Reading Cycling Club press report, week ending 8th June

A historic week for Reading CC as the club '25' TT record is smashed by Nick English.

Time Trials
Nick English achieved perhaps his most impressive cycling performance to date this weekend. Riding the Merthyr CC 25 mile time trial on Saturday he not only stood on the top step of the podium but obliterated the Reading CC club record in the process and recorded the fastest time for the distance by anyone in the country this season so far. English had opted not to travel the greater distance to the National 25 and instead targeted this renowned fast course with the clock as his main opponent. Course regulations mean that the start and finish points have to be no more than 2.5 miles apart and the course around Glynneath has an early 'gift' hill that doesn't have to be climbed on the return. Then the course is a straightforward out and back route on smooth dual carriageway. With warm temperatures only a slightly unfavourable wind stood in the way of perfect conditions.

English reports: "The downhill section was fast but not incredibly so and I reached 43mph though the headwind meant the airspeed was very strong and I felt that my helmet was going to fly off. I caught my minute and 2 minute men on the downhill so I knew I had a reasonable start. Once the road flattened out I then realised it would be tough work to the turn and I only managed a 27mph average for this section. I knew that if a 49 minute ride was to be on the cards then I'd need to be going fast on the way home. I was still strong and on the way back I was flying, touching 37mph on the gentle downhills and still holding over 30 on the drags up. I caught someone for 8 minutes and passed the last roundabout with 47 minutes on the clock. I didn't know the course well, but didn't think the finish was much further so I was really going for it knowing that it could be close. I caught my 5 minute man which was a good sign and was at 49 minutes on the final slip road. Once around the tight corner it was an 800 watt sprint for the line. 49:32 was the time and the event win by 38s".

To put English's result in some perspective he covered the 25 miles with an average speed of 30.28 mph, the previous Reading club record was 52:09, and this is the fastest 25 mile time that any rider in the country has achieved this year. Reading can be rightly proud to have such a calibre of rider in our midst.

Dave Gaida and Pete Stocker represented Reading CC at the West London CA 30 mile event on the Bentley course on Sunday. Warm conditions and light wind meant some fast times. Selected results: 1.Julian Jenkinson utag Yamaha 1:02:33, 45.Dave Gaida 1:28:51, 48.Pete Stocker 1:38:56

Road Racing
Stephen Bale and Dave Harmsworth traveled to Banbury to join a full field for the Banbury Star 45 mile road race. The main feature of the course was the sharp climb of Knowl Hill up to the village of Edgehill of Civil War fame and this was to be completed 3 times. The hill was to stretch out the field and cause damage on every iteration. First time around Bale stuck with the lead group of around 20 riders and for a while it looked as though that group would split from the field but the race came back together. Harmsworth was one of the early casualties trying in vain with others for another lap to get back in touch with the main race. Bale stayed comfortable until the final climb when distanced from the 50% of the field remaining and finished a minute or so down on the field. Strong local rider Darren Parker had stuck with a lead group of 11 riders who had broken away at the top of the climb and took 6th place.

CycloSportives
Sunday saw eight Reading CC riders at the start in Great Missenden for the Chiltern 100 Gran Fondo; 107 miles and 2,620 metres of climbing in the Chilterns. Team members Alex Robertson, Mark Fear, Fred Hale, Stuart Hargreaves, Dave Maynard, Thomas Sugden, Choon Tan and Brian Perry rolled out and soon led their release batch of 20 riders settling into a brisk rhythm. The course of unrelenting up and down profile made for leg breaking terrain, and after the first refreshments stop the Reading riders split to a lead group of 3, comprising Robertson, Hale and Perry. All RCC finishers were under 7 hours 20 minutes, and all merited individual awards. This performance accumulated 14 points, more than sufficient to qualify for 'Silver' award in the team competition. Of worthy note, Alex Robertson swept through most of field to record 6 hours 7 minutes, enough to make the top 20 times out of the 600+ riders while Hale and Perry were 2nd and 3rd in the 60+ age category. Tom Sugden wasn't so fortunate and reports:"I suffered three cramps bad enough to force me off the bike, and countless other bouts on gentler climbs. The third attack on the Whiteleaf had my quads visibly pulsing! I was forced to retire though had still managed a very hilly 65 miles by the time I got back. I was disappointed in that last year I ground my way round the full route with nowhere near as much cramp - I think the quick pace at the start did for me."