The Hillingdon Winter Series recommended.

The Hillingdon Winter Series has just started again and runs throughout the 'off-season'. There are races for E12s, plus separate 3 and 4th cat races. It's run on an off road circuit in West London and last week 4 Meudons (Ashley Holding, Mark Ottaway, Jason Edwards and Gianluca Capello) all took part.

Ashley Holding reports:

"Providing it’s not taken too seriously and used as a bit of a work-out it’s surprisingly good with bigger fields than you often get during the ‘race season’ and a good atmosphere. It’s all about getting in the break; there usually is one; and if you do make the break then it’s real hard. If you don’t make it then come the end of the race a bit of self preservation does not go amiss and sitting up is quite often the sensible thing to do at Hillingdon (Jay last week). It’s quite fast and helps maintain some bike handling skills, Jay and I meet at the Ottershaw car park and ride in leaving at 12.45 and arriving 10 minutes before the race start and then ride back – that’s about 65 miles with a race in the middle! If you fancy a Saturday winter work out then you could do worse. Anyone fancy it? (I only go if the weather is ok)."