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.

VCM - Surrey League Champions 2009

It took us all by surprise but at last night's "Gala Awards Evening" VC Meudon was announced 2009 Surrey League Champions in the closest fought season ever.
Well done to all who raced and contributed to the win!

Ken was there to receive the trophy on behalf of the club, while Jamie picked up his and Dave Creeggan's trophies for first and second in the Dunsfold Park Series.

09/10 Club kit quick preview


Due to the many requests for a look at the new club kit before it arrives - here it is [CLICK on the images for a larger view]. Hopefully this will answer whether it will go with your new frame, or which frame to get or if you will be forced to stump up for a respray.


The kit has been designed by Roger Morgan at designmyjersey.com and is being produced by Gianluca Capello at ProSport Distribution - both club members and both recommended. Details of how to get the kit will be available shortly as well as prices etc - if you want to know more get in touch with Craig at Cycle Kingdom.

Another quick one from Bob

Bob Moore reports from the big event at Blenheim:

"Theres life after the age of 54!
Blimey, after a season scrabbling around the south of England for 7 BC points my form
has come good for October and November.
I rode the Blenheim Palace 100mile Sportive in October, although on the day I was placed 18th
it has since transpired that the 17 riders that had faster times had only ridden the 100k event,
which has moved me up to fastest rider on the day!"

Nationals glory for Bob and Andy

Bob Moore reports from last weekend's LVRC National Track Championships which he rode with Andy Grant:


"Andy was 5th in the matched sprint I was 6th in 60 lap points race and 3rd in 40 lap scratch.Together we won the LVRC Team Sprint Championship

Andy Grant was at the Velodrome early on the Saturday, warming up in preparation for his 200 metre flying start seeding round. His time of 13.13 put him sixth fastest and ensured a fair race in his first round.

Andy’s first round match sprint pitched him up against Dave Smith (5th in last years worlds) who was looking supremely confident as they walked up the track to their bikes. As I held Andy up for the start I could hear the other 2 riders exhaling and snorting, Andy was looking across them and wondering if their carbon frames and Campag disc wheels shod with Dugasts would make a difference. It turned out that they didn’t as Andy rode a blistering and tactical race, Dave Smith had to dig deep to stop Andy from getting past on the line. ‘’That wasn’t as easy as I thought’’ Dave Smith was heard to say as he left the track.

Bouyed up with confidence from his first round, Andy got back through the repecharge to the next round.

A four up sprint, he was fourth at the bell and it looked like Andy was going out but 125 metres later

he had moved up to third, then second as the track unwound and finally hurtled across the line in

front, taking the long way round it was a classy win.

The first semi final round saw a matched sprint of epic proportion, 4up including silver medallist

from the European Championships Keith Williams and Mark Zashke. Andy rode a smart race but with only the winner going through to the final it was going to be tough. Andy led out and was high on the banking with Williams and Zashke watching each other a few lengths back, in an instant Williams jumped with Zashke on his wheel, they ripped below Andy who chased hard for 350 metres to get third on the line, only just off the wheels of 2 riders who have practised their track craft at world championship level.

Andys final ride was in the Bronze medal ride off where Zashke showed his class for a confident ride to the podium.

Finishing third, 1 length down put Andy 5th in the LVRC championship. A fantastic result from a year fraught with crashes, broken ribs, sore hips and enforced time off the bike.

Andy and I rode the Team Sprint at last years LVRC Track Champs. Although it was the reason we

started to ride the track together we weren’t well matched on the day. Fitness is important but track time and experience count for a lot, gearing is critical. Timing is critical as well, a slow start or too fast a start will wreck your ride. At the race last year I struggled for a whole lap to get on Andys wheel, so when he swung up for me to start my lap I was totally wrecked creeping round to finish in a disappointing 39.2 seconds. Cronshaw and Smith won in 35.6 seconds, we were a world apart. A year later we rode again, more track time and more confidence we hoped to get a 37 something.

The Team Sprint is an amazing event for getting everything out of yourself. You find yourself in an intense zone of effort, like riding in a muffled tunnel, where you lose your hearing and some of your vision, only aware of the screaming lungs and legs and the image of the finish line in your mind.

Andy led away from the whistle, out of the saddle for the first 175metres, I dropped onto his wheel as the first bend unwound and managed to hold his wheel all the way. Much better drilled than last year, I was starting to go through on the black line as Andy headed up the track at the end of his lap.

This time I was on top of my 94’’ gear and further wound it up for the next three quarters of a lap, only fading in the last 50 metres. We had no idea what time we did and left the Velodrome at the end of Saturdays session. It was only at the end of Sundays racing that I was told that were missing from the Team Sprint presentation the night before.

We had won the event in 36.56 beating the current champions Cronshaw and Smith team in to third place.

Open mouthed in disbelief when I was told, I stood on the top step to collect both of our medals, LVRC Team Sprint Champions. It was a real shame that Andy wasn’t there on the day, he would have been 'speechless' (this is Andy Grant I’m talking about!!!!)"

Marshalling 2009 - The Movie

Click on the title above. Parental adisory: the above film contains explicit language.

Or go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5CJXvWXkK8