So we had 3 members of the club riding at the weekend, 2 in Time Trials (Paul Williamson and Pat Ellerbeck) and Stassi Bowler racing for her new race team St Piran Ladies. Congratulations to all 3 on their results (I think the DNF was still a great effort at the CiCle Classic.
First TT reports from Paul and Pat
Paul Williamson - ECCA E2/10 16th Mar
I'm still working it all out but getting there hopefully as I've only taken up time trialling again recently. As Sam often says, 'you've got to start somewhere'!
First TT of the season and not a bad day weather wise for the time of year, 12 degrees, dry and moderate SW. With a few new bits of kit, new position and practicing it on a trainer watching my avatar with the screen on the garage floor (free advice from our Sam and George Fox!). Holding the most aero position is tough but it's only recently sunk in how important it is (still working it out!).
I rode a 10 mile TT about 25 years ago on the F1/10, St Neots to Black Cat roundabout and back, on a road bike with clip-on bars (Raleigh Dynatech if interested, still have it!), and did a 22 something so was keen to beat that. I didn't get to ride a 10 last year so my official PB was soft from a couple of years ago and was the first ride on my TT bike. Even this thing called spindata was predicting a PB by a minute so I couldn't argue with a 21:59, which was 1min 30 seconds faster.
Unfortunately there was an accident around the 1 mile mark, about 20 mins after the start of the event which led to the inside lane being closed and the last 20 riders not finishing, those who had started walked back to the start. Fortunately there were no cyclist involved.
Looking forward to the season ahead and will work it out one day hopefully!
And now Pat Ellerbeck's report from the same TT event
First outing for the new bike, also first ride on it ! Held the aero position for most of the ride and ended up with a 22.40. Was hoping for faster but normalised power was a respectable 297 watts, new road surface full course, race marred by minor car prang that halted the race at rider 50. Anyway next Saturday next test, good warm up for road race Sunday
Finally Stassi Bowler race report
On Sun 17th Mar I raced the CiCLE Classic, the first of the Nat A road race series with multiple sectors of off road gravel and mud. It was my first race with the new team, and it was amazing to have so much support from them, at the start, in the feeds, in the team car and after the finish. Lots to learn from it as I didn't position myself well going into the narrow roads, so got shunted back before we even hit the off road where I thought my skills would come into play. I eventually ended up in a group and we all worked together to keep getting through the brutal experience, I would sit on the front on the flat road sector's, up the steep roads, and we all just pushed through the very tough off road. Most of us couldn't see much by the end, and I couldn't really tell my bike was pink anymore! Coming out of the final sector of off road I sadly picked up a puncture. I had inserts in, so rode a bit further but couldn't keep up with my group on the road with no pressure in the rear. My team car came up after a while but unfortunately I got caught by the broomwagon about 30 seconds after putting a new wheel in. A shame about the ending but honestly an amazing experience, and I can't wait to do it again next year!!