Reading Cycling Cliub press report, week ending 2 May 2010

Reading's endurance riders battled adverse weather to record great
finishes.

Tour de Weald Sportive
Nick Crocker was potentially the fastest rider in the Kent Tour de Weald
sportive on Sunday. At time of going to press, full results have not
been published, but Crocker knew of no faster finisher over the
gruelling 127-mile long route on a day of cold steady rain. Crocker
describes how it went: "Dreadful day. I was verging on hypothermic most
of time. I had no company and it was a hideously complex route, it was
survival riding. I only started to feel good again about 2 hrs after
finishing. I feel like I'm getting tougher mentally, my mantra being
concentrate & don't panic. My form is good but maybe there is
fractionally more to come."

Brevet Cymru
Steve Ferry and Mike Fenwick too had a very hard day in an
ultra-endurance event, the 400km Brevet Cymru. Fenwick was new to the
distance but needed to gain a qualifying ride for his aim of
participating in Audax's biggest event, the 2011 Paris-Brest-Paris.
Ferry said of the Brevet Cymru: "We started at 6am and finished at
3:40am, yes that is 21h 40m of riding. The weather was challenging, it
rained a lot and was very cold at times. This was my slowest ever 400km
Audax but we finished and Mike succeeded in getting his PBP 2011
pre-qualification ride."

Road and Circuit Races
Totnes Vires two-day
Paul Elcock reports on he and Joe Harris's participation in a highly
competitive stage race: "With some top domestic riders in the mix this
was destined to be intense racing. The prologue stage of 4 hilly miles
finished with a solid climb. Joe undoubtedly set off way too hard,
setting a very disappointing 11.24. I was well and truly maxed out by
the top of the climb but my 10.30 was still a minute back from the
prologue winner.
The first road stage was a 100km over 4 circuits. A brutal climb just 5
minutes in forced a hard selection on the field. I clung to the peloton
but Joe was left on his own. By the final lap I was truly worn out. Joe
finished nearly 30 mins back. He knew he should have bit the bullet and
made it over that first climb so set it in his sights to put things
right in the final stage. The final stage was 105km over hilly terrain.
Joe was on it from the start, regularly passing me on the climbs, and
looking able to respond to any changes in pace with apparent ease. I was
in a world of hurt, and from halfway distance , was giving it my all
just to stay with the pack. With 15 miles to go on an even more
demanding finishing circuit, it was game over for me (DNF). I wasn't
even breathing hard, but my legs were tortured. Joe was still going
strong though. Yanto Barker took the victory from Marcin Biablocki. Joe
unfortunately punctured yet still got back on to finish in a good time -
a fantastic performance that shows he will soon get some top results."

Wayne Thomas
Reading CC's Wayne Thomas had a weekend of veteran road racing. On
Saturday it was Cranfield near Milton Keynes with 13 laps of a 2.5 mile
road circuit with an 800metre gradually steepening drag. Thomas was
active at the front of the race in the opening few laps monitoring and
responding well to each attempted breakaway. After a mid race in the
main peloton, Thomas once more moved into the first six riders for the
last three laps, with high hopes of a good finish. However, at 300
metres to the line it was seen that poor marshalling had allowed a
moving truck and two cars in to the finish zone totally disrupting the
sprint. Thomas took a "better part of valour" approach and finished at
the back of the peloton.
On Bank Holiday Monday Thomas was in a 50 mile road race courses based
on Blackmore village near Chipping Ongar, Essex. Thomas was in the thick
of the action for most of the race but could do little to respond to the
very strong ride away on lap two by Mick Hill, Team Quest and Malcom
Whitehead, Kingsnorth - with Hill the winner. Two other riders broke
away in the last five miles and held off a hard charging peloton. Thomas
held 3rd place in the peloton over the last 2 km. Sitting on ex world
champion Tony Woodcock's wheel and approaching 200 meters to go, Thomas
finally had a clear opportunity to test his sprinting capabity. As
Woodcock made his move, Thomas jumped hard and found himself leading out
the bunch sprint, however, in the last 20 metres one rider managed to
get by. Thomas was well pleased with one of his best finishes and 6th
overall, 2nd in age category.

Time Trials
Newbury club 25
Steve Bale rode the Newbury club 25 on Bank Holiday morning at
Aldermaston. "It was very windy and I only just dipped under the hour.
My 59:44 was good enough for second in the conditions with a number of
DNFs from quality riders. "

WLCA 10
Nick English raced the WLCA 10 on saturday at Aldermaston and the West
London VTTA 10 on the Marlow bypass on Monday. "I rode a 21:09 which I
was reasonably pleased with as it is a course best for me, though I'm
keen to get a 20 on this course so always looking for a bit more. Didn't
pace it too well, out a touch hard then backed off before a flying
finish. I was second to Tony Gibb who recorded 20:22." Veteran Dave
Gaida recorded 30:36.

West London VTTA 10
The Monday event took place in cold weather. "Despite a good turbo
warm-up I found it cold in the race. I was 3rd with 21:49 behind Chris
Ball with 21.09. The lesson learnt is to wrap up better in the cold!"

Sunday clubrun
All groups leave Reading Market Place at 9am on Sundays. This Sunday the
fast group has an 8am start.

Roderick MacFadyen
Reading Cycling Club