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Competition secretary Sam Ball reports

And so, after enjoying the Bank Holiday, the points have been counted and (ahem) verified and we now have the results of this year’s Tourist Trophy competition.

Please note: we are not planning a 2025 Audax but watch put for news for future years.

The best laid plans ...

Three rides; 100, 160 and 200 km.

Still time to enter online.

Entry also possible on the day.

See the full details!

Category 6 ride led by Kevin McPheat

After learning that using Strava to 'edit' a route is a disaster, I decided to create the route myself, which is easy enough if you don’t get too ambitious. Route saved and downloaded to my phone, and the phone strapped onto the handlebar with some elastic bands added, as the last time, it went flying when we went over the railway crossing. With two water bottles and two bandage plasters in my kit, I was now ready to be a ride leader!

Category 6 ride led by Kevin McPheat

After learning that using Strava to 'edit' a route was a disaster, I decided to create the route myself, which is easy enough if you don’t get too ambitious. Route saved and downloaded to my phone, and the phone strapped onto the handlebar with some elastic bands added, as the last time, it went flying when we went over the railway crossing. With two water bottles and two bandage plasters in my kit, I was now ready to be a ride leader!

Join one of the Wheelers' "Audax*" rides - self-guided rides through some of the best of local cycling country.
Ride at your own pace, get together with friends or make new friends along the way.

The Dunwich Dynamo report by Tony Dos Santos

The 2024 Dunwich Dynamo starred Lisa Ridoutt, Kate D’Arcy, Enzo Misuraca, Giancarlo Misuraca, Peter Bloomfield, Mark Kerr, Claire Gopoulos, Stewart Allman, Ertan Mustafa and Tony Dos Santos. 

A couple of days before we prepared by getting the vehicles in place so that we can get all the riders home safely. A big thanks to Lisa and Claire for leaving their vehicles at Dunwich and offering to bring us all home. 

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

At the start in Hertford the Cat 3 riders mingled with those of Cat 6. After full and thorough consultation, and having ascertained that both groups were heading in the same direction, the Cat 3 team agreed to set off promptly in order to avoid being crushed by the Cat 6 horde. So it was that Ian and Graham headed off towards the Chilterns - a small group, but perfectly formed.

Five Wheelers entered July 2nd time trial

Results

1. Sam Ball 27.43
2. Arron Emms 27.53
3. Phil Smith 27.59
4. Barry Page 30.12
5. Peter Walton 30.15

So the men's league table is now:

1. Peter Walton (55)
2. Sam Ball (30)
3. Ian Bembridge, Arron Emms (9)

5. Phil Smith (8)
6. Barry Page (7)

The women's league table is unchanged:

1. Emily Chilton (20)
2. Laura O’Shea (19)

Here is the solution to John Pearson's crossword in this year's Mudguardian.

In the ladies league, Emily Chilton leads with 20 points and Laura O’Shea is second with 19 points. For the men, Peter Walton is up to 49 points in first place, Sam Ballf in second place with 20 points and Ian Bembridge third with 9 points.

3 wheelers at tonight's time trial - Peter Walton, Laura O'Shea and mme (Sam Ball). I didn't take my own advice and forgot my lights but thankfully I was able to borrow some. Nice conditions but a bit of a headwind held up progress on the long downhill from the start.

May 7th. First Wheelers' event within the NRCC TT series

Conditions were perfect for tonight’s time trial through the woods around Brickendon. Unfortunately, due to a road closure the race route was actually extended (travesty) along White Stubbs Lane making the final distance 10.6 miles, and some sections of this part of the course were pretty wet from the recent rains. Nevertheless, two Wheelers - Sam Bally and Peter Walton - took on the course and finished in 31m43s and 35m15s respectively.

Category 3 ride led by Graham Knight

The prospect of warm, sunny weather, and of trialing Alex's new 100k Audax route, brought an unaccustomed seven riders to the start in Ware. It was good to see three riders - Alex, Barry and Augirdas - returning after long absences.

Category HC ride led by Tony Dos Santos

This was the day that Carolyn was going to pop her 100 mile cherry. The day/ night before there was the usual faffing around, getting everything ready. I met Leigh at a quarter to seven at his house, and he didn’t look best pleased :-). 

We arrived in Ware at 7 and the place was like a ghost town. We prepped our bikes and within 5 minutes we were ready! Once again Leigh was not impressed - he could have spent 15 more minutes in bed! Nonetheless it’s better to be early, isn’t it?

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

What! What! Yes, the weather gods had changed their minds and decided, for the first time this year, that the temperature was going to rise above 20°C. Whoop! whoop! I hear you say. The sun is out, the sky is blue, there’s nothing to spoil the view and it’s not raining in my heart! 

I met Leigh and Davina on the way up. Nice to have you back on the rides Davina. We got to Ware in plenty of time and the sun was shining. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The weather gods decided to shine down on our ride. The BBC weather app forecast sun all day. It was a Bank Holiday, so, I kind of thought we might have shed loads of riders, but on the other hand many might be away. It was the latter. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

The weather forecast looked cold for today with 7°C at the beginning, rising to 12°C. However, as the clocks have rolled forwards, I wore shorts and a non-sleeved jersey with arm warmers plus a gilet. It didn’t feel that bad on the way up. I met Leigh - it was a new bike day for Leigh, an all singing and dancing 85 speed super duper bike. OK, OK, I may have exaggerated on the number of gears, but it was close to that. 

Category 6 ride led by Tony Dos Santos

Today was my first lead ride back from having a bad back. It was listed as the “Magical Easter Ride”, obviously because it was Easter Day. I assume by the number of riders that turned up, they thought it would be a chocolate egg hunt. It wasn’t. 

Category 6 ride led by Daniel Horn