11th October. Bec CC Hill Climb – White Lane
Round 2 of the “Cat and Bec” hill climb double header is the Bec CC event on White Lane, Titsey (titter ye not at the back there please…). White Lane is a similar length to Yorks with a more consistent gradient which ramps to a “mere” 1 in 5. The Bec event appears to be a slightly bigger event than the Catford. Bigger prizes, bigger crowds, barriered off finish area and an enthusiastic announcer blasting out from a PA system up and down the hill. In short, a great atmosphere.
This time I promised myself that there would be no funny business with my gears. I was sticking it in the 39×23 and that was that. As I sprinted away from the line I was quickly up to speed and thinking that maybe I could be pushing a bigger gear. But I stuck to the plan and as the road steepened for the first time the gear felt about right. But as the gradient eased back a notch I again felt a little under-geared – but again resisted the temptation to shift.
Up to the steep section and into the crowds. The cheering and shouting and clapping and bell ringing is loud! And as the announcer calls out my name I feel like a genuine star. Every hill climber gets their 10 seconds of fame at the Bec. Cool. Past the announcer and into the final 100 meters of so I have enough in the tank to click up a couple of gears and sprint for the line. Probably not a good sign, but way too late to do anything about it now.
I finish with a 2:20 which confirms my fear that I probably should have pushed a bit harder further down the climb. Looking at last year’s results I reckoned that most people are about 5 seconds faster on the Bec than they are on the Catford. (Note to self – If you’re mad enough to try this again next year, re-read this before next year’s event and take it from your younger self that 39×21 is what you want. And if you have finally managed to shift that extra stone of weight that your middle-aged carcass is hauling around, then you might even be able to use the 19 on some sections…).
Team East Grinstead was completed at the Bec by Mikey Weavers and Luke De Quay. This time, Luke just got the better Mikey reversing their positions from this morning. Sorry guys I didn’t note your times! Good rides from both guys with Mikey commenting that he has learned from his experiences today and will back, stronger and faster next year. It’s a great attitude to have and I’m looking forward to see the results next season!
I’d like to close out todays reports with a quote from middle-aged chap who, like me, was riding the “Cat and Bec” for the first time. My friend was carrying a fair bit more subcutaneous insulation than even me and was never going to trouble the top of the leader board. But when I met him just after he’d finished his ascent and asked him how he got on, he replied – “Yeah it was brilliant. The crowds were fantastic. It was just like riding the Tour De France but without French people throwing urine over you!”. Priceless! And somehow this captured for me the essence of the carnival on the hill atmosphere enjoyed by riders and spectators alike.
Robin
Full Results from the Bec CC Website:
Pos No NAME CLUB CAT TIME
1 116 James Lowden Neon Velo 01:51.5
2 113 Richard Bussell RSTSport/Aero Coach 01:52.1
3 107 Edmund Bradbury NFTO 01:52.9
4 112 Michael Smith Team Corley-Alpha RC 01:53.9
5 111 Germaine Burton 100%ME 01:54.9
6 117 Joe Norledge Pro Cycling Magazine RT 01:56.5
7 49 Ethan Hayter Velo Club Londres J 01:56.9
8 91 Peter Cocker Pedal Pushers 01:57.1
9 115 Matthew Burton Velo Club Rutland 01:57.5
10 118 Bill Bell Bigfoot CC V 01:57.8
11 119 Glyndwr Griffiths Arctic Tackx 01:58.5
12 76 William Adams Rapha CC V 02:00.5
13 89 Richard Spink T1 Diabetes.info 02:00.8
14 102 Stan Kennet PMR@toachim House 02:01.3
15 100 Ben Butler Clwb Rasio Mona 02:01.4
16 108 Pete Tadros InGear QuickVit RT V 02:02.8
16 120 Daniel Sullivan Norwood Paragon CC 02:02.8
18 87 Chris Moores Norwood Paragon CC 02:03.8
19 99 Mark Lee Evans Cycles RT 02:04.1
20 109 Ben Nicol High Wycombe CC 02:06.5
21 18 Chris Balkham Oxted CC 02:06.7
22 105 Thomas Mead Herbert Watford Velo Sport 02:07.7
23 81 Rowan Brackston Imperial College CC 02:07.8
23 97 Daniel Pink Bigfoot CC 02:07.8
25 8 Peter Merrit VC Deal J 02:08.5
26 58 Steve Allen Dulwich Paragon CC V 02:08.9
26 96 Edward Sutton Panagua CC 02:08.9
28 106 Jon Hughes VC Godalming & Haslemere V 02:09.1
29 92 Harold Bradbury Cambridge Uni CC 02:09.5
30 47 Edmund Bishop VC Meudon J 02:10.0
31 6 Andrew Greaves Bec C.C. 02:10.7
32 53 Neil Lauder 4T Velo 02:11.1
32 55 Murray Davies InGear QuickVit RT J 02:11.1
34 71 Emin Akbay Brighton Mitre CC 02:14.3
35 48 Adam Atkinson 34 Nomads 02:14.8
36 77 Thomas Seller Oxted CC 02:14.9
37 94 Cam Austin Look Mum No Hands 02:15.6
38 85 Jamie Durmush Panagua CC 02:15.7
39 110 Ross Bernard Cadence Performance 02:16.1
40 67 David Ross Velo Club Motel SCU 02:17.4
40 103 William Beresford London Phoenix CC 02:17.4
42 54 Andy Hibberd Rapha CC V 02:18.0
43 98 Simon Warren Norwood Paragon CC V 02:19.4
44 88 Thomas Fricker Farnham CC 02:19.8
45 59 Robin Parker East Grinstead CC V 02:20.0
46 63 David Hunt SthBoro & District CC V 02:20.8
47 114 Dan Craven Team Europcar 02:21.5
48 51 Tim Whitehead Oxted CC 02:22.1
49 43 Graham Collins Manningtree Whlrs 02:22.5
50 82 Thomas Hampshire Paceline RT 02:23.2
51 44 Magnus Wills Dulwich Paragon CC V 02:23.3
52 34 Dale Lush Kingston Phoenix RC 02:23.8
53 130 Martin Jones Gemini BC V 02:25.2
54 75 Oliver Gill Dorking CC 02:25.7
55 33 Jon Puleston Jones Dulwich Paragon CC V 02:25.9
56 80 Thomas Haines East London Velo 02:26.3
57 104 Russ Thompson Performance Cycles V 02:26.4
58 29 Chris Hewitt Oxted CC 02:28.0
58 72 Sam Humpheson Look Mum No Hands 02:28.0
58 124 Ben Speller Kingston Wheelers CC V 02:28.0
61 39 James Scrivener Reading CC 02:28.1
62 70 David Bagley Panagua CC 02:29.3
63 60 Laurence Lisher Green Arrow CRT J 02:29.7
64 31 Jonathon Pontin Addiscombe CC 02:30.3
65 84 Andrew Lindsay Pure Motion Cycles Gatorade 02:30.4
66 73 James Black Imperial College CC 02:31.1
67 20 Chris Filewood Oxted CC J 02:31.6
68 45 Michael Weeks London Dynamo CC 02:31.9
69 15 Chris Cullen SCU 02:32.6
70 125 Lewis Symes Manningtree Whlrs BC 02:33.0
71 127 Nicholas Berger Serpentine RC 02:33.3
72 32 Mikey Weavers East Grinstead CC J 02:34.2
73 50 Maryka Senema Paceline RT W 02:34.7
74 83 Luke De Quay East Grinstead CC 02:35.2
75 42 Gabriella Leveridge Velo Starley Primal Pro cycling W 02:35.5
76 19 Bruce Maidment Bec C.C. 02:35.7
77 126 Ben Thompson High Wycombe CC 02:38.8
78 9 Simon Trehern Kingston Phoenix RC V 02:39.5
79 37 Daniel Jaeggi London Phoenix CC V 02:40.7
80 27 David Watt Kingston Phoenix RC 02:41.7
81 46 Adam Meads Thanmes Velo CC 02:42.1
82 2 Steve Melia Chamberlain Quick Release CC 02:43.2
83 24 William Brassington Dulwich Paragon CC J 02:46.2
84 90 Howard Shaw Eastbourne Rovers CC 02:46.8
85 22 Theo Tadros InGear QuickVit RT J 02:48.9
86 26 Shaun Marlor Bec C.C. V 02:49.7
87 62 Dominic Lowden Lewes Wanderers CC V 02:51.4
88 38 Tamar Vanderhaas Lewes Wanderers CC W 02:52.1
89 13 James Hughes Bec C.C. V 02:52.2
90 25 Jon Turner Tri London V 02:55.3
91 21 Louise Moriarty Look Mum No Hands W 02:57.6
92 56 Adrian Blacker Norwood Paragon CC V 02:59.0
93 30 Deborah Percival 34 Nomads W 03:00.1
94 3 Thomas Hawkes Addiscombe CC J 03:01.7
95 1 Andrew Green Bec C.C. V 03:02.0
96 52 Leo Hayter Velo Club Londres J 03:02.5
97 86 Sioni Summers Imperial College CC 03:04.6
98 7 Carolyn Swan Kent Velo Boys/Girls W 03:05.0
99 69 Marc Wojtanowski Velo Club Londres V 03:07.4
100 36 Ivor Hewitt Oxted CC 03:07.5
101 66 Bob Townley Velo Club Londres V 03:09.3
102 40 Isla Aimee Rush WyndyMilla W 03:21.0
103 28 Chloe Weller Norwood Paragon CC W 03:27.2
104 65 Mike Sirret Rockingham Wheelers V 03:28.4
105 128 Johnnie Maltby Bland Albarosa CC 03:32.9
106 17 Joseph O’Brien Full Gas Cycling JV 03:33.2
107 10 Joel Brassington Dulwich Paragon CC V 03:47.9
108 14 Jane Shrubb Oxted CC W 03:54.9
109 4 Mike Morley Kingston Phoenix RC V 04:44.2
110 16 Alexander Kew Kingston Phoenix RC V 06:17.2
5 Jaques Paulsen Oxted CC J DNF
93 Tom Freke Dulwich Paragon CC DNS Apologies Rec’d
11 Brian Cronin Clapham Chasers DNS Apologies Rec’d
12 Gretchen Miller Rapha CC W DNS Apologies Rec’d
23 Simon Lythgoe Addiscombe CC DNS Apologies Rec’d
35 Craig Barton 4T Velo V DNS Apologies Rec’d
41 Andrew Hogben SthBoro & District CC DNS
57 Peter Harber Velo Club Londres J DNS Apologies Rec’d
61 Elliot Lipski InGear QuickVit RT J DNS Apologies Rec’d
64 Barry Hughes Rapha CC V DNS Apologies Rec’d
68 Matt Jones Adalta CC DNS Apologies Rec’d
74 Si Robinson Velo Club Londres DNS Apologies Rec’d
78 Jony Hudson Imperial College CC DNS Apologies Rec’d
79 Keith Henderson SthBoro & District CC V DNS Apologies Rec’d
95 Ralph Stockeld Carnac Planet X DNS Apologies Rec’d
101 Eamon Prendegast Bigfoot CC DNS Apologies Rec’d
121 Adam Meads Thames Velo DNS
123 Karl Brooks Andover Wheelers DNS
General Classification
1st 116 Jamie Lowden Neon Velo 1.51.5
2nd 113 Richard Bussell RSTSport/AeroCoach 1.52.1
3rd 107 Edmund Bradbury NFTO 1.52.9
