Season 2007: Tell it like it was!!!

[Mike I]

Goals: No, nothing to report here. Failed to achieve any. I blame the weather.

Training Approach and Philosophy Training? Sold the turbo. Philosophy? Once riding becomes a chore, stop doing it; in the meantime, try to look smooth.

My Best Race(RR or TT) No PBs this year, but felt good in the SCCU 100 until just after I finished – meaning I put in just the right effort.

My Worst Race (RR or TT): SCCU 50, when I crashed in the wet.

Best ride/Sportive of the year Tour of Wessex: my first sportive gold with just under 2 minutes to spare; no effort wasted there then.

Worst Ride/Sportive Of the Year They were all fun, even the Bwlch second time round.

Best ACC TT Man and Woman: This is easy, just look at the times. Ok, RichV and Tamar for those who can’t be bothered. Snoop deserves a mention too – not so much for the 100 but for his first 50; he smashed his previous PB over the first 25 miles and then did it again in the next 25.

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Victoria Pendleton in the Worlds.

Favourite Club Rider You’re all great (hic!)

Season’s High Point Stage 1 of the Tour. I doubt I shall ever again persuade mother, wife and daughter all to watch a sporting event with me.

Season’s Low Point: Having to deal with those awkward questions from my 7-year old daughter. “Daddy, why don’t you wear anything under your shorts?” No, that was easy. In the last week of the Tour though, “Daddy, where’s Chicken Legs?” was almost impossible.

Most Improved Racers: How can Stu be ‘improved’ when he’s only 17?

Favorite pro riders: See ‘Season’s Low Point’. They’ve all got to work a lot harder on this. If I had one, it would be spelt ‘favourite’ though.

Best Forum Bits: I sometimes look at other forums – cycling and non-cycling. They nearly all descend into anarchic bickering in a way that this one doesn’t. Well, apart from Training, where the “wattage v just ride” debate will rumble on I suppose.

Favourite Cycling Websites Fat Cyclist, Sheldon Brown, Ray Dobbins’ Bike P*rn.

ACC's 'Blingiest' Rider: Alan M – C50, matching kit, white shoes.

Kings and Queens of Pain Matt Day is too modest (or exhausted) to post a report, but Paris-Brest-Paris beats any 12-hour picnic surely.

[Andrew G]

[quote] try to look smooth

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

So what did you look like going the other way

[Andrew G]

Thankfully it was not seen by anyone I know, or captured on film.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

LOL

[George]

Goals:
1. Keep dropping Marek YEP http://www.addiscombe.org/members/phpBB ... ped+george
2. Win 4th cat race and get promoted YEP http://www.addiscombe.org/members/phpBB ... php?t=3377
3. Lose 5 Kilo's weight and get to 79kg YEP now 77kg
4. Win at Palace in 3/4 race YEP http://www.addiscombe.org/members/phpBB ... php?t=4112
5. Get crazy victorious photo on London Cycle Sport YEP http://www.londoncyclesport.com/editori ... 84&sp=&v=1
6. Help my wife Elena ride a comfortable club run NO (just bought her bike but I’m sidelined at the mo)
7. Ride the Alps during the TDF YEP http://www.addiscombe.org/members/phpBB ... ht=ventoux

2. Training Approach and Philosophy

Ride ride and then keep riding but always remembering never to stop smiling whatever happens!

My Best Race(RR or TT) I had an amazing evening racing at the Smithfield Nocturn and loved every second of it. Early in the season with the A TEAM in full flow and enjoying getting away in all the breaks with Paul H.

My Worst Race (RR or TT) I was gonna saw at the Surrey league 3 day when I broke my neck but I was really enjoying it until I crashed. Probably the SERRL where both Paul H and I punctured on the first lap almost together.

Best ride/Sportiv of the year Taking the Caisse depaigne squad out on the clubrun, I will cherish that day forever.

And Croydon, Eastbourne, Brighton, Croydon with the Paul T train, this was a fantastic long day of hard riding, and meeting up with all the other Agreeables on Brighton Pier just was the icing on the cake.

Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year None

Best ACC Road Racer: Stu and Paul H

Best ACC TT Man and Woman: John Lovell you’re an inspiration!

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Paul H getting into the winning break in a super tough long nasty weather road race.

Favourite Club Rider :John Czernobay for being such a positive driver of the Just for fun group, always 100% HAPPY

Seasons Low Point: When I broke my neck.

Most Improved Racers: Steve the Shadow, soon he’s gonna win loads a races.

Favorite pro riders Valverde, Perreiro and Karpets

Most improved Club Riders: Andrew G

Best Forum Bits: Adam's boasting

Favourite Cycling Websites: weight weenies, bike radar, LCS blogs

Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs: Should of done some TT's and cyclocross

Best Seasons Quotes
Stu: "I would have had you on that one Paul if I had not come off on the corner as you were slowing down"

Paul: "Stu I was slowing down because there was a corner, which is why I did not fall off".

Stu: "Oh yeah".


ACC's 'Blingiest' Rider: Paul T with his Felted Bora’s

Kings and Queens of Pain Don’t know it still hurts.

Who went missing this season John the man in green, Matt Ives, Now a big up for Tok’s and Marek welcome back guy’s I’m really looking forward to racing with you next year.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Favourite ride

[quote]And Croydon, Eastbourne, Brighton, Croydon with the Paul T train, this was a fantastic long day of hard riding, and meeting up with all the other Agreeables on Brighton Pier just was the icing on the cake.

[quote="George 'the Smilin Assasin"]Most Improved Racers: Steve the Shadow, soon he’s gonna win loads a races.

[huw williams]

Goals
First group back in 2 early season RTs in january
First group back in end of season RoTFL
Stay healthy enough to ride at all points in between

Achieved the first and last – didn’t get out of the car park in the middle one

Training Approach and Philosophy
Do as little as possible needed to see improvement

Best Road Race
Are you kidding?

Best TT
Now you’re definitely kidding?

Top 5 club rides of the year
1) Descent from Orient to Alaro in Majorca with Chris Kay.
40mph+ round some of the widest, smoothest, sweeping downhill hairpins you’ve ever seen.

2) Coastal Road from Banyabulfa to Soller in Majorca – hyper-fast downhill for about 25 minutes with stellar views over the coastal cliffs

3) Col de Mons/Treminis – away from the well known killer climbs in the alps, amazing valleys and minor Cols provide some astounding riding that non-natives rarely get to see, King of the Mountains staff took us for a five hour jaunt round this one (and sat back in astonishment at one point as the ACC train did that 30mph through and off thang into a block headwind – awesome)

4) The captain’s Brighton ride – the only truly great weather of the summer and a ride to match

5) 2 Hilly 50’s. Once with George – walloped it round this now infamous hilly route with the big man before he dropped me for dead and set a new hill-climb record up Box Hill. Great day.
Then with (or without actually) Andrew Green’s ride, decided to attempt a course PB when I met up with a borderline 1st cat from SWC who had a similar idea – A ride that redefined the meaning of getting a pasting as he knocked seven bells out of me all the way round. And he wasn’t REALLY trying

6) Tour of the IOW – awesome riding on home turf, great social to cap the summer in style

Best Sportive Of the Year
Tour of the Black Mountains – much has been said about how grand and how savage it is in equal measure - and its all true.

Worst Ride Of the Year
Climbing the Croix de Fer in May – seriously bad weather. Couldn’t breath the air was so cold. Got tachycardia and thought I was a gonner for a moment there

RotFL – punctured pushing my bike onto the track at Hearn Hill for the start, changed it in time to join slow group starting at the back, punctured again at the little roundabout just out the gate

Best ACC TT Man and Woman
RichV and Tamar and anyone else stupi… sorry brave enough to finish the 12 hour

Most Improved Racers:
Keith Knight – RETURN OF THE DARK KNIGHT!
Years of back problems prevented him from racing and even riding his bike, BUT NOW HE’S BACK, we can all look out

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed:
Stuart, Keith and PVT at Hillingdon last weekend
That was a proper race – Keith in a glorious solo breakaway, Stu joining him in another glorious breakaway and PVT chasing them down all race. A pleasure to watch
Hal in the ToBM – Several times I looked up to see who the damn fool was who insisted on winding up the pace and every time he was wearing yellow and black.
Ian Munnery, Graheme Baker and any of the other members who “optimize the space around them to maximum effect” while still managing to ride bloody fast. Seriously – any of you whippets who dance up the hills, try sticking a couple of Domestic PCs in your rucksack and riding round the club run route – cos that’s the equivalent of a couple of stone in weight. If a handicap was a genuine handicap like in horse racing and we all had to carry the same weight – we wouldn’t have a chance against these guys ?

Favourite Club Riders
John Czernobylfallout – how the hell you can keep patient and smiling when looking after so many newbies is beyond me.
Alan Malarkey – I hope when I retire I have even half his enthusiasm (and cycling dress sense)
George, Stu and Paul H, who at various times over the summer have each contributed to making life hell in the training group. I admire people who can so resolutely stick to the task at hand (i.e.burying their mates) with impunity. No rules, no mercy, just batter it until people start dying – which is exactly what a training group should be.

Season’s High Points
Prologue of the Tour in London. See? Britain can do sporting occasions on a breathtaking, global scale and not screw it up

Climbing the Croix de Fer in September – Payback time. After a week of riding in the Alps it all ended up here in grand style. Gave it everything and had nothing left in the tank at the top as I collapsed into the waiting arms of the café owner. “You’re crocked monsieur” she said a little later after I’d recovered and ordered food. “Crocked? I’m totally f***ed” I replied “no, no, no” she explained “your croq mosieur” she repeated as she placed a ham and cheese sandwich in front of me.

Seeing 120 members out in one group on the club run in September

Season’s Low Points
Puncture no 3 in the Dartmoor classic – lashing with rain for 5 hours was bad enough without having to stop and ponce inner tubes

Inverted re-enactment of ‘Alien’ when a sebaceous cyst decided it was coming out of my back without the aid of anaesthetic or trained medical staff – the only thing all season that hurt more than one of Stuart’s attacks in the training group.

Best Forum Bits:
Adesanya vs Green. LSD vs short intensity. Has kept us all amused for months

[Grahame]

[quote="huw williams"]Top 5 club rides of the year
1) Descent from Orient to Alaro in Majorca with Chris Kay.
2) Coastal Road from Banyabulfa to Soller in Majorca

3) Col de Mons/Treminis

4) The captain’s Brighton ride

5) 2 Hilly 50’s.

6) Tour of the IOW

[huw williams]

sorry mate - as memorable as that was...

[Toks]

[quote="huw williams"]Training Approach and Philosophy
Do as little as possible needed to see improvement

[huw williams]

And as its a philosphy written IN BIG LETTERS on the first page of ALL reputable coach's training books - they SHOULD all be at it anyway!

[Andrew G]

The Mens ride was fantastic particularly the climb through/up Saint Sebastien, although I still say that it was a 6 col ride, not 4 as Helyn described it. They did seem a tad surprised when we all got carried away towards the end.

[Steve B]

Goals:
Didn't have any really. Just wanted to keep riding every saturday and see what else came along. A knee injury stopped me doing circuit training and running but didn't affect cycling too much, so did a turbo session on the circuit training day and have not looked back since

Training Approach and Philosophy
Ride more

My Best Races
Sutton crit, 6th place in front of my watching family
Palace, 2nd in the 'Addiscombe 1-2-3'
Presidents 10. Knocked 1min 18 secs off best time

My Worst Race
Palace, my first race. Lasted 5 laps and thought 'f*** this, I don't like this

Best ride
Coastal Road from Banyabulfa to Soller in Majorca

Best ACC Road Racer
George and Stu have been mentioned alot, quite rightly, but I would like to put the name of Sylv forward; always seen at the front of a race and always finishing in the top half dozen. Brilliant season.

Best ACC TT Man and Woman
Rich V and Tamar

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed
Stu at Palace winning his first race. I'd pulled out and was watching from the finish line. Stu was near the front as they went out of sight down the hill, but as they came in to view at the top a minute later, he was 40 metres ahead of everyone and sprinted on to victory. Awesome

Favourite Club Rider
Jim - 82? and does club run every week - say no more!

Most Improved Racers
All the racers have improved enormously - brilliant

Favorite pro rider
Robbie McEwan

Most improved Club Riders

Best Forum Bits
All the race reports

Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs:
Should of started racing a long time ago.

ACC's 'Blingiest' Rider
Sorry Adam, it's not you. It's Alan in all that Campag gear.

Kings of Pain
George, when he inflicts it on the rest of us while riding, and on himself when crashing.

Who went missing this season
Toks - be good to have you back
Matt Ives - Where did you go?


All in all a brilliant year, personally and for the club.
I've got the racing bug that Toks had tried to install in me for a couple of years and I can't wait till 2008

Steve