Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club

Hi folks

Well what great weather? Nice and warm (around 22ºC at the start and didn't drop much) with almost no breeze and nice and bright. A good night for a fast time... except tonight it was the hilly - 3 laps of a 6.4 mile circuit. 15 riders took to the start - including a few who hadn't realised the hilly was this week.

Fastest through the first lap and favourite was Julian Smith, making a rare appearance but a regular on this particular event. John Lacey was in 2nd but with a lot of work to do to catch Julian, and with Paul Caton (Anders Horizon RT) a close 3rd behind with Matt Jones not out of the running either.

2nd lap times showed Julian still quickest but a fair bit slower than his first lap and only a few seconds quicker that John Lacey who had gone only 7 seconds slower than the first. Paul Caton and Matt Jones by now were dropping further behind.

At the finish,, Julian regained control and moved comfortably ahead with John again dropping another 7 seconds compared to his previous lap but ending up 50 seconds off the lead. Paul Caton stemmed the drop in speed fairly well and came in 3rd but 1:20 down, and had 40 seconds over Matt Jones. 5th places Same Williamson had the most consistent pacing, with a variance of just 5 seconds from fastest to slowest laps but was over a minute back on Matt.

At the back end of the field Sam's wife Sarah was riding in her 2nd ever event and was having a very close battle with Jon Burgess - Jon ahead after one lap by 15 seconds, but at the end of lap 2 had lost all that to be 1 second behind and it was looking like an unlikely comeback... but at the line a sprinting Jon had brought it back in his favour by just 5 seconds... however Sarah had significantly beaten the best estimate of her finishing time - and her husbands estimate was beaten by a massive amount! A great time for someone with so little experience.

thanks to Bob for the timekeeping, Paul Thomson for the pushing off and the 4 marshals Nigel Goffin, Stewart Boucher, Dave Rogers and Andy Murray.

Next weeks marshalling rota is showing it's the turn of Keith Fletcher, Richard Greaves, John Lacey and Richard Mills. Start time 7:30 pm.

Next week's event is the annual 'Athletes Ten' - where no typical aero equipment is allowed - no TT bikes, TT wheels, no tribars, aero helmets, etc. Wheels where available should have at least 24 spokes per wheel (although some leeway may be allowed for fronts with 20 spokes, or so), but no deep section wheels at all. Skinsuits will be allowed.

This weekend is the club's open 25 mile time trial, with the start sheet already issued (see http://www.hemelcycling.org.uk/event/open-25-mile-time-trial )

Please note that from the week after next the council are rebuilding the road from where the finish is through to Hudnall Corner. A badly needed rebuild too it has to be said. This is due to last 3 weeks. Clearly it will affect the events for those 3 weeks (8, 15 & 22 July). Firstly despite the works only happening overnight, the worls will mean that it will be impossible to race through that section: there are highly likely to be traffic lights, etc.. That means we will have to run the event over a shortened course starting and finishing the other side of the works near Hudnall Corner. It will make the distance approx 7.2 miles. Secondly the road will be closed to all traffic from 8pm when the works take place. That means we have to finish the race and get back through to the HQ by that time. Therefore we will have to start probably by 7pm (approx). I have been trying to negotiate a later closing time of 8:30 for Thursdays, or at least safe passage for the riders through the works until that time, but have yet to be given that allowance. Otherwise the return for the riders would be probably the reverse course taken on today's hilly - up Pedley Hill towards Studham and right along Gaddesden Row and back down again past the works - a 4 mile diversion.

Paul