Road racing

Starting on the track towards raving next season (hopefully) today, going on my first university club ride! Really excited to meet some of the guys and get some riding done

Are you a Cat3 or above male cyclist, aged 18-35? Join our recovery study & get free LT/ VO2max >testing. Contact: hpl.contact@gsk.com

If anyone here is still interested in road racing (which seems doubtful considering no one's posted here for eight months) you might like to look at my report of the National Masters Championships:
https://www.velouk.net/2016/05/31/results-masters-road-championships/

This is a really well organised event on a great course not all that far from London (it's near Milton Keynes). I don't think any of the fields were up to the maximum (80) so if you're over 30 you could have got a ride.

I believe the event is likely to be held again in the same place and format next year, so think about entering.

I actually rode through the course on a club ride on Sunday morning, can't have been much ahead of the racing.

so if you're over 30 you could have got a ride

or if you aren't foreign, like me. I can't do this race, as my race licence doesn't have GBR prefix

So now that I'm 30 I'm a master? I get to race old folk? Where do I sign up

You get to race old folk when you are old yourself. At the moment you'll have to take on Ashley Cox and Douglas Coleman, among others.

I agree that calling a thirty year old any kind of veteran seems daft, especially when seventy is the new forty five (well that's what I'm telling myself).

First points tonight 5th place I think. well I got 6th a couple of weeks ago but because there was no transponder on the bike I was a DNF! Things can only gt better right?

Here's another report - The Masters Circuit Championship.

https://www.velouk.net/2016/08/04/national-masters-criterium-championships/

This was another good event where rides were availble in most of the age categories (from 30 upwards).

I never attempted any of these championships when I was road racing, and I did ride quite a bit as a vet. Standing at the roadside last Saturday I felt a tinge of regret that I never had a go, even though I'm confident I wouldn't have been in the medals. Too late for me now - but some of you should think about it for next year.

Victor Berlemont Road Race-Report

https://www.velouk.net/2016/08/29/report-victor-berlemont-trophy-rr/

I hope somebody other than me looks at this thread - it doesn't feel good to be making two consecutive posts which are a month apart.

As I think you should be able to see from the report this was a brilliant event. I would encourage anyone here who might be capable to have a go next year. There were two third cats in the field and as I mention in the report one of them managed to get into the break and survive.

Like most of these events, it was oversubscribed, but on the morning there were only just over 70 starters which was a bit disappointing for the organiser, especially since he'd returned a lot of entries. However any third cat. who had turned up last Sunday would have got a ride with an entry on the line.

If next year you don't feel you can manage multiple climbs of Flint Hill and you're not racing, go and watch.

I read, thanks for sharing.....I've been dabbling with racing without much success but never know maybe next year.

Another Berlemont link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5CvDPzumOs

Apologies for odd spelling in the title - it's not mine.

Back to Hillingdon for Winter series racing, it's been two years and can't say I miss it.
An hour trying not to crash in a 70-90 rider bunch that's as wide as the circuit.

Anyone else there?

Why race in winter?

Thats the problem with hillindon. I did a cat 4 race there a couple of months ago and twice while at the front riders nearly knocked me at 30+mph. Once sprinting for the prime and then sprinting for the finish. I was right at the front ffs but someone accelerates and sweeps across nearly taking me out and then someone acceleralates and barges past. worst riding I have ever experiences was there. Never again.

I'm down to race next week (3rd Cat) but would prefer to race gravesend instead (need to convince a friend). Did they put the e123 race all as one race? Must have been a wierd one.

@umop3pisdn hunt for points. Also summer = beer + fried chicken + ice cream which generally means slower.

Yup, they made it e123, quickest I've been around there but the group was huge.
The riding wasn't bad per say but too many people, did have to take to the grass twice mind.

For the effort of racing there, think I'll go to HHV and get my accreditation instead.

Gravesend always felt safer to me despite being more technical. Seems to get strung out so you don't have lots of wheels overlapping.

Different style of racing to Hillingdon which requires different fitness.

Longcross has plenty of room to accommodate shit riders.

Get down to Cyclopark. A decent south westerly wind will split it up pretty well. Hillingdon and Velopark are awful courses when you have a big bunch.

Raced Cyclopark this weekend.....lot of fun 2/3 super tough race (for me anyway) small but mainly 2s field with attacks throughout and several breakaway groups.....dropped on the final sprint but happy to last that long. Aiming to get over to Hog Hill for the winter series....always keen for pre/post race chat/coffee/beer if anyone on here is heading over.

has anyone ever done the races of the Eastern Road Race League? I'm a member of a promoting club and am considering signing up for the ipswich leg, but there's no one signed up on BC (still says 60 places available). Is that usual? Will it be good?

Yeah errl are great hard races.

I think entries are selected after closing date, hence nothing on bc.

thank you.

further to that, is anyone on here doing Chelmer on Sunday and driving out from London? The trains to Chelmsford are all bus replacement (I swear they weren't when I signed up) and I'd rather not ride too far before the start. I'd be more than happy to pay petrol + driving costs if someone was willing.

Thanks

last ditch effort before I ride 20 miles to the start - is anyone driving to Chelmer from London on Sunday for the 2/3/4 race and could give me a lift? I'd be more than happy to pay petrol + driving costs if someone was willing.