A bit more news and this coming weekend

First of all  I omitted to mention in the previous blog entry that Brians 1.56.45 in last Sundays 50 mile TT is in fact a new British record for his age group knocking 1min 27secs off the previous record set in 2007 by Derek Hodgins. So far this season he's broken the British age group records for 10, 25 and 50 miles - AWESOME!

Brians apprentice, Padiham Chris, continued his fine vein of form yesterday evening in the Cragg Vale Hill Climb where he recorded a time of 16min 53secs to claim 6th place overall from a good field of 60 odd entries, a personal best up the Cragg for Chris . I guess we've all ridden up the longest continuous climb in the country several times so we understand how good 16 minutes is, great ride Chris, keep it up.

Due to marshaling duties at Grimpy's road race on Sunday Simon and I have planned to get a few steady miles in on Saturday meeting in Brighouse (o/s Websters at bottom of Hudds Rd) at 7am. We plan to do a Humber Bridge circuit having breakfast at Selby and returning through Thorne and West Bretton (about 150m). Anyone who fancies joining us get to Brighouse for 7am.

Sunday July 17th - There's a lot on this day with the Bronte Sportive and the Yorkshire Mixture Audax from Otley both being events Condors have been happy to support but I've been tempted away from the road and entered the Moors Marathon 100k MTB ride, Its a great big circuit around the North York Moors from just north of Pickering. Mel and I rode it some years ago and I'm looking forward to having another go. Entries can be made here http://www.bmbo.org.uk/calendar/details.php?event_id=800

Racing Updates etc.

A busy weekend just gone for Condor Road Club riders. Chris Smith seems to have moved up a level this season regularly taking wins and second placings in local mid week 10's he's moving up the leader boards in the top open events. On Sunday, in less than perfect conditions he recorded a personal best time for 50 miles in the Otley CC event at Dishforth recording an impressive time of 1hr 51min 17secs for 10th place overall behind Mark Thaxters winning 1.43.30. Brian recorded 1hr 56min 45secs, a very impressive time as well but I can't find any vets standards results.
Chris had ridden the Bridlington CC Sporting 10 on Saturday doing a 23min 35sec ride. Unfortunately he doesn't know who or what time won the event.

Grimpy rode the Yorkshire Vets Criterium Champs at the York closed circuit on Sunday taking 2nd place in his age category, the winner being former Huddersfield rider Richard Booth. John's having a good season alteady having secured 1st place in the LVRC National Points Series having an unassailable lead with several rounds left to go.

Simon continues to chip away at his 10 mile PB on the challenging Sovereign course on the Penistone road south of Huddersfield recording 26min 47secs last Thursday evening.

In the 'not supposed to be a race' events Gary Mitchell and John Lumb (the 2nd) had a good night out taking part in the Calderdale CTC, Morcambe Midnight Madness ride, both amassing 130 odd miles at a brisk pace in what I understand was good weather conditions. This event had been off my radar but by the sound of it was a great success, we'll have to endeavor to whip up enthusiasm from more Condors next year.

Looks like Mel was on good form in the White Rose Classic 112 mile Sportive on Sunday recording an average speed of 17.6 mph for the route which includes about 10000 ft of climbing over such Dales Classics as Fleet Moss and the Coal Road.

Topping the Condor leader board last week for both the distance ridden, longest single ride and altitude climbed was Steve Thewlis with 394 miles, 158.7 his longest single ride and 23,156ft climbed. Steve rode the Coast to Coast Cycleway with others from his employers, BAM Construction, raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. He also rode to the start and home from the finish.
Also riding with the Bam team was occasional Condor guest Andy (I understand he's saving up to join the Condor).

Good to see Damien getting keen again and topping 300 for the week, and including 22,661 ft of climbing.

Just a reminder again, its Grimpy's road race this coming Sunday and marshal's need to be at Greetland Community Centre for 9am to be allocated their duties.

Sunday 26 - Isle of Skye

We're meeting 9am in Hebden Bridge tomorrow for a pootle round Isle of Sky to Holmfirth

Successful Weekend for the Condor

It was our evergreen tester Brian who set the scene for a weekend of success for the Condor when he knocked 51 seconds off the British record for his age when he recorded a time of 54 min 36 secs in the Yorkshire Road Club 25 mile time trial on Sarurday.

Sunday saw the 1st ever 3 Dales Mountain Bike Challenge, a 39 mile ride from Wharfedale School at Threshfield. A super route taking the ride west along the bridleways towards Bordley and Mastiles Lane then round the Settle Loop of the Pennine Bridleway and the over the exposed tops and down to Littondale followed by a couple of stings in the tail with a hard little loop from Conistone to Grassington, then to the surprise of many, instead of going back to Threshfield we took a left turn up the road to the old mines at Yarnbury and down to Hebden.
We had a good turnout from the club. As you can see from the above pic. Nigel, Simon, Mel and Paul bagged places at the front of the starting grid (Ian and Steve Barker were busy warming up and I was on photography duties).
A short time after the start, in fact I think we were still in the neutralized zone, I saw that Paul and Mel were pulling away from us mere mortals in a little elite group. I must admit I expected Mel and Paul to have an event long battle with the younger and in-form Mel to emerge as the victor but this was not to be and the old man of New Zealand emerged not just as the 1st Condor but he was 1st back overall having established a break and worked well with a Spanish lad currently domiciled in Yorkshire. Mel was in 4th place, as it wasn't a race no results have been published but Paul tells me I scraped in the top ten. A strong looking Simon wasn't far behind with Steve, Ian and Nigel all finishing strongly and full of praise for the event. Not a bad result for a ROAD club.

REMINDER OUR CONDOR BUCKSTONE FLANDERS RR ON SUNDAY JULY 3RD

I appreciate the message board section shows the event however most of you young savvy guys and girls look at the blog through your smart phones and to my knowledge the message section only appears on your PC
Ive just completed the start list and we have 75 riders in total. Three events as last year Mels down for the over 50's race.
It’s on the Scammonden circuit again. Firstly thanks again for everyone's kind support last year. Riders will leave HQ (Greetland Community Centre) at approx. 9.45, marshals required from approx. 9.00 with event finish at approx. 12.30.Please put it your diary. To meet safety requirements we need in total approx 15 members and/or friends. Look forward to seeing you, got my prayer mat out hoping for the same great response as last year
Cheers Grimpy

3 Dales MTB Challenge & Woody's American Adventure

There's still places available for entry on the day for the 3 Dales MTB Challenge on Sunday. Headquarters is the Upper Wharfedale School, Threshfield which will be open from 7.45am for registration. Its a mass start at 9 o' clock.
Routes can be viewed here ridewithgps.com/routes/12996911 for the long, and ridewithgps.com/routes/12996504 for the shorter event.

Best wishes to Dave Woodhead who's just set off on his ride from Canada to Mexico, you can keep up with Dave's progress on his blog at     bikingbutcher.co.uk

Whats Happening

Great day out on yesterdays club run to How Stean where we were joined for lunch by Martin and Andy (aka Eric) from VS, who are putting the finishing touches to their Marmotte Granfondo preparations .
In order to give us time for a long route home on quiet back roads we took a fairly direct route there going over Cringles to Bolton Bridge and suffering a couple of miles of the A59 before turning off on to the peace and tranquility of the lanes through West End and Stone House. Nidderdale was looking magnificent in the summer sunshine as we descended from Yorke Folly down to Pateley Bridge.
Steve Barker turned off up Peat Lane anxious to get home so he could put in an afternoons work whilst we took the back lane up from Pateley to Wath then onto our lunch spot.
The return home was quite challenging with Peat Lane chosen to lift us out of Nidderdale rather than the busier Greenhow. We then made our way to Burnsall, Thorpe and Gargrave with our New Zealand section battling with a resurgent Damien. Pete W declined the opportunity to experience the hors-category Sidegate Lane and I was so far off the back that I couldn't see who took the honors but on checking Strava my fears were confirmed when I saw Paul had taken my o.65's KoM.
Over Earl Cragg and Slippery Ford the rain started. After a brief cup of tea stop at Paul's mates house in Oakworth the rain jackets were donned as the rain got heavier, seeping into my Garmin and denying me the 10,000 ft of ascent I'd intended to record.

Whilst we were enjoying the more social side of cycling, Mel, Brian & Grimpy were at Sheriff Hutton competing in the Clifton CC LVRC Road Race. Congratulations to Mel who took 3rd place in his age category. I have no results for Brian or John.

Sunday 19th June - Four or five Condor have entered the 3 Dales MTB Challenge from Grassington. See the Sue Ryder web site for further details.

Sunday 26th June - White Rose Sportive. Classic event from Ilkley RUFC.

Sunday 3rd July - Condor Road Race, round the Buckstones/Scammonden course again, If you're not riding the event you're needed for marshaling duties.

Sunday 10th July - Evans Duncombe Park Sportive. Based at Helmsley and taking in the North Yorks Moors and Ryedale.

Sunday 17th July - Bronte Sportive - a hilly challenge from Keighley, another Sue Ryder event, always worth taking part, really good organisation.

Sunday 24th July - Good Companions 200k Audax from Halifax (or for the more ambitious there's the 3 Coasts 600 on Saturday).

A few updates and Sunday 12th June

Our racing men have been proving to be in fine form recently. Last Saturday in the Drighlington Bicycle Club 10 mile Time Trial on a course near Hull, Brian set a new British age record, knocking a massive 29 seconds off the 2010 record set by former BBAR and End to End record holder John Woodburn. His average speed of 27.97mph gave him a time of 21min 27secs, this may be a surprise to the many people who believed him when he told them he's struggling this year and may as well retire from competition, but it doesn't surprise me.

Chris is also notching up the wins, I'm missing being able to cast a critical eye over his training regime on Strava but he's obviously doing something right as he had another win this week, on Tuesday, in the SPOCO (Sporting Courses) 22 mile Time Trial on the Bowland by Bowland / Paythorne Moor course.

Not a great forecast for this Sunday but the rain should be warmer than it was a month ago. Proposed club run is to the excellent cafe at How Stean Gorge. I had it in mind the we could return via Coverdale but we'll see what day brings us. Meet 0830hrs Denholme Gate or 0900hrs Keighley.

Sunday 5 June

We're planing a jolly jaunt this week over the hills and not so far away.
A start has been decreed meeting 09:00 in Hebden Bridge.
A route has been suggested with mention of Slaidburn via Cow Ark, though other options are still under consideration and can be adjusted to suit all comers.

Trevor Lever Memorial Skipton & Back Ride

It felt more like 'The 3RT Chain Gang' with the boys in red & black well out numbering everyone else. The Condor had good representation with fast Chris, Steve Thewlis, Peeps, Phil Haigh, Pete Whiteley, brother Nige and I spotted the Fortunes, major & minor turning at Denholme to join the ride. Apologies if I missed anyone.
It seems an unseasonaly cold and windy evening is not unusual for this ride and maybe riding fast is the best way to keep warm. Chris was prominent on the front & Nige was active bridging gaps as we were buffeted over the Flappit & down to Keighley. The pace to Skipton was a bit erratic, with Team 3RT in a non co-operating mood, with riders either going off the front or allergic to going near it.
On the return leg chaos ensued at Kildwick roundabout with the usual confusion about the route & our Chris disappeared for a while.
Knowing it would kick off at Ingrow I got the first dig in - calculating that I could slip back on to wheels that were more my pace. Sure enough the young guns came good and I watched a group of 6 ride away, and with the strong tail wind, at big ring pace. I kept at it on my own & caught up the group at the top of the tip (it included Neil who I drafted in from Ilkley CC). Two of the young 'uns were up the road but our group swelled as Chris TT'd his way back up & then did sterling work on the front- surprising some of the fast lads who had likely underestimated our mudguarded and understated Condor hard man.
A gallop for the finish saw me 5th finisher just behind Neil and Chris following on - so not total 3RT domination ! I believe the time was around 1hr 26mins but I can't give you more names & times as I returned straight back to my car  - without having a pint !

NOTE - Most unlike me but I've entered a mountain bike challenge if it appeals to anyone. It's by the organisers of the Sue Ryder Bronte Sportive, on June 19th from Grassington & going over the moors around Malham & Settle 39miles-26 offroad.      www.sueryder.org/3dalesmtb

Business as usual this Sunday. Tour of Cambridgeshire UCI Gran Fondo - closed roads and, apparently, a scary fast thrash.