Clifton CC

Not sure this has been flagged before, but there is a couple of new events on the Bishopwood circuit - first one 8th June. I rang yesterday and there are still places and sign on lines I think. I've just sent an entry off. Nice that it is so close and its possible to ride out too.

http://www.theleagueinternational.com/yorkshire.htm

I've fired an email out to everyone on the racing-at-cliftoncc email lists, noting that Cliff's looking for extra entries as it's currently going to run at a loss. Hopefully we can get a few extra people there - everyone who was at Tockwith doing the 4ths-only race? Get yerselves out there!

Is that the loop we added on the return leg last Saturday Phil?

I don't seem to be on the racing mailing list by the way. Could you add me please?

Cheers,

Mike

Yep, that's the one, Mike. Turn left instead of right where we peeled out onto the main road to complete the circuit. Flat except for the two railway bridges. So far we've got...

Tim J
Tom F
Broomwagon
& me.

MikeG?
and...

(have added you to mailing list)

Thanks Phil. Checked the diary and work means I'll be in London on the 8th so I'll have to miss this one. Up for all the TLIs when I'm around though.

I have just rung Cliff and asked him to put my name for next Tuesday night

Cam

Shame Mike, this really is the one that you get chance for a good race with only Broomwagon levels of fitness.

Cliff said that he will put my name down in the first group. Am I being too cautious here or should I opt for a later group? With my limited experience - 2 races and both no finishes in the LVRC, I would be delighted to get round and finish in the bunch. Would appreciate some advice from you guys who have done some of these TLI races

The TLI should be different from vets races in more ways than just speed; within your starting group in a TLI race you're working together to try to stay away from the faster group(s) - so there should be more cooperation, and a steadier pace. In vets/BC races everyone's trying to duff everyone else up, right from the off. Since you've seemed comfortable enough during the faster bits of the training rides, I'm guessing it was just change of pace that caught you out in vets races (hence today's training ride session trying to have a go at this) and you'd be fine in the second group along with me, Tim, Tom and Broomwagon. I suspect if you go off in the first group you'll end up doing more work by towing 'em round - although there's a few other pretty handy riders in there too...

Go in the first group and try hold 'em all off for the win. In a few months no one will remember you were in the first group with a ten minute start, they'll just remember you won it!
If you do get caught just tell them you were taking it easy waiting for them.

I will be helping out on tuesday so I want to see some good racing please.

Thanks for the advice...much appreciated. That's certainly given me food for thought!

Good Clifton presence in last night's Bishopwood TLI, despite heavy rain all day making it a less appealing prospect. Tim, Tom, Cam B and RR first-timer Nick - a regular from the Saturday training rides - plus a rather stiff and scabby me packed out the sizeable middle group of three. We set off at a cracking pace, despatching the first lap at just under 27mph average and picking up the first group halfway round the third of five laps. The pace eased slightly as we got towards the final lap but shouts from the marshals told us we were well clear of the scratch group. A few people had a go at getting clear but it all came down to a sprint in the end. I got myself up near the front but took the final corner waaaay too cautiously and went from about eighth to eighteenth, and by the time I'd sprinted to get those places back, everyone else was just revving up for the final run to the line, so it was just outside the top ten for me.

How'd the rest of you enjoy it?

The cold and rain seemed to add to the masochistic enjoyment. As you say Phil the pace seemed really quick early on but it was well worth hanging in as pace steadied later on. Third race I have done but first one I actually completed so I am really chuffed with this. I actually felt part of the race which was great! As a new racer it was interesting to see the the level of cooperation at times - primarily to stay away from the scratch group only for this cooperation to evaporate as things got more ragged.
Still losing some ground coming out of the corners so I think this is skill I need to work on, as well as holding a better line generally - guess that comes with greater experience.

Looking forward to the next one.

I got half soaked riding out to Wistow but wet weather made for good racing again. The second group certainly put their collective foot down from the off - I nearly got dropped by failing to click in smartly enough and gasped around the first lap. The pace stayed high until the inevitable jockeying started on the last circuit, and I had a go when two of us got a gap more or less by accident out of the first corner, but the only result was to leave me at the back going into the woods and I was still trying to pick my way forwards as the sprint began, so I finished somewhere around 15th.
It was good to keep the scratch group away again, with five Clifton riders all working (and all finishing). Additional entertainment was provided by Giles Pidcroft who arrived late, screeched up to the start, and changed by his car to a chorus of abuse and catcalls from the assembled riders. Plus the Dirtwheels team, who showed up in a camper van so they could join in the line-dancing at Wistow Jubilee hall after the race... obviously.
tom

Yes this was my first race i have been getting to the Saturday training ride as often as i could and just about held my own so i had decided to have a go at the proper thing.

Packed my things in the morning and managed to forget my water bottles so had to dart out at lunch time to get some. Got off work in good time and got there early, registered and got my number. This is where my first technical mistake came in. I looked at the number and thought oh they have given me two numbers, so i thought about it for a while and could only think that one must go at the front and one at the back! I soon realised my mistake.

Got geared up and onto my bike and felt a little twitch from the back, stopped and spun my wheel and noticed that i had a rather large buckle in my back wheel which must have happened last saturday in our little coming together on the training ride. At this point i was past the point of no return so i shrugged it off and set off for the gentle ride to the start.

I had got myself in the second group and intended to just hold my own and stay in the group i figured if i could keep Phil and Tim in my sights and get round i would be happy. The race started and I couldn't believe the pace of the thing, i don't think i have ever concentrated so much before there was wheels everywhere the rain had made the roads slippy and on top of all this i had to keep my legs going round and a mad pace. It was 20 minutes before i remembered to drink then i had to dare to take my hand off my handle bars to get my bottle. All the valuable tips i had picked up from Phil's training ride fell into place though, the tight lines, the blasting out of corners the driving through. The best tip i had been given was if your not going forward in the group you must be going backward which i kept in mind and made sure i was going forward more often than backwards. I did get a proper shouting at at one point something about holding my line it was on the last lap the pace was getting abit messy and i was wondering what the hell was going on.

All in all i managed to finish, stay with the group and even have a little sprint at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and am looking forward to my next one. Got to say thank you to the Clifton lads who all offered encouragement.