The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Some top times were clocked as Spalding Cycling Club’s members took on the annul Drop Bar Challenge last week.
The annual event saw 15 club members and four guests race over the ten-mile course using standard machines, with multiple gears, or fixed and single free speed.
In 2016 it was Ben Moore who topped the leader board with 24.37mins ahead of Matt Ellis with 24.46mins.
This year the positions were reversed with Ellis, on 23.41mins, and Moore (24.40mins) swapping positions.
Frazer Wallis was just behind them in third after also coming home inside 26 minutes with his 25.58mins.
Reflecting the ability to use a standard road bike to time trial effectively, Sophie Wright and Helen Wallis both posted their season’s best times of 32.23mins and 32.33mins respectively.
Simon Wright put in a fine ride taking just 26.23mins to finish fourth – a big improvement over the 28.05mins recorded for 2016.
Behind him, a ride time of 26.59mins for Ross McGivern was just seconds seconds slower than his 2016 effort.
Riding a slightly low gear on his single freewheel bike matching his club kit, Andrew Gurney chased McGivern all the way before eventually finishing on 27.03mins – just ahead of Tom Wright in 27.22mins.
For Mark Hills, 28.43mins was a bit slower than his time last year, but his bike was built in the 1980s and was a bit reluctant to work well.
Elsewhere, Simon Hare posted 29.34mins and Brian Johnson finished with 32.05mins. Out of the competition, Andy Bowser rode deep section wheels to finish with 25.37mins.
This more relaxed event also offered Adrian Thurston and guest rider and ex-member Chris Ward, of Team Swift, the opportunity to test their legs after a long period off the bike. Choosing to ride fixed gear, Thurston had a steady ride to complete the course with 35.14mins, while Ward posted 27.17mins.
Of the other guests – all Velo One riders – Josh Wallis used a TT bike to record his time of 22.18mins, while Neil Palmer and Adam Ellis finished with 24.12mins and 25.16mins respectively.
- A busy week for members of Spalding Cycling Club was top and tailed by presentations to members of their Go Ride section, Kieran and Caitlin Taylor.
Before the start of the evening event on Tuesday, Go Ride co-ordinator Jo Kendall presented Kieran and his family with a cheque for £200 on behalf of the club in support of the fund for his treatment in the USA later in the year.
Despite his condition Kieran is a keen and active member of Go Ride. The club wish him well, hope the treatment is successful and that he will be able to return to enjoy cycling fully fit and healthy.
Friday evening was then Caitlin’s turn to receive an award – this time at the Rugby Club after the Go Ride session.
In 2016 she was voted by the Go Ride committee – Shane Norton, Jo and Megan Kendall – as best Go Rider of the year.
The award recognised her regular attendance and improvement of her skills and made her a fine example for her fellow Go Ride members to follow.
