P McDonald

Beautiful evening to race with the sun out. Strong westerly wind created one or two challenges mainly on A77 southbound and on left turn at Newton Mearns. The neutralised zone was a but calmer this time compared to the VC race. Turning onto the A77 the pace cranked up and I was sitting in a poorish position close to the rear of the bunch. Colin was looking very strong indeed and was sitting quite far up. I sat in the drag for most of the A77 and at the left turn there was a bit of a sprint to stay on wheels. Onto the climb, I was pretty much in the middle getting dragged up. When it ramped up I moved up a bit towards the front and at the summit down hill to the Clunch found some legs and sat at the front end of the bunch for position. Still managed to hide but the descent gives good speed. Turning onto the Clunch, I went to the front so that I could fall back. By the time I reached the top of the Clunch though my legs were going to burst. Turning onto he A77 there was good time to rest and eat a 'nana. Wossy went to the front and was looking very strong, you know the way Wossy does! Second climb up the Dams I heard a shout for the wheelers! Think it was Chung calling out to Wossy. So knew he was on my left shoulder. Same tactics again to top of dams though though my legs would snap when I went to the front again before the ramp. Hid again for a bit and got dragged up the hill again. Speedy descent down to Clunch again, same tactics up and the front feeding on other guys wheels. When we turned onto A77 speed was ramping up. Saw my wee mouthy EK friend from the Strathaven race. Gave me great pleasure to see him pop before the right hand turn. Then it all got strangely freaky. Sitting in the main bunch heading up for the final sprint. Stayed in the bunch then with 100 meters to go just didn't have legs for final sprint. A very fine evening and by pleased with my first bunch finish. Thought to myself thank got I didn't have three laps of that. Oh yeah. Saturday. Gulp.

Kate Archibald (City of Edinburgh) turned up at British Champs last year with a standard alloy Dolan. Won the Junior pursuit title against all the fancied riders with their aero carbon. What was it that guy used to say about the bike? The bloke's not well...
 
Wheels important though.

Ti's lovely but I would buy cheapo Dolan alloy frame and spend big money on a bonkers wheelset.

And the kilo's over . Thank goodness! It was over in 1.14.95 , was aiming for sub 1.15 so I'm pleased! Not placed but not far off, took 5.5 secs off my PB, using a starting gate was interesting, pushed a quarter of a second early making an arse of the start so should have gone faster.

Okay, so not DFL, second of 3 in our Rep by a bike length, the guy leading it out went 0.5 seconds faster there than I had ever done a week ago and I stayed on his wheel till the end, not too disappointed as this is probably my weakest event! Bring on the Kilo!

Well done Billy with a great 2nd place and riding home afterwards. I want to get it out there now, I stood up in the ferry and realised the lights were about to go out so cadged a lift home, I passed Billy on the Heely looking very happy.
 
Anyway in the 40's race, which was decimated in numbers this year largely due to the other race in Glasgow, I had a really great day out where I spent 5 of the 6 laps in the company of new vet Gordon Murdoch, Jim Cusick and Mark Skilling. I was only doing about 1 in 3 of the spells I should whilst the other 3 worked smoothly. On the final lap which was 7th time up the climb Jim racked it up from the bottom and I got pumped when my legs just said enough. Rode round to finish 4th.
 
What actually is Rule 5 ?
 
 
 
 

Great race today mr and mrs marshalls and organisers and signer onners and drivers. Thank you all very much for enabling 3 of us to race.
Paul
 
As for race it was pretty unrelenting, circuit proved testing with the loose chip section sapping energy before the climb each lap. Hugh just seems to float up the climb whlist most are rocking and rolling, huffin and puffin. Me and hugh got to the end in the bunch and we both finished mid bunch. I tried very hard to sprint but legs locked up, sat down for a sec, tried again but it was not going to happen. Race had just been too demanding. Great to be racing as always.
 

Davie B
I'll do you a great wee package deal for the head %. Mates Rates :-D
Andy

D
Don't compromise. Get the stealth. It will do absolutely fine as an audax or sportive bike when you want to do them.
Also, you're only a low single figure % away from hinging on to the end. The good news is the final % point is in the head.
Hugh, well done, indeed lots of potential there, you are one of the most natural climbers I've ever had the discomfort to observe at close quarters !

 
 

D
Don't compromise. Get the stealth. It will do absolutely fine as an audax or sportive bike when you want to do them.
Also, you're only a low single figure % away from hinging on to the end. The good news is the final % point is in the head.
Hugh, well done, indeed lots of potential there, you are one of the most natural climbers I've ever had the discomfort to observe at close quarters !

 
 

Billy v Charlie by Jann71_2000, on Flickr

Billy, you could hire a cage with Charlie and stage cage fights to pay the annual charge, just a suggestion, just sayin like do you think Charlie would be a biter...
 
 

Billy, you could hire a cage with Charlie and stage cage fights to pay the annual charge, just a suggestion, just sayin like do you think Charlie would be a biter...
 
 

Jann
Pretty sure you would be fine with either. You can try mine on rollers if you want or if you are at track when I am there some time.

 

So Ross it's really 2-2 then ! Even though one of mine was in a car !
Well done with the report. For the 2nd time in a week my legs were too sore to write much.
Looking at the strava feeds I am going to start logging rides on strava again. Can see how useful it is when people ask how long is the ride etc.
Ed Clancy - well anyone who can wheelie at the top of the nick deserves an Olympic gold.
:)
 
 
 

Photo on facebook

Andy
Will try pics later, not quite clued up on this yet.
 
As for mechanicals today, well if JD had been there there would have been at least another 17!
On a less frivolous note, still miss him a lot and today was the best possible way to mark his anniversary.

 

Andy
Will try pics later, not quite clued up on this yet.
 
As for mechanicals today, well if JD had been there there would have been at least another 17!
On a less frivolous note, still miss him a lot and today was the best possible way to mark his anniversary.

 

Andy
Will try pics later, not quite clued up on this yet.
 
As for mechanicals today, well if JD had been there there would have been at least another 17!
On a less frivolous note, still miss him a lot and today was the best possible way to mark his anniversary.

 

Sitting here watching the dauphine after 67 utterly brilliant miles in the beautiful Ayrshire hills. Thanks for the company Al, Darryl, Ross, Iain, Andy and Davy.

 

Nice one Ramsay,
Will take a moment atop the Nick O Balloch tomorrow

 
 
 
 

Guys
I got a long email at 2.30am from the chap who 'instigated' the crash last night. He had just got back from hospital. He would like to pass on his sincere apologies to the affected JWCC riders. As always there are 2 sides to every story. On a personal note I apologised for referring to him as a nutter without understanding the whole picture.
Bottom line is that road racing is dangerous, accidents do happen and you have to go into it with your eyes open.

Guys
I got a long email at 2.30am from the chap who 'instigated' the crash last night. He had just got back from hospital. He would like to pass on his sincere apologies to the affected JWCC riders. As always there are 2 sides to every story. On a personal note I apologised for referring to him as a nutter without understanding the whole picture.
Bottom line is that road racing is dangerous, accidents do happen and you have to go into it with your eyes open.

Ross, Very bad luck. It was generally acknowledged the guy was completely to blame and a nutter.
George, your kind predictions are rose tinted!
There were 7 laps of Caldwell circuit. Davy and Andy got to about 5th time up the climb which was taken pretty hard each time then slipped out lead group.
Hugh and I got to the bottom of the final climb in the lead group which had dwindled to about 20 after the war of attrition on the 7 circuits.
Hugh went forwards to finish somewhere mid bunch, I went backwards to finish out the rear.
Really great riding by Hugh to hold position in top 10 practically the entire race.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Heartily enjoyed this yesterday, a decent quality field and awesome weather for my first Cross race in 10 years! Got a 7th place and managed to keep it on the same lap as the winners