Report: Bidlake Memorial Time Trial

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Dean Robson fastest in the Bidlake Memorial Time Trial on September 18 on a hilly 18 mile Cotswold course

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Report: Bidlake Memorial Time Trial
(by Chris Lovibond)

The Bidlake Memorial Time Trial (18th September 2016 – 36 miles)

If your ideal time trial course is a flat, just sub motorway dual carriageway, then the Bidlake event is not for you. However, it proved to be just right for Dean Robson (No Pinz) who stormed his way round two laps of this hilly 18 mile Cotswold course in 1hour 24 minutes 27 seconds, exactly equalling the course record set by Danny Axford (Arctic Tacx) in April this year. Axford took the second place, close behind with 1.25.12.

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Legend Les West

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No speedsters course as Robson climbs the final hill

The third place went to Malcolm Rose with 1.31.18 which made him the leading counter in the Oxonian CC’s team win and, as the result list below shows, times then dropped away with only another eight riders inside the 1 hour 40 minute mark. This shows the strength of the two leading riders – standing at the roadside it was clear that one of them was going to win, but even with a watch it was impossible to know which it would be until the actual result was posted.

Back at the HQ Dean Robson said that his strategy for his late season riding was to focus on the CTT National Circuit Championship (16th October) where he came third last year. Since he has had a long and successful season (thirty events, fifteen victories) there is naturally an element of fatigue setting in and so his plan was to treat this event as a training ride where he would not ‘push into the red’. But, to give you Robson’s own words: “It came into my mind about the end of the first lap that I wanted to win and although I had intended to keep within myself, the desire got the better of me and I gave it everything.”

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Danny Axford and Eddie Adkins

Danny Axford said he knew it would be a good day for the course (there was very little wind) and it was certainly a better day than when he set the course record earlier in the year, so he felt a little disappointed that he wasn’t able to go a bit faster. “I knew Dean was going well, and I’m not all that surprised he beat me. I think perhaps my ride here in April was the best of my whole season.”

The Ladies’ winner Deborah Davidson (Mickey Cranks) has been a triathlete and is now in her first full season of time trialling. She says she likes hilly courses and clearly had a sufficient reserve of stamina to carry her up the last few climbs: she finished in 1.44.27, over two minutes clear of second placed Heather Price (100%ME) who recorded 1.46.49.

The Bidlake CC’s special relationship with time trialling history means that this event always sees the presence of big names from the past. Eddie Adkins (National 25 Champion 1977,78 and 79) was guest of honour and presented the prizes, Martyn Roach and Kevin Fairhead were wearing marshals’ jackets and among the riders were Glenn Longland (now 60) and Les West (a fit looking 73).

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Longland, among other achievements, was the first man to ride over 300 miles in twelve hours, while West was perhaps the most consistently successful British rider of the sixties and seventies with a palmares too long to do justice to here.

Both took the vets’ award for their age group, Glenn’s very respectable 1.37.29 giving him seventh place overall. Although Les West still does a lot of miles, his racing since last year’s Bidlake event amounted to just three local ten mile events ridden to encourage a young relative – he did not bother to change from his usual road bike. Even with these disadvantages he recorded 1.47.06, almost eight minutes faster than his ride last year and a time which would have given him the award in the next age group down, had it not been for the youthful Longland who just qualified for the 60 plus category.
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Eddie Adkins caught his listeners’ attention with two interesting comments. When asked why he hadn’t ridden himself he answered that he wasn’t interested in taking part unless there was some realistic chance of winning – it should be mentioned here that he is quoted in an interview in the current issue of the Bidlaker magazine as having won 680 races from a career total of nearly 2000 events.

As a former 25 mile competition record holder, we asked him to comment on Marcin Bialobocki’s new record. His response would almost certainly have met with approval from Mr. Bidlake himself:“ When I was racing I was working a long week as a motor mechanic. If a full time pro had been allowed to race against me I would have hung up my racing wheels in disgust.”

It should be mentioned here that the Bidlake CC is a relatively new organisation set up to remind the cycling public of the significance of F. T. Bidlake, the founding father of time trialling. In pursuing this aim the club sets out to remind us of the virtues of the sport and publishes an excellent bi-monthly magazine which covers all aspects of cycle racing history. Just search for Bidlake CC.

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Danny Axford

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Robson and legend Eddie who has eyes on his trophy ;-) 

Result:
1 Dean Robson S 29 No Pinz 1:24:27
2 Danny Axford V 40 Arctic Tacx RT 1:25:12
3 Malcolm Rose V 43 Oxonian CC 1:31:18
4 Dan Ryan S 32 North Road CC 1:33:19 *
5 Matt Thomas S 27 Cowley Road Condors 1:34:06
6 Paul Granger V 56 Fairly United CT 1:35:31
7 Glenn Longland V 56 Antelope RT 1:37:29
8 Pete Oliver V 52 Fairly United CT 1:38:03
9 Matt Hermon S 35 Mickey Cranks 1:38:16
10 Paul Warren S 38 Oxonian CC 1:38:58
11 Ross Gore S 36 Mickey Cranks 1:39:41
12 Matt Robson V 47 Oxonian CC 1:40:03
13 Rob Vessey V 53 Mickey Cranks 1:43:33
14 Ben Walker V 41 Fairly United CT 1:43:47
15 Deborah Davidson LV 42 Mickey Cranks 1:44:27
16 Paul Allday V 53 Fairly United CT 1:45:45
17 Eamonn Deeley Fairly United V40 1:46:18
18 Heather Price 100% ME LV43 1:46:49
19 Les West V 72 Bidlake CC 1:47:06
20 Phil Rankin V 47 Mickey Cranks 1:48:49
21 Richard Ballinger V 50 Mickey Cranks 1:50:45
22 David Brooks V 55 Oxonian CC 1:54:35
23 Alison Vessey LV 62 Mickey Cranks 1:54:55
24 William Dix S 37 Fairly United CT 1:56:12
25 Gary Salter V 52 Mickey Cranks 1:57:12
26 Richard Lofthouse V 45 Eagle RC 1:57:51
27 Lisa Cartlige LV 44 Mickey Cranks 2:00:20
28 Peter Whitfield V 68 Bidlake CC 2: 03:32
29 Jeff King V 62 Oxonian CC 2: 06:07
30 Hannah Minett LV 41 Mickey Cranks 2:08:29
31 Jobe Usher S 22 North Road CC 2: 08:39
32 Caroline Batten LV 42 Mickey Cranks 2:11:58

ONE LAP:
1 Mike Fry V 50 100% ME 44:43
2 Tim Millard V53 Mickey Cranks 56:23
3 Pauline Teague LV58 Mickey Cranks 57:53
4 Sarah Chamberlain LV 40 Mickey Cranks 1:1:41
5 Emma Beames L 37 Bidlake CC 1:9:47
6 Colin Fisher V 69 Oxonian CC 1:22:34

Team: Oxonian CC, Rose, Warren and Matt Robson (1.40.03).

*The North Road CC was Bidlake’s own club

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