P McDonald

Very well organised race on the A77 circuit last night, weather was wet and very windy. My short race report reads, first 10 miles up and down A77-fine, dams climb-fine, clunch road- fine, A77 - not fine. Turned on to a strong cross tailwind and there was a high speed wheel scrabbling line out. Well high for me anyway. Hung on for a couple of miles then popped. Rode round with a few others to finish about 30th and discovered only a few more actually finished.
 

Very well organised race on the A77 circuit last night, weather was wet and very windy. My short race report reads, first 10 miles up and down A77-fine, dams climb-fine, clunch road- fine, A77 - not fine. Turned on to a strong cross tailwind and there was a high speed wheel scrabbling line out. Well high for me anyway. Hung on for a couple of miles then popped. Rode round with a few others to finish about 30th and discovered only a few more actually finished.
 

Very well organised race on the A77 circuit last night, weather was wet and very windy. My short race report reads, first 10 miles up and down A77-fine, dams climb-fine, clunch road- fine, A77 - not fine. Turned on to a strong cross tailwind and there was a high speed wheel scrabbling line out. Well high for me anyway. Hung on for a couple of miles then popped. Rode round with a few others to finish about 30th and discovered only a few more actually finished.
 

Here is the route
 
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/458610260
 
On a par with Dunoon run yesterday. 6 categorised climbs. Parking point is on the B7045 about 3 miles south of Minishant. Take the left just after you exit Minishant signposted Straiton. Drive a couple of miles and there is gravel layby on left at the end of a rising long straight bit of road. Park there. Sorry to steal thread Andy – but I suspect I am the only one that knows the route !
 
Depart from layby 8.30am. It takes about 45-50 mins from Johnstone to Minishant.

Man of the match has to be charlie, C11 on the 16 is utterly awesome. Very closely pushed by Emma for just doing the run and very well ridden too, so she can get woman of the match
 
 

Thank you for the shouts of encouragement Alan et al, it was much appreciated. Sorry I could not show much appreciation at the time but the grimace was really a smile
 
 

Great to see you back Ramsay

Great to see you back Ramsay

Martin
Great work being done by you and team. For me the priority has to be youth. After that I think the WOSCA series is great for the many, it is so popular there might be room to make an age split and still have 2 full races on the course. This would get more people doing more racing.
 
Track fantastic, youths get a lot of time and that should not change. What would be good for the rest and has been very popular is the 3-4 hour structured sessions when folks can have a go at all types of races and drills. I think they were called 'cluster sessions'.
 
Finally, to get a licence you must first attempt the Arran challenge
 
 

Martin
Great work being done by you and team. For me the priority has to be youth. After that I think the WOSCA series is great for the many, it is so popular there might be room to make an age split and still have 2 full races on the course. This would get more people doing more racing.
 
Track fantastic, youths get a lot of time and that should not change. What would be good for the rest and has been very popular is the 3-4 hour structured sessions when folks can have a go at all types of races and drills. I think they were called 'cluster sessions'.
 
Finally, to get a licence you must first attempt the Arran challenge
 
 

Hello,
 
I have been contacted by several club members who are concerned over the tone of posts on our forum and how these posts may appear to the public and prospective members.
 
In the past I have contacted individuals in my previous capacity as club chairman to ask the perpetrators to moderate their posts but this has obviously failed to have the desired effect.
 
Some of the nonsense I've read recently is playground stuff
 
I appreciate that some of our members are passionate about the sport but could we please try to temper this passion when on our message board?
 
In the grand scheme of things upside down logos or club runs that don't fit in exactly with your requirments aren't the end of the world. Not by a long way.
 
So please think twice before posting.
 
Thank you for reading,
 
George.

Al
 
Taking aside the catastrophic picture situation (the grimace on your coupon not the logo), do you have sneaky wee top 10 to report
 
well done
 

Al
 
Taking aside the catastrophic picture situation (the grimace on your coupon not the logo), do you have sneaky wee top 10 to report
 
well done
 

Aristotle McDonald once said 'the best achievements are those which are very hard and which may require a few attempts to get there'
 
Anyway me, Colin, Alan and Greg set off in pursuit of the double, a 101 miler which comprised 2 laps over the Ross. Bit of a severe opener up the drag from Brodick then the Ross within 10 miles. Over the top the entertainment started with first Greg locking a back wheel, then Colin running off into the grass then me locking a back wheel !
 
Greg then had an mechanical which delayed us a couple of minutes. Then we got real stuck in. Colin decided to break off over the String for the next ferry whilst the 3 of us blasted up the West coast at 29-30 mph with a nice tailwind. The final 10 miles of lap 1 were into a strong headwind so with much relief we completed lap one and stopped at our picnic stash for a couple of mins refuelling and bottle filling. Upon restarting Greg had an injury situation which was a blow as he was a powerhouse during lap 1.
 
Alan and I got horsed into it for a second lap. The Ross is sore the first time, the second time it was, well I'd rather not remember it. We got to the decision point at Machrie after 75 miles and with 26 miles left and 90 mins to do it. We decided to go for the 10 mile route back over the String due to being unsure if we could manage 17mph average for the next 90 mins given the state of our legs, the Lochranza climb and the roaring headwind finish.
 
Conclusion is definetly doable double. Second lap would need at least 4 or more evenly matched riders all on a good day.
 
Many thanks to the chaps for indulging my dream. I will do the double one day even if I have to pay some sherpa style domestiques ! Had the fun of descending the String and hitting 52.2 mph which is a tad short of the wind favourable 56mph I hit one time.
 
Cheers, until the next recruitment campaign
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Aristotle McDonald once said 'the best achievements are those which are very hard and which may require a few attempts to get there'
 
Anyway me, Colin, Alan and Greg set off in pursuit of the double, a 101 miler which comprised 2 laps over the Ross. Bit of a severe opener up the drag from Brodick then the Ross within 10 miles. Over the top the entertainment started with first Greg locking a back wheel, then Colin running off into the grass then me locking a back wheel !
 
Greg then had an mechanical which delayed us a couple of minutes. Then we got real stuck in. Colin decided to break off over the String for the next ferry whilst the 3 of us blasted up the West coast at 29-30 mph with a nice tailwind. The final 10 miles of lap 1 were into a strong headwind so with much relief we completed lap one and stopped at our picnic stash for a couple of mins refuelling and bottle filling. Upon restarting Greg had an injury situation which was a blow as he was a powerhouse during lap 1.
 
Alan and I got horsed into it for a second lap. The Ross is sore the first time, the second time it was, well I'd rather not remember it. We got to the decision point at Machrie after 75 miles and with 26 miles left and 90 mins to do it. We decided to go for the 10 mile route back over the String due to being unsure if we could manage 17mph average for the next 90 mins given the state of our legs, the Lochranza climb and the roaring headwind finish.
 
Conclusion is definetly doable double. Second lap would need at least 4 or more evenly matched riders all on a good day.
 
Many thanks to the chaps for indulging my dream. I will do the double one day even if I have to pay some sherpa style domestiques ! Had the fun of descending the String and hitting 52.2 mph which is a tad short of the wind favourable 56mph I hit one time.
 
Cheers, until the next recruitment campaign
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Aristotle McDonald once said 'the best achievements are those which are very hard and which may require a few attempts to get there'
 
Anyway me, Colin, Alan and Greg set off in pursuit of the double, a 101 miler which comprised 2 laps over the Ross. Bit of a severe opener up the drag from Brodick then the Ross within 10 miles. Over the top the entertainment started with first Greg locking a back wheel, then Colin running off into the grass then me locking a back wheel !
 
Greg then had an mechanical which delayed us a couple of minutes. Then we got real stuck in. Colin decided to break off over the String for the next ferry whilst the 3 of us blasted up the West coast at 29-30 mph with a nice tailwind. The final 10 miles of lap 1 were into a strong headwind so with much relief we completed lap one and stopped at our picnic stash for a couple of mins refuelling and bottle filling. Upon restarting Greg had an injury situation which was a blow as he was a powerhouse during lap 1.
 
Alan and I got horsed into it for a second lap. The Ross is sore the first time, the second time it was, well I'd rather not remember it. We got to the decision point at Machrie after 75 miles and with 26 miles left and 90 mins to do it. We decided to go for the 10 mile route back over the String due to being unsure if we could manage 17mph average for the next 90 mins given the state of our legs, the Lochranza climb and the roaring headwind finish.
 
Conclusion is definetly doable double. Second lap would need at least 4 or more evenly matched riders all on a good day.
 
Many thanks to the chaps for indulging my dream. I will do the double one day even if I have to pay some sherpa style domestiques ! Had the fun of descending the String and hitting 52.2 mph which is a tad short of the wind favourable 56mph I hit one time.
 
Cheers, until the next recruitment campaign
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Another good night for chain gangers. Billy Mac finally finding some form.

I had bike in hold, he had football boots in bag. I admired and commended his cross training but secretly thought at least he won't be kicking my b*tt up the mountains after doing same on track this winter
 

Danny Mulholland, on the seat behind me, on the early flight to Malaga this morning
 
 

Sorry can't make it going out for a run in the even warmer sunshine

Highly recommended, the Millport events are excellent and cater for all, one if my favourite events if the year

Danny Mulholland, on the seat behind me, on the early flight to Malaga this morning
 
 

Danny Mulholland, on the seat behind me, on the early flight to Malaga this morning
 
 

B race for me tonight and i did a bit better. Felt comfortable in the bunch, rather than hanging on the back and then getting dropped. Partly it was a bit slower although my fastest lap tonight was better than ive done in previous weeks so partly it recovery from injury and finding a bit of form and getting to know the course better as i was able to carry more speed through the corners that were giving me difficulty previously. Anyway i didnt do any work at all only moved up the group if someone attacked so i could get mark any moves if someone tried to bridge. I had no intention of bridging myself though! Last lap a sizeable group (i think about 12) still together, i moved up on the double corner before the back straight but someone drifted off their line and i had to go on the grass. It didnt slow me much but i lost a few positions so had to make my way through again through the zig zag (someone near the front was forced onto the grass here so i made up a place because of that) then by the final bend i was sitting about 5th then round the bend and into the sprint, managed to overtake one guy on the corner gap then chased down the guy in 3rd. Soon as he checked his shoulder i knew i had him However i didnt have enough distance left to get 1st or 2nd. Happy with 3rd, but feel i had the speed to have gone better if i'd made it through the final corner 2nd or 3rd wheel which had been my intention - but presumably also the intention of everyone else too!
 
There is a new feature on strava that lets you track riders that have passed the same gps co-ordinates as you on a ride, makes for a virtual race playback. Perhaps not very interesting for a crit that ends up in a group sprint but will be good to see for road races to see when winning moves and attacks are made.
 
http://labs.strava.c...W8IHeFvCNYFcAg=
 
Anyway ive typed too much - still buzzing a bit (from the race that is ive not been following the Boonen recreational activities!)

Great report Richard, glad you did it as it was a late night for me due to closed motorway for roadworks. You captured it all, I was right behind the crash but steered around it, honestly don't know if Lewis was on the floor - I don't recall seeing him. Anyway the climb on this circuit is short, however any climb is hard if you go fast enough as I was reminded last night. Had to end myself to stay with front group on lap 2 then again making up a bit of lost ground after the crash on lap 3. Stayed with group to finish where I was unable to muster up a sprint due to sore legs !
However Lewis did and got a great 2nd in the bunch gallop. And hats off to Richard getting back on to a fast moving bunch.
Off to pack my bike for Espana, will send you all a postcard