Club Notes - 1st May 2004

Summer came to Cheshire now it only stayed for the weekend and my kits still hanging up drying to prove it! But any let up in what as been a bit of a cool start was a blessing in fact it was almost a pleasure racing in the Manchester and District time trial Championship open 25. I say almost because yet again the old warhorse (I wont admit to carthorse quit yet) was up against the younger colts of Marc Briand, Mark Poyser and last but not least Rich Brooks. In the end though Leek Cyclists’ club/Den Engel’s Belgian Bar only fielded 3 riders after eagle eyed Mark Poyser noticed that Mr Brainds' Chain-set was still suffering the after affects from the damage caused when it worked loose in the previous outing Marc having re tightened without realising that these new fangled splined jobbies have to fit more precisely which is something more likely a technophobe like YT would do still thanks to Mr Posyer further damage was avoided and hopefully the next outing will give us all a measure of Marcs' fitness!

This left just the 3 of us, the last outing went in Mark Poysers favour edging out Rich by 24 seconds, however Mark had spent time during the week tinkering with his position on the bike but the echoes of “ if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” came back to haunt him whilst others were improving by the odd minute Marks time of 59-26 albeit almost half a minute quicker and gave him 23^rd place left him less than satisfied, which means he will be out for revenge in the next head to Head the Glossop Kinder Velo on the 8^th! Rich continues his rise and very possibly scaring the short marks who either think there going to reel him in the first few miles, or are surprised to find him flying by, they will get wise though Rich, you will see the signs when they start looking at your bike after the event! Mind you they wont be parting with their aero wheels just yet but an improvement of almost two minutes to 58-34 and a finish inside the top 20 at 17^th. YT had probably the best improvement though “cos” I finished’ although an extended delay in putting my time up on the board did meant that I had a lot of folk asking what happened this week and I should get some decent tyres with replying but I did finish honest. In the end after I asked and a bit of digging around a time of 58-27 was offered and although slower than it felt it edged me ahead of Rich only just confirmed by being separated by one rider in the finishing table at 15, still we’ll settle for that as it may not happen again! The overall competition being the championship event brought out the big hitters with half a dozen 55 & 56 minute rides being completed but even these paled by the winning ride of Preston Wheelers John Morgan who was almost a minute clear with a rather rapid 54-23.

Weekend over and so apparently was summer with the 2^nd Congleton 10 this time held on the Monks heath course being particularly squishy, this probably explains why there were only 10 riders taking part, mind you on the other hand with the amount of rain and wind 10 was a pretty good turn out, YT was up for it’ no sense no feeling you might say possibly backed up by my decision to ride in a helmet with a visor stupid and blind, still after a spot of juggling I did manage to hold it together to cross the line 1^st in 23-00 ahead of my 2 up partner Karl Austin 24-26. Wednesday and I was joined by Mark Poyser for the Macclesfield 10, not quite so damp or at least it wasn’t the start, this may explain why yet again there were 40 odd riders lined up to start, who knows now that Dave Butterworths nemesis Graham Hill is back in action taunting him with a 26-22 Dave maybe tempted to join in, he’s been seen out you know, it was the red hot and dry Sunday though! I digress though and back up towards the top of the leader board we had a good showing with Mark finishing in 7^th place with a 23-58, whilst I scraped into 2^nd place at 22-35, pipped yet again by Macclesfield wheelers own rider Graham Trevana who finished in 22-30 still there’s always next week till then happy cycling