Cycling: Cycling clubs round up

Jul 23 2010 by Lizzie Struthers, Kilmarnock Standard

DALES Cycles RT held their first open time trial race at Loans last Wednesday, with 27 riders fighting against horrendous weather.

Results were: 1 Jim Cusick, Glasgow Couriers 21.05; 2 Barry McGurk, Glasgow Couriers, 21.40; 3 Tam Gordon, Dooleys RT 20.41; 4 Gordon Dick, Lomond Roads, 22.33; 5 Jon Clarke, Glasgow Wheelers 22.40; 6 David Miller, Glasgow Couriers, 22.41; 7 Paul Friel, Unattached, 22.42; 8 Matt Hennon, Inverclyde Velo, 22.48; 9 David McLellan, Fullarton Wheelers, 22.49; 10 Scott Newman, Inverclyde Velo, 23.02; 11 David Anderson, Glasgow Nightingales, 23.27; 12 George McCarter, Inverclyde Velo, 23.43; 13 Brian Nicol, Ayr Roads CC, 23.53; 14 John Anderson, Glasgow Couriers, 23.58; 15 David Munro, Lomond Roads, 24.00; 16 Stephen Cassidy, Fullarton Wheelers, 24.13; 17 Charles Adams, VC Glasgow South, 24.24; 18 Eric Esson, Glasgow Wheelers, 24.38; 19 Graeme Brown, EK Wheelers, 25.13; 20 Colin Meikle, St Christophers CC, 25.29; 21 Elaine Lowden, Glasgow Wheelers, 25.35 (1st female); 22 Mike Ferguson, Johnstone Wheelers, 25.44; 23 Andy Wilson, St Christophers CC, 27.11; 24 Erin Falconer, Inverclyde Velo, 27.44; 25 Alan Jardine, Law Wheelers, 27.49; 26 George Gass, Fullarton Wheelers, 28.20; 27 Graeme Kerr, VC Glasgow South, 28.21.

Entries are now being taken for the Dales TT Flyer 2 on Wednesday, August 4. Details can be found on www.theleagueinterna tional.com or www.dalescc.com

In the club’s confined TT the following evening, over the same course in slightly better weather, the following times were recorded: Alan Brown 23.37; Kevin Brown 27.26; Davy Gordon 28.03.

Last Saturday, the club’s in-form rider was in action again with Trevor Wilson racing in the Dundee Wheelers 50m RR along with Billy McMillan.

The race started at a frantic pace, averaging 26.7mph, as the 30 riders had to endure attack after attack for the first two laps. Three riders finally managed to break away, and were able to stay away until the start of the fourth and final lap.

With the group content to stick together and wait for the final sprint, they missed the move which saw the eventual winner get away and finish at least a mile ahead of the bunch. Trevor waited his time and, with a fantastic sprint, crossed the line in third place for an overall fourth, hopefully gaining enough points to move up to a third CAT rider.

On the same day five club members left the Howard Park, Kilmarnock, in blustery conditions for a 56-mile run to Sandyford Toll via the A76 and A719 before heading back via Mossblown, Annbank, Tarbolton, Mauchline, Galston and Moscow.

Twelve club riders turned out for the Sunday run, this week over to Galston via Moscow before tackling the long climb up to the Darvel mast.

After a quick descent it was up the A71 to Strathaven for the obligatory coffee stop. It was then out the A726 before taking the back roads via Auldhouse to Eaglesham.

Unfortunately some of the group pressed on, thinking they knew the route, only to take the wrong turn and add a few miles to their journey. The rest pressed on to Mearnskirk, down the A77 where the ‘tourists’ finally caught up before heading back to Stewarton.

The Sunday rides leave Sainsbury’s in Stewarton at 10am.

THE South Ayrshire cyclists’ haunt of Kirkmichael now has another reason for ‘stopping by’.

A new cafe has opened within the village’s community shop and the owners are keen to attract bikers.

The shop has a secure cycle parking bay, and toilets are available for use without charge. Staff will even top up water bottles.

Cyclists who stop at the shop will be tempted by a selection of cakes and scones to complement the teas, coffees and cold drinks being served. The plan is to develop the menu as time goes on.

Weekend opening times are 10am to 4pm, including Sundays.

WALKERS CC had two casualties on their Tuesday night road run from Kilmaurs to Irvine via Symington.

Fifteen riders were cycling from Troon on the coast road to Irvine when the first incident occurred. The rider escaped with minor injuries after his bike was in a collision with a car.

The second incident occurred as the group was leaving Irvine after the Perceton Row turn-off en route for Cunninghamhead. An unfortunate touch of wheels forced two riders off their bikes. One suffered cuts and bruises but the other ended up with a shattered elbow and had to spend a few days in hospital.

The Saturday morning road group had a 44-mile run through Hurlford, Mauchline, Tarbolton and Symington, stopping for coffee at Langholm Farm before returning to Kilmaurs.

Strong winds made the going heavy, and one rider from the gang of seven came a cropper in Mauchline when his bike halted at a pothole, causing a puncture.

ELEVEN mountain bikers from Walkers were joined by a newcomer for their Wednesday night ride round Irvine beach park.

Boo, a dog owned by one of the club members, was the star of the evening as the bikers worked the sandy tracks along the shore and up round the dragon.

The determined pooch followed their back wheels on singletrack through jaggy bushes and over wet wooden bridges in the neighbouring Shewalton nature reserve.

Even thunder and lightning failed to stop Boo, who only struggled when the pace eventually livened up on tarred roads. He graciously retired from the night’s activities only when his equally-tired owner decided to call it a day.

The off-roaders finished their cycle with a lap of the Beach Park cyclocross circuit.

THE easy-ride section of Walkers CC had to scramble for home half-way round Thursday night’s outing – as a result of torrential rain. A group of nine, including two on a tandem, made it almost to Dunlop but opted for a swift left turn after High Gallowberry Farm when the heavens opened.

A right turn was originally planned to take the bikers up past the old Howie’s Mill but this was abandoned. There followed a mad dash home to Kilmaurs via Gouknest and Bankend farms, reducing the target distance to 16 miles.

Saturday’s leisure route was a 20-mile MTB trip on tracks around Fairlie Castle and the Hunterston-Portencross coastal path.

FAR-travelled Walkers Cycling Club member Fiona Wallace is going on a charity ride from Edinburgh to Newcastle this weekend.

The Elderslie cyclist will be pedalling 170 miles over three days on a mix of cycle tracks and minor roads to raise money for Sustrans, the organisation that developed the National Cycle Network.

Fiona, a relative newcomer to cycling, recently raised £750 for Maire Curie Cancer Care by undertaking a 250-mile round trip between York and Amsterdam. Later in the year she will embark on a 175-mile ride from the Irish Sea to the North Sea along the route of Hadrian’s Wall in support of the Parkinson’s Disease Society.

AYR Roads junior Gavin Kerr added yet another discipline to the club’s forte when he competed in the Edinburgh Nocturne Folding Bike Race. The 16-year-old finished ninth overall in the city centre event, run around a closed road course based around the Grassmarket.

Having won a competition in Cycling Weekly, Gavin enjoyed the chance to ride a £2000 top of the range folding bike, before spending the evening in the hospitality of Malcolm Elliot’s Motorpoint pro team and cheering on Davie Bell winner Evan Oliphant.

A disruption to the evening time trial series, due to road works on the A79, saw a brief move to the ‘lumpy’ Pennyglen circuit, where Craig Gilmour dominated proceedings.

Returning this week to the familiar Loans course, Alex McAllister showed he is in excellent form, putting in a 23.05, nearly 50 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger Neil Campbell.

On Sunday, club riders enjoyed a trip to Arran, with ascents of the Ross Road and String Road, and a fine food stop at the Lighthouse cafe in time to watch the Waverley sail past

FULLARTON Wheelers’ Sunday club run saw nine riders heading down towards Monkton and round in a loop towards Galston and back through Kilmarnock, Kilmaurs and Irvine, covering a total distance of 46 miles. The run was led by Fullarton’s very own Peter Pan of Irvine, Graeme McNay, long-time club captain who has always been there to support any rider who needs encouragement.

Regular Sunday runs leave Irvine Townhouse at 9.30am. Everyone is welcome.

The Tour de France comes to a finish in Paris this Sunday after 2,300m miles of pro cycling.

But behind the scenes there is a one-day hard ride for amateur fans of the Grand Tour. It is known as L’Etape and is growing in popularity among club cyclists.

Fullarton Wheelers had Chris Staples taking part in this year’s L’Etape, which is a mass participation cycle on one stage of the Tour, just days before the main race covers the same course.

Staples was one of 10,000 competitors on the 113-mile route which involved 15,000ft of climbing in searing sunshine all day long. Three climbs added to the strain, the Col du Marie Blanque, the Col du Soulor and the infamous Col du Tourmalet, the last of which was tackled when the riders had already done over 100 miles. The Irvine rider did the 12 miles at 7.4 per cent, managing the entire climb with one water stop at a grinding average of about six miles an hour.

On his return, he described himself as “knackered but elated”.

AYRSHIRE CTC’s next outing on Sunday is a 20 to 25 mile run from Irvine railway station to Seamill or Portencross (lunch stop). The cyclists leave Irvine at 10am for the trip on paths and minor roads up the coast.

Details and contact numbers from www.cycleayrshire.co.uk