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Happy New Racing Year 2019!

Hi folks

1st December is the first day of the new British Cycling racing season 2019.

Maybe it's a good opportunity to think about having a go at road racing and on the (grass) track over the next 12 months?

Climbing the racing category divisional ranks is a fun and tough challenge to have a go at. Recommended. Go to BC's website and easily get your race licence sent to you in the post. Away you go. Enter races through BC's website or often on-the-line at many events.

Ashwell finished 34th (out of 38 clubs) in the Eastern Road Race League this year. Not great: but not last. I feel we'll do much better as a club in 2019.

http://www.errl.org.uk/clubStandings.php

Right now, there's winter series racing going on at Hillingdon and Lee Valley throughout the winter: Senior Men's, Women's, Veterans. Dave Wells and Mitchy are at Lee Valley today, actually.

And remember, Ashwell's very own road race will be a more inclusive Men's Cat 3-4 race and separate women's race in 2019. A good aim for Easter Bank Hol Monday.

Later in the Spring: the grass track racing season kicks off with Ashwell's Spring omnium races.

In the meantime, I've been going to Welwyn's Wednesday evening road racing training sessions most weeks and seeing several CCA riders there. They're great at developing strengths and and getting better skilled in group riding.

thanks

Martin

Comments

  • Hi All - I'm interested in racing a lot more this year and especially Road Races. Do people normally post up if they're doing races etc?

    I'm interested in doing the London Phoenix (my old club) Road Race on March 24th and was wondering if anybody else was interested in it?

    Cheers

    Alistair
  • Hi Alistair, don't think we've met yet, but good to hear from you.

    There's a few of us racing with Ashwell, allied with a few ex-ashwell riders who've moved on to other teams, but we still count as our own..! Don't know what level of experience you've got (or age), but the spread of Ashwell Road racers is currently across 4th - 2nd cat, and several of us enjoying the younger end of Masters racing - there's usually a couple of us at the fortnightly Lea Valley Full Gas Masters crits.
    Not looked at the London Phoenix race yet (trying to remember if I've done it before, possibly not), I'll have a look. Three of us are currently in the build-up to the Tour of Malta in early April, our third trip - you'd be welcome to join us on a great early- season springboard into racing...

    Also worth getting in the diary as an early race - the club's own Primavera race - see Will's separate post.

    We've not quite got our act together with coordinating what races we turn up at- think for this season we should get an online calendar going, or at least a WhatsApp group - it's so much better turning up to a race knowing you've got a team mate in the bunch...
  • Hi Dave,

    Thanks for responding, no I don't think we've met so far!

    I'm 34 and a Cat 4 racer i'm afraid, i've raced a few crits and had a major crash at Hillingdon which has put me of racing for a few years but i'd like to get back into it.

    I'm afraid I can't attend the Tour of Malta nor the Club Road Race, I was super organised last year and booked myself in for a weeks training in Girona in March and then riding in Switzerland over Easter!

    But yes it would be good to organise racing as a team. In the mean time i'll try hit some crits up to try get up to Cat 3 this year!

  • My daughter Sophie is a second claim CCA member who races regularly (races for OnForm). She is planning on doing a couple of the MK bowl races in March and has entered for the Spring Chicken RR in Buckingham on 9th March (men’s cat 3&4). Then Gent Wevelgem junior women’s on 31st March. She goes on some of the Saturday club runs so please say hi to her. The spring chicken RR and Roy Thame RR entries close tomorrow. Priority for entry is given to teams if there is any interest for a CCA team.
  • edited February 2019
    Hi Alistair

    I had the London Phoenix race on my list: but then found out I couldn't make it. Instead, I applied and got into the upcoming Crest CC race. Sunday 3 March. It's a hilly Regional A. I might not last long...

    Officially, entries have closed: but always worth an ask?

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/188123/Crest-CC-Spring-Road-Race

    Meanwhile, I'm looking at the March Hare crits at Lee Valley, Saturday 16th March. I'll be doing the Masters, but there's a Cat3/4 on too.

    And Lee Valley again Sat 30th March. Again: racing the Masters race, but there's a 3/4 on too.

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/186316/March-Hare-Classic-2019

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/186318/Lee-Valley-Winter-Circuit-Series-2018-2019--21

    I haven't thought at all about what happens after the Tour of Malta - but yes - should post up what we are doing racewise on the forum, as well as set up a WhatsApp group.

    Meanwhile...

    I'll be doing the Beds Road Reliability ride this Sunday. Looking to tag on to any fast/race group. Perfect practice. I will aim to be there and ready to go from 8.45am. Alistair Roberts is in too. Any more?

    And the Wednesday evening road race coaching sessions at Welwyn are brilliant training. There's a chaingang of doom every session. And we did 2 x 10-minute crits as well afterwards which were great fun and exciting. All for £7. 7-9pm.
  • I could be interested in the Road Reliability Ride - it's only 10 miles so I could ride over from Biggleswade. Still undecided whether to ride the winter bike or get the race bike out, but definitely up for the fast group.
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