Reading Cycling Club press report, week ending Sunday 10 May 2009

A week of hectic racing and riding summarised in one article and one
photo.

Road and Circuit Racing

Gavin Spiers, Joe Harris, Rob King and Paul Elcock went to Eelmore
circuit in midweek. Elcock reports here from inside the 3rd and and 4th
category peloton: "I was intent on trying to force a break. An early
two-up lasted about 5 laps until the peleton closed us down. That was
the story for nigh on 45 minutes. Despite repeated efforts nothing was
sticking. I knew that it would be a lottery to get a top 10 in a group
sprint so near the end I signalled to Gavin. He unloaded a huge sprint,
I bridged up to him and when I looked back, the peleton were about 50
metres back. I tried to go solo to the finish while Gavin did an
excellent job of stalling the peleton. On the last lap I was really
tiring, a single rider came past me. With the finish approaching he put
on an early sprint. I jumped too but instant cramp stalled me. I put in
an effort to cross what i thought was the line and sat up but the line
was 10 metres further on. I was swamped and very lucky to take 4th
place."

<>
Photo credit: Paul Elcock considers race tactics

Wayne Thomas put in a week with over 130 miles of racing.
Thomas was at Hillingdon on Tuesday for a one hour high speed race with
attacks from the off, gaining a mid-bunch finish.
He was there again on Wednesday for the LVRC circuit race. Reading were
well represented with Paul Stedman, Fred Hale, John Snead and Thomas. A
field of over 60 veterans hit the circuit. In the hectic final sprint
Stedman pipped teammate Thomas to the line - but well down the field,
with Snead and Hale close behind.
Saturday found Thomas near Worcester in an LVRC 45 mile road race. "The
winning four man break was formed early in the race.
In the chasing bunch Thomas maintained station close to the front of the
peloton throughout the race. In a fast finale his sprint started at 350m
to go, where he was fifth in the sprint, 9th overall and 4th in his age
group.
On Sunday Thomas, Brian Bingham, and James Pilgrim-Morris went to
Thorney Island for the fourth round of the season long LVRC Mstina
competition. The course was a flat, exposed closed road circuit on an
ex-RAF base. With age-related categories Bingham and Pilgrim-Morris were
in the AB race and Thomas in the CD race. Pilgrim-Morris, showing the
benefits of his recent Tour of Sardinia, made an outstanding effort,
leading with one other for over 6 laps. However, the bunch had never
lost sight of them and Bingham and Pilgrim-Morris finished in the main
bunch. In the CD race, all hell broke loose during the opening lap with
attack after attack. Thomas found himself in a lead group of 8 riders -
who continued to attack over the next three laps. This proved too hot a
pace for Thomas who drifted back, eventually taking an overall 10th
place. Thomas: "This was the hardest opening miles of any race this
season - anyone who thinks that Veterans racing is easy really should
come and try it!" Bingham: "I was happy with my effort except for
overcooking a corner and ending up on the grass briefly."

Time Trials

Lucinda Seymour went hunting for a fast time on the Levens 10 miole
course: "On a good day it's very fast but we experienced a tough
headwind. I was 4th lady at 24:18 which was 2 minutes faster than my
time last year so very pleased with this improvement. Christine MacLoed
was the fastest lady with a 22:55; and coming from the Shetland Islands
she admitted to being very used to riding in windy conditions."

Trudi Sammons was to be found on Teeside for Round 4 of the national
Rudy Project series of events where she was 4th lady, less than two
minutes off the winner.

Brian Bingham rode the Farnham RC 10 mile TT on the A31 at Bentley:
"This was my first attempt at this course and I clocked a good time for
me of 23:49. Reading's John Ella also rode it in a time of 26:11"

Nick English, Steve Bale, Rod MacFadyen and Dave Gaida went to the A31
at Bentley on Sunday morning for the first local 50-mile event of the
season, the Charlotteville CC '50'. The event was lucky to find a gap in
the windy weather. Gaida suffered from cramp and recorded 2.41:54. Bale
was disappointed to go off course. MacFadyen recorded a 3-season best
with 2.05:32 and English was Reading's fastest rider on 15th place with
1.57:46. Lawrence Harding of Shorter Rochford RT was a clear winner with
his 1.47:50.

Reading's Tuesday evening event took place on the 10.9 mile hilly
Heckfield circuit. On a cool and breezy night 18 riders turned up.
Fastest rider on the night was Maidenhead's Peter Weir ahead of Nick
English. Trevor Bradbury on his first event since returning from injury
rode a solid 27:49.

1. M&DCC, Peter Weir 25:27
2. Nick English 25:56
3. Stephen Bale 26:27
4. Stephen Millward 27:16
5. Simon Notley 27:18
6. Simon Markham 27:45
7. Trevor Bradbury 27:49
8. Rod Macfadyen 27:50
9. AW Cycles, Matt Melville 27:52
10. Greg Woodford 28:54
11. Dean Preston 30:05
12. Ian Lomas 30:32
13. Warren Davis 30:54
14. Tim Harris 30:55
15. NHRC, Gary Ford 31:36
16. John Ella 31:43
17. NHRC, Ian Bowman 35:08
18. William Dunn 36:40

Hampshire Hilly 100 Sportive

John Hollands
Reading CC was well represented at the Hampshire Hilly 100 mile Sportive
near Winchester. John Hollands reports: "The course took in much
beautiful Hampshire countryside travelling from Sparsholt to Droxford
near Havant then up to Kingsclere before returning to Sparsholt. It
included over 6,000 ft of climbing. The event was run in near perfect
conditions with little wind and warm late Spring sunshine. Everyone was
in a good mood, until the first hill at least! The fastest rider was
Paul Matthews of Utag Yamaha who recorded 4h 58m 26s - a superb time for
the event. "
Reading CC results:
Ian Richardson 5h 40m 04s
Barry Quick 5h 43m 37s
Nigel Elliot 5h 56m 06s
Russell Barton 6h 13m 10s
Paul Marshall 6h 15m 17s
Ian Lomas 6h 20m 42s

Sunday Clubrun
All groups leave Reading Market Place at 9am on Sundays.

Roderick MacFadyen
Reading Cycling Club