Steve Dennis writes…
On Sunday it was back onto the “local” G25/53 Southwater/Crawley course
after a brief foray into neighbouring districts in recent weeks.
The event was the Epsom CC 25, which is a part 2up, part solo event
with the 2up teams taking to the road first.
Steve & Paul Blackmore were off 14th out of a total of 18 pairs at 07:
58. I waited at a roundabout to give them a shout as I was on my way out
to the HQ, and I froze! I felt sorry for the early starters with the
temperature hovering around 6 degrees.
Despite the cold, they still managed a sub-hour ride with 58:36.
Unfortunately some way off the winning time of 52:14.
By the time I started in the solo event, it could well have been
another day. The sun had burned off the fog and was warming my back
quite nicely as I set off on a do-or-die effort sporting Mr Winkley’s
disc wheel that he had kindly loaned me.
I had been told that to get full advantage of a disc, you have to gear
up a cog or two and use the momentum of the slightly heavier but ultra-
aerodynamic object to cut through the air. It has to be said that it
was a good morning (once it warmed up), and there was going to be some
fast times, but I’m sure it was with the help of the disc that I
clocked 51mins 55seconds for a new personal best and the second win in
two weekends.
Second place went to Paul Jones of Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers in 53:
25, with third going to pre-race favorite Dave Dent of Isle-of-Wight
based Wightlink/Wightmountain RT with 53:34.
That’s it for TTing this year, apart from a little blast around the
walls of Lucca in October with the brothers Blackmore + an other (if we
can find one). Watch this space for full report & pictures (preferably
from PB!).
