The Following ACC Racers Have Switched teams For 2007:

[Toks]

Marek, Tim, Myself and Max. Yes guys for next year at least we won't be representing the mighty ACC in the famous yellow and black jersey in races. We'll all be racing for Mosquito Bikes (The main promotors behind The Falling Leaves ride and a few others this year) which is run by Phil Burnett...Ex ACC racer Phil Sheehan has been badgering me for most of the year to switch teams when I made 2nd cat but I kept turning him down. Eventually the offers got better and better: free team kit, free bike servicing etc etc and once Marek had agreed myself, Tim and Max decided it was a great opportunity. So why not?

Some guys jump ship without even a word which I think is a little disrespectful especially if you've been at the club for a while. Usually the first time you know about it is when you see their names in the race result section. Anyway I think we'll all go second claim (at least I will) and still make club runs whenever we can. And of course expect me to keep posting regularly

Here's what our boss said in a recent letter
[color=blue]
I haven't met many of you guys yet but I am excited about the sudden increase in the size of the Mosquito Race Team! Phil has done a great job in getting everyone together and it looks like 2007 should be a great season. After years of plugging away almost on my own it will be great to see other Mosquito jerseys out there.

The race team is important for Mosquito as we are now heavily involved in the road bike scene and are building up a lot of custom bikes . We exclusively import Independent Fabrication and Pegoretti frames and are the sole London dealers for Parlee, Litespeed and Merlin as well as being a Scott pro shop. Having the team out there at races and being reported on in Londoncyclesport etc is great for us.

I am working on a team kit order. We will be using the same suppliers as before but this time we will be getting the shorts to match the jerseys! We will supply everyone with a jersey, gilet, bib-shorts and armwarmers. I will email a complete list of what is available so that if you want to get any other items we can add them on to the order, the prices are pretty good. You might want to check with Phil re sizing. Could you also let me know your helmet sizes (Giro) as Giro have agreed to help out by providing Mosquito team riders with Giro Atmos helmets![/color]

[Snoop Doug]

good luck to you all. I think it's great that ACC can foster and develop talent and it's one of a bunch of things that make me proud to be a member of such a progressive club. Part of my job is people management and I derive huge satisfaction when a good member of my team spreads their wings and moves on, it is something I continually encourage.

Cheers - Snoop

[Toks]

[quote]Good luck with it, originally i used to take it personally when people left ACC (!) but i can value the progression thats available now.

[Marek]

I will certainly be keeping ACC second claim. I also expect that I will carry on going on the club run when I can get out, in fact I will be out on it tomorrow as one of my mates is over from France and I have been raving about the club runs, and as he getting into cycling he is keen to come along.

So see you all tomorrow.

Cheers

Marek....

[Tim H (liquigas)]

I just want to say a massive thankyou to everyone at the club! I will definately be staying second claim.

I have only been riding for 2 years and I have become completely obssessed.

I first came down to the club because Jon (the other maniac with a Bianchi) got me to agree to do the london triathlon. I had overspent my budget on a new bike that i may have only used a few times and needed to start training with about 2 months to go. When i first turned up everyone was very welcoming and after managing to hold on all the way back to CSS i knew I would be back the next week.

It was Mark and AJ who first said that i should give racing a go. My first race was Crystal Palace (not a good place to have a taster) where i got dropped after about 4 laps. Not put off i kept going till the end, cheered by Tamar and AJ, and was determined to finish with the pack next time. I did 4 races that season all at palace and it was only in the last race of the season that I managed to hold on! And that was probably only due to that fact that they put up less laps due to bad light.

this seasons goal was to go from 4th to 2nd cat. Palace was easier and the amount of support that myself and toks got from the addiscombe was brilliant. kept me hanging on for dear life when i went up to the E12 races – well hanging on until I got dropped again, just like the year before.

anyway thanks again – it’s a great club - will probably see you all tomorrow.

[Andrew G]

Sorry to see you go guys, but good luck for the future. I can understand your reasons to try with a "team" as opposed to a club as you want to see how far you can go with some extra support before it's too late. Better to give it a go rather than be left wondering what if?

Thanks for letting us know Toks, a true Gent to the end. Hope to see you back at Addiscombe sometime in the future.
Do you get a new Parlee or Merlin?

[Matthew Ives]

I'm really pleased for you guys. Well done chaps!!

Sad to see you go, but over the years , all the best riders from ACC normally get poached by sponsored teams, so it's no great shock.
Here's to you moving on to bigger and better things !!

[Yohan]

..wow..shocking news!

..but totally understandable, and I can only wish the best to all four of you in your quest for racing brilliance, I've seen you all progress certainly in the last year and the level of riding is exceptional, an this def needs to be exploited.
Big special shout out to you though Toks, no-one has offered as much racing advice as you, and provided support when needed, you were one of the reasons I gave it a try.

Def hope to see you guys back out on the CR some days, wouldn't be the same without ya.

I'm still suffering with an injury, so havent been out...I daren't even think about my form when I eventually return to the CR.....see ya!

cheers
Yohan

[Stu Merckx Man]

congratulations!!...just dont leave me alone with the new john!

[Richard (Apples)]

Well done chaps. I've only been riding with the club since June this year and you lot have inspired me to take up racing next year, spend far too much on a new bike and become a complete cycling bore to Mrs.A

Tok does this mean your training / racing tips are now closely guarded secrets

[Dr Frigo]

Wow, you guys must be chuffed! I'm sure racing for and within a team will provide that extra motivation which will help during those long training sessions, to get even better results next season. There will be more pressure too, gone are the days of "aar not feeling great today, I'll just pack it"!

It's a shame to see you go from ACC, but a club, however great it is like ACC, cannot compete with a shop/sponsored team offering free/discounted kit, coaching etc. And hey it's not like you guys are moving abroad or what - we'll still see you on rides and races (well that's if I ever get a 2nd cat license ...).

At least we can safely say you didn't change clubs because of kit design

[img]http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/images/bites/the%20team.jpg[/img]

Oh you guys stop it I can't enjoy my beer...[quote]Thanks for letting us know Toks, a true Gent to the end. Hope to see you back at Addiscombe sometime in the future.
Do you get a new Parlee or Merlin?

[Stu Merckx Man]

toks, does this mean you get paid to ride or anything? or just the free kit an servicing?

cheers,
stu

[Paul H]

Well done to all of you and good luck.

Personally I'm glad you lot are racing for someone else as I wont have to feel guilty when I sit on your wheels and come round at the end.

This time next year I will be known as the Mosquito Swatter.

[kieran]

Paul, you stole my idea, now if I ever end up in a race with them, (as 2nd cat now I'll have to get 3rd cat to do so) I won't feel too bad. Pity now Paul won't ge to have a go at marek next yeaar for the ACC championship!