Three lots of results this week, and what quality events, the UCI Gran Fondo World champs, the National 10 Mile TT and the SICC Club event. Well done to all our competitors, it's reassuring we have very strong TT representation and can hold our own against some very good trade teams.
Unlucky to Pat for his injury before the TT and then a puncture during the road race but he still competed (as we knew he would do). Results will be winding now but we should see some CX results coming in.
Weds 28th Aug SICC 10 Shaun Jarvis 1st 21.19; Stassi Bowler (St Piran WRT) 4th 23.17
Thurs 29th Aug UCI Gran Fondo World Champs TT Just over 32k Pat Ellerbeck 53.48 20th of 28
Sat 31st Aug National 10 Mile TT Champs Men F2e/10 Sam McDonald 23rd 19.25; Nic Pillinger 42nd 20.03; Shaun Jarvis 58th 20.31
Sun 1st Sept National 10 Mile TT Champs Women F2e/10 Stassi Bowler (St Piran WRT) 9th 21.56
Nic's Race Report
Nat 10 Report
Over the weekend no fewer than three St Neots club riders took part in the National 10 Mile TT Championships, held on a new variant of one of our favourite local fast courses - the F2e/10 in Cambourne.
Saturday saw the men do battle against an illustrious field of TT royalty… and a filthy head wind on the outbound leg to Madingley. A combination of pacing and aerodynamics would be paramount. Maximise the power to the turn, and sail home as small and efficiently as possible.
All three male riders acquitted themselves exceptionally well. Sam led the club home in a monstrous 19:25; good enough to see him riding high in the provisional standings, and hold on for an impressive 23rd position overall. Nic followed in 20:03; 42nd overall (3rd 45-49 vet). Shaun wasn’t far behind in 20:31; 58th overall. A great all-round performance, easily the best cycling club against a raft of sponsored race teams!
Kudos also to several friends of the club: Ryan Witchell 36th in 19:56, and Simon Bowler 45th (3rd 55-59 vet) in 20:11.
Sunday brought lighter winds, but damp roads from an early downpour. Against another strong field, Stassi representing her race team (St Piran WRT) came home in a solid 9th place with 21:56.
Good riding everyone - it’s great to see the club represented so strongly at a national level. Thanks also to club members who showed up to volunteer and support from the sidelines!
Sun 1st Sept UCI Gran Fondo World Champs Road Race TT 70 miles Pat Ellerbeck 54th of 62 riders
Pat's Race Reports
An eventful and disappointing trip to the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Denmark, after a long drive in a friends camper van approx 900 miles, arrived 5 days before the first race, on arrival slipped down my hotel steps and strained my quad! So the next 4 days were spent mostly lying on my bed recovering. Thursday morning felt ok to do the TT. A disappointing ride on my road bike finishing well down the field and noticeably down on my usual power figures .
Come Sunday and the 70 mile road race felt much better our group of over 100 set off, one of the last groups to start, a very hectic start through the housing estates until we reached the open countryside , felt comfortable settled in the middle of the main group, then the dreaded sound of loss of air, a rear tyre puncture so race over at 15 miles. Proceeded to fit new tube ably assisted by a local farmer , naturally enough we exchanged pleasantries and he offered me coffee at his nearby farm, I politely declined and continued my race, gradually catching a number of riders from various age groups, passing a number of other riders at the roadside with punctures, and victims of high speed crashes, also a number of riders needed medical attention the aftermath of 2500 cyclists negotiating the same country roads and town furniture. Eventually finished a lowly 54th in my age group. Highlight of the championships for me was the performance of local legend and friend Linda Dewhurst who retained her road race title and won her age group (65-70 ) TT title to become a very rare double world champion, chapeau to her. All in all a great event held in an equally great country, extremely similar to home, but better in many respects . Anybody interested in trying their hand at qualifying next year's worlds in Australia the following year in Japan?.