While VC Meudon remains a traditional racing club and not a sponsored team, the renewal of our sponsorhip deals and the replacement of those not renewing means that as well as promoting multiple races each season we can offer some help to younger riders and those representing the club at a higher level.
2010 Incentives
New kit and kit evening. When, where, how much.
The new club kit has now been delivered to Cycle Kingdom. However please note that the kit is not being sold by the shop but by the club - it is just being handled by Craig from the shop. This means that you can't just pop into the shop and ask Theo to help you into a pair of shorts of a Saturday morning. Ideally you should check with Craig first (ring him or the shop) to check he's there and that the timing works for trying stuff on etc.
Jamie 3rd in Hargroves Grand Prix
The cross season is in full swing and VC Meudon riders continue to score highly in top class races.
Despite the torrential rain recently, VCM fielded a 5 man team in last weekend's Hargroves Grand Prix round of the Wessex Cross league at Southampton. In 2 weeks time the Southern Championships will be held on the same course so despite the weather there was a big field eager to get some practice on the championship course.
As the race start time approached the wind blew the rain clouds away and the sun may have even shone briefly. The car park was a semi-pro affair with vans packed with top quality bikes (not mine) jet washers, mechanics, helpers etc
Jamie Newall, Andy Dilkes, Robert McCarthy, Fraser Kennedy, Colin Addison + our good friend Tim Costello were all busy fine tuning their bikes, checking tyre pressures alongside Stuart Bowers, Jody Crawforth and Ian Field.
Jody Crawforth and Ian Field were a class aprt and quickly distanced the field to contest a race-log duel that saw them riding within 10 metres of each other for the whole race. Jody nipped the win by leading into the final corner and winning the sprint. The VCM team rode well with Jamie fending off a spirited challenge from talented youngster Dan Maclay to secure 3rd place. Robert and Andy fought well for 23rd and 24th, Tim was close behind in 29th, while Fraser was unlucky not to finish with his bike succumbing to the glue-like mud. I was making up the numbers, but having fun, especially when lapped twice by the top four riders.
... must mention the support of Hannah who worked tirelessly in the pits providing fresh bikes every lap for Jody, Jamie and Andy. I looked across longingly each time I passed the pits by with my bike getting heavier each lap.
Here's Jamie's "brief" race report...
Very hard race yesterday - very tired today body aching all over.
That was a real cross - shame Ian and Jody were too fast.
More training for me otherwise 17 year olds will be beat me.
Oxford saturday??
Jamie x- must go to bed!!
Haven't heard from Andy yet - perhaps he's lost for words?
Other reports/photos/video from the race can be found
here
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/main.asp?sitepages=news
here
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/431999/crawforth-wins-battle-of-the-field.html
here
http://www.londoncyclesport.com/Features/Features/Just_Add_Waffles.html
and more photos here
http://www.grahamrobins.net/photos/Hargroves%20Grand%20Prix%202009/
Help wanted for free points.
South East RR League Winter Series 5
By SERRL
November 22, 2009
Another popular day at Fowlmead with a total of 17 riders in 3 races…free points!!!!
The fifth event in the South East RR League Winter Series held at Fowlmead nr. Deal on November 22..
Cat 2/3s
1 Angus McAlister.
2 Shaun Duffield. Active Cycles
3 Mark Hill. ODLS.com
4 Mark Ottaway. VC Meudon
5 David Churchill. Bigfoot Bike Club
6 Dermot Kealty. Finchley RT
7 Steve Hambling. Active Cycles
Cat 4s
1 Sam Quinlan. Medway VC
2 Tim Ramsden. VC Deal.
3 David Mayes. Deal Tri
4 Mark Foulds. Deal Tri
5 Darren Tickner. Private member
6 Dan Clark. Deal Tri
7 Ian Ashton. Downlands
8 James Mantle. Deal Tri
9 Darren De-Berger. Private member
E/1
1 Gianluca Cappello
Big night out for Jamie, Colin, Keith and Ken

Once again the glamour and style of the UK cycling scene was to the fore when representatives of the South East of England's leading clubs and riders gathered together to celebrate another year of intense competition and the pursuit of athletic perfection at the Surrey League AGM and gala dinner.