Weekly Round-up: 13 Apr 2025
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Ten Series Rd.1: P170After what felt like the longest of winters, Tuesday evening saw the long-awaited return of Tuesday Evening Time Trial for NFCC with Round 1 of the Ten Series opening the season on P170 in what’s fast becoming an annual tradition. Twenty riders crossed the lines with NFCC’s Bev Hards the fastest (…and only!) woman in 28m10s, and NFCC’s Paul Locker the fastest in the open field and overall in 22m29s. The full results and a link to the image gallery can be found by CLICKING HERE. |
Bike Shed Racing @ Thruxton Rd.1Tuesday evening was also the return of circuit racing with NFCC’s Phill Brown joining an 88 rider peloton under the evening sun at Thruxton Race Track. A nervous race with such a big group of riders with worse case scenario of two BIG crashes, one during race and one just as riders crossed the finish line. Brown kept himself safe at the pointy end of the race, crossing the line in fifth for the prime lap, and 12 at the finish, earning enough points for 5th place in the overall series after the first round. |
Thursday Evening Chain GangIn a week of “returns” this week also saw the reintroduction of the Thursday Evening Chain Gang training session. The 25K route offers a real early season tester to get a feel for how the legs are going to operate this season. Six made the start in great conditions. Two of the riders were new to the discipline but it didn’t take too long before everyone got the memo and it started to become fairly smooth. A fairly well matched group meant that we all stayed together until Burley and it wasn’t until Wilverley rise that the group really broke up. With Eliot T, Hamish L and Eddie all looking strong in the final miles we got back to base at a lively average pace of 35.6 kph. As things get smoother and some stronger riders join the group I expect that to rise to 37.5kph within the next couple of months. We didn’t have any takers for a slower group this week but if you fancy joining in the fun then put your name down on SPOND so that others know you are attending. |
Saturday Club RideWith a large sportive in the forest this week, Easter holidays and sunshine forecast we took the ride well away from the masses this week and headed north and west to the Chalke Valley and Shaftesbury for the first long ride of the year. The planned route was 157Km with an optional short cut for a 121Km route after the coffee stop in Broad Chalke. Sixteen riders joined up for two well matched pelotons and being the hardy bunch (or not wanting to appear weak) they are all opted for the longer route. We were however devoid of the clubs most copious commodity this week, Phil’s. All the Phil’s were otherwise engaged so instead of four Phil’s we had to make do with three Ben’s. |
| We headed up Bolderwood, sharing the road with the sportive riders and then across Ocknells Plain into a block headwind. Luckily the Club’s two windbreaks, Sean and Barry were still fresh and stayed on the front the whole of the time and the riders behind were saying “what headwind?” Onwards to the Chalke Valley and for the first time in our memory we had a tailwind here. Ian L pulled onto the front at Coombe Bissett and said he would do a turn. He powered on impressively for about 10KM at around 350 Watts to get us to the coffee stop. We did however have to burst his bubble and tell him that downwind turns don’t count! Both groups rendezvoused at the coffee stop and then set of to tackle Zig Zag Hill before some nice descending to Tollard Royal. |
| After passing through Wimborne St Giles, we were treated to what looked like an audition for Riverdance. But that wasn’t to be the case it was Neil S succumbing to a cramping attack. We plied him with electrolyte tablets, then found a handy water supply in Edmonsham to fill his bottle. With this we got him to Alderholt and with the help of a large bag of Ready Salted crisps he was able to complete the ride. |
 No mechanicals or clothing faux pas to report. Group 1 were keeping to some form of omertà and not dishing any dirt on each other so it needs Group 2 to fill the barrel this week. As we all know there has been a lot of turmoil in the markets this week, some investors have been getting out of stocks and shares and investing in commodities. One of the club’s sages, Rupert, did just that and invested heavily in oil this week. He found a novel way of storing that by completely soaking his chain and cassette in it! The order of the barrel likes to reward novel acts, so we proudly induct Rupert this week. Riders started to peel off as we neared Brockenhurst as the lure of a shower and home comforts were too much. Many riders completed centuries this week so kudos to all for tackling a challenging route and keeping the good humour all day.– Barry |
Hard Boiled 300 AudaxThere’s only one name that comes to mind if we report on someone starting a 300km Audax at 2am… Ladies and gentleman, Ray Claridge. Ray completed the Hard Boiled 300km Audax for a second time on Saturday. If the 2am start at Poole train station wasn’t enough, there’s also a 20hrs time limit to get back to Poole after completing a HUGE loop. Ray reported the event certainly lived up to its name and was VERY HARD with over 4000m of climbing. He really enjoyed the first 200k and his legs were feeling good, although it was very cold across Salisbury plain at 5am, but glorious when the sun finally came up. The final 95km leg from Axminster back to Poole was Brutal with relentless steep climbing on ever reluctant legs. |
Sunday Club RideAnother great turnout for this weeks Sunday club ride. 9 wanted to join group 1 and 9 wanted to join group 2. If only life was always that simple. Group one set out at a lively pace with a slight tailwind. I planned the route to be going in the opposite direction to the New Forest sportive. This worked out fine except that, as I suffer from a Tourette’s style impulse to acknowledge any other cyclists on the road, ‘waving fatigue’ soon started to set in. By Ipley crossroads I was starting to resent their existence. Luckily others started to pull their weight, moving to the front to take on waving duties. |
 The pace relaxed a little until Steve B and Richard B hit the front and decided to up the wattage by approximately 80% for a few minutes and then again as we were forced to scale Cole de Bramshaw hill. As the group reached Ocknell plain and a solid headwind we decided to have some fun and practice Chaingang. However, one of our highly esteemed local motorists had other ideas and passed Richard B so close that it gave us all the willies, so we quickly converted back to a tight peloton. (…reminder to self to get the cameras back up and running). We made the cafe in good time and not too far behind came group two, ably led by the newly promoted Jane. Great to see yet another Stella turnout and to ride in such good company.– Phil H. |
Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
