Weekly Round-up: 19 May 2024
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
NFCC Ten Series Rd.4: P128Seventeen riders recorded times in round four of the NFCC Ten Series – 12 of them home club riders clocking results towards the annual NFCC Ten Series and the battle for the end-of-season trophies. A full list of results, overall standings and a link to images can be seen by CLICKING HERE. |
RCR Goodwood #2Another tough night out for NFCC’s Phill Brown who unfortunately found himself on the wrong side of a split in the E12 peloton at Goodwood. A third of the way onto the evening race, the relentless pace hadn’t dropped much below 48km/h when Brown picked a wheel of a rider he knew to sit on to get a bit of shelter coming in to the headwind section. When realising he rider ahead had let the wheel in front of him go, Brown chased the escaping pack but didn’t manage to make it back onto the bunch and had an uneventful evening riding behind the Cat3 bunch until the end of his race… Fortunately, the heavens only opened on the cool-down lap! |
Thursday Evening Chain GangThis weeks Thursday night chain gang had another great turnout with 8 making the starting gate. All it must be said looking very smart in club kit. With Ben leading the group out of the village a speedy precedent was set and maintained for the through and off to the A35 turn. As last week, we got lucky with traffic and we’re all together as we navigated the rolling middle section towards Burley. The group was strong and evenly enough matched to stick together up to the always stressful turn from Burley towards Brock. Some small gaps arrived but were filled quickly after the ‘witches revenge’ hill and the high pace resumed. If we are still together after the ‘Witches revenge’ then usually the group will survive intact until Wilverley rise and so it was. At the base of Wilverley, Jay and Ben took off with others hot on their heels whilst some of us strained every sinew to stay within nodding distance of the one in front. The group roughly split into three with Ben and Jay easily gapping the second group of Joe O, Phill G and Elliott and then a small gap with Jon S, Mark C and Phil H following. A Herculean effort from Mark C got group 3 back to group two ensuring a very fast group finish into Brock despite everyone looking pretty cooked. Many very fast times were recorded including quite a few p.b’s including Phil H who has 91 recorded previous efforts on the course and Mark C who has taken 2nd place in the all time list in his age group. Great ride, same again next week. |
Saturday Club RideWith a showery forecast this week’s route was planned for just 110Km and was made up of loops in and around the forest in case the weather caused any mutinies in the peloton demanding a short cut. As it turned out the showers never came, and we also enjoyed summer weather, an outside coffee stop, and remarkably light traffic for late May in the forest. Only twelve riders made the start, without a number of the usual Group One riders elsewhere it was a single peloton that left Brockenhurst. We welcomed Steve for his first ride with NFCC. The ride headed east towards Burley. On Pound Lane Phil G sprinted ahead for his usual photographic duties, this prompted an outrageous photo bomb from Rupert who sprinted to the front to make it look like he spent all day sheltering us from the wind. |
 We then headed past Holmsley and then with some trepidation to Godwinscroft and South Bockhampton. Last time we used these roads they were under water and were pockmarked with potholes some of which were hidden by floods. Thankfully this had cleared, and we navigated through the roads west of Bransgore without trouble. We headed north around Rockbourne and then back to the forest for coffee at The Potting Shed. After coffee we headed back up Red Shoot for the last part of the ride. Graham decided that he needed to mark his territory and made a stop that didn’t intimidate any of the stallions that have been turned out. Unfortunately, we forgot he was off the back and when we hit Ocknell’s Plain started to do a through and off drill to cope with the stiff headwind. This increased the pace somewhat and Graham riding solo was unable to get back on. Fortunately for him we were doing a loop around Nomansland, Furzey, Bramshaw and Bramble Hill so he was able to get back on. Kudos to the new riders in the group who picked up the through and off drill which was very tidy. |
 We started to lose riders who had to get back home for various domestic duties, and it was a small pack that made it back to Brockenhurst. We even had Phil G pulling off early this week as he had to get back to Lucy who has been reporting bouts of severe grumpiness as she is deep in revision. We’re not sure what she’s revising for, but the smart money is that Phil is laying down the law and insisting that she’s qualified to Cytech Level 2 at a minimum if she wants to keep riding with him. |
 All this way and no incidents, mechanical fails. Twelve bikes all running silently, no chances for riders to show mechanical ineptitude. How are we going to put anyone in the barrel this week? I’m grateful to Matt M for pairing a club gilet with and flouro-green jersey and some blue arm warmers. I’ve only ever seen colour combinations like this when I’ve printed out the test page when putting new ink cartridges in my printer so thank you Matt for stepping forward with a cycling fashion crime in a very fallow week. As this was the worst offence this week it does show that the riders who were missing this week must be the serial offenders, and Graham F remembered to turn the lights on before getting dressed! Thanks as ever to all the riders that made it another very pleasant Saturday, some quality group riding. Thanks especially to Jay for some long turns on the front and some excellent pacing. |
Sunday Club RideSixteen, including at least 2 newbies, turned up in surprisingly chilly conditions for this weeks Sunday club ride. As usual if we have high numbers present and if some folk are keen on a faster ride we split into groups. So it was that a faster group set out a minute or two ahead of the more delicately paced group. Little of note to report from the group other than Jane heroically battling through an irritating free-hub issue and our new riders coping well with the pace and group riding. Group one must have made speedy progress as they were well into their cooked breakfasts but the time group two arrived at the cafe. The sun finally made a conciliatory appearance at this time and was forgiven for its late showing. |
Harold Cribb Memorial 25m TTSien van der Plank was the only club member representing NFCC at the Poole Wheelers Harold Cribb Memorial 25m time trial from Lytchett Matravers on Sunday.The weather was nearly perfect for the 25-mile TT, although whilst on course the winds picked up making the return leg hard work for the riders. Dominating the women’s road bike category, Sien crossed the line in just 01h04m09s, averaging a shade under 23.4mph. |
WightLink Island Renewables Road raceWith road races becoming harder to come by in the local area each year, five NFCC riders signed up for a quite trip abroad to the WightLink Island Renewables Isle of Wight road race on Sunday. What was set to be a 90km 3 lap race from Freshwater, taking in some of the best roads the island had to offer, came to a very early conclusion after just 17km after the flag dropped. Reece Dawson, Matt Brown, Jon Sowerby and Phill Brown crossed the start line and after a 7.5km “neutralised” section – with some riders pushing over 350w just to simply stay with the main group behind the safety car – the race descended along Military Road and the flag dropped as soon as everyone was safely though the bends at Compton Bay. A stiff headwind killed off anyone ambitious early breakaway attempts and every attack was soon reeled back in with consummate ease. Turning inland, the 80 rider peloton was just starting to show signs of fracturing and racing “proper” about to get under way, when the race was black flagged due to an incident with an stationary vehicle in the worst possible location. Requiring the full attention of the medical team, and assistance from other emergency service personnel, the decision was made the race would not continue and all four NFCC riders that started made their way safely back to the HQ. Wishing a speedy recovery to all those involved in the incident from NFCC. |
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. |
