Reading Cycling Club

A week which began with the change to British Summer Time ended with the
return of winter weather, leading to cancellation of some cycling
events.

Time Trials

Reading CC's Tuesday evening time trial series kicked off the summer
race season with an event on the 10-mile Waltham St Lawrence course in
breezy but dry conditions. Paul Taylor, who ended the 2007 season as the
club's strongest time-triallist, has clearly made it through winter with
form intact, recording a very fast 23:05 for this course which sees few
25mph+ rides. Club record-holder Nick English followed him home with a
fine 23:52. Full results:

1. P Taylor, 23:05
2. N English, 23:52
3. P Weir, Maidenhead & District CC, 24:11
4. S Bale, 25:02
5. J Dale, 25:58
6. I Blatchford, 25:59
7. S Hyslop, AgiskoViner, 26:52
8. S Fleming, 27:11
9. S Bradbury, Palmer Park Velo, 28:15
10. G Paterson, 28:48
11. A Lawson, 29:13
12. G Henwood, 29:25
13. B Quick, 29:47
14. R Fitheridge, 30:37
15. P Stocker, 32:07
16. C Bates, 32:12
17. I Amith, Farnham Tri, 33:23
18. J Hern, Come and Try It, 34:36
Team of three: S Millward, B Bingham, R MacFadyen, 25:57

Reading CC promotes a full season of Tuesday evening time-trials through
until the end of August.

Nick English, Steve Bale and Peter Graham returned to the same course
two evenings later for the Maidenhead & District club event. They rode
as a team of three as a rehearsal for the forthcoming Antelope RT 50 km
team time trial event. The evidence is that they will be a strong
grouping. They recorded a quick 22:59 for the Waltham St Lawrence
course. Steve Millward, riding solo, recorded 24:27.

Photo caption: Nick English (L) and Steve Bale will be joined by Peter
Graham for the Antelope RT 3-up team time-trial
Photo credit: Andrew Bigwood

Road Racing

Lloyd McInally represented RCC in a 70km Eastern Road Race League event
in Maldon, Essex for 3rd and 4th category riders. He reports on a wintry
experience, "The forecast seemed to improve a little over the latter
part of the week so I set off to Essex with hopes high for a dry, but
cold event. However on opening the curtains on Sunday morning it was
snowing heavily. I talked myself into signing on, and tried to do a
warm-up but it was a bit academic - it was almost blizzard conditions
and snow was settling on the road. 54 riders took to the start. Five
riders pulled up on the first corner once they realised just how bad the
conditions were. I did 8 miles before getting dropped by the
surprisingly rapid, but dwindling bunch, then worked with another rider
for a while to try and get back on. Soon all that could be seen through
the white-out was the orange flashing light on the following car so we
headed straight back to the HQ. I have never been so cold in my life.
All the vents on my helmet were clogged up with snow and snow had built
up about an inch thick on all the forward-facing parts of my bike. Tea
ladies in the HQ were doing a roaring trade. Winner was Dominic Schils
(Lotto Olympia Team Interbike), son of a former Belgian professional."

Clubrun

Social, medium and fast groups depart from Reading Market Place at 9am
every Sunday.

Roderick MacFadyen
Reading Cycling Club