Club Notes - 9th May 2004

Miracles do happen the second bank holiday with great weather, so it’s a bit of a pity that the otherwise cold, wet conditions at the start of the year seems to have put off members from entering races probably waiting for a proper start of summer, then again it could be that folk decided to have a bank holiday off! Whatever the reason the sports action was limited to just two riders, first up was Mark Poyser who took part in the opening T.L.I. (The League International) sporting course series, some of you will remember that Mark excelled in this series last year winning his category and runner overall! Mark got off to a great start by winning the opening event recording a time of 37-09 on the new 15 mile 3 lap course, the series switching from last years Monksheath to Congleton and back course, after concerns about the increasing volume of traffic on a Saturday mornings, the course now runs for the most on the quieter country lanes that border the regular Chelford circuit, along regular training roads giving local riders the initial advantage, Mark claiming victory from Macclesfield wheelers on form Graham Trevano who recorded 37-13

Moving onto Sunday and yours truly had an early start discovering that there are two 5 o’clock’s in a day, now like hills I also don’t really do earlie's anymore so I can assure you it wasn’t planned, having entered the Stone Wheelers 25, one of my regular events and posted as a start time of 8am running on the Stone- Rugley road however due to the recent addition of permanent traffic lights the event was witched to a new course which is a variation of the ever popular (read fast) concrete mountain road or the A50 to non cyclists’. Starting at Blythe Bridge the route goes down the A50 over the Uttoxetter roundabouts up Doveridge bank turning under the road at the Ashbourne junction and -returning back to Blythe Bridge, however after last years tragic fatality the governing body has now placed a restriction of the last rider must be off the A50 by 9am. Hence my start time of 7.05 despite being number 45 in the field at that time in the morning with mist shrouding the top of the course there was a definite nip in the air despite this I predict it will prove as popular as the other variants as the conditions lend themselves to quick times as my 55-46 despite a lack of form shows. Bring this into context however was the winning time of Stourbridge C.C. rider Richard Bradley who recorded an exceptionally quick 51.34!

Back to reality and rain on Tuesday and Wednesday first in the Congleton C.C., car problems prevented me from getting a soaking (honest) but Leek Cyclists’ Club Den Engel’s Belgian bar was represented by one of our most long serving members Kevin Pickford in his first outing of the year, and Mark Bestwick our most recent addition to the ranks. Seasoned competitor Mark Poyser joined them. Of the rookies the pair acquitted themselves well Mark returning a time of 28-01 whilst Kev opened up his season with 31-03. Mark Poyser led the way home however recording an excellent 23-54 on what must have been a tough night based on 2^nd placed rider Congletons own Karl Austin who dropped back from 24-06 to 25-01. Moving onto Wednesday and the Macclesfield Wheelers 10 was dominated funnily enough by Maccs’ own riders with stalwart rider Roger Wrenn losing out to a much improved Graham Trevano who is reaping the rewards this season from being coached and an early season Italian training camp. Grahams time of 22-06 edging Rogers 22-15 both riders times belying a generally slower night. We had two riders taking part Marc Briand testing out the repaired Chainset prior to a trip up to Sheffield at the weekend. The test went well marc recording 24-27 to finish 7^th out 35 just ahead of Dayton Racing Team riders Phil Gayes and Gavin Pringle lets hope that the gremlins stay away and he can get on with racing. I got my delayed soaking and went considerably slower although my time of 22-41 meant I manage to cling onto 3^rd.

Whilst we are with racing action we finally have the dates for this years club championships starting as ever with the club 5 on June the 7^th, more details of which next week, this is followed by the 10 on the 15^th of June and the 25 on the 22^nd both the latter events taken place on Tuesday evening on the Gawsworth course. Moving up a level to the 50 & 100 mile event this years elected events are the Manchester and District Time trials Association Championships so have to be entered on official forms the dates are 4th July for the 100 and 24^th of July for the 50. Final event is the hill climb provisionally to be held on the 14^th of August.

By my reckoning that gives me a little over 2 weeks to hone my technique, don’t laugh its not nice.