Club Notes - 6th June 2004

Now we are in the age of the super information highway it means that there are just more ways not to tell me what’s going on out there, email, texting, phoning or even the old standby writing a note. And as I’ve been a bit under the weather lately and not out there in the field or on the road even! So have not collected the information it means that this weeks report is limited more or less to one event.

I say more or less as I have an update on last weeks as a result from the Macclesfield wheelers 10 on the 26^th arrived to late to be included, ok so the super highway must have stretches like the infamous ‘safety corridor’ on it too, however on the night Leek Cyclists’ club Den Engel’s Belgian Bar had one rider the newest of the squad Mark Beswick who knocked over half a minute off his Tuesday nights time recording 25-11. The event was won by Roger Wrenn who just edged out fellow Macc’ rider Graham Trevano with times of 22-04 to 22-09. I can also confirm that Kev Pickford completed his first 25 mile time trial in a number of years although apparently it was a bit touch and go in the closing miles, so Kev's probably still recovering which is why I don’t know what his time was and if any other Leek C.C. members rode and what their times were. Mark Poyser whose form was definitely on the rise in time for the up and coming club championships the 10 taking place on the 15^th with the 25 the week after on the 22^nd was down to ride the latest round of the TLI series but we nave no placings yet indeed we could do with a quick catch up on how the series is going; perhaps in a later report.

So now onto the Dukinfield Cyclists’ Club open 25 that took place on the 29^th of May Leek had 3 riders entered with first man off and back being Marc Briand who along with yours truly seems to be having a bit of a hit and miss season and at 1-05-46 albeit still in the top half of the field Marc would probably put the result as a miss. Likewise YT who was physically last man off, apart from being hunted down by three tandems was relieved to scrape in under the hour at 59-23, the subsequent disappearance of my voice and I still insist it was nothing to with attending a beer festival and an enjoyable evening watching fellow club member John Chapman, who along with the rest of the ‘Merkins’ did an excellent couple of sets, I swear I could see Mr Halden's brains ticking over with ideas for up and coming club events! I digress yes those of you lucky readers who have missed my reports for a while I haven’t got any better. Where was I oh yes the Duks 25 with me and Marc under performing we needed someone to step into the breach and drag the Den Engel banner back up the leader board rising to the challenge as in fact he has over the rest of this seasons races is Richard Brooks. This time Rich had equipped his bike with new wheels, Carbon-fibre Disc rear and carbon-fibre aero front, some riders take a while to settle into these type of changes if that’s the case then Rich’s new Personal best of 57-40 may soon be down to the level some of us need to travel to fast courses to achieve, as it is on Cheshire courses his time was good enough for 3^rd place overall, and curiously only 3^rd on handicap. Rich only being beaten to the top honours by two of the areas top testers John Waddilove 56-48 and Jimmy Froggat 55-30. Rich’s time almost lifted Leek to team honours despite Marc’s effort and mine.

Next week, results of the Club 5 and details of the next Muffin ride till then happy cycling.