SCCU 25 19th April

[Andrew G]

That was horrible. It's a lovely day now but earlier it was a bit chilly and boy was it windy, absolute hell on some sections.

Turning out the slip road at the start and bang straight in to a wall of wind. Oh dear this is going to be hard work. I struggled to get going in the first 10 miles, legs seemed to be feeling yesterday a bit but I think this was down to the wind and it would have been okay without it. I always struggle on windy days as I get blown about a bit without the power to just blunder through it.

At the first turn I could see a couple of faster riders behind me were closing in so tried to pick up the pace a bit. Turning up Tolgate and hurray the wind seemed to be behind, went up here okay and caught my 4 minute man. After the turn and the descent back normally is 53/12 or 53/11, today I was about 3 or 4 gears lower in to the wind. The next section was pretty fast as it's sheltered so only the odd shove sideways when passing a gate.

Still hadn't been caught be anyone which surprised me as I knew I wasn't going well today. The turn back up towards Southwater is normally a bit of a long drag, today I wanted to put a sail up as the tail wind shoved you along. After Hop Oast I was caught by 2 in quick succession and also caught my 14 minute man . What goes around comes around though and the return leg was absolute murder up a drag in to the teeth of the worst of the wind. Struggled to keep 15mph up here . I did see George catching me though and he looked like the wind was making no difference to him as he was flying along.

Groveled in with a ride worth doing for training but not for the time. Back at HQ and I found out George had unfortunately punctured 1-2 miles from home.

Addiscombe times:
Robert Royle-Evatt 1.06.07
Andrew Green 1.07.04
Ivor Hewitt 1.07.21
George Brent 1.06.30 including a tub change
Jonathon Hemming 1.04.45
Dominic Lowe 1.02.01
Mark McLaughlin 1.01.18 - great ride in the conditions
Paul Tunnell 1.04.38
Douglas Shaw DNF

Some of the real power houses just don't seem to slow down whatever the weather is like.
Keith Coffey 56.41
Steve Dennis 54.13
How they do times like that in that wind I find absolutely staggering.

[Dominic]

Really can't add much to that Andrew as that was pretty much how it felt to me. Defo feeling the effects of yesterday's ride into the wind and up the drags. Still more racing miles in the legs that will tell later in the season

Great ride by Mark and his new bike

[Ivor]

Yup pretty good summary there, decided my leg was ok to ride. Just a bit awkward to walk and since the sun was shining didnt want to miss out.
Bit of a cock up leaving the house doing a mental checklist on the way over realised I'd washed my gloves yesterday and they were still out drying! quick u-turn, back for gloves and off again. ahem.
Bit chilly first thing but reckoned the sun would start warming up soon enough so first few miles were a bit cold on the fingers and chest, but fine after a few minutes. Started nice and steady to check the leg was ok and soon got up to a comfortable pace, slightly annoyed on the drag up the 264 to the m-way r-bout when I was overtaken just past the roundabout, fine, but then my overtakee clearly didn't want to keep pace up the hill and slowed right down. thought about retaking, but he'd clearly been faster than me up till now to catch me and was only slightly slower than I wanted to go but still.
anyway as we rounded the r'bout he picked up the pace and pulled away again.
on the return stretch managed to pick up my pace a bit more and was feeling pretty good overall.
Got a slap on the @rse off George approaching the final drag up to last roundabout.
and then it all unravelled.
I'd overtaken my minute man well before the last turn, but on the drag back to the finish, I completely ran out of juice and couldnt keep the speed up, I could feel the time just draining away. . then, my minute man re-took me and I gritted teeth and ground out to the line.
(after passing George who was mucking about with his tyre at the side of the road)

overall. I was pretty happy with my performance, getting better slowly but steadilly, good training run and just the second TT of the year.

[George]

Was looking forward to this mornings TT and was gagging to get going, before the start I was a little concerned only having track mitts but sure enough once going my pinkies were warm enough.

I started off a little slower and tried to watch I didn't go off too hard, it seemed to work nicely. Was rolling along and keeping the revs up rather than honking on the pedals, this seemed to work well on the drags, keeping my legs well inside that red zone.

The return leg up past Broadbridge Heath there was a lovely tailwind so top gear was turning round there, seemed to get pushed up the hill to Southwater by the wind and past Ivor, didn't feel quite such a drag as previous events

Downhill to Southwater South RBT was fast and really had to make an effort to keep pushing hard, I could see Andrew ahead, was expecting to pass but up the rough road surfaced drag of Southwater my tub picked up a flint and flatted. Really didn't fancy trashing the Xentis so swapped the tub and rolled in for a finish.

I had made Hop Oast RBT in just over 54 minutes so with just 2km downhill to the finish I probably would have done a 57 so happy with that, and glad I carry a spare tub and CO2

[mark mclaughlin]

So now I know what riding a TT bike feels! Soooooo good, just so much more responsive.

First TT of the year for me and now with Terry’s old TT machine this was a going to be a good work out. Kept the cadence high on my 53 ring, having raced on a compact last year have found some new gears to use!!
Bit of a horrible wind so knew had to ride at a measured pace, was feeling good all the way round, the last run in was the worst ever, a cruel wind just sapping your strength, had to dig deep to keep any speed to the time keeper.

Pleased with that for my first of the season, shame for George puncturing, what could have been, not supprised you where feeling the effects Dom from riding with George and Sylv yesterday.
Good to see Tim at the HQ and Carole supplying tea and cakes aswell as expert number pinner, Thanks!

[Sylv]

[quote]Jonathon Hemming 1.04.45
Paul Tunnell 1.04.38
Andrew Green 1.07.04

[Ivor]

Heh! 3rd on handicap!

http://cyclingtimetrials.janet0102.co.u ... &tabid=109

Checked my time from last year when I came in at, 01:13:23.

[quote="Sylv"][quote]Jonathon Hemming 1.04.45
Paul Tunnell 1.04.38
Andrew Green 1.07.04

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Ivor"]Heh! 3rd on handicap!

Checked my time from last year when I came in at, 01:13:23.

[Ivor]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]Top banana dude, I had you down to win the hcap but third in that wind and with your mtb off is excellent, great ride feller

[Jon H]

While driving down with Mark we were commenting on the weather; it was sunny, chilly (5 degrees according to my car), and appeared to be very calm. However, some time before the start time the wind got up. I rode out to the Hop Oast roundabout to warm up, and on the way back to Broadbridge Heath realised the finish was going to be horrendous into the wind.

Struggled pretty much all the way round; don't know whether this was because of the 3-up on Saturday, or because of the wind. Anyway, I got caught by the guy a minute behind me at the bottom of Tollgate Hill. On the fast bit back from Tollgate towards Moorhead I got overtaken by a swimming pool, which was on a wide load trailer with a following car. It wasn't going too fast and I was tempted to try and sit in the slipstream behind it, but it was just a bit too fast to get on. Good job really, as I'd have been disqualified if seen.

When I crossed the line I thought I'd done really badly, but it seemed most people were well down on their normal times.

Good ride from Mark on the new bike to be top ACC rider on the day; now he's got a reputation to live up to. And good ride from Ivor to get in amongst the handicap prizes.

[tel]

Well done guys, that`s the fastest the old Orbea has ever gone. Glad its gone to a good pair of legs.

Terry

[kieran]

Well, done Mark a very good time, hope to hear more good results during the year.

[SteveD]

I'm glad I didn't ride this one!