Banbury star 13 with a PB again

Last night was the 13 course again the first time in quite a while and I was 3rd from last off and I had Jon Simpkins chasing me. After starting off I felt good and was going well up the first road and then along the next road I was thinking get to the end before Jon passes me but not long after thinking that he came flying past me, but it was not to long before the road goes uphill and I was slowly pulling him back but then he pulled away and I had to do the same for the next hill but after getting to the top he just went and I could not keep pace with him. As I was getting closer to the last road the fun one that normally has a tail wind I was stating to feel happy because it would be fast all the way back and it was. the last road felt like it was over very quick and I got to the last hill and got over it and then I crossed the line. Thus setting a new PB and junior course record with a time of 29:22.

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Results are here

Newbury RC 10

Yesterday was a ten mile time trial on the H10/181, and with a strong head wind on the way out it was going to be hard. After I started I could feel the head wind slowing me sown a lot and I had to keep telling myself it was the same for everyone. By the time I got to the end I caught my minute man and got round the roundabout safely and as I returned I felt my speed picking up and getting faster and faster until I was in the 53x12 (almost top gear) and with a few time getting in to the 11 tooth! It was fun but was over very quickly and I got to the line in a time off 22:41 and it was the fastest time for a few minutes until a faster guy did a quicker time.

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Results are here

Ben Owen 10

Last night was the Ben Owen interclub 10 mile time trial it was a lot like an open with a results board and and a HQ. But When I got on the bike last night my legs were OK but after I started the time trial I could not get my heart rate as high as it should have. Although I still passed three people. after finishing I found out I did a time of 23:31 not too bad on what seem like a hard night. As for winning the interclub, we didn't but it was a fun night on a different course.

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Will post results when I find them

Warwick and back time trial

Last night was the warwick and back 30 mile time trial. I never know what to write in a blog post about time trials. As I was on the start line I felt good and I was sure of that when I passed my minute man (my dad) about 5 miles into it. Behind me was some fast testers (Jon Simpkins and Luke Souter) chasing me. it was not long before Jon over took me and that was not a surprise. By the time I got out to the turn I set myself a goal to try and catch ever in front of me, only 10 people how hard could it be? As I was returning it was mostly up hill from the turn, and I still kept going and felt good. With two hills left I had caught every one in front of me and the only person ahead of me was Jon or so I thought, as it turns out he went the wrong way at the roundabout because he beat the marshal there and continued to do the old course so I ended up being first back and wining it by a second and a junior course record and I am very happy with that.

Some stats
Max speed 50.3mph
Average speed 24.7mph

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Results are here

Corley cycles summer series 9

Breakaway! After passing the elites race

Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl it was half on the inside and half on the extra as normal. After we did half a lap I attacked and no one went with me so I kept going and did a few laps on my own and caught the elites race and passed it, and just as I got past them they sped up and left me so I kept my own pace and felt good. Soon after another rider caught me and we worked well together for a few more laps catching the elites and then getting dropped by them a few times until he dropped off. Then I was left on my own and I think the bunch started attacking when the saw my breakaway partner dropping off. After a few laps on my own two riders, Chris Dredge (Team Milton Keynes) and Mike Betts (team Zappi) bridged the gap to me and we worked well together and one last rider Will Jenkins (team Synergy) made it up to us and we pulled out a good lead. Thus brings us to the point I started suffering and after a few bad laps I then got better again and towards the end felt like I was not fatiguing to much. As the laps counted down I hung in there and then with about half a lap to go I felt good again but when it came to the sprint I could not go with Chris and Will so just kept my speed up to roll over 3rd. As a team we had a good night, me 3rd, Mike Betts 4th and Henry Latimer powered to win the bunch sprint and get 5th pace.

Me, Chris and Mike working together

All four in the break

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Will post results soon

Banbury Star 10

Last night was Banbury star CC 10 again, but this week was wet and with a strong head wind on the way back that did not help on the way out. After staring I quickly caught my minute man Tom Spijkers, he used to be my maths teacher a few years ago. On the way out I caught a few people and not much happened then I got to the turn and started heading back into a head wind and by the time I got to the last hill I was suffering a bit but got up it slowly and once over the top I pushed as hard as possible to get to the finish. I crossed the line in a time of 23:55, not too bad but my legs felt better after the time trial than before and that is annoying me a bit.

Thanks for reading
Results are here

Corley cycles summer series 8

Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl and right from the start it was fast! The pace got hammered right from the start and after the first lap the bunch was strung out. After about half the race a few of us managed to get away from the main bunch and took turns at the front and we lapped loads of riders but when we got to the last lap I did not have it in the legs to sprint so I came in in 7th after my first ever successful breakaway. I'm happy with that, a few more points.

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Results are here

Banbury Star 25 again

Last night was the Banbury Star 25 mile time trial again and this this time there was more of a cross wind than last time and it did not feel like it helped that much. After starting I felt good and felt quick but once getting to the turn at the second roundabout it was all up hill again until I passed the start then there was a nice descent to get the speed up. I was getting near to the next turn around point and had a good idea to eat an energy gel on the down hill bit unlike last where I had it going up the hill. After tuning round I saw the fast guys, Luke Souter and Jon Simpkins coming towards me very quickly and after that my goal was to get to the finish before them. Coming up the last hill a short 10% climb I just sat on the aero bars and passed my dad (the same place as last time) and went passed him feeling very happy. I then got to the finish line in a time of 58:55 a new PB, reached my goal and 2nd place! The Handicap part was won by Suzy Patience who also did a quick time of 01:06:53 for her first 25 mile time trial.

Thanks for reading
Results are here

National 25 mile time trial

On the start ramp

Yesterday was the national 25 mile time trial championships down in Devon. The course was great because it started in a town centre and had closed roads for about half a mile before joining a main road out to the roundabout. At the start there was a start ramp, a crowd and even a jazz band, when I started I was on top of the ramp and when the time keeper said go I sprinted as fast as I could to the end and on the aero bar thought the first bend. On the descent thought the town I hit 40 mph in the 30 zone and sat up to slow down to get around the bend at the bottom. Once on the main road it was out to the roundabout turn around and head back. On the way out I passed the finish on the right and the road was up and down a lot and I don't think any of it was flat and it even rained in one bit in the middle. Once I got to the roundabout to turn around I got held up a bit by a car but got round the roundabout and got going again, it then seem very hard on the way back. On the way back I got to the bit where it had been raining and the road was very wet and I had to go down a hill with a few bends at the bottom with it very wet so I took it easy round the bends and after about a mile it was dry again. By the time I got to the finish I was glad to get there and I crossed the line in a time of 01:02:44 as it turns out it was a very slow course with the hills and so I don't think that was too bad and only and 1 min 46 off my team mate Henry Latimer.

Results for my race are here

The winner was Ryan Mullen in the junior and in the men Dr. Hutch won in 53:36 and Julia Shaw won in a time of 59:20 with another team mate Chrissy Radon second.

Results: Men Women






There is a video here of most people in the race, I'm in it at 5:10

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BSCC and A5 rangers interclub 10 mile TT

Last night was an interclub between Banbury star CC and the A5 rangers, this year it was on there course again. This looked like it was going to be a fast course however the headwind on the way out mad it very hard. As I was on the start line I think the pusher-offer was showing off by holding me up with one finger on my saddle (I think I need to put on some more weight), After I started I felt good on the nice smooth tarmac but once I got to the first round about I slowed down a lot into the headwind but I did not go wrong this time like two years ago when I first rode the course. The head wind was hard all the way out but because it was not super strong I did not find out till I turned around and started flying back. And once I got to the short dual carriageway bit it was smooth tarmac and a tail wind, if only it was like that for 10 miles. I finished in a time of 23:02 not too bad of a time I think.

Thanks for reading
Results are here