Still gripped with Cheshire Classic fever it was great to see so many ladies out at the Legion this morning including Nikki, Elaine, El and new rider Nicky. Nicky’s story is a good one, in that having always enjoyed cycling she’s been building up the miles ready for a London to Paris attempt. She caught the Classic and plucked up the courage to join us this morning along with Anthony Oates.
Some of you may remember Oatesy; a handy downhill rider, he used to go on training runs with the club and did a couple of TLI’s at Oulton Park a number of year’s ago before heading off to be sponsored by Orange. Having had enough of Strava challenges and inspired by watching a couple of club 10s recently, he’s looking to get involved with the club which is great to hear.
We chose to head to Holt due to the Chester Half Marathon. A Holt run is always a good run and we headed through Delamere Forest into Tarvin and up to Holt. We flowed along nicely only stopping to fix Al’s puncture.
The inevitable sprint to the cafe took place, after a lead out from Titch I took the sprint. A cafe debrief heard calls of being boxed in, lead out trains needed improving and those having trouble with broken mudguards.
With the rain starting to fall riders took decisions to cape or not. Many opting not too as the rain was refreshing rather than troublesome. The rain bringing extra oxygen with it meant more performance riding on the way home (that and the tailwind).
We wound back through Tattenhall, taking in Beeston Castle and past Oulton Park. We stopped a couple of times so Phil Sharrock could take some urgent business calls, the New York and Hong Kong office was on we believe. Elaine, in full club 10 title defending training, took up the pace outside Tarporley so we got to Little Budworth in about 5 minutes.
This all lead to the battle of Whitegate Hill. Upfront a so-far-quiet Anthony Oates had joined forces with Phil Booth. After the decent, noting Wood and Longley were 5 bike lengths back they sped off on the bend. It was a big attack, both working together. A big chase ensued by Wood, getting on just before the kick of the hill but this was to be his downfall. Oates took to the front and attacked, sat up, and attacked, sat up and attacked again. The elastic was stretching and eventually it broke with me massively in the red and chewing my handlebars. Could this be a debut ride win for Oates on Whitegate Hill, a chance to make WVCC history? Sadly not as Titch, (minus osymetric chainrings), took up the chance to take the sign.
It was a good day in the saddle, the group kept together brilliantly and chapeau to Nicky on a great first ride, keeping with the group on some tricky hills and even getting involved on the front for a bit too.