Race round up - 14 May 2017

A busy week for the engine saw riders grace the roads all over the eastern counties. Some mid-week testing saw Steve Franklin smash out a 3-up 25 mile time to take top slot on the K10/25b on Tuesday 9th May 2017. Steve rode with TSE alumnus Martin Jones (Team Bottrill/HSS Hire) plus James Garrett (Rugby Velo) to record 54.54 for the distance. A 4 minute margin of victory over the other 3-up teams was evidence of the team's dominance on the road. That's some ride for a lumpy course.

Also in action on Tuesday night (9th May 2017) were Simon Doyle and David Ledgerton. Simon and Dave rode the Hitchin Nomads CC Briercliffe 10 series around the rolling SPOCO course near Southill and Old Warden in Bedfordshire. David posted 29.37. Simon took the second win for team this week with a time of 24.48. Simon's form seems to be coming back in time for the forthcoming 3-up Victoria CC competition at the end of May.

Simon Doyle - Hitchin Nomads 10 - spot the ironic road marking- Pic Mike Webb

Over the weekend the team competed in the Peterborough CC N1/10 event (Saturday 13 May 2017). Lining up to form the TSE contingent were Chris Rimes, who posted 24.11, Michael Watts with another solid performance 24.46, and David Ledgerton 28.47. Chris is moving up the field in relative terms with a much closer margin between him and regular benchmark Paul Pardoe (22.00). James Tucker from Derby Mercury took top spot with a long-20. Conditions must have been tough compared to the N1/10 outing recently in the N&DCA series, despite flexing his financial strength on new wheels, Mike was a tad slower. Stone chippings also affected times. Chris came home in 14th and Mike 17th. Top 20s are great payback.

While Chris and co were doing battle near Peterborough, Jerome Watts took part in the Tenterden based, Southborough and District Wheelers  Q10/33 10 mile TT. The rolling course is not blessed with the best of surfaces, as attested by one poor soul who succumbed to the local potholes.  Breezy conditions did not deter Jerome from closing in on a course PB. He was slightly outside his previous notch  (by 2 seconds) but 23.27 should see him just off the top 10. Neil Lauder (PMR) recorded a provisional time of 20.26 for the win.

Jerome's weekend was a double-header, the report from his Royal Sutton K10/11T ride are a mix of bathos and sheer Chuckle Brothers-inspired grin-fodder.  Jerome's own reflections are as honest as the day is long. Good job he didn't spend 4 hours in a car to and from the race....

"After a 2 hour trip, I arrived at the HQ in good time and set about a warm up on the turbo; got ready to race and rode up to the start. Set off and was riding well, no residual effects from yesterday and through first roundabout with a marshal pointing one way and with a red flag the other so sat up and pointed where I thought I should be going and got a resounding yes and onwards to the next roundabout for what I thought was the turn....but no marshals seen until I was almost past the roundabout and about to sail on through.....so a quick check over my shoulder and on with the brakes part way on to the the carriageway saw me un-clip and once clear jump off and run over two carriageways and on , on my way again past a grinning marshal standing in totally the wrong position......so by the time I got going, cursing myself for being so stupid as to doubt myself on where the turn was, I dived back but by that time was so annoyed with myself I just coasted home.....for 24.23.

"My slowest time in 2 years."

These things happen and it's not the worst racing malady that has been experienced in TSE colours (by a long way). Here's to a good weekend on the E2 at the ECCA Champs next week.