Epsom Spring Classic LVRC reports

Ride of the day came from Ashley Holding in the AB race to win his category and finish 2nd across the line, meanwhile Martin H retained his leader's jersey and there was a rare outing for Ken in CV kit which will hopefully herald the start of a proper comeback.

Here's Ashley's report:

"Myself, Jason Edwards and Steve Smith rode in Meudon colours whilst Craig, Gianluca and others rode in Vecchi colours. Jason was very active for first two laps but all attacks came to nothing, I took a flyer on the hill with four to go and was joined by Matt Seaton – we held onto a minute for most of the race but I had to give it to Matt in the end as I blew last time up the hill and he waited for me, (what a gentleman he is!). Jason did a great job curbing any chase and Steve managed to blow both tyres on one of the many pot-holes."

And Steve Barnsley reports from the CD race:

"The pace was fast, with constant attacking from Ray Palin, Reg Smith, Jim Moffat and CV Rob Cranstone and Martin H in Meudon colours. Terry Morgan became one of many puncture victims with the mixture of pot holes and rough and damp roads. In the end, as often is the case, the break just drifted away but with Reg in there it was destined to succeed, although we very nearly caught them on the line. I managed to play the anonymous sprinter perfectly...except that I wasn’t positive enough going into last corner so only managed to get 7th – but no-one had told me that the course meant 6 times up a steep hill so I was pleased to finish!"

The Senor Rutherford diaries - March

With the weather warming up, I thought it’s about time I sent you all a few pictures of this years Vuelta de Murcia.

Lance Armstrong flew into San Javier Airport on the Tuesday morning and went straight to his hotel (at Polaris World Resort) whilst the rest of the riders (including his Radio Shack team, stayed in San Pedro). He doesn’t make things easy for himself, as when Martine and I went to the time trial everyone, from all the teams were out giving interviews, photos, etc, even Kloden from the Shack was signing autographs. Armstrong had the local police pushing everyone out of the way. I did get a couple of lucky shots of him warming up, but there was no hiding when he was waiting to start the T.T. I must admit he looked ready for racing. He looked a lot slimmer than on TV and I was quite impressed with his performance and overall 7^th place.

I was surprised by the amount of English out. Must be the new Sky Team and Endura riding. At the TT I went over to speak to a couple of riders from Endura team who were warming up on the rollers when out popped Guillermo Molino from the team bus. He came up to me shaking my hand and patting me on the back (he was an old friend of mine ) and rides in some races. He was working for Endura as the mechanic. He speaks no English so I don’t know how they understand each other. The team did win the blue point jersey and a couple of top 10^th places. Guillermo is such a nice guy, I wonder if the Endura team know he was a past world road champion in the late 60’s. It’s great when he turns out to race, as he has the world bands on his club jersey with matching champion helmet and bike painted up as well. He probably has a pair of pyjamas in the world bands !!

I told my friends over here at the TT that Wiggins was up against it in the TT, let alone the overall, as Fran Rabon was on the same time at starting the TT and he won the TT last year and sure enough, he won it and the overall.

Incidentally, Martine is now working for the local magazine and they asked if I’d do a couple of write ups for them…..for the March issue, I put together information on what the Vuelta de Murcia is all about and the stages etc. Obviously, I was limited in space and had to write it in a format so that a “non cyclist” could read it, understand it without getting too bored !For the April issue I did a follow up piece on the actual event. If you want to check these out you can view them at www.costacalidachronicle.com (link on left hand side of page to april 2010 issue, article on page 38), March issue under the heading “back issues, and article on page 48. Martine was also asked to write a book review, so we’re becoming proper local celebrities !!

Picked up my new race kit today as I was being taken out to my first race for 5 weeks !

First Race of the Alicante series…..

Guadamar De Seguro. Sunny, 23 deg. 184 riders, 80k. Very windy today so it will be hard and dangerous trying to get past slow riders when you’re in one long line. We started off with a tail wind in one big lump of riders. 58kph so no problem, then we turned left, hard,but still no problems. Then 15 riders ride away. I could just about see them go but was too far back so had to wait. Then we turned back on ourselves into a right shoulder cross wind. This blew the bunch to pieces. I was in the 3^rd group on the road with about 45 others. 2^nd group had about 60 riders with about 40 riders behind my group. Juan Antonio from my team was 18^th and best rider from our team, Ramon and I nowhere. Next week 10k time trial.

Eelmore results 21st April

3/4 CATS
1 - Robert McCarthy - VC Meudon - 3
2 - Sam Gardner - Cannondale - 3
3 - Nick Onslow - Pedalon.co.uk - 3
4 - Lee Garner - Team Quest The bike Shop - 3
5 - James Bracey - VC Meudon - 3
6 - Adrian Goatley - PM - 3
7 - Dave Farmer - Cycle Works.Co.UK - 3
8 - Kieran Dineen - Inverse Racing - 3
9 - James Carter - London Dynamo - 3
10 - Peter Day - Fareham Wheelers CC - 3

YOUTHS
POSTION - NAME - CLUB - CAT
1 - Damon KING - P Park Velo - D
2 - Jake Kennedy - P Park Velo - D
3 - Joe McGuinness P Park Velo - D

1 - Lucy Coleman - P Park Velo - D /Girls
2 - Liberty Hards - V.C.Meudon - D /Girls

1 - Louis Mashani - Hillingdon Slip Streamers - B

1 - Rory Townsend - Hillingdon Slip Streamers - A
2 - Jason Brown - P Park Velo - A


E12 CATS
1 - Justin Hoy - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
2 - Paul Pickup - Cycle Kingdom Race Team - E
3 - John Wager - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
4 - Lee Smith - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - 1
5 - Tim Elverson - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
6 - Blake Pond - Southfork Racing - 1
7 - Robert King - AW Cycles co.uk - 2
8 - Henry Furniss - Wyndymilla - 1
9 - Christopher Minter - Pedalon.co.uk - E
10 - Andy Hibberd - North Hants RC - 2
11 - John Hollier - Southfork Racing - 1
12 - Chris Tune - PM - 2
13 - Steve Richards - Cycle Kingdom Race Team - 2
14 - Neil Cooper - AW Cycle.co.uk - 2
15 - Mark Ottaway - VC Meudon - 2

Mid-week results and opportunities

If you'd like to try racing there are lots of opportunities during the week now the evenings are lighter.

Tuesday is busiest evening of the week with three different choices. If you want to try a time trial the Farnham Road Club 10 mile race is a good way to dip your toe in the water. Chris Day is a regular down here putting in some consistently good performances - 3rd last week in 22 mins 10 seconds.

If you've just got your 4th cat licence then a good place to try a circuit race is Hillingdon on a Tuesday night. Look out for Mark Ottaway or Gianluca Capello in the E123 cat race which is not for the faint hearted as Mark reports:

"Last week's race was like the Grand National - 105 riders, it was mad, elbows rubbing, riders broadsiding, a big pile up on the finish. I was on Gianluca's wheel in the sprint but got forced onto the grass verge and then re-joined the track, I don't know how and still came 13th. Gianluca was 9th. I was pleased considering the amount of riders."

Also starting next week will be the Goodwood Gallops. Held at.....Goodwood. This replaces the Dunsfold series, is open to all categories and will probably be a scratch race one week (where everyone starts together) and a handicapped race the next (where the lower categories go off with a time advantage and the higher categories have to catch them. Or a 'handiscratch' where riders go off in groups according to their category but the gap is minimal.

On Wednesdays we have our own series promoted by club sponsor Cycle Kingdom at the Eelmore circuit near Fleet and Aldershot. This is a 3/4 cat race (won by Rob McCarthy this week) and a E12 race on a small circuit which makes for good hard racing. Details of the series should be on the website shortly.

Finally and the only road race on the road (contact us for clarification!) - all the others are on traffic free circuits, are the popular Surrey League Thursday night handicaps for all categories. These are on different courses throughout the area.

If you'd like to know any more email us and we'll either be able to help or direct you to someone who knows all about these races.

Ciclisti Vecchi RR report

At the weekend Terry Morgan organised the Ciclisti Vecchi (VC Meudon's vets wing that's also open to friends of the club who don't actually ride for the club - I'm sure that makes perfect sense) on a new circuit based around Herriard. It's been a great feat to get a new circuit approved and run what turned out to be a great day and two good races. Here's Terry's report from the race:

"A great win from what was an opportunist move that saw 3 CVs, 1 Meudon and I EX Meudon form the winning break on the last lap of an exiting new circuit based around Herriard that most said was like riding a Belgian Classic. The “Ronde Van Herriard” perhaps.

The day started with clear skies and a temperature in April that may not be repeated for the rest of the year.

The first of 5 Laps was relatively uneventful with most riders waiting to see what the circuit would reveal. Just a few small attacks. First from Martin Hulbert from the gun saw the pace steady and fast but no one really willing to let any one get away from the Golden Pot down to South Wanborough. Which is where most found their first surprise of the circuit, the three climbs from South Wanborough to Upton Grey. The first of these took the sting out of a few legs and surprised most by its length. The pace stayed relatively high until the approach to the Herriard climb where it slowed momentarily and then increased as we crested the climb at the 200m flag. From there the race became a single line of riders, vying for the wheel in front, as they entered the narrow, fast and twisting left turn back past the HQ and into Back lane.

This section set the scene for most laps stringing the bunch out and forcing the pace to try and gain a gap.

Throughout the first two laps various attacks gained momentum and failed as quickly as they started, all being covered by a CV or Meudon rider.

The second lap saw Matt Seaton attack through Upton Grey and gain some ground that looked like it might hold. On the second ascent of Herriard Michael Staines managed to bridge the gap and the pair soon moved away pretty fast. Seeing as they were both A’s the majority of us B’s & C’s were content to let them go and leave the chasing to others. After a Lap they had pulled out a sizable lead of over a minute and were only visible from the top of the second climb to the third at Upton Grey.

The break was however short lived as Seaton punctured, retiring from the Race and Staines, deciding it was safer back in the bunch, duly returned. The following 2 Laps saw many CV/Meudon riders in small breaks that formed off the front but the pace was so relentless that none succeeded.

On the last lap however a small attack from Martin Hulbert through Blounce on the way to South Wanborough was quickly followed by Colin Addisson, John Alderman, Les Liddiard and finally myself.

Thanks to some swift blocking from the CV’s in the Bunch (including Wilson, Capello and Cranstone) a gap was forced open and the break consolidated. Hulbert turned up the pressure over the first of the three climbs and Addissons legs buckled. The 4 remaining riders shared the pace until Weston Patrick where his legs got the better of him and Alderman slipped of the back. Leaving Hulbart, Liddiard and myself to fight it out up the climb. It was obvious that all three of us were feeling it as for the first time we all engaged the small ring and tried to sprint/ grovel to the line in that order. Hulbert 1st, Liddiard 2nd and myself 3rd. The bunch sprint for 4^th was won by Roland Tilley, who almost caught me at the line."

Eelmore results 14th April

YOUTHS RACES
POSTION NAME CLUB CAT
1 - Damon KING - P Park Velo - D
2 - Joe McGuinness - P Park Velo - D
3 - Jake Kennedy - P Park Velo - D


1 - Jason Brown - P Park Velo - A


1 - Lucy Coleman - P Park Velo - D
2 - Liberty Hards - V.C.Meudon - D

3/4 CATS
1 - Julian Frankland - Cheltenham & County CC - 3
2 - Steve James - Pedalon.co.uk - 3J
3 - Michael Widera - WWW.Sports-Coaching.com - 3
4 - James Bracey - VC Meudon - 3
5 - Emma Patterson - London Dynamo - 2W
6 - Andy Edwards - Kingston Wheelers - 3
7 - Mark Workman - Festival RC - 3
8 - James Carter - London Dynamo - 3
9 - James Duwsbier - London Dynamo - 3
10 - Ian Black - Norwood Paragon - 3


E12 CATS
1 - Tim Elverson - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
2 - Richard Mardle - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - 1
3 - Paul Pickup - Cycle Kingdom Race Team - E
4 - Pete Wager - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - 1
5 - Justin Hoy - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
6 - Lee Smith - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - 1
7 - Martin Smith - Kuota-Road CC - EV
8 - David Creeggan - VC Meudon - E
9 - Simon Ernest - AW Cycles co.uk - 1
10 - John Wager - Felt-Colbornes Racing Team - E
11 - Henry Furniss - Wyndymilla - 1
12 - Allan Ridler - Army Cycling Union - 2
13 - Robert King - AW Cycles co.uk - 2
14 - Jamie Newall - Team Corley Cycles - 1
15 - John Hollier - Southern Racing - 1

Enter Thorney Island circuits now.

After the success of last year's event, Tim Costello is again promoting some races on the Thorney Island circuit on the 9th of May. It's a nice, scenic, traffic free course with no hills. There will be youth's races and a 2nd cat vets/3/4cat race. Because it is on an active military base you have to enter in advance - there is no entry on the line. There are only a few entries so far - so guaranteed points for those wishing to upgrade!

You can enter on-line via the Surrey League website:

http://www.surreyleague.co.uk/results/results2010/may2010/may9-2v34.htm

Race and postal entry details here:

http://tinyurl.com/y4m35m6

SRM lost at Eelmore 14/4/10

James Carter has lost his bike computer (SRM Powercontrol VI) and wondered whether it may have been spotted or found at Eelmore last night. He was parked on the right side about 100m before the finish line. It's quite an expensive piece of kit so he'll be very grateful if anyone's got it. You can contact him on 07870 224 482.

Day and Hulbert in the results

Martin Hulbert rode the Blackmore Essex LVRC Mystina Race 2 on Sunday for cats A+B+C and finished 3rd in the C category.

The race was dominated by one break of about 5 riders with 3 laps of the 7 laps to go. This contained Favourites Matt Seaton and Mark Daley who was first overall. There were no C categories up the road. Martin finished 3rd in break for 3rd C category.

Meanwhile on the in the Farnham Road Club 10, Chris Day was flying down the dual carriageway to record the second fastest time of the evening in 23:00.

Terry's LVRC Races 18th April

Here are the details of the LVRC races Terry Morgan is organising on the new Herriard course on Sunday 18th April. Thanks to all who have volunteered to help out - if anyone else can spare a couple of hours morning or afternoon that would be much appreciated -
Contact terry to let him know - his contact info is on this info sheet

CLICK THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW

casatramonto.com Italian training camps

We run a small-scale operation which is priced competitively but still offers high quality accommodation and food as well as all the advantages of training on cycle-friendly roads ridden by the professionals.

The property is offered for cycle training in the early part of the year and as a self-catering holiday home in the summer. If you look at our website you will see it is currently dual purpose and includes a page entitled Cycle Tramonto which gives information about the training camp.

If what you see isn’t exactly what you want then please send us an email letting us know and we’ll be happy to contact you to discuss a tailor-made visit. For example you and your group might want to self cater in which case the price would be reduced or alternatively you might want to bring your family and your bike in the summer months and cycle while they laze by the pool or soak up the sun on the beach.

www.casatramonto.com

We look forward to receiving any feed back you may have.

Regards

David Freeman

ex Hastings CC, Bayeux CC and LVRC

Another win for Rob

Fresh from his win at Thruxton last week Rob McCarthy switched back to mountain bikes this week with equal success in the British Mountain Bike Series round 1 race at Sherwood Pines.

Here's his report from the 4 lap Sport men's race:

"With no MTB points on my licence I found myself gridded close to the back of the field, with at least 50 riders in front of me.
I knew the start was going to be critical if I was going to get a good result, I got away from the line fairly well making my way through the field, at the first wide fire road I got out of the saddle and put in a big effort to get to the front group of 5 or so riders, before the first section of singletrack. By the end of the first lap I was riding in second place and took the lead early on in the second lap, I felt strong riding in the lead for the second and third lap. On the last lap the second place rider caught me and took the lead, I tried to break him on the first fireroad section and retook the lead, only to caught again with 2 k to go, I tried to put pressure on him by passing back markers on some tight corners, I looked round and he was still on my wheel, with five hundred metres to go I locked out my front forks prepared for a sprint. He tried to pass me once more before entering the arena to no avail.
With one hundred metres to go I took the grippiest line on the final corner into the finish straight, forcing him onto a slippery line, and held him off in the sprint by a bike length."