Hackney Grass Track League Finale

The final meeting of the Hackney Grass Track League 2011 took place at Hackney Downs on Saturday 27th of August. The sun shone in between heavy bouts of rain long enough to allow a full program of events to take place producing some close racing once again.

What rain?

The Under 8s Scratch race gets underway.

Fastest time for a flying lap went to Shaquille -22.65 secs followed by a tremendous effort from Leonard 23.94 secs, both of them making light work of the longish wet grass and a home straight headwind. Next up came the Scratch races with first places for Edgar, Leonard, Bede and Shaquille. With the results in the Roadie Pursuit and Devil races going pretty much the same way.

Once again we had tandem racing - this time a father and son race - won by Wotjek and Alexander against a plucky Gary and Stanley - lets all hope Stan's knee recovers soon. We were also treated to an exhibition Pursuit to the Death race featuring Category 1 racer Clem versus fresh from The National Track Championships Tao - with Clem's technique of laughing all the way round not working, allowing Mr T to catch him eventually.

The winners on the day and overall 2011 League winners outside CCH HQ.

Prize giving took place back at CCH HQ as the rain came back on. Overall winners for the League were - Under 8's -Robbie, Under 11's - Kai and Logan jointly, Under 15's and overall points winner _ Shaquille.

Full results here.

Alex Peters rides The Junior Tour of Wales

Alex Peters has headed west to compete in The 2011 Junior Tour of Wales. CCH wish him well and hope his condition is extended from his Tour de l;Ain effort and he has good form in this target event for Junior champions.
To follow his progress over this bank holiday weekend, reports and stage results can be found here. An event preview can be read here.

Tao Geoghegan Hart grabs national silver in the Junior Points Race

 

National Junior Men's Points Race

GOLD Owain Doull Hargroves Cycles 35 pts
SILVER Tao Geoghegan Hart CC Hackney 32
BRONZE Jonathan Dibben Hargroves Cycles 30
4. Samuel Lowe Raleigh RT 28
5. Christopher Latham Planet X 27
6. Robert Lambton Brooks Cycles 22
7. Daniel Pearson Port Talbot Wheelers 22
8. Matthew Haase Cardiff JIF 13
9. Mark Stewart Discovery Junior CC 10
10. Zachery May Cardiff JIF 8

Well done Tao from all at CCH, great ride Mr T.
BC report here.

Holiday Racing

Whilst some of our senior members were away winning the team prize in the Tour l' Ain - see below - some of the juniors have kept themselves busy by finding races to compete in on their travels.

Logan using the Towy Racers to tow him up the hill.

Logan claimed first place in the Under 12 boys race at the Cardigan Championship Street Races in Wales. The large crowds were desperately trying to find shade from the hot sun all the way around the fantastic town centre circuit including plenty bends, a hill, some cobbles, a castle and a river- and they were treated to some very good racing. It made me really want to see a similar street crit' here in Hackney.

Logan picks up his prize for coming 1st -pity he's not welsh or he could have been welsh champion.

Rhys Howells later raced in the E/1/2 Welsh championships but missed out on the crucial break. Full results here. Some footage here.

The fastest traders in the west race.

Meanwhile Elliot was racing up in one of the heartlands of British cycling - Lancashire where he competed in the Vanilla Bikes Salt Ayre League and came second in the U10s. Full results here. He was impressed by a young six year old racing in Sky colours and met this young chap's dad after the race who is something of a keen cyclist too.

Elliot with Bradley Wiggins - note the wide angled lens needed to fit them both in picture.

Both Elliot and Logan raced alongside the Mitchell brothers at the Whitewebbs summer crit' at Hoghill last weekend. Leonard claimed 3rd place in the U10s with Edgar getting first place in the U8s - having to time trial his way around the course almost. Results here. Well done to them all for putting more points on the board for CCH and if you got up to any interesting cycling activities over the holidays please let us know.

2011 Tour de l'Ain CYCLO round up - le pain sandwhich - CCH win team prize

Iain Cooke, Keir Apperley (2011 National Masters Road Race Champion) Clem Berrill & Alex Peters

CC Hackney have won the team competition in this year's Tour de l'Ain CYCLO, the organisers were not 'just being nice' to us after all.
Culoz at the foot of the Hors Category Grand Colombier, stage race riders; Alex Peters, Clem Berrill, Iain Cook & Keir Apperley were all called away from their dining table to visit the podium after the final stage and summit finish to pick up the best team award. People must have shifted on the fourth and last stage because CCH had been in third place since the end of stage one, the title came as an uncertain but welcome surprise. We were presented with an interesting trophy (complete with a gold goddess) to bring home, the carrier of which would deserve an additional award if the art comes all the way back in one piece. 

Stage 1 report here.

Thursday 11th August - Stage Two was challenging in different ways to stage three, with the longest distance to cover at 153km and it's string of shorter but steeper 4th and 3rd cat. cotes and cols to negotiate on the way to the town of Bellingnat. it was hot too, perhaps is was this combined with the lumps that broke up the field enough to reshape the general classification again. Alex 5th 4:07:53 @ 3m 15s Clem 39th 4:10:22s Keir 72nd 4:22:32s and Iain 95th 4:32:45s.


Cycle races leave tales left untold but not those of the cyclists from East London. Stage Three started in Nantua and passed over two 2nd and and two 1st category climbs on the 131km road to the ski station of Lelex. Alex Peters and Clem Berrill both finished close together on this day in the leading groups of 'red number' (full 4-day racers). Clem and Alex served notice that they mean business and matched the attacks from the leaders over the first three climbs and then Alex 'the leaf' Peters went on the offensive half way up the final 1st cat. climb of the Col de Menthieres. On the decent he was joined by a small group of riders who knew the roads better and acted to guide the leaders quickly and safely down to the final 10km run into Lelex. Clem came in with the second group shortly after. There were five cyclists up the road at the time but although impressive, all were black number single day riders; a lesser species in the event to confuse but actually make more of it. Keir finished half way down the field but good enough to keep the team in the frame. The team competition is based on the first three rider's times over the line as per Le Tour de France.
Alex and Keir were both out to do a ride on Stage Four all be it at a good distance apart for 80% of the stage. Alex the youngest attacked the first minor hill to no real benefit to himself, he was twitching to go again at the next opportunity which meant sitting around all the way to the climb of the 2nd category Cote de Thezillieu. The moment came and off Alex skipped, he was soon joined by a clutch of high black 'day trip' numbers (1000+) who refused to work claiming no interest in GC. Committed, isolated but not one to dodge a pedal stroke the 'leaf' pushed on with his shirking entourage in tow. By now our boy was the virtual race leader on the road and had pulled together a gaggle of motorbike out-riders, the Lead Car plus the race director. 3m 30s behind the other race contenders were massing and sharing the workload along the valley road to Culoz and the foot of the Grand Colombier. It was all or nothing as far as Alex was concerned, while skipping the last feed station stop he imagined a shock solo victory with enough time in hand to take the overall win along with the stage. Nice idea but It was not going to happen. The beyond measurement mountain is a 17km brute with long sections at a 20% incline to really trouble the fittest and snarliest of legs, it did so for Keir's pins too, however he managed to improve by nine places on GC. Alex ran out of ammo under 10km to go and could fire no more on the reared up ramps of the climb. He blamed his minimal Weatabix breakfast which had something to do with it along with a tactical error. Happily Alex finally remounted after a ten minute halt, a drink and a bite to eat that was provided by a roadside couple. This was enough to get him going to the finish and actually save the team effort. His opponents had passed him by a little bemused but relieved this 'scary new English Contador' was no longer a problem.
A photographer and journalist for the sponsoring journal Le Progress had taken notes and a picture to go to press.    

Camping and caravaning like new age travelers there's a question if all would have made it to the last stage if it had rained hard like it often dose in the part of France we were in; the Jura mountains. We were truly blessed by good weather and also the fine logistical, moral and water bearing support from Mr Paul Merry and son Jack (Hackney Homes Alpine Challenge, original members) - thank you Paul and Jack, let's come back better again:) LET'S DO IT BETTER AGAIN (:

Paul at the wheel en route to the next water bottle hand up point

The full results lists can be found here.

A voyeur of pain and suffering? Pictures can be found here. 

Tour de l'Ain web site here.

Respect and deserved appreciation is due to the Tour de l'Ain sponsors and organisers for running things so very well and giving so many competitors a safe and amazing ride - vive la Tour de l'Ain. Also a very special thank you from all who traveled and benefited goes out to our part sponsors for this 'excursion': Hackney Homes Alpine Challenge Team and Access Sport. This journey was a truly exceptional learning experience for all, on and off the bike. 

Tour de l'Ain up date

Clem Berrill will be wearing the best climbers jersey during tomorrows stage 2 from Parc des oiseaux to Bellignat. Today, in the first stage from Meximieux to St Vulbas he was combative, initiating the break that 6 other riders joined for most of the stage. In the end Clem was unfortunate to crash out with less than 10km to go, he still finished ahead of the peloton. If there was a prize for being the most active rider in this stage it would have been Clem's.
The team are now in third place on general classification. Riders taking part in the timed sportive are; Alex Peters, Clem Berrill, Keir Apperley and Iain Cook (Guest from VCL) with VCL's Joseph Alberti as an individual competitor.
More on this story to come with 3 stages to go.

The picture above can't relay the applause from those gathered for the presentation after stage 1.

International Tao Geoghegan Hart & 1st category status for Rhys Howells

Tao Geoghegan Hart has made his mark at international level by achieving a fine fourth place in the European Youth Olympic Festival cycling Time Trial event; the race of truth. 
Our lad was 0.7 of a second away from a bronze medal - ouch - perhaps a pair of deep section wheels would've made the difference and lifted Mr T onto the podium? Sometimes it can be about the bike as well.
 

Riding in British Cycling Talent Team colors and given leave by CCH from this year's London Youth Games, Tao found his regular racing trips to Belgium a good grounding for this excellent result.

THURSDAY 4th August 2011

Rhys Howells, noted and well known for his esoteric brand of teamwork during races, finally got to where he wanted to be at last Thursday's Hog Hill Summer League event; 1st place and 1st category in one night. Punctures ruled out two of Rhys's breakaway companions leaving one rider left to deal with. Foolishly this guy decided to attack with one lap to go, Rhys clawed his way back on the way round to cruise past the 'bye now' spooked 1st looser to win.