David Millar riding Bec CC Hill Climb

[Keith]

There should be a far bigger crowd at this year's Bec Hill climb on Sunday 12th October: David Millar has chosen it as his final race as a pro .

[url=http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/?udt_1579_param_detail=1221#NEWS]More details here[/url].
[quote]
And according to Dave, race he will... “I’m not just going to ride uphill & wave goodbye” said Millar, “I’m going to have a crack at setting a new ‘White Lane’ record in what will be my first ever Hill Climb TT, as well as my last race.. “It’ll be like going full circle on my cycling career.

[Andrew G]

Paul's put our entry in for the tandem .

[DavidKennett]

Should be a breeze

"The [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnLspDXCkgQ]Wall of Guardiagrele[/url]" - 30% at the steepest bit, and full of excited fans - Stage 5 at Tirreno-Adriatico. The atmosphere was electric. Our own vans had problems making it up the hill, and the distribution of our cameras and crew alongside the course became quite tricky. Just as well we had our trusted cameraman [url=http://www.davidmillarfilm.com/]David Millar[/url] with us, operating his own onboard camera. We can confirm that David refused to be pushed up the hill, it was definitely offered to him."

[Phil H]

Tom's entered too - as well as the Catford. Weather cannot be as bad as last year.

[Jon H]

Has he got a special pair of shoes for this one?

[Andrew G]

Paul and I have competition, apparently another pair have decided to join for the tandem winch and gurn.

Bec applied for and were granted an increased field size of 150 due to the number of entries received early.

205 entries received! Quite a few will miss the cut unfortunately.

[Phil H]

211 in the end. From Addiscombe:

Ashley Nunn
Jack Verhoeff (Odd - don't see him on the membership list)
Simon Lythgoe
Thomas Hawkes
P Tunnel A.Green

No ACC riders on the reserves list.

[quote="Gary"]Phew 150 Done. almost as painful to do as cutting off one of my own limbs with a rusty bread knife!! Got to disappoint a few people now

[Keith]

[quote="Phil H"]
..
Jack Verhoeff (Odd - don't see him on the membership list)
...

[Phil H]

Not sure Keith. I suspect not - will have to refer to BC.

Might be a recent joiner - Phil was away for the last committee meeting so no info on new joiners.

[quote="Andrew G"][quote="Gary"]Phew 150 Done. almost as painful to do as cutting off one of my own limbs with a rusty bread knife!! Got to disappoint a few people now

[Lee on the Condor]

I know Jack from Saturday club runs, he is a fantastic climber.

[Jack V]

Hi
Sorry for not presenting myself earlier. I'm Jack !

I am a ACC member. Only received my card (no.810) a few weeks ago and haven't had time to introduce myself to everyone properly.

first things first, do i need a race licence? if so im stuffed.

if not then i'd love to have a bash! As i was one of the lucky few to make the list! (thanks to lee for badgering me to register)

This would be my first event and im not really sure whats going on...

any advice would be great..
Jack

[Phil H]

Hi Jack. As I mentioned, Phil Nash - our membership secretary - has been away which is why I don't have the latest list. Welcome to the fold.

Hillclimbs are Cycling Time Trials events. You do not need a race license, just to belong to an affiliated club (which you do).

Advice for hillclimbs: don't be as fat as me, don't start in the big ring - no matter how much of a good idea it seems and leave it all on the road. Oh and it will probably hurt quite a lot. You will also be able to say that you rode in David Millar's last race.

It would be nice if we could get a crew of ACC supporters to ride out and cheer on our six competitors.

[Andrew G]

Hi Jack, as Phil says no licence he just needed to check membership as for a time trial under CTT regs you need to be a member of an affiliated club to comply with the event insurance.

Or hold a UCI race licence (BC licence equivalent) if from a foreign club.

What's going on?
- If you can go to the hill for a test ride sometime before the event so you don't ride it blind on the day.
- Arrive about an hour before your start time to sign in, collect your number, and warm up. You need a long warm up for hill climbs as they are all out.
- You'll be held up like a normal TT at the start but in HCs there is no push off at all so make sure you are ready to go when the timekeeper says so, more than a few have had the embarrassment of falling sideways on to the floor .
- The race is hell, you are trying to go as hard as you can up a very steep hill, you can't go full gas from the start or you won't make it, but you can't start much below full gas or you won't give your best effort, it's only 700yards long so you can't make time up later.
- It's eerily quiet at the start and lower slopes of the climb, as you go up you start to hear the crowds and hear the PA...just about over your own panting and heart beating in your ears. The noise builds as you get towards the crowd, you may hear your name announced over the PA (probably be Tony Gibb again) and quickly becomes deafening as you ride up through a tunnel of people leaning in screaming support for you. A bit more bike wrestling and then you just crest the top, the finish line is right at the top where it flattens off. You then roll in a weaving line to the side panting like a dog with a rasping throat to give the accompanying barking cough in absolute agony. Don't worry it doesn't last long .

It hurts like hell, but it's a fantastic experience and a wonderful end of season ego stroke. Where else will you ride and have a load of people leaning in screaming your name in support?