Welcome to VC Meudon News pages

2010 Incentives

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.


In 2010 the young rider scheme will continue with free membership for anyone under the age of 23 as long as you race for the club at least once at any level. We will also reward youths and juniors with £1 per BC licence point up to £150 for the year (the bonus pool for this will be limited to £1000). Any u23 upgrading a category during the season will get the cost of a jersey refunded.

New this year to offer some small support are bonuses for riders showing promise or already representing the club at a high level. Anyone upgrading to a second cat licence will get a free pair of shorts or jersey while anyone holding or upgrading to a 1st cat or Elite licence will get a free jersey and shorts. We may also give ad hoc. support via kit items to younger or promising riders where appropriate.

Any parents who have not claimed their bonuses for their children who have earned points this season please email or phone us and we will send a cheque.

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.


This also means that you have to pay by cheque or cash - no credit/debit cards.

To make things easier Craig will be having a kit evening on Tuesday 1st December between 4.00 and 8.00. You will be able to try the kit on and buy one of each item only. However you will be able to order further items for our second delivery of kit. Costs have obviously been kept to a minimum and the kids kit properly subsidised.

Prices as follows:
Long sleeve top £43
Short sleeve top £36
Bib shorts £39
Tights £51
Mitts £17
Gilet £40
Kids top £10
Kids shorts £10
Showerproof wind jacket £57

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.

If you're looking to get your 3rd cat licence now and escape the early season 4th cat crashes or you'd like to help Mark Ottaway in his winter series points quest, read on for his report of the (off) season so far:

I have finished my 4th race today only 3 more left at Fowlmead, I raced at Hoghill yesterday and came 4th after a puncture, today at Fowlmead 2x puncture's !!!! and 4th again, I have 26 points towards winter series, which puts me in 2nd place and the rider with most points has 32, today the weather was shocking the worst I have seen, I know the winter series is not quite a summer series, but really would like to get a overall win, could you please ask if there is anybody who is a cat 2/3 who would be interested In helping me, I don't mind picking them up as i said there is only 3x races left at Fowlmead and they are all on Sunday's, and start in the new year, imperial winter starts soon hope I have had my bad luck of puncture's!

South East RR League Winter Series 5


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. Norwood Paragon
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.

VCM in the news

VCM hit the front page of the Cycling Weekly website this week with the Surrey League win.

Click on title to see story.