Macclesfield Wheelers Parkinson Memorial RR

5 Century riders lined up in the various days races, Tim, Ritchie and myself and Martin and John in the second group.

The Siddington course is a relatively flat course with a few drags thrown in to test the legs when things get fast. Our race was quite fast on the day with no breakaways managing to survive. All of us manged to work ourselves into breaks and help position each other, resulting in a good team performance. The Century train worked itself to the front on the final lap and with a few hundred metres to go I started the lead out, which on the long finishing drag was surpassed by 4 other riders, so Ritchie and Tim had their work cut out. Ritchie launched Tim and he was up into 5th, however the with 10 metres to go the length on the sprint took it's toll and a few riders came around Tim to knock us out of contention. On reflection it was a good days racing with club mates working together to give each other the best possible chance. All that is left to say is that the in form Paul Bethell took the honours.

How Martin fared is unknown as we missed each other, however John's fate is known as we passed him with rear wheel damage at the side of the road during the 2nd lap. Hopefully all those potholes will get filled in for next year.


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Oulton Park Round 3

The final night in the Oulton Park series was played out yesterday evening in the same furious fashion that we have all come accustomed to over the past 3 weeks.

Proceedings started with me doing a unprepared attack from the gun which ended in Ryan Mullen jumping to me and then very quickly dropping me in the space of a few hundred metres. It was my own fault as my legs just weren't ready and had no chance of getting on Ryan's wheel and that was it...away he went and was never seen again, eventually winning the race from a small group who had joined him later in the race.

The break that joined Ryan jumped very early as well and a tactical disaster ended up with no Century riders being present. A few of us tried in vain to bridge the gap but to no avail, the wind on the top side of the course was too strong for riders in 2's or 3's to get across the ever widening gap (they lapped the second race!).

After futile and wasted attempts from a few of us we knuckled down to dragging some of the stragglers from the early break away and with 4 laps to go the Century train worked hard as possible to cut the deficit. Tim and Ritchie did a great effort on the final lap but tactics misfired again and the hard work of the previous 4 laps was wasted. Sean managed to get 2nd in the bunch gallop, but the rest of our legs were tired from the wasted lead out train.

The other races featured Hannah McDonald (doing her first race), Claudia WITZIG, Peter Grace, Ian Kendal, Simon Higgins, Paul Davies, Duff Fawcett, Steve Webster, Paul Grindley, Vince Bennett. Our race had Tim, Ritche, Andy, Sean, Danny, Aki, Phil and Graeme.

Sorry for the lack of detail in the other races as they start and finish as we are racing.

Oh and Life member Andy Bennett formerly World Firefighter Road Race Champion won the middle age mans race! Chapeau Andy!

Oulton Park Round 2

Oulton park races always prove to increase in quality and racing as the series progress and last night was no exception. It is becoming a fanscinating battle between the teams with strong riders from Maxgear, St.Helens RC, Team Elite and Team Mullen (One man army) and Liverpool Century.

The first 3 laps were subdued but it didn't take long for a break to form. Tim Brammeier asked me to lead him to the front as we hit the start/finish line, as we were moving up the the front an attack went off and Tim was perfectly placed to jump in with Sean Hughes in tow. This break massed to about 10 riders and myself and 2 Maxgear lads sat on the front as all the main players had riders in the break. But the break wouldn't work together and it wasn't long till the bunch swallowed them back up.

One of my ill fated breaks with the winner Ryan Mullen on my wheel

I was doing the job for the Century of policing any breaks and trying to get in them. I got into the first break with Ryan Mullen and 4 others, but this was shortlived. A few other breaks got away but without of of the teams riders in it, so they were no danger and were pulled back in each time. As we neared the last few remaining laps the pace increased significantly as the teams repeadtedly attacked and a significant crash on the start/finish line saw a brief split in the field helping a break form with the strong riders present, unfortunately no Century riders were in it. Tim suffered in this crash as one of the fallen riders caught his rear wheel and wrecked it. This was the danger point as 8 riders were away but somehow it didn't stick and as we caught them Ryan jumped away and I rolled past the leaders and onto his wheel to be joined by Dan Whelan and John Rigby plus a Wrexham rider. But once again this break was caught and it was all back together with 2 laps to go. So it was all going to be decided on a bunch sprint.

The pace was pretty fast and it was all the familiar faces at the front and as the bunch swelled and thinned as the pace slightly changed, the tension built as everyboy is looking left and right for the attack. But it was a straight forward assault and it was a battle of the strongest legs....Ryan Mullens legs. He powered away to take the bunch gallop, followed by Mike Rawson, John Rigby with Sean in 6th and myself in 8th or 9th??

Ryan Mullen powers to the win

Phil Garton-Pope showed himself to be a strong rider again and did his fair share of work following and chasing. Andy Brookfield and John Aktinson both stuck in and worked hard to finish.



Andy Bennett off the front



Martin Moore  looking comfortable

In the other races Claudia Witzig finished her first outing at Oulton Park and was only 10m from getting a win before the bunch stormed past...a feeling many of us know well. Martin Moore and Peter Grace both were racing but I didn't catch there results. In the final race Vince Bennett finished top 10 with a strong kick. Century Life members Andy Bennett and Duff Fawcett also raced and I am yet to find out where they ended up!

Aki, Phil and Andy

All in all some great, fun racing

Oulton Park Round 1

Greame, Steve, Cozzy, Tim, Andy, Me, Ritche, Dean, Sean, Andy, Phil and Vince somewhere

A good selection of riders made it to the first round of the TLI Oulton Park series, with tactics in hand we rolled off into the motorbike circuit.

Attacks started from the gun with Paul Bethell and Ryan Mullen striking out alone for the first lap, this was evident as they balanced clipped in at the start line. From here the race followed a pattern we all know well, break after break went away and was pulled back. I managed to get away 4 times but each attempt was failed as was Ritchie, Sean, Phil and Dean's efforts. Tim did a great job of policing from the front and as the race entered the final phase Bethell and Mullen attacked and this time it stuck. I had been following Paul's wheel but within a blink of an eye he was 4 bikes in front and I was blocked in and away they went. I attempted to jump to them but the gap was too large and I sat up and waited for the bunch. Annoyingly a second break of 4-5 riders got away and a prolonged effort from the St Helen's and Maxgear boys didn't bring it back. So it was now time for a bunch sprint and the plan was to have we 4 man lead out, so Tim, Sean, Ritche and myself stayed in the the top 10 for the last 4 laps and closed down any attempts to break away. As we entered the straight after the hairpin Sean had to use up his position to chase down an attack, then I had to go early and ended my turn on the climb leaving Ritche and Tim to have a crack, this ended in them getting about 6th in the bunch sprint.

A quick note to say that this was Graeme's first 'big race' and he finished well in the bunch, still time to sign for HTC then.

So next week more attacks and a better lead out train. All good practice.

Davies is back to winings ways, watch out Malc

TLI, Lower Withington

Photograph by Ed Rollason Photography

www.edrollasonphotography.co.uk 

6 laps, main split occurred after 2 laps, about 12 in the break, then big purge by the usual suspects (Steve Davies - Bio-Racer etc.) when the 12 became 7 leaving just over half the race left to go. Done my bit working in the break for 90% of the time, so pleased I could see some signs of strength returning, but did miss the occasional turn (though I wasn’t alone on that score) …final mile (long straight) everybody started jockey-ing, I was at the front and kept spinning, looked back and a bit of a gap had developed, so just gradually wound it up, next thing I see the 100 to go flag, couldn’t hear any ‘swoosh’ behind me, so didn’t look back and sprinted for the line  ...and no-one came past!  A bit lucky I guess, but was happy to have got in the break and very confident I’d not have finished 7^th

Miss Dolan was sporting new hoops and I had new silver shoes, which clearly upped my performance  ….but more importantly, it was my last Cat B race, so a nice end to the day. Crossing the line was a very muted and unspectacular affair, so you won’t see that picture on the TLI site! Lol

TLI Lower Withington Event 3

Phil GP showed that his form his coming on nicely with a 5th place at last Tuesdays event.

40 - 49 - Tuesday 10 May 2011
11th Paul Davies

Under 40

5th Phil GP

Claudi did her first race in the UK (maybe first one ever??)


Track skills in action couresty of 'Ed Rollason Photography'


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TLI Lower Withington Event 2 *Updated

Pete Grace finishes 3rd
Phil GP in Bunch

More to follow when results are published

1	Tony Parkinson	C	Onimpex Bioracer
2	Gordon Wallace	C	Deeside Olympic - Veeboard
3	Peter Grace	C	Liverpool Century
4	Gary Hartles	C	Warrington RC-Rondelli

TLI Stone Wheelers RR, Race 1, Under 50s/Race 2, 50+ - Sunday 10 Apr 2011

There was a short lived period of excitement which during we planned the race and how exactly we would win. Sean and Joe would attack from the gun with Me, Tim and Danny following any breaks and keeping at least one of us fresh as possible for a sprint.

As we all know things never work out that way. Sean attacked on his own and nobody jumped to join him, then Joe attacked with the same effect, ultimately dropping to the rear of the bunch and getting hit in the hand by a flying bike to add to his troubles. This effectively knocked Joe out of the race.

The course itself is challenging with 2 long drags making up the finish line and then another drag and fast descent not long after. 2 laps in and Tim got dropped as did quite a few riders as the non stop slow/fast racing took its toll. Finally a break of 5 got away which we duly missed followed later by another 4. This then led to repeated attempts to slow the field by team mates of those in the break and the remaining contenders trying to speed it up. In the end the break just stayed away and Paul Bethell won the race. Danny jumped the bunch before the final ascent and stayed away to take 9th with old Century member Dan Whelan (Maxgear) taking 10th. 

Martin Moore was the only other member who raced in the 2nd group and was finally detached from the race in the final stretch to the finish. Keith Jones won that race which might explain why we passed quite a dropped few riders on the run in.

All in all not a day of glory for the Century but at least we learned that out minds are willing but our bodies aren't.



Results from TLI websiteSwynnerton Circuit, 55 miles, 5 laps

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1	Paul Bethell	M2	Team Elite
2	Matt Jones	M2	Ribble
3	Simon Bridge	A	Leigh Premier
4	Richard Barnett	A	Stone Wheelers
5	Jason Meyer	M2	Stourbridge Velo
6	Andrew Udall	SNR	Mammoth Lifestyle
7	Andrew Prince	M2	Unnatached
8	James Notley	M1	Planet X
9	Daniel Stevens	ESP	Liverpool Century
10	Dan Whelan	JNR	Maxgear RT
11	Wayne Lacey	A	Stone whs
12	Unidentified Rider
13	Ian Holmes	B	Seamons CC
14	Keith Jones	M2	Birkenhead North End
15	Chris Quinn	M2	Macclesfield Wheelers

RACE 2 Swynnerton Circuit, 44 miles, 4 laps
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1	Keith Jones	C	Deeside Olympic - Veeboard
2	Gordon Wallace	C	Deeside Olympic - Veeboard
3	Steve Horsey	D	Whitfield RT
4	Roger Gardner	D	Liverpool Mercury - Dolan
5	Gwynn Sage	C	Newport CC
6	Nigel Harrop	E	Seamons CC
7	Trevor Horton	F	Warrington RC - Rondelli
8	Graham Weigh	E	Deeside Olympic - Veeboard
9	Gordon Smith	E	New Brighton CC