Bicester Millenium CC 10 mile time trial

With the British Time trial championships on Sunday I've had to change my position on the TT bike to get within the rules, and change my saddle to get it 5cm behind to bottom bracket and I can't use my disk because the cassette I have to use (for restricted top gear) will not fit on my disk's free hub. So without further moaning I would like to write about last nights time trial at Weston on the Green RAF thingy place. After warming up on the bike I was still cold and my plan was to finish and get to the car as quick as possible. After starting off I was not too cold by the first bend and once around it I was on a slightly faster and in top gear (53x16) spinning faster than I would like because on faster bits I like a bigger gear a slower cadence unlike on slower bit where I like a lower gear and higher cadence after about a lap I still had to do 3 more. All the laps seemed the same but after much moving on the saddle trying to get in a right place I found myself on the last lap and with no one around I wondered if I had done to many laps but looking at my garmin if I had done too many laps I would have done an 18 min 10 so it must have been right. I was getting closer and closer to the end and I got out of the saddle to sprint but not sure where the line was so kept sprinting and sat down, I soon got to the car and got my warm jacket on. I liked the time trial, being off the roads made me feel like a pro like Blenheim Palace time trial did. As of now I do not know what time I did or anyone else, but I think by the garmin about 24 mins.

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Corley Cycles MKCA summer series race 19

Last night was the last race in the Corley Cycles series and it was also my Birthday, last night I was using my new mavic shoes and socks for the first time and they where great! The race was round both car park right from the start and the 3/4 race had loads of people in it but soon after starting I thought I was not too far from the front and looked round and found out I was at the back because we had dropped so many people in the first few laps. as the race went on the pace stay high and there was not many points where the race slowed right down and the elites only laps us once. As we got closer and closer to the last few laps I found myself holding a good position near the front and with one lap to go I was about 5th in line and as we hit the bottom of the hill the sprint was on, I managed to sprint for 3rd and then found out someone was on a breakaway so ended up with 4th place. Not too bad and my last 3/4 race, and today my 2nd cat race licence came so this will be my my last 3/4 race for a while.

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Last night was the Banbury star hill climb and from what I remebered from last year it was painful and hurt a lot! Last year it rained and last night after I got there and got my bike out of the car I didn't have to wait long before there was rain and I was warming up in it, however it soon stopped and I was ready to suffer up the hill. As I was on the start line I pressed start on my garmin and was pushed off as I sprinted I felt good and got most the way up the hill and could not feel a thing and then on the last steep bit it hit me and it hit hard. I changed up a gear and got out of the saddle and tried to just keep the bike moving and I got over the top and still had to do another 10 meters or so to get to the finish line! I got over it and managed to keep the legs turning (my plan being not to be sick at the top) I then stopped on the side of the road and regain composure, I then found out I had done a 1:23 a new PB and junior course record.

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Photos here
Results here

Blenheim Palace time trial

Today I did the Blenheim Palace time trial and this year it was dry. Only about 13 miles but with quite a lot of climbing from three small hills on each lap and each hill had to be done 3 times! As I was on the start line I knew I had warmed up well and as the time keeper said go I sprinted away and soon got on the aero bars and quickly got to the first bend, it went right and then left and I got round on the aero bars but then came up to another bend and unsure if I could stay on the aero bars round it I sat up and then some nice down hill before it went up the first hill. The first hill was not to bad it was small and I got over it on the aero bars and once over the top a quick down hill bit that would lead to the hardest climb on the course. The second hill was the longest climb it slowed me down alot but I managed to get over it in the big ring every time. The last hill is a small but bit steep one that you can power up and not lose too much speed. And then flat to the finish line and then only two laps left. I got to the bend I was unsure about and round on the aero bars. After getting round another lap I still felt good and on the last lap went harder down the hills than the last times and getting near the end Rob Yeatman pasted me but did not get too far ahead and once on a flat part I stated to past him and as I got level with him, he just went up the gears and went a bit faster and I could not. Once across the line I did a time of 30:39 (course PB) and got 3rd junior.

I then got to stand on the podium with Rob Yeatman who won it and Edward Clemens who was 2nd.



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Results are here

Corley Cycles MKCA summer series race 18

Last night was Milton Keynes Bowl and with the rain it was just the inside loop because it was wet and raining - the best way to race. The race, elites started a lap down and when they lapped us it was one race with two results. Tonight I had a plan to sit in and sprint, and soon after starting I had to tell myself to just sit back and take it easy. After about half an hour the elites were with us and it speeded up quite nicely I managed to keep myself out of trouble and as the laps started counting down I started to feel good. I remembered what I was told and I got near the front and got pushed back a bit but as I went past with one lap to go I was a little boxed in but got out and moved round the outside of the group with half a lap to go and got about 3rd or 4th wheel and as the front rideres started to sprint hard I also sprinted hard too and on the way up the hill I was winning the 3rd/4th cat race and as I got over the line rased my right arm in the air and shouted "YES!" only to see another green number rider (from my race) right by me look round and then I said "dam!". I thought I had won it but I only needed one point and I got that last point to move up to a 2nd cat so it was a good night on the bike.

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Banbury Star 2 up 13

Last night was the 2 up and my partner was Justin Belcher because he's a strong rider and after winning the last two 2 ups we were looking to add to that record. There was a small cock up at the start but soon after that I got us up to speed and soon had an average speed of 25 mph and after a few miles on the front I let Justin do some work to till the next hill and I took over again. We worked well together and because of that we felt like all the time was fast. Once we got to the last road I had a feeling it was going to be a head wind home. It was but as we hit the fast bit Justin got the speed high and soon we were going 34 mph on the flat and the average speed was going up, slowly but still up! As we got to the last down hill bit I pulled over for Justin to fly down the hill and he did as we hit the up hill we got to the first bend and I got on the front again to pace us home and once over the hill I put it in a big gear and pushed hard and we crossed the line in 28:36 a very fast time and we were winning for about a minute until some faster guys came in. Average speed was 26.5 and the time was much faster than what we could do on our own so it was a good night.

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results are here

Ludgershall Summer Series 12

To start with, I would like to say I punctured my front tyre at Milton Keynes bowl on Thursday. And yesterday morning I got my points for the "No Frills" races I did a few weeks ago and am now only one point away from being a 2nd cat. Last night I raced at Ludgershall well when I say raced it was more like just rode round. It started raining as we were on our way to the race and by the time it started it was very wet and still raining, my mum went to the finish line with spare wheels because in every crit I've ever done wheel changing area is by the finish line and at no point did anyone tell us any different. On the start line they said you were aloud a lap out with up to five laps to go, and soon after that we where off. After about 10 mins I got a puncture on the back wheel and managed to get round the track to my mum get a spare wheel jump back in next lap. A lap or two later I was informed by my mother to "not bother" and the next time by I found out I was a lap down so after trying to breakaway no one would let me go and I gave up. I just gave up after that and and by the time it was the sprint and got round the final bend and went to sprint but then pondered what's the point so did not bother. I may have done crap thanks to them but Andy McKay the other Zappi rider got 3rd place.

I would assume there would have been less punctures riding over something like broken glass. I don't think I'll ever race there again, I'll stick to the friendly people at good old Milton Keynes bowl.

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Corley cycles summer series race 17

Last night I did Milton Keynes again trying to get the 3 last points I need. The race was half on the inside and half doing an extra bit as normal, after a few attacks I could not get away and no one else could stay away as well. We soon started going though the extra bit and because I was at the back trying to recover from attacking I was a bit far down and after going round the bends the group split and I managed to get up to the front group and riders got drop and back on and more got dropped and while I was feeling good an attack went and a few riders got away. The laps soon counted down and with one lap to go the bunch got a bit nervous and one rider in front of me tried to move up and got a little push and wobbled quite abit. As we went round the last corner the rider in front of me cut me up and then did lead me out but in the sprint I got boxed in and could not go any where so just had to cross the line in that place.

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Results are here

Banbury star 13

Last night I did the Banbury star 13 mile time trial and it was very windy out there and at no point was there a tail wind! After a good warm up I was ready to start and once I did I found myself getting into a good pace and soon caught my minute man (my dad). I felt like it was not that fast but into the headwind a slower parts like I was handling it better than I have done. After getting though all the slow parts the last road was downhill but with a cross wind so not super fast but not too bad. Up the last hill I could see some one ahead of me, I tried to get closer to him but could not do it and as I crossed the line I did a 29:37 not too far off my PB so another good night time trialing.

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results are here

Corley Cycles MKCA summer series race 16

Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl and still trying to pick up the last few points to get to 2nd cat. After finding out that we were just going to race on the inside because its been a bit wet we where ready to race, there was five Zappi's riding the 3/4 cat race and with every attack me, Chris Boote, Mike Betts, Andy McKay or Mick Murphy where out trying to get away. The racing was full of attacks and most came back one even had four zappi riders pushing the pace. After a while Mick got away with two other riders and would have stayed away if he had not punctured and shortly after that the two still on a breakaway sat up and then we where all back together. With about 3 laps to go someone attacked and got away and ended up winning it. As for the sprint four zappi riders in the top ten! Not bad,I got 9th and getting closer to my 2nd cat licence, but alas 2nd cat still eludes me...

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Results are here

Banbury star 10

Last night I did the Banbury Star 10 miles time trial on the course that everyone hates ...apart from me. This week there were temporary traffic lights on the course and we could still race if we did not jump the lights or pass waiting cars. After starting I felt good and was soon on the down hill bit and as the road flattened out my speed was still high, but as I got to the temporary traffic lights they were on red but luckily no cars where in front of me and with my plan of getting to the quickly and stopping late to get a little bit more rest time, then after what seemed a long wait they changed to green and me and the other rider Marcus who I was catching got going again. After that I was a bit annoyed about that but I then got back to TT pace and caught another rider and by the time I was at the roundabout to turn round I was catching another rider. On the return I passed him and as I was heading back felt like I was making good time. I got over the small lump in the road and could see the temporary traffic lights again and on red with cars waiting but then they changed! And just as I got about level with them the changed to orange but I got past and with one hill to get over was feeling good. I got up the hill but just as I went to change into the big ring again I dropped my chain much like last time I road this course but after removing the pin between the chainring and crank arm I managed to get the chain back on with out stopping. I then was on the fast bit towards the finish and with one rider left to pass I nearly was the first to finish but I posted the fastest time was winning for a while until Luke Souter came back 21 seconds faster than me. My time was 23:49 faster than I thought and I was only 23 seconds off my PB so not bad for that night.

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