Friday, December 23, 2016

Condor Ride-Out Lunch & Presentation


Now that the Wednesday Vets Christmas lunch is fading into the mists of time its time to book your place at the annual lunch and presentation - 1pm Sunday 8th January at the Robin Hood, Cragg Vale.
In addition to having a British Vets time trial champion and a World Masters Cyclo-X  champion to celebrate we have Bernard Boylan's slide show of 70's & 80's Condor Road Club action.
As posted some weeks ago we're having roast beef & yorkshire pudd followed by apple crumble & custard, £15.00. Book your place with me, £5 deposit.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Round Robin (Cragg Vale Spiral)


Missed from he below list of Christmas activities is the Cragg Vale Spiral which takes place tomorrow, Sat 17th, 9.30am, starting outside the Robin Hood, Cragg Vale. Well worth riding, 3, 2, or 1 lap finishing at the Robin Hood for refreshments. All welcome. Unfortunately, in ignorance of the ride I'de already made other plans and Chris has horses to shoe so there'll be 2 less Condors than usual.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Christmas Cycling with the Condor


Sunday 18th December  Meet 9.30 Crossroads (top of Ingrow junct. with Haworth Rd) for Riley's Treat, Pecket Well, via Herders & Widdop - cafe stop en route.

Wednesday 21st December  Meet Shelf Roundabout 10am for Wednesday Vets Christmas Dinner at Robin Hood, Cragg Vale (meal booked for 1pm).

Christmas Eve  Meet Denholme Gate 9am or Keighley 9.30 for Wharfedale, lunch at Burnsall. Home mid afternoon.

Boxing Day  Meet Hebden Bridge 9.30am for Clarion House, Newchurch-in-Pendle (bring you own turkey butties and mince pies). Home mid afternoon.

Wednesday 28th December  Shelf Roundabout 10am for usual vets ride to wherever's decided on the day.

New Years Day  Meet 10am Brighouse for Holmfirth, Isle of Skye and Sowerby Bridge.

I have been justifiably reprimanded for being one of the small minority failing to wear our registered Condor Road Club clothing on last Sundays club run. It would be good to see everyone wearing our distinctive club kit. I'm putting together an order for some new kit from Force GB so if you need 'owt new just let me know and I'll order it.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Grimpy's World's Report



World Masters – A Weekend in Belgium  30 Nov to 3 Dec

 Podium Positions
1st John Ginley                          36.11
2nd Wilfred Senck  (GER)            38.57

3rd Herman Martins (BEL)           40.03
                                                             
After Peters blog comments it’s a pleasure to give further details.

Departed from Hull on the P & Q Euro port overnight ferry Wednesday night to arrive at my digs in Lommel mid- day Thursday. Lommel is an affluent small Belgium town I estimate about 40 km east of Antwerp and 12 km from the Race Venue Zilvermeer nr Mol.

Zilvermeer is what can best be described as a Center Park. With Lakes, pine forest and lots of sand. One small water lake as a semi circle of beach sand with it the normal water fun features. I arrived at Zilvermeer early afternoon to souse out the new circuit. I’ve previously ridden Zilvermeer as I recall 5 times between 2005 and 2010. During that period the circuit only had minor changes. It comprised 3 deep sand section interspersed with fast hard packed ground, tarmac sections, with small climbs and 2 sets of steps. I estimated the circuit required maybe 200m running the rest was rideable although some sectors were narrow. Since then UCI rules require a circuit must be at least 3m wide to ease passing and reduce rider blockages. Also a number of new buildings had been erected resulting in a complete revamp of the circuit.

First reaction more deep sand, lots of man-made obstacles. Circuit length approx. 3 Km with some tarmac sections, nice twisting loops through pine trees, plank soil steps followed by sharp soil descent and climb to eventually reach the beach. Close to 200m running to the water edged where you could jump back onto the bike, riding the hard packed sand around to the next deep sand section. Run through the sand to a small retaining wall over and back through some rideable sand to a loop the loop section. There were 3 man made loops great for TV basically climb up ride part or all loop back down and up again. After the last climb you turned into a sharp tricky fast descent (see pic). On first practice lap I ran down but I road it next time the trick was to try and hit the bottom diagonally to avoid a 360 roll. Ridding meant you had some momentum into a steep deep sand section with the bike on my back and it was up the stairway to heaven. Sharp right running down the sand to the bottom jump onto a fast rideable section to turn sharp right onto the beach. Run again to waters edge to ride maybe 100m off again to run through the pit section sharp left to leave the sand back on until you hit the auditorium steps. After the steps all rideable back to the road start. My concerns, too much running maybe 800m in deep sand very tiring. Decided 2 laps were enough, save my energy for tomorrow.



Friday Dec 2nd ‘D’ day Race Start 13.00

Arrived at Zilvermeer 11.00 checked bikes out, set up turbo, started warm up at 12.15 and completed by 12.45 off to pits to drop off spare bike to arrive at grid start around 12.50.
We are all announced and then told around 40 would start first combining 3 age groups + 65, +70 and +75. We are advised that we are at the back of the grid Mick Ives was there but my eyes were on Martin Herman’s the Belgium who had previously always finished in front of me and normally won, usually by more than one minute. I exchanged words asking him not to start too fast, checked is tyre’s, he had sand tyre’s, those with a fine diamond profile sort you would use on a grass track. I also noted his pressure was my guess around 1.5 bar I was 2 bar? But when I had them lower I was all over the road on tarmac and didn’t see much benefit in the sand, I was on what might best be described as intermediate tyres? Too late I was staying with my set up. My plan, keep him in site and bring him back without going into the red? Easy but could I execute it? Called up to grid commissaries checks tyre width ok, I’m off 'stop!' out comes laptop and his mate scans my down tube and bottom bracket for an electric motor? Better not joke like at my age I need one etc.?

Gun goes, we're off down throgh finish I manage to move up switch right then up steps, Herman passes me and manages to avoid 2 fallers comes out of rise around 20m in front, skill?

I gain some ground on fast section up to the beach.

On the beach jogging to the shoreline no change, remount, Senck (GER) passes me. Don’t panic get by off to jump retaining wall and onto the loops. I stay on down the descent and I’m up the sand bank down and back into the beach sector. I decide it’s easier to push the bike through the deep sand with just a slight weight deflection through the saddle rather than carry. 

We exit the sand, I’m catching Herman and at the top of the auditorium steps, I give it a go pass him heading for the end of the first lap. I don’t look back I just keep it a nice steady pace and I’m in the zone on the section to the beach. On the beach and jogging through the beach sector you pass the pits both going out and returning receiving lots of noise from the pit crews. Whilst most cheers are for other competitors this helps me as I can tell the gaps increasing when only minor noise as I pass. 



I hear shouts for Barrie Mitchell (Mick Ives team in younger age group) who I passed earlier but nothing for Herman. Confidence increases and I push on and manage to stay in front. Eventually the bell rings for the last lap and I dig in this time the beach sector brings more pain so I jump on near the end and manage to stay upright through some deep sand and realize the power required to make headway is perhaps beyond my fragile frame. I begin to observe that exiting my cleats is becoming more difficult due to sand ingress so to avoid crashing into the steps I decide to release early. Sound decision as I’m just out in time. I give my self a talking to (push with caution and stay upright to the finish) through to the finish line. I’m chuffed but commentator doesn’t verify my position. So I clamber up the steps to the finish booth to check position and am advised yes I’m first.


Podiums for all the days men’s and woman’s age groups are at 16.00. I arrive at 15.45 and eventually find the collection tent. It’s been a good day for the Brits with Dave McMullen, Vic Barnett and Tracey Fletcher also winning their age groups. Eventually we are called to the podium but we have a dispute. The commissaries results shows Van De Sluijs (NED) is 2nd Wilfred Senck doesn’t agree, eventually its clarified and we are on the podium to collect our medals flowers and pendants.  

Unfortunately by the time we arrive its dark and my iPhone pics are crap. But Peter says he can edit them so I’m sending pics and report to Peter who I hope will place it on our blog. (tried my best John but you are correct when you say they're crap, Peter)

Sundays Club Run


Meet Shelf roundabout 9.30 for Knaresborough

Friday, December 02, 2016

Grimpy - Championne du Monde. & Sundays Club Run


Massive congratulations to John (Grimpy) Ginley who earlier today won the rainbow jersey of World Masters Cyclo-Cross Champion in Moll, Belgium. 2nd was Wilfred Senck of Germany and 3rd was the favorite and 10 times previous World Masters Champ, Herman Martens of Belgium. I'm looking forward to John's full report and pics.


SUNDAY 4th DEC
Meet Hebden Bridge 9am (Park Gates) for The Green Jersey, Clitheroe via Pexwood Road

Thursday, December 01, 2016

Letter from New Zealand

Last Saturday whilst we were enjoying freezing fog in the valleys and icy roads the New Zealand section of the Condor Road Club was competing, together with another 3000 cyclists. in a hundred mile race round Lake Taupo in somewhat warmer conditions. Paul has sent the below report.


I have forwarded the event photo's resplendent in Condor colours, you will see me crossing the "finish" a bloody huge kite! Further up the road you turned off the road into the field where the timing mat was 20-30yds further away. I was that relieved and knackered I got off the bike and leant against saftey railings, 4-5yds short of the bloody mat. Nobody beckoned me forward and another rider I know did the same as me!
Once through the medal distribution area I found a spare piece of grass on which to collapse suffering big style with leg cramps and exhaustion, the last 30kms was tough but I knew I was on a great time with my group (2nd off) having caught group 1 55kms into the race taking 4mins out of them.
I was working hard but okay until 30kms out and could'nt hold the wheel (not like me), a couple of other groups eventually passed me and again no holding them. The group I had been in for ages finished in 4hrs 10mins so I lost a fair bit of time but somehow kept going. Robbie McEwan finished in 4hrs 12mins!!
No prizes for category winners but the lost 3 minutes cost me first place from 350 over 60's competitors and that's the most annoying thing. The lad who runs our group Pyskil is very pissed off apparently another rider has complained about the timing mat debacle' and Matt is following it up. I am chuffed with my time and average speed over the distance I knew I had fairly good legs, I am a bit annoyed with not being able to hang on but we know what it's like when the man with the hammer comes knocking!!
The photo's definitely show a pained expression my race no. 1506 but simply open the email link below.


Paul



Unfortunately the pics Paul sent me were too well protected for me to copy them but you can get get a glance below.

Hello Paul, 

Photos from the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge are now online. 

Click here to view your album. 

Buy any digital option and share your images on Facebook or Twitter. You can also save them to desktop or mobile – and print them whenever you wish. 

Take a Look now! 

All the best 
Marathon-Photos.com