BMCR Result: Pinvin Road Races

Steven Williams, Nick Morgan, Mark Smith, Paul Thursfield, Paul James, Nick Giles, Jeff Hathaway, Tony Burnham, Haydn Davies & Jayne Dickens winners in BMCR’s Pinvin Road Races on March 24

BMCR Result: Pinvin Road Races –

Reports after the race results

A Race
1 Steven Williams Reflex RT A
2 John Brown Veloflow cc A
3 Scott Palmer Aerologic RT A
4 Jack Wilson Ludlow brewery A

B Race
1 Nick Morgan Hitchin Nomads B
2 Matthew Hughes Reflex RT B
3 Angelo Derosa Graham Weigh RT B
4 Steve Whitehurst Reflex Racing B
5 Stewart Phipps Bromsgrove Olympique CC B
6 Joss Poole Veloflow CC B
7 Thomas Rutter Performance Development Team B
8 Jonny Mason Casp RT B
9 Julian Hughes Veloflow CC B
10 Chris Bragg Stourbridge Velo B
11 Steve Biddulph Born to Bike Racing Team B

C Race
1 Mark Smith Crawley Wheelers Race Team C
2 martin nelson Out Of The Saddle C
3 Rowan Horner VC St Raphael C
4 Mark Greenwood Lungs 2 Legs C
5 Martin Ford Huub Wattshop C
6 Paul Dring Team Echelon C
7 Rob Fletcher JCA – Equipe Velo C
8 Marek Siwicki Addiscombe Cycling Club C
9 Ray Bell Liverpool braveheart BC C
10 Frazer White Pontypool rcc C
11 Neil Lewis Veloflow CC C
12 Wayne Reeks Gannet cc C
13 Wayne Mckeown CASP RT C
14 Richard Harris Cwmcarn Paragon C
15 Daren Glaze Aerologic RT C
16 Stuart White Casp RT C
17 David Rutty Velo Club Bristol C
18 Glenn McMenamin Equipe Velo C
19 Paul Wheeler Dynamic Rides C
20 Stacey Morgan Ludlow Brewery C
21 Brad Lamb Victoria cc C
22 Michael D’Arcy CC Luton C
23 Paul Hayward Pontypool RCC C
24 Martin Rigby Private member C
25 Neil Wilkes Team V-Sprint C
26 Jamie Pleavin Liverpool Century Road Club C
27 stephen woodward RRP C
28 Steve Dring Echelon RT C
29 Carl Rose Gannet CC C
30 Gerry Bowditch Reflex Racing C
31 Nigel Modlinsky Seamons CC C
32 Chris Smith Python RT C
33 Chris Rudall Bmcr C
34 Richard Unwin GS Vecchi C
35 Andrew Evans Ludlow Brewery Race Team C
36 Andrew Prince Aerologic RT C
37 stephen minton Ludlow Brewery RT C
38 Jeremy Honor Equipe Velo C
39 John Carter Andy Cook Cycling C
40 jason streather PDQ cycle coaching team C
41 Moray Brown Lichfield CCC C
DNF Christopher Crowther Army Cycling Union C
DNF Paul Green Stourbridge velo C

D Race
1 Paul Thursfield Graham Weigh RT D
2 Andy Bennett fit360 D
3 Adrian Kerrigan Veloflow CC D
4 Michael Bell New Brighton CC D
5 Andrew Lowe Corley Cycles RC D
6 Paul Molloy ellesse D
7 Paul Hone Addiscombe CC D
8 Mark Fenton Aerologic RT D
9 Martin Davis Beacon RCC D
10 Steve Thomas Steele davis via roma racing D
11 Steve Noel Paradigm Cycles D
12 Carl Dee Team Echelon D
13 ian cooper Team Ohten Aveas D
14 David Roberts Warrington CC D
15 Richard Golding Equipe velo D
16 David Stoyle Bath CC D
17 Peter Davies Bynea CC D
18 John Beckett Rugby velo D
19 stuart evans Crawley Wheelers Race Tream D
20 Mike Jones Velo Fit D
DNF David Womack D2D cycling clothing D

E Race
1 Paul James Crawley Wheelers E
2 Steve Davies E
3 Eddie Humphreys Nottingham Clarion CC E
4 Steve Blake Plymouth Corinthians E
5 David Smith Solihull CC E
6 Ged Millward Ilkley CC E
7 Nigel Langridge Crawley Wheelers Race Team E
8 James Stewart QN Racing E
9 John Davidson Reifen racing E
10 Deano Sibthorpe Team Echelon E
11 Paul Mann Solihull CC E
12 Graham Wilson Cheltenham & County CC E
13 Steve James CC Luton E
14 Robert Blackburn Nigel Smith Racing E
15 Peter Phillips Bath CC E
16 Karl Moseley Droitwich cycling club E
17 Brian Young BSCC E
18 Russell Perry Solihull CC E
19 Richard Blackman Solihull CC E
20 Dean Cummings Acme Wheelers (Rhondda) E
21 Colin Chambers Crawley Wheelers E
22 Andrew Curley V Sprint E
23 Colim Surrey Hitchin nomads E
24 Bill Young Pro Vision CC E

F Race
1 Nick Giles Pocomotion Road Club F
2 Alan Vallance Coalville Wheelers CC F
3 Iain Turnbull Reifen Racing F
4 Jamie Whitehead Casp RT F
5 Martin Fisher None F
6 Nick Yarworth Worcester St.Johns CC F
7 Geoff Rawlinson Manchester Bicycle Club F
8 Ian Moore Ruthin Cycling Club F
9 Trevor Bradbury Python RT F
10 Jeremy Adamson BMCR F
11 Chris Dunn API Anglia Sport F
12 Vince Ellis Velo Schils – Interbike RT F
13 Kevin Hickman API- Anglia Sport – Metrow Foods – BodybyJR F
14 chris danby seamons cc F
15 Bill Olver Cheltenham and County Cycling Club F
16 Llewelyn Jones Bath Cycling Club F
17 Paul Mason Velo.6 Racing F
18 Ian Cowan Solihull CC F
19 Robert Cranstone GS Vecchi F
20 John Phillips Sotonia CC F
21 Jonathan Davies stourbridge velo F
22 Graeme Nisbet PDQ Cycle Coaching F
23 Nick Gurmin Severn Road Club F
24 Mark Smith Wahoo F
25 Tony Rees theraceforthecafe F
26 Rob O’ CONNOR Team Enable Mi racing. F

G Race
1 Haydn Davies Reifen racing G
2 Andrew Simpkins Racer Nan G
3 Ken Bradbury Team Echelon G
4 Ralph Keeler North Bucks Road Clubr G
5 Dave McMullen ST IVES G
6 Tom Wilson GS Invicta / Eyelevel Optical. G
7 Chris Gunter St.Neots/ Veloelite G
8 Andrew Roberts Ride Coventry G
9 Dave Scargill G.S. Vecchi G
10 Tony Carter Coalville Wheelers G
11 Patrick Ellerbeck KalasMotip G
12 Terry Meechan Cotswold Veldrijden G
13 Ivor Thomas Bush Healthcare CRT G
14 John Duckett Wherlguru G
15 Martin Bush Sussex nomads cc G
16 John Buxton Bush healthcare crt G
17 Andrew Donaldson Stone Wheelers CC G

Women’s Race
1 Jayne Dickens Ride Revolution W
2 Lynda Dewhurst Giant CC Halo Films W
3 Elaine Simpson Team Echelon W
4 Sarah Cramoysan SDL Wonga W
5 Clare E Belle Team Albany W
6 Gretchen Zoeller BMCR W
7 Elizabeth Halliday Alpha RC W
8 Hayley Moore W

H race
1 Jeff Hathaway Sussex Nomads CC H
2 Dave burton Sussex Nomads H

I race
1 Tony Burnham PDQ I

Bike Racing for the Over 40s | BMCR.org.uk

… Continued after the advert (reports) …

Tony Carter Race Report – G, H, I Cat & Ladies.
Some people know about cold.

They raced at Darley Moor and live to tell the tale. A cacophony of chaotic start line chatter not dissimilar to sounds made two races previous as teeth chattered in the bitterly cold, rain lashed torrent that was Spring racing in Derbyshire. Today was a day of joyous celebration in the airy fairy Midlands on the way to the namby pamby Sarf. But I would say that. After all it’s grim up north.

A brief neutralised start before the metaphorical gloves came off. For Dave Scargill, his two pairs were staying on, along with the rest of the garb. He resembled a penguin, swaddled in thermal layers befitting a December training day somewhere deep in Antarctica, he was soon attempting to leave us all behind. A man who taps out a tempo with happy feet. It didn’t stop there. It didn’t happen.

He wasn’t followed. Hanging off the front, soon became a theme of the race, he was eyed, measured and swallowed back into the belly of the lethargic beast that abided its time. Donaldson, cranked things up and eventually off, in response, McMullen covered the moves, Davies, once he’d abandoned the early option of riding on the front, kept a close eye on proceedings and it all came to nought. The explosions off the front were low grade munitions, what powder there was kept dry and we fizzled more than banged, spurted more than sped, surfed rather than surged and stayed together. Stretched, regrouped but never significantly split.

Now resembling the Cycling Waltons, Ellerbeck took the front and towed us around like one big happy family. For far too long though we happily sat on. Donaldson, recalcitrant in every pedal stroke, returned to form and rode away but without the elastic snapping.
He dangled like a ghastly gallows corpse as we watched on, savouring the spectacle of one man’s suffering. He matched Ellerbeck at a distance holding us off but he never bettered him.

Eventually, back in the bunch having seized the first prime he went for the second, taking it in a misjudged sprint from McMullen. Davies, a man with a well known turn of speed, vied to be in it and I made it a quartet in the hope we’d carry on. But it was more of a ‘Carry on Cycling’ and I wasn’t laughing. It was farce more than force. The gap was gained but there was no communication or co-operation between us. Davies called for us to go and I believed it was the right thing to do, but it never materialised.

A now gasping Donaldson was in recovery and with a tactically focused McMullen assessing the past and not the future that yawned invitingly by way of empty road ahead, we were stymied. The race was a lottery from then on. Donaldson, unwittingly, unwillingly, unwontedly left us. His left crank now dangling from his cleat and cleaving it’s way through clear air, he now resembled Leatherface on a rampage cutting wildly off to the kerb. With impetus lost, he rolled to a halt, no longer the threat.

Without the main protagonist, Dangerous Donaldson, a junk yard dog capable of constantly attacking, neutered roadside, we were overtaken by a malaise most terminal. A cautionary lap followed as if riding through treacle saw our speed drop and the bunch compact. It was to be a sprint finish but not for me. But I wasn’t to be alone. Since lap 5 my quads had complained on a level not seen since McEnroe played Borg.

This was serious.

Hamstrings tight as piano wire confirmed I had little left. Those minor inclines we’d accelerated over became a Zoncolan. Later several riders, Sarah from Reifen amongst them complained of the weather, surviving the winter in doors, the cold in the air, in the bones, the cramp. But now we were all, in theory, still in it to win it.

The women were. Surges up at the front, noses in the wind, one moves and another tracks, were a constant of their battle for supremacy. Looks were exchanged that conveyed ‘why don’t you go faster?’ But we didn’t though we tried. It was a flat course. Everyone was in with a chance.
Riders who had hidden all day now appeared, coalesced like a cancerous lump. Not pretty. Not welcome. Now threatening to overwhelm; sensing this was their time, a sprint. Of sorts.

And that was it. The first road race of the season where we all faced the truth of what the actual result showed. Chip timed, unquestionable, a welcome first or a ‘well done’ last.

Meanwhile, in a far off galaxy two hours away the alien to me A and B’s, a little known and rarely sighted species, followed 5 minutes later by the C’s, fought out a terrific race of derring do breakaways, split peloton, solo chasing, full on, eye balls out, manic, mad cap racing. Chapeau!
Equally impressive were the D’s who kept their fleeing quarry within sight but not touching distance, at a pace that locked men in position, unable to close.

Lap after lap this game of chase continued, the players separated by a handful of seconds. Special mention to the stoicism exemplified by the GS Vecchi rider. He never flinched in his determination to fight off every challenge to hold last wheel. With the lantern rouge warming his backside lap after lap, he almost looked comfortable. Another case of ‘Chapeau.’

Finally, with a flourish it’s time for the ‘F’ world. Or should that be word? Spitting feathers perhaps as Giles did his thing both by way of a blur of legs and an abundance of verbiage delivered to his breakaway companion Valance. A man capable of stepping into Kurtz’ shoes by way of taking no prisoners, offering no quarter and giving as good as he gets. Yet, when he climbs off the bike, he clearly is a soul as peace with the world. In search of a piece of their world, a newly returned to full fitness Iain Turnbull bridged across to make it a 1, 2, 3. Iain, a long distance traveller from the North East, tells me he now has a coach. I expected to see a 40 seater parked up. Turns out it’s a man of statistics and graphs and training plans.

It’s going to be a long hard season ahead.

Thanks go to Simon and Team. Magnificent day of Swiss watch style racing; all went smoothly, was thoroughly enjoyable and memorable.
Good grub too!

BMCR Pinvin 55 mile Road Race – A great write up from Category D (55-59) racer Michael Bell

The third race of my season and the first held in dry conditions following two consecutive soakings at Darley Moor. Unusually, it was an afternoon start which meant a lie in but the downside being the M6 ordeal would be even more so at a later hour. And so it transpired as I was part of stationary traffic through Birmingham, I’d left with plenty of time though, and my female Maps App travel companion told me I’d arrive at my destination 15 minutes later than planned. I’d missed her over the winter months, so it was good to hear her AI generated voice again.

I had the by now usual doubts about my sanity, driving all this way for a race when I could have been out and back on a ride in time to watch Gent – Wevelgem on the tellybox, and those thoughts of “did I put my shoes in the bag” which always make me think of Steve Leek at the Derby city centre races in 1985, sitting in the changing rooms, looking into his kit bag, quietly cursing to himself.

He brought his cycling shoes, unfortunately it was two left Duegi’s. Or it might have been two right shoes. My main thought at that time being “imagine being able to afford to have two pairs of cycling shoes!” I’m not sure what Steve did that night, he may have emulated Callum Gough who rode the Tour of the Cotswolds in a pair of Dunlop Greenflash or similar, after forgetting his shoes, finishing this old ‘classic’ British race in the top six in his galloshers!

The later start was to enable the race organisers to accommodate a full day of racing across all the BMCR age categories, the EFGH & Women had their races in the morning, my D category event (55-59) being the last to start at 14:10, the AB riders setting off at 14:00 followed by the C’s at 14:05.
Across the 3 afternoon races running simultaneously, 80 riders were allowed on the circuit, as it was for the morning sessions.

It has often struck me how much of a logistical operation this must be, each group having a lead car and accompanying motorcycle safety bike and even a ‘broom wagon’ to sweep up any stragglers or those with mechanical issues.

Hi-Viz wearing and red flag wielding marshals’, often riders who had ridden earlier in the day or were due to ride later, were present at all corners and a number of blind bends and narrow sections to keep everyone safe. The circuit itself was one of the better road race circuits I’ve experienced since my racing ‘come back’ in 2022, completely rural, a 7.5 mile lap in country lanes that were not too narrow and most importantly (for me) no big hills!
After a rider in the C’s race was serenaded with a couple of verses of “Happy Birthday to you” we were underway.

I was on the ropes early on, my confidence rocked by just how fast some of my peers are, I feel I couldn’t have trained harder over the winter, yet I was not able to compete on those first few laps and I was an observer at the back, determined to finish though. Mark Fenton, the BMCR champion from 2023 was strong, marking every move, often from the front of the bunch. I had visions of him battering us all into submission like he did on a couple of occasions last year. I expected the bunch to be screaming Fenton! Fenton!! Fenton!!! in the manner of that video clip that went viral on social media a few years ago, after the bloke’s dog of the same name escaped its lead and chased after a herd of deer in Richmond Park, his attempts to retrieve his errant animal reminding me of watching Mark ride away from us.

Nothing was sticking though, all the attacks brought to heel. I started to feel a bit better after 30 miles or so and began bothering the front of the bunch and was in the right place to follow Andy Bennet as he made a move. He’s getting back to form now after last season was written off with a back injury and a bout of pneumonia. We got clear with about 15 miles left and were joined by 6 other riders, working well, all rotating on the front equally.
I made a move with about a mile to go, checking my “Bike race tactics manual, chapter 1” and tried an attack, the whistles and shouts to warn the other riders was something I never thought I’d hear again.

Over the line and it was Paul Thursfield who took the chequered flag, his first win of the year, finding his winning ways again.
I was 4th, more than happy with that after how I felt earlier.

And it was over, 55 miles at an average of 25mph, not bad for a load of 50 somethings. During the race, a number of vintage vehicles had crossed with the riders in the opposite direction, and I thought how fitting it’d be to have an Austin A40 or suchlike as a lead vehicle! A quick visit to the race HQ to return my number and timing chip then I was underway for the 2.5 hour drive home, but not before an inner smile to myself after noticing a direction sign to the village of North Piddle.

Next up is the first TLI race of the year at UCLAN in Preston on the 4th April.