We have started for 2008. I was at the first training session last night (Friday). Fair numbers there despite the cold. And the big news is that we now have Dernys! Hurrah! A few laps behind one of them kept us all warm, I can tell you.
They won’t be using them every week as you don’t want to let novices loose behind them. Much will depend on who turns up and what kind of session is planned.
Anyway, the next Training nights are Monday 14th and Friday 18th.
From then on it’s Training every Monday and Track League Racing every Friday.
Myself or Track Sec, Ian Bibby can give you more details.
Tour of
That’s it for another year. If you can ride all day into a freezing block headwind across wet and slippery cobbles while wiping the sleet out of your eyes, the Flandrians call you a “Flahute”.
Step forward the Finsbury Flahutes – me , Louise, Ian Bibby, Sam Parker, Neal Marrin, Vince, Rich Land.
Sam had a small crash, Rich had a bigger one. Neal had a few punctures. Ian wrecked a wheel. Louise powered across the cobbles and didn’t stop scowling for six hours. Vince sensibly opted for the shorter route just before the sleet came horizontally across the barren fields from the
Many of the Bergs were unrideable (glad to see the Pros thought so too!) Molenberg, Paterberg and, of course the Koppenberg were amongst those that had the field walking but it brightened up enough at the end to ride the later ones, including the Muur and the Bosberg before the dash for the line..
There are pictures on various websites which I’ll get for you. They show Ian smiling for the cameras (!) but the rest of us look like Flahutes from the 1930s.
Sunday 17 February
Thank you to everybody who came out and supported this event. Although it was cold at least the sun was shining.
85 riders took part, slightly up from last year. I haven't done the sums yet but I expect to
give RoadPeace a cheque for close to £300.
A big thank you to Darren at Shorter Rochford in Potters Bar, for donating a couple of
bags of handy bits and pieces for the raffle.
Thanks also to Bob Chicken, who gave the top prize of the track pump. Well done to the lucky winners Avie, Ray and Phillip.
We start with news from abroad….
News from ex-pat Kevin Langton
Sorry not been in touch - will write and let you know all that has been going on here Stateside soon – but for now let me wish you and the rest of the old red train a very happy New Year
Just got started in a job here before xmas - i work at a cycle clothing internet mail order company called bicyclinghub.com - we have some good stuff at good prices what with the old exchange rate and all that - check us out online - we ship worldwide - I just bought meself a nice castelli cardigan on sale that is pretty much finzberry club colors
Missing you all - I am riding a reasonable amount and should be racing this year - for a club called Emerald Velo - we have a website - just google Emerald Velo if you wanna look us up
take care and more soon
Kev
http://www.bicyclinghub.com/index.html
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Another day at the track….
The second of our winter track days took place recently with nine of us making the trip along the M4 for another exciting and exhausting session. Welwyn Track League star Roger Woodford was there to keep the pace high in the experienced group and his presence meant that we didn't have to worry about the eventual winner of most sessions as he took the majority of the spoils. This time there was only one tiny spill and that was right at the bottom of the track and in the newcomers group as someone learned the hard way that you need to pay attention the whole time. All the Parkers stayed upright for once. The Devil, a cut and thrust race at the best of times, had its moments though! It was shoulder to shoulder stuff and lightning reactions needed until the final selection, with a particularly “interesting”moment in the early laps that, shall we say, tested riders commitment to the rest of the race! That man Freeley was going disturbingly well in this discipline and I had to make a big effort to put him out on the 5th or 6th lap. It had to be done but of course I paid for it and the effort had me out the very next lap. Dawn and Vince both showcased new track bikes - one a gleaming handbuilt Viner specially imported from Italy and the other an ageing 531 from a little known Northern artisan who probably shut up shop owing to the Suez Crisis. Can you guess which was which? Dawn was teamed up with Frank and Vince to form their Italian Pursuit Squad and almost dropped the pair of them with her starting effort to great merriment from all. Plenty of other highlights including meeting 2004 Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt.
The usual bunch of photos and a slide show can be found here:
http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/chrislodge/Newport%20Track%20Day%20January/
CTT handbook.
The 2008 handbook with all this season's Open and Association Time trials is now available at some cycle shops and direct from the CTT website:
http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/store/index.asp
Essential for those planning to enter any events other than club events.The basic event details for the whole year are also now up on the site. Those recently joined members who may be new to the mysterious world of time trialling could do worse than chat to our TT secretary or, indeed , any of our members, who will be happy to give advice and guidance.