August 2000
August 2000
NATIONAL TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
TWO GOLDS AND A SILVER!!
Congratulations to Clive Walmsley and Geoff Brandt on their recent performances in the track championships in July. Geoff won a silver medal in the over 50’s sprint (report below) and Clive won both the scratch race and points race in the over 60’s category.
VELODROME DIARY
Saturday July 22nd
7.30am: up, (11st 3lbs), porridge and orange
juice, pack bag and bike fill 3 water bottles with salty orange
cordial.
8.35am: set off; decide I have to sign on by 10.30am
(wrong!). Stop for coffee and grind to a halt in traffic queue,
phone Velodrome to say I will miss the signing on deadline!!! (Willie
Tarran gets the message and puts me on the start list).
10.30am: arrive 30 minutes late; I am first up
at 11am!! Sign on, change, assemble bike, 5 minutes warm up on
turbo.
11.00am: qualifying time of 13.12 secs on 48x14,
third fastest, phew!!!!
2 pm: first round, win the 3 upsprint for a ¼ final place by
leading all the way, and fighting off the only challenge on the
back straight.
6.45pm: ¼ final; matchA, vs Ray Groves of CC
Lancashire (qt 13.61 secs) win by leading and winding it up.
7.45pm: ¼ final match B, same again.
9.15pm: home, supper, change gearing down to 50x15,
not happy with slow times today.
10.45pm: 60 pulse, good night's kip needed- back
up tomorrow…
Sunday July 23rd
8.30am: up, 11st 1lb dehydration? Loads of
fluids during the morning.
1pm: rice pud for lunch, leave at 2.00pm no
coffee stops no roadworks….
4.30pm: ½ final matchA, vs Dick Cubison Rutland
CC, current over 50 points race champion (qt12.60secs), lead off
steadily, wobble, lose the lead, panic, jump too soon, caught on
the line, will I make bronze? Change gearing back to 48x14,
change plan!
5.15pm: match B, follow Dick, he leads out on
the back straight, I wait and pass him on the line!
6.30pm: match C, I lead, move up banking with
Dick following, he jumps just before the bell, I follow, wait and
pass him on the home straight- silver here I come!
8.00pm: Final vs Geoff Cooke, reigning World
Masters Sprint Champion (qualifying time 12.36 secs): match A, I
lead off slowly, Cookie comes alongside on lap 2, I move him up
the back banking, he drops inside, I drop and he lands broadside
on the Cote D’Azure, arrested, I let him back on and he
goes, me on his wheel, leading through the bell. I wait until the
home banking and start to move round but lose by a length in 12.274
secs in a speed wobble. Change gearing to 49x14, nothing to lose
….
9.00pm: Match B, Cookie leads off slowly, I
follow, we go from the home banking before the bell, me
following, comfortable, waiting. On the final banking I intend to
go but Cookies bike is wobbling madly, he is at his limit revs,
instead of going for it I wait for him to come back, overshot the
end of the banking and the moment is lost, down by two lengths in
12.356 secs BUGGER!!!!
10.00pm: Victory ceremony, silver medal
presented by Brian Cookson (BCF president), flowers by pretty
girls, kiss kiss kiss, lap of honour to tumultuous applause from
six sets of parents left waiting while their kids are getting
changed.
10.15pm: decamp with help from Laurie Rissbrook,
Steve Heyes and Steve Light who supported throughout.
11.30pm: home! Very dehydrated, Monday migraine
to follow. Must enter Masters in September…
Geoff Brandt.
TWO GOLDS
Clive Walmsley used similar tactics in both the points and scratch race; going with all the moves he lapped all the other riders in his category. He went with Ian Hallam to put a lap into his rivals in the scratch race to win his first Gold Medal. Two days later, again he was the only rider in his age group strong enough to stay with Ian Hallam and lapped all his rivals (plus most of the younger vets). Not bad considering he was complaining of his lack of form!!!! Look out for him at the World Masters in September.
Geoff Brandt happy with his silver medal!
Clive Walmsley and his winning machine!
NATIONAL 24
Well done to Mike Daly riding over 368 miles in the Merseyside 24 hour. As well as being the National 24 hour this year it also incorporated the National Veteran Championships. With a plus of 31.9 miles, Mike finished in 4th place completing his 2nd 24-hour 20 years after his first!!
CLUB TIME TRIALS
The last club time trial of this season was held on the 25th July and with just about perfect conditions 13 riders of the 18 to finish set personal bests!!
HANDICAP:
TRACK
Kirby track league, prior to his silver medal success at the Nationals, Geoff Brandt retained his Veterans title in the Northwest Track Championships winning all three rounds.
Clive Walmsley also rode well winning the bronze medal.
Previous Newsletters: 2000 January February March April May June July
1999 January February March April May June July August September October November December
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