Club social event - Monday 17th September

Dear members and associates,
Lately we've received a lot of enquiries about how best to get involved with CC Hackney.
In response to this we've arranged an inaugural monthly club social event where questions can be answered, ideas and information shared, membership and kit requirements addressed.

The management at The Hackney Cut (THC) are most welcoming to cyclists, in fact 'bring your bikes inside'. As well as plenty of creative space and riverside seating, THC are offering CC Hackney members a discount on their drinks and food and will be catering for our event on Monday 17th September - 7pm onwards.

The Hackney Cut
Beachy Road, Fish Island, Hackney Wick, London, E3 2NT

Entertainments and games on the night to be confirmed.

Minors (under 18s) must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

We're looking forward to seeing you there.


Go to: http://www.facebook.com/TheHackneyCut


Kind regards


Keir Apperley - CC Hackney

Non related picture, derny racing at Herne Hill Velodrome:

James Fairbank wins in style

STOP PRESS:
Sunday 12th August 2012 - James Fairbank cruises to victory, making it look easy...the full story to follow soon.

Race report:

After a decent result at the final round of the Hog Hill Summer Series I needed 9 points for my second cat license so I was aiming for third or better as I lined up at the ERRL Mid-Suffolk road race. The 10km circuit was a mixture of main road, twisty B-roads and a finish line at the top of a half mile long drag. The race consisted of seven laps of the circuit and started fairly sedately but two primes stretched things out a bit and a group of five went away on lap four. We had to work to bring them back but eventually caught them at the bottom of the hill with two laps to go. I had a dig up the hill but the bunch came with me so drifted back before going back to the front as we ascended the hill the penultimate time. Turning onto the windy main road I span over to a Maldon rider who'd attacked and kept pushing when he peeled off.  I quickly got 50 meters and put my head down hoping that no-one would want to bring the bunch over on the last lap and started to come to terms with the fact that I'd have to ride 9k on my own to the finish. I made it into the B-roads about 100 meters up on the group and lost sight of them, I tried to keep as smooth as possible through the corners and get my breath back so that I'd have something left for the final climb. The road opens out a bit at the bottom of the circuit & I saw that the bunch had made up some ground, determined not to look behind again I buried myself up the final climb and realised I'd won it with about 20 meters to go. 

I can now join Ben Brown and Keir Apperley in the orange numbers at Hog Hill, a mixed blessing...

 

 

James Fairbank

GB Olympic cycling - how good can they get?

Bradley Wiggins ready to go at Hampton Court

 Wednesday we were very fortunate to be at Hampton Court in the starting enclosure for the Olympic Road  Cycling Time Trials. Fergal, Louis, Logan and myself found ourselves in with the prawn sandwich brigade - sorry Brad you were wrong there - ours were home-made ham and tomato - in fact it wasn't full of corporates at all - just cycling fans. Meanwhile about a million more cycling fans were lining the route. First up were the women with Lizzie Armitsted and Emma Pooley going for GB. We pestered Nicole Cooke  - who watching her team mates just over the way - into giving us a wave before they set off.

Lizzie Armitstead

 The British women did very well with Lizzie finishing in 10th and Emma in 6th place then it was a mad dash to the podium  for the medal presentations and back to the barriers for the start of the men's time trial.

Emma Pooley

Tony Martin

By now you'll probably have seen the ridiculous thrones that the top three finishers were made to sit in - in the men's race they all found excuses not to sit down in them if they could.

Go Wiggo

Chris Froome went off with seven to go then we had the bizarre sight of Luis Leon Sanchez snap his chain on the start ramp which seemed to unsettle Taylor Phinney then came the final three starters of Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellara.

Cancellara

 Well the rest is history - I know many of you were out there on the course and from what we saw on the big screen the GB riders were pushed along by the noise of the crowd. A 1st and 3rd for team GB and the track to come left me wondering how good can they get.

The Time Trial podium Tony Martin, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome

Jess Varnish and Victoria Pendleton in the team sprint

 Thursday we were at the velodrome for the first day of the track competition and the place was buzzing. The heat inside there is incredible and that's without getting on a bike. Seated above the starting position on the back straight we were perfectly sited for viewing the team sprint competitions. The women went first and set a new world record only to see it then being beat by the chinese team. Never mind the crowd were raising the roof. Then in the second qualifier an announcement came that there was a query on Varnish and Pendleton's change over. By now the crowds attention had switched to the pursuit qualifiers but I was watching Dave Brailsford arguing with the officials in track centre. We all know that it's totally pointless arguing the toss with a commisairre so it was little surprise when after ten minutes Brailsford turned away and drew his hand across his throat as he headed towrds the GB camp - they were out. No matter the Chinese were faster the crowd went totally flat.

Hoy, Kenny and Hindes in the men's team sprint

Things only picked up when the quartet for men's pursuit came out for their qualifier - last as current world record holders. The crowd soon picked themselves up and roared on GB to their fastest time ever.

The GB men on their way to a new world record and gold 

Meanwhile the men's sprint trio had had enough drama of their own when lead out man Philip Hindes wobbled and fell off shortly after starting in the qualifier - luckily they were allowed to restart and in the final against a very good french side Hindes, Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny won the three-man, three-lap team sprint in a world record of 42.6 seconds. The crowd went totally mad -amongst whom we had spotted Gilbert, and spoke to Tony Martin and Dave Millar. If you can get in there in the next few days do so - sell your house  - whatever it takes - its just amazing.

Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Steven Burke and Peter Kennaugh in qualifying for the team pursuit

Since I started writing this in the afternoon I Gave up to watch today's track racing - two more golds! One for the pursuit boys above and Vicky Pendleton on the Keirin - if you were there or are going to any of the other cycling events mail us a report and pics.

World record holders and Olympic champions the men's GB pursuit squad.

Photos - Logan.

CCH ride to Women's Olympic Road Race

Lizzy on her way to Olympic silver - London 2012

Five CCH women Anna, Camille, Isobel, Liz  and Rachel and token male - Logan set off on a sunny sunday morning to ride the hills of north London before turning their attention to the Olympic Women's  Road Race. We headed up through Finsbury Park on through Stroud Green and Hornsey towards Alexandra Palace. After a couple of climbs there we headed over to Highgate and Swain's Lane where it started to rain a little bit. We then headed down into Soho to the new Rapha Cafe to watch the race. We couldn't hear the commentary and when it looked like Lizzie Armitstead might do something we headed down to Buck' house to see if we could get close enough to see anything through the crowds and rain. We ended up at the 500m to go spot in time to see the breakaway three of Anna Voss, Lizze and the Russian Olga Zabelinksaya and Briain's first medal of the games.


- Logan