Weekend Roundup

[Rob]

How was it? Come and try it event? Ride afterwards? Wetherby-Filey? Steve and Andy's spoco TT up north? Sunday clubrun?

I rode the City RC RR with NickB and Muzzy. It was a 2/3/4 cat event on heavy roads around Little Weighton in the Wolds. My first proper RR for 5 years and I was lacking in confidence early on and the fathers day card that morning had made a me a little too aware of my own mortality! - but felt more at home as the race developed. A break of 7 went clear on the second lap with no CCC representation. Nick and Paul both got in another move trying to get across, but the adventure was short-lived. Paul then soloed off the front of the main group just after half distance with the break in view in the distance. He dangled 10 seconds up the road - I went to the front to disrupt the chase and nearly got my lights punched out for my efforts. When Paul was caught I tried a counter attack, but it was all a bit to obvious to succeed. Spent the penultimate lap on the front with Matt Lunn and a Brid rider trying to reel the break in a bit then the final lap surge brought it all back together again. Coming up the last climb to the finish there were 40 riders together from gutter to gutter and it was a little tense! Nick got out of his box and looked to be sprinting well, but timed it a tad early - good reult though with 11th and 5 points . Muzzy finished just outside the top 15 with yours-truly 5 seconds and 20 places further back - I did try to sprint, honest. Have probably ridden that course 10 times over the years and that was the first ever big bunch finish.

[Dr Dave]

Great report Rob - really captures the feel of the race.

Routine Wetherby- Filey for me although I did get separated from my work colleague half-way round . Weather OK apart from shower for the last 5 miles. More police/ambulance/support vehicles in evidence this year and passed a RTA scene at the crossroads at Coneysthorpe - hope no cyclists was involved (or other road users weren't seriously hurt).

Rode the second half with Finley and his work colleagues - thanks for letting me tag along.

[Andy J]

I rode a 10m TT on an undulating course at Burton Fleeming on saturday, time wise was a 25.38. Passed a Clifton Rider going the other way on the Yorkshire Bike Ride.

Yesterday I rode the Tessdale 24.4 mile spoco at Staindrop, I finished 9th with a time of 1.03. Course was fantastic with fast sections, plenty of climbing from long drags to a couple of short steep climbs. Woody rode also finishing a few places back in 16th. This could be a good course for the open series next year?

[nickb]

Nick got out of his box and looked to be sprinting well, but timed it a tad early - good reult though with 11th and 5 points.

Yeah like 200 metres early! I thought the 200 m to go flag was the finish-oops. Was a tough race especially when everybody started to get nervous in the last lap but it was a good lively race. Some relatively safe riding from everybody too which was nice for a change! Good riding by all 3 of us I thought.

[dave c]

Sunday club run had 6 starters, Howard, Dave B, Nigel, SimonK, Arnie and myself. Headed out towards the Wolds taking in Bugthorpe, Kirby Underdale, Birdsall, Wharram Percy, North Grimston, then up Settrington Bank.

By (My) mistake we ended up in Rillington and the first of 3 incidents,
With a wet road, going from road to cycle path Simon had a fall but was thankfully, both rider and bike, ok. 2 miles up the road to West Lutton I got a puncture, in a break between the rain showers.

Then after Sledmere on the climb up towards Wetwang Dave B's chain broke. This was quickly put back together with the assistance of Nigel.

We covered some great roads and had some good fun towing each other round.

Someone asked me 'are we going to a cafe?' to which I replied 'only keeping up Helen's tradition of at least 60 miles before a stop'. Anyway we did have a stop, very enjoyable food at Millington cafe.

Then a fast blast back via Stamford Bridge, 82 miles for me.

[AndrewM]

I was lucky enough (?) to ride the GranFondoCampagnolo in North East Italy on Sunday, and what an experience!

The first time I've ridden on the Continent, and I can't wait to go back.

The weather was diverse all weekend leading up to it, and I had to stock up on warm kit as the forecast was for heavy rain and at altitude, cold temperatures.

My hotel was at the top of the Croce d'Aune, the last climb of all routes, at an altitude of 1129m, and when I set off at 6.30am, it was 3 degrees Celsius. Not good.

I never felt good for the first hour or so and was never going to get round the granfondo route at that rate and lumped for the medio route of 110k and 3000m of climbing which gave me a ride time of 6:11 and I was delighted about that - put my foot down twice for a toilet stop and a bottle refill and rode the rest, the Passo Cereda was nice, at 1369m and a 15% initial ramp.

The notable thing about the event was the extent to which it was taken seriously by the Italians. Race teams were everywhere with professional support units.

The medio fondo was won by an ex pro in atime just over 3 hours, which is insane.

The Granfondo was won by Alexander Basenhev, ex Discovery Rider. Jamie ? and English lad an pro rider was second, Emanuele Negrini (ex pro) was third and Raimondo Rumsas (3rd on the Tour de France) was 4th.

My mate who finished in the top 100 of the GF describes coming over the Passo Rolles at 2300m in a blizzard, with a 40km descent from that, conditions he called the worst he'd ever ridden in. The number of people in the broom wagon testified to that.

Nice to be tagged on the way round by some Richmond CC lads as well.

As an event, I can't speak high enough of it. 5000 riders, almost totally closed roads, phenomenal crowds.

Highly, highly recommended.

[mal]

I was lucky enough (?) to ride the GranFondoCampagnolo in North East Italy on Sunday, and what an experience!

Well done that man.

[AndrewM]

I was lucky enough (?) to ride the GranFondoCampagnolo in North East Italy on Sunday, and what an experience!

Well done that man.

Hi Mal, I now see what you mean about Continental climbing!

As the Richmond lad said before speeding off, "I'd love to see how they cope with Park Rash"

[Arthur]

I had a trip round the new bits of the Red Route at Dalby with some people from work. First MTB'ing for over a year for me, but I'd almost remembered how to do it by the end

Bumped into a very fit looking Charlie at the cafe.

[BroomWagon]

Blimey, some epic riding there and I couldn't even make it to the Sunday club run, so in a fit of peek I took today off to go for a ride. Went over White horse bank then down to Sutton Under White Stone Cliff so I could ride Boltby bank, seemed much harder than I remember. Then down to Rievaux and up the climb to the Stokesley road. Down to Helmsley then home via Castle Howard. Would have been good but was marred by some killer back ache, hope it's just my cleats that need some adjustment.

[paulM]

I was making up the numbers at Hull CRC's road race at Little Weighton. As mentioned a decent quality field and pretty fast race. I think I made it into 4 different breaks - non of which lasted long. However the break that mattered was already up the road. This was caught with a lap to go which led to the nervous excited feeling "I can win this" which was downgraded to the "why did I bugger that one up" feeling on the line. A shame really as I was always in a good position on the last lap but just couldn't find a way through. A good ride by the winner who took his chance and broke away with a couple of miles remaining and held on. A good ride by Nick and 5 useful points.
Rob reckons he's had 10 rides on this circuit. I think I can beat that making my debut here in March 1988 - British Olympic Appeal Australian Pursuit. All I can remember is it snowed and I missed a turn where a marshall was missing. But it was the first road race I ever finished - which is all I've done round here since with not a single point or placing to show for my efforts.