Clifton CC

OK, I'll kick off this week.

Sunday clubrun for me. 7 in the Square, although 3 wanted to be back for lunch and left us at the Acklam Mast. Paul, Andy, Shaun and self headed on through Birdsall, Warram, Duggleby and onto the coast bound lane through Weaverthorpe and on to Brid. It was a cold and windy morning, but once you were moving conditions were pretty good for cycling. I like Sandown Cafe as there's lots of room, its warm and you have a good view of the bikes... but its a "chips with everything" sort of place. Headed back through the Lanes to Kilham and I began to remember that I was with some classy riders today. Sledmere, Thixendale, Painsthorpe, Kirkby Underdale. "Bridge to Engine Room, I need more power." "They're giving you all that they've got, captain." 90 odd miles at 18ish mph - not surprised I was bushed at the end. Great ride, thanks for the company.

Probably Lofthouse next week, then the week after it's the Runswick Bay ride (200k, 2 points in the challenge series).

I rode my first road race today, the Steve Rigby Memorial run out on a circuit near Kippax.
All in all, a massive learning experience. I made a couple of mistakes which resulted me being dropped after 3 laps and returning to HQ soon after. I rode back to the course to shout on Tim, who rode strongly despite dropping a chain and Phil who finished with the bunch after riding near the front the whole race.
Today has definitely whetted my appetite for more racing and to anyone wanting to do their first race this year just do it, it's not as scary as you think.
I also have to thank Phil again for the lift today, and his help and advice throughout the year so far.

Well done Ben - another cherry popped!

I'm ill (again), so contented myself with heading to Lincoln to cheer Kit on in the GP. 11 laps up Michaelgate soon sorts out the men from the boys (actually just 1 lap does that). For once Russell Downing didn't win, honours to Newton instead. Kit rode hard and was near the front the whole race - got his fan club a bit excited with 3 to go when he was in the leading trio with a gap, but it wasn't happening! Teammate Si Richardson rode across so Kit rode for him and was rewarded when he got 3rd (Si, not Kit).
If you've never been Lincoln has one of the best atmospheres in the domestic scene and I heartily recommend it (if you're not already racing yourself)

As per Ben's report above, was down at Ledston for 90km of the Steve Rigby, with Tim and Tom helping to create a distinctive patch of red'n'black in the bunch as we rolled out under gathering clouds. The brisk northerly made it hard work doing 13 times up the climb to the finish and the subsequent lengthy drag into a headwind. I spent much of the race up towards the front watching the various breaks get ruthlessly pulled back, with a brief visit to the back of the bunch rewarded by having to sprint to bridge gap after gap when riders got shelled off the tail as the race got strung out by the wind. Had more pep than I expected up the final climb but had left too many knackered riders between me and the front and dodging round them left me, as ever, somewhere between 15th and 20th. Nil points!

Good to see Ben still smiling at the end of the day despite nearly killing himself with an ill-timed energy bar! Full marks for diving in - you only get those learning experiences by getting out there with a number on yer back...

Just a little ride round the lakes for me yesterday in some sportive called the Fred

Another best back before 14:00 Saturday so headed out early for Rosedale via Castle Howard, Fadmoor, Farndale, Church Houses and Blakey Bank into a heavy duty headwind. YEUCH! Some recompense from Rosedale Head down to Rosedale with a tailwind, closed road and a great grey broody sky completely to myself. Feeble attempt at "the chimney" doesn't bode well for Dales Grimpeur - but heyho what's life without a challenge. Not too sure about the Runswick Bay epic either - so all help on the day will be gratefully accepted.

Hi All
Been a busy week .Croft was another fast technical race.Starting to hold my position better in races at crucial times so after thirty miles and the last lap i found myself about ten back going into the lap Just having to put my nose into the wind about two corners early and ended up leading the bunch into a sprint.Sunday saw a few clifton riders at Kippax and well done to Ben for having a go.Was going pretty well following phils wheel and staying at the front .Almost coming a cropper on the climb up to the finish when a rider clipped a wheel in front of me.Took evasive action by bunny hopping his expensive carbon wheel :shock Eight laps in and going into the villege hit a pot hole and my chain jumped off.Race over for me but kept going with two others until last lap to see Phil finishing strongly in the bunch.
cheers Timj

One more from Kippax... I was looking forward to this race as I enjoyed it last year but as I sweated through a light warmup I knew it wasn't going well. The race started gently enough but by lap three I could feel I was going backwards, and 'digging deep' was probably just going to delay the inevitable so I headed back to HQ. Was great to see four Cliftons at one BC race though, and well done to Ben for taking the plunge on a challenging course. If we just keep starting 'em, we'll finish a few...

6 Clifton CC riders took the road north for the latest round of Clifton's Open Time Trial Series up near Scotch Corner, organised by Altura RT.

The course was based on rolling lanes between Middleton Tyas and Croft; the 18mile circuit not being that dissimilar terrain to our own Whenby circuit.

A suitably testing course and tough, cold wind left us all discussing 'that headwind stretch' at the end. And like all good time trialists, we couldn't remember the tailwind stretches - they were just when we were all going 'really well'!

Jon Cocker and Dave Heffernan were the speedy seniors and both finished closely and just outside the top 10.

Next came Richard Wilson, our Junior rider in this series and he took 1st place in the Junior Event.

Cath, Nollaig and I took 2nd, 3rd and 4th places in the women's event! A resounding team victory! (well actually only 5 women on the start sheet, but a team victory nonetheless!).

I 'won' a pair of shorts for 2nd place, which sounded quite lucrative until we looked at the label - Ladies size 8! Nollaig suggested if we cut them in half maybe they'd fit us as armwarmers? In the end we decided to sell on Ebay and put the proceeds towards appropriate beverages on a future Clifton Girly night out (watch this space).

Oh yes and Richard won a great Altura waterproof (shhh don't tell him, but as he wasn't at the prize presentation we of course tried it on to see if we could swap for the ladies shorts (!), but no XXXS was equally inappropriate, so we decided that we'd pass it on to him!):lol:


Back home from Lilliput and good luck to Nollaig in the Tyneside Vagabonds Mountain TT this coming w/e (not sure of other Club riders?).

See you on Sat club training ride (at the start at least!)
Claire