Linda wins! A round up of the weekend’s TT action

Linda Hubbard reports on Saturday’s N&DCA time trial at Lamport.

“I thought it was going to be a nice, calm day , but it was actually quite breezy!  If you are not familiar with the course it is an out-and-back course; slightly longer on the way back but not by much.  Its starts in Lamport and turns at a roundabout near Rothwell. The road surface is very bumpy in places too.  On the way out the wind felt like a cross/tail wind and as I approached the turn roundabout I realised I was going too fast and unable make the turn, and had to go straight on and slow down before I could safely make the turn – I think the marshals were worried at one point! I did laugh at myself (and breathe a sigh of relief!)! After the turn it is a steady drag for quite a way, and once the drag is finished it is back out into the head/cross wind.  The last 500 metres was with a tail wind”.   

Linda won the ladies race by two seconds!

Five Welland Valley riders took on the challenge:

• Hans Van Nierop 23:34
• Josh Van Nierop 24:28
• Nik Kershaw 24:59
• Loz Cox 25:48
• Linda Hubbard  26:42, fastest lady.

Matt Plews reports on a tough afternoon at Newark

“Simon Ward and I both rode the VTTA 25 at Newark on Saturday afternoon, a rolling dual carriage way course on the A46. This is one of my favourite 25 courses having set my lifetime PB on there a couple of years ago. I wasn’t expecting to get anywhere near that but set myself a target of 56:30 having only ridden one 25 this year….in May.

Simon and I both travelled together with us starting 7 minutes apart, a good carrot for me and a good incentive for Simon to get a wriggle on.

A good start was closely followed by the feel of the headwind outer leg, followed even closer by the draught from an HGV as it came way too close for my liking!

The headwind made the going hard, very hard even having to ride above my threshold on the downhill sections. The return wind wasn’t as helpful as expected, with the last 2 miles back into the headwind on a rough surface, sapping the last bit on strength from my now dying legs, with the finish slowly and agonisingly approaching. I crossed the line with just enough oxygen in my lungs to shout my number and recorded a time of 56:24. Simon rode a strong ride and was pleased with his time given the windy conditions, stopping the clock with 1:02:51″.

Overall a satisfying weekend of TTs in the yellow of WVCC – well done everyone!