Latest News

With his time of 27:52 Merv won the King Vet Award on the Leaden Roding course.

Again, about 25 riders split over the three rides.  On a hot day, five made their way to Much Hadham to meet up with JohnF for a trip to Saffron Walden.  The rest met in Hertford where seven took off for a whizz around the Royston course.  The remaining dozen easies headed in a southwest direction for a trip to Shenley thereby riding on roads that they were unaccustomed to travelling on by bike, and suffering only one puncture for their pains.

About a dozen took to the road for this Weds offering.

It was a warm but windy afternoon when Merv recorded 1:13:37.

Phil and Merv rode in the Bedfordshire Roads 25 on the slower course on the A1 from Tempsford to Baldock and back. Phil recorded 59:46 and Merv managed to improve slightly, recording 1:5:52.

Mark led a ride for the first time and as usual it's not easy shepherding 15 people about but he got all back in good time, especially as the evenings are getting much shorter.  It was an invigorating journey for all and the newcomers enjoyed it as much as the regulars.

It was a damp evening but the wind was fairly light and from the south-west. Some excellent times were returned including PB's Tony, Richard, Ian, Chris and Mike.

Wheelers

Again over 20 out over the three rides.  With about a dozen on the medium, nine on the easy and three more doing the medium\fast, all managed to get caught in the torrential downpour that arrived just before midday.  The easy pacers dealt with this setback the best by remaining in the cafe, re-entering the outside world when the worst had passed over.  The mediums also suffered a couple of punctures, but apart from that there were no major problems.

To cap an exceptional season, Tony broke through the hour barrier for the first time with a 59:07.  Merv's time in this event was 1:06:21.

A dozen turned out for a tour of the wilds.  Due to a good southerly wind, the route from Ware to Furneaux Pelham via Stanstead Abbotts was accomplished in good speed and the group was back at Ware by 9 pm, a distance of 26 miles.

Merv rode in the Eastern Counties 10 on a course near Leaden Roding. This was an an alternative course due to roadworks on the intended course. He recorded a 27:00.

.
A reasonable evening on the E64 (A414 to Harlow).  Great ride by Tony to go under 23 minutes.

.

.
A reasonable evening on the E64 (A414 to Harlow).  Great ride by Tony to go under 23 minutes.

.

After a 22 year interlude Tony Marriott returned to bunch racing in a Ford Cycling Club event on 26th July. The race was one of a series of 1 hour Cat 4 and Novice races on the Ford Test Track at Dunton near Basildon.
Tony thought he had won a prime only to find out at the end that someone had been off the front! At the finish he contested the sprint until about 200 metres to go then "POP". Maybe he had a crystal ball as two riders collided at the front and he managed to swerve round them to finish 14th out of 38 starters.
The race was won by Mick Bath of API-Metrow.

Sixteen met in Hertford and split into two equal groups in order to do the medium\fast and the easy pacer.  The faster group did a nonstop tour whilst the easiers took a more sedate pace and smelled the roses.  A stop at Emily's proved to be a welcome break and all returned safely.  Meanwhile the four on the Ely tour did not have any problems until about 2 miles from the end when the heavens opened.  Probably saved having a shower later.

Eighteen set off from Ware, soon to be joined by the speeding RichardH.  After heading out via Fanhams Hall the group took in Much Hadham and Puckeridge before blasting back down the old A10.

Again decent weather.  Again an excellent turnout.  Again a warm welcome to all those out on their first ride with the club.  After the Old Skool TT fourteen riders took off for a slightly roundabout route to Wandon End.  Away from the race Danny led about ten on the easy pacer to Buntingford.  Neither group encountered any major difficulties and all benefitted from the good rides and good company.

  
     
. 
Lovely sunshine, but a bit windy going up the A414.  Nick Cramer was head and shoulders above everyone else!!
  

.

  
     
. 
Lovely sunshine, but a bit windy going up the A414.  Nick Cramer was head and shoulders above everyone else!!
  

.

Merv and Phil rode the Verulam 25 on the F1 course. A rising wind from the south made things difficult on the final 10 miles. Times Phil 1:0:23 Merv 1:6:48.