Clifton CC

Shall we head West on Saturday:

York, Appleton Roebuck, Tadcaster, Bramham, Thorner, Barwick, Aberford, Sherburn, Cawood, and back to York (perhaps with an anti- clockwise loop of the Saxton RR circuit en route).

9.00 at the Square

Hmmm am going out Sunday this week but seen as you are coming passed my front door, I shall see you somewhere near Bish a little after 9

Not for me this week, recovering from a bit of a cold so I will be heading out on my own... also you are heading the wrong way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I9Rv5YcwIM

Thoroughly enjoyed watching Ian Stannard riding a very canny race to win Omloop Het Nieuwsblad . One for all the gritty, big and ugly riders everywhere. His technique isn’t what you would call supplesse... he seems to sort of lumber (if lumbering is possible on a bike?) and he must have the largest backside in the professional peloton... But you can’t deny his style is very effective. Watching him easily neutralise Boonen’s attack was brilliant. I’m sure it was an interesting conversation and atmosphere in the Etixx Quick step bus afterwards...
Another good training ride yesterday. ...18 or so in the square so 2 groups. A breezy morning, that testing climb thru Thorner and an anti-clockwise loop of the Saxton circuit put a little sting in the legs. A little bit of friendly competitiveness took over briefly before we even reached Sherburn....I must admit to not quite having the appetite to line out at that point . We opted to start rolling thru with two lines after Cawood. All very smooth... which felt absolutely lovely until Damien, who had got delayed at the lights used his momentum to launch an attack (It’s opportunistic and aggressive riding like that that gets you up there in the races ). Looked like Rob just clipped off the front and rode up to him and Nick was alert enough to bridge across. Rob and Nick stayed way doing a two up....I’m sure they must have switched to motorbikes or something as me, Rueben and the Mighty Ed were trying very hard to get back in touch...getting agonisingly close but no cigar. It felt as “race-like” as you could hope to expect from a training ride in that last 10 miles which is great since there are races just around the corner. Plan to do laps of Bishopwood next week ...Ride steady from Square then paceline round Bishopwood 6 times. Hope everyone is up for this or something very much like it. How did other group get on yesterday?

Laps of bishopwood=summer bikes