Clifton CC

Phil, Dave, Tom,

Thanks for your responses - plenty of events to be looking at there. I've made some enquiries re Croft and will post further details on here in-case anybody fancies a trip out there one evening.

Thanks again,

Jason.

If anyone is interested, the news from the Croft TLI organisers is that they still have plenty of spaces for their Tue evening events. Sign on from 18:30, race starts at 19:15. I might give this a try in preference to the East Riding events - I work close to the A19 so it'll probably be quicker for me to get there from work.

Any other takers?

Jason.

I've just got back from my easter hols to uni and am interested in doing some of these road races. Obviously I've missed the boat for the chevin series, but Jason, I am up for joining you in trying out another. The only problem for me is that I have no transport and these seem too far to ride out to.

If it would be possible to share a lift with someone (I am happy to pay my way!) then I would happily give them a go!

Hi Phil
Just a note too say i will be riding at Boroughbridge on Tues 5 May
regards Tim

Rob_h,

I've pm'd you.

Jason.

A good Clifton turn-out at last night's Kirby Hill round, run off under grey and decidedly fast-moving skies which made the westerly-facing parts of the circuit very hard work. A complete absence of organisation in the large "middle" group meant that although we caught the first groups on the penultimate lap, we likewise got caught by the fast lads. The last lap was the usual "after you! No, after you..." affair followed by a sharp left up the finishing hill and a mad dash for the line. The curse of cramps got me again and made the last two laps intensely painful while I tried to get my thighs back in order, and failed, coming in about 20th. Excellent fun though. How'd everyone else enjoy it?

I managed to get a ride at last night's TLI, by turning up at HQ and hanging round looking eager until they got sick of the sight of me and gave me a number. Five minutes to warm up, and we were off in the middle group...

I really enjoyed the race; as Phil says, nobody in the group seemed to have a plan so it was a real rollercoaster - not only did the stiff westerly mean we were batting along in the thirties on one side and struggling in the teens up the other, but also there was no consistency from lap to lap, so on a couple of circuits I felt I was soft-pedalling most of the way, while on others I was gasping just to stay on.

The finish was more queue than sprint - I was pleased just to have got there without any mishaps. For me the main event happened on lap six; at the tail end of lap 5 two scratch riders caught the bunch; and on the next hill the pace suddenly lifted. I suddenly realised I was hanging onto a guy who was drifting off the back. Cue a frantic few minutes dodging past cooked riders, grabbing a wheel, only to realise they were going backwards too, and pushing on to find another. I was just about shot when I caught Phil and another Clifton rider at the A1 roundabout and we finally managed to latch onto something solid. After being dropped unceremoniously at Stokesley in my last race, it was good to feel strong enough to stick on it this time.

Lesson: don't be hanging around the back when the cavalry arrive, because Things Are About To Happen.
tom

I enjoyed it immensely, even though the course with it's undulations suited me less well than that a couple of weeks ago, which just ended up scaring the wits out of me. I went off in the second group again or first if you call the first group away the novices. Our group was rather disorganised at first and I suppose I didn't help trying to play to my strengths (or avoid my weaknesses); sitting in on the upwardish bits and going to the front on the downward bits. We caught the "novices" on about the third lap and found a number of those lads very strong and the group began to work much better. Coming down the descent under the bridge there was, I thought, an attempt by the stronger lads to get away. Fine I thought if you're going to break away on a descent, I'll be with you, 81kgs takes some getting away from on a downhill. It was only moments later I realised it was a prime, I'd have had a crack at that if I'd have known, damn!

Things were looking good and although I could see the 3rd/scratch group coming on the penultimate lap, I thought if we were lucky we might stay away. But no, they caught us on the hardest section, a steady drag into the wind and then over the flyover - this section had caused splits in our group on most laps. The effect of being caught immediately shredded our group, some managing to jump on, others not. I got caught on the inside , where I was right into the wind, a long line of cyclists (containing Phil and Paul B? both giving me a sympathetic look as they went by) wound by me on the outside, if only I could get on the back of the train. I tried along with a few others but ended up with about 4 or 5 others coming over the bridge with a small gap between us and the lead group. We tried, but by the turn, with all our trying it was clear the group were still getting away, our race was over. Not quite, our little group contained Iona and another lady, they were still racing for first lady (you can laugh at me for riding with the girls if you like, but if you've ridden with Iona in a race this year you might not be so cocky, and beside plenty of good lads hadn't got this far), and I wanted to finish the course. We slowly caught ones and twos who'd been shed off the back of the leaders, some still racing, others not, "come on lads," I'd shout, "let's finish the race." We turned onto the finish straight and Iona sped away. I crossed line, having to barge my way through the crowd who were trying to find out who'd won.

Well I was off the back again, but who cares, I really enjoyed the race and the way my chest felt afterwards it was easily the most intense riding I've done this year - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm a little disappointed, I've only three more TLI's to do. I must find some more races to ride

I must be the only one who did not really enjoy the race, setting off in the third group with the majority of Clifton riders the pace from the start was very brisk then straight onto a hill which is not very steep but quite a drag at this pace, I was very soon in trouble and near the top rounderbout I came slightly adrift of the group and was just unable to get back on due to the strong headwind on this and the next stretch, eventually I caught up with a guy who had done the same and we rode the rest of the race together taking turns on the front I worked so hard then that my HR was very high all the way maybe harder than if I was in the large group.

Broomwagon mentioned he ended with a sore chest I did also so much that I was wheezing and coughing all night and thought I was starting with a bad chest infection, but it seems a lot better today.

Well done to all the CCC lads who kept with them especially Tim who grabbed a top ten placing.

Ian H.

Ian hagyard wrote:..I was very soon in trouble and near the top rounderbout I came slightly adrift of the group and was just unable to get back on ...

Ian, no fun. Sounds like a carbon copy of my last race at Stokesley, right down to finding the guy to ride 2-up with (was he called Adam by the way? Maybe the same bloke...)
Perhaps an unplanned early exit is a vital part of every season, but it's grim when it's happening.
tom

Managed to get myself a place for the Bishopwood round of the series next Tuesday. Also, heard back from the organisers that there is a 2quid surcharge for this race payable on the night, to fund a road closure imposed by NYorks police. Which seems resonable.

Hoping for a big clifton turnout - IanH, DaveC, PhilB and ???

Results on yorkshiretliseries.net suggest we've yet to hit the points, so the more the better.
Tom

I would have riden this year but it would appear any chance of getting a ride is next to impossible, having defected to another club I wouldnt help your points tally though. Good luck anyhow guys