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Two caption competitions on the go here –
1. For the story. The caption above is Craig’s. John Conboy has suggested “you may feel a little prick” but I’ve decided that this fails the decency filter!
2. For the picture below. If you ask me, Dave looks like he’s enjoying Craig’s attention rather too much…
Anyway an energy bar from me to the best suggestion…

This is the epic story of our WVCC 4up team, told first by Craig, and then a fuller report from Richard Munro.

First Craig:
It was devil take the hindmost at Warrington RC 25 mile 4-up TT last night. Dave McKay, Nick Butterworth, Richard Munro and myself were competing for the club. Down to 3 on the last lap along Seven Sisters Lane, after Rich was tailed off, first Nick then Dave punctured leaving just yours truly to record a time of just under 57.30. But of course with the time taken on the third rider to cross the line (-Nick who repaired his puncture in double-quick time) our official time was just over 1hr 4 mins. Special mention goes to Dave for his Herculean turns on the front but if cycling is a test of both legs and bike then of course I “won”. A long 56 was on the cards was our considered consensus. “We could have been contenders.”

And now from Richard:
The official results when they are published on the CTT web site will show WVCC recording a time of 1hr 4 min and coming in second last. However, but for some very bad luck the team would have made a long 56 or short 57 (for the uniniated a long 56 would be over 56’30” and a short 57 would be between 57′ and 57’29”). I was initially asked to be the first reserve, but when Kevan said that he didn’t really want to do it I jumped at the chance to be in the team along with Nick Butterworth, Dave McKay and Craig Lee. Nick organised it and asked the team to aim for a 57, which sounded ambitious to me but would have been achieved but for the bad luck. We set off very fast and, although I have been improving I knew straight away that I was going to struggle to keep up. I knew that Dave was very good from the times he has achieved, but once you ride with him you soon realise just how stong he is. I kept in the group for the first 6 miles or so, but then I started to miss my turns on the front and allowed small gaps to open at the back. I managed to get back on again briefly and go to the front again for a couple of short stints, but half way down the A50 I was dropped. It was very tempting as we passed the entrance to turn back into the HQ, but I decided that I might as well complete the course as it would be good training if nothing else. Turning into the dreaded Twemlow Lane with a direct head wind was not good for morale, but once I reached the end of that I perked up a bit and realised that I could still make a reasonable solo time. The stretch from Chelford to Ollerton was fast and turning into Seven Sisters Lane I felt quite good. Half way down Seven Sisters I saw a WVCC jersey furiously pumping a tyre up. I saw it was Nick and I offered him my bike to complete the course, but he told me to ride on and try and get a time. I knew then that my time would be important as I was going to be the third rider home and that is the time that goes against the team. I gave it all I had from that point and got to the finish in just over 1hr 2mins, which was a pb for me on that course. On reaching the finish I then learned that Dave had also punctured and had been picked up in the car by Garry Brown and so didn’t have a time at all. The team time was then resting on Nick, who having repaired his puncture was third man over the line. Craig did a fantastic ride, recording about 57’20” which was a pb and was first man home, but, unfortunately it didn’t get onto the official record. I think that we should enter more than 1 team next year and I think I would be better in the B team. With either Dave Fearon or Rob Kilby in the A team and a bit better luck WVCC will be up there with the other top clubs.