hours and then onto the flight. Soon we were at Lyon. They'd even moved the bus stop for hire cars outside T3 so you no longer had to have a convoluted journey through the terminal. Picked up the hire car slung the bikes into the hire car and off we went. Paul wanted to save some cash so we soon came off the autoroute to go through small villages to get to Orange.. about 120 miles. It took forever. We booked into our selective hotel F1.. look at their website and went out for a meal. First real day there, we went up to Chalet Reynard and rode to the top of Mont Ventoux.. thinking this isn't hard… much different from when I tried to ride up in icy rain in the Etape du Tour in 2000. We then drove down via Sault to sign on for the Sportive. Having signed on and got our free bottle of Cotes du Ventoux we went back to Orange to get our cyclists' feast at the nearby Campanile.. all you can eat buffet for starters. A main course and then all you can eat for dessert.. just what you need before the big event. We set off for Beaumes de Venise arriving in plenty of time. Bikes assembled and up to the start. It was already very hot, 26 degrees and the sun had only just got up. Eventually we set off.. one foot clipped in, one scooting along for the first hundred metres until we were over the timing mat. Pace was gentle and some guys were steaming past. Over some gently rolling countryside to Bedoin. Up the steady slope for next few km until the sharp turn and the climb really started. Paul rode slowly but surely away from me as I struggled up on 34/25. He was muscling up on 39/28.. I eventually reached Chalet Reynard and got some bright green liquid and a few bits of food. Then continued up to the summit of Mont Ventoux.. hurrah some downhill at last. On first few corners it was horrendous as we went through a seemingly endless swarm of huge flies. Then getting onto the long straights taking us down to Malaucene picking up huge speed and finding that SRAM brakes are nowhere near as good as Shimano at high speed. Into the valley it was fiercely hot. I skipped the next food stop as this was only about an hour after the last. By this time I was getting really sore hamstrings.. a combination of the climbing and the fact that I'd had to change my saddle recently.. same model but obviously slightly different. I got the allen key out dropped the seat a few mm and went on up the newly gravelled climb to Col de Veaux. At this point was the bi-furcation 70km done - 109km to the left, 176km and uphill to the right. Of course I turned right but after about 3km against an incessant headwind and looking at the fiche that said this went on for 30km - before a right turn to take you back up Mont Ventoux to Chalet Reynard - my survival instincts kicked in. I rationalised that I was doing other sportives later and could cane myself today and suffer the consequences - not only tomorrow but later on as well. Paul on the other hand, was about 15mins in front of me (we sussed out later) and was in for a caning. I turned round and completed the 109km ride - which rejoined the same course as the 176km ride with about 15km to go. Unfortunately, a nice man with a clipboard took my number where the courses joined.. you'll know why later. As I climbed the last smaller climbs I was passed by the leaders of the longer race. I was soon tapping out a decent rhythm and managed to get to the final water stop.. then the final descent and push all the way to the finish. Catching up a tandem and passing many others. Then, suddenly man points left, tandem dives left, sharp right and over the finish line. Thank God for that. I get my breath back and phone Paul on his mobile.. "I've finished" I boldly say to him. A confused "You what?" is all he can say in return. He's just arrived at Sault and still has a near 1000m climb to do before the descent and return over what he still thinks are mere bumps. I clarify that I did the shorter route and he calms down ready for more torture up to Chalet Reynard. I return to the car, which fortunately is still in shade, and it is still 36 degrees. I have quick wash and change and after a while decide to drive back up the course to where the two rides come together. As usual there are many Brits and I give each rider a 'courage' in my best French. After a while, Paul appears dragging himself up the hill.. it lasts for about 4km and is about 1 in 10. He stops and I give him some extra food and bottles. Then push him back up the hill.. I pull alongside and he pulls on the passenger door and gets a bit of assistance a la the medic car in the Tour for a few hundred metres. I then go up the rode and give him a cheer as he comes past. I then have trouble keeping in front on the descent then it starts going up again. I tell him a few times that it goes down after the next corner- just like a tour team manager - before he starts moaning at me.. then it truly is the last corner before the descent to the finish.
Initially, I was posted as coming 21st in the longer event. Soon after it was corrected and I was no longer on the finishing list. However I was not the only one as the lady who was listed as 20th in the main event was promoted to 16th! The man with the clipboard had been busy.
Paul finished in 8.57, 83rd in Category and 330 Overall