TTs are back!
It was the opening round of the 2023 SPOCO cycling time trial series last Saturday with the 11 mile circuit of Bolton by Bowland, hosted by Rossendale Road Club. And the club made a great start to this year’s campaign by taking 2nd place overall in front of several well established North West clubs.
There was a strong headwind on the main climb out of the village, resulting in lower times than normal but the dry conditions were generally welcomed in this early season event. It was U23 rider Conor Mckinnon of the Dolan Ellesse team who took the individual honours in 24:13 min, with Pendle Forest taking the team prize with 3rd, 14th and 16th places. The Rossendale team comprised Craig Venske in 10th, Matt Toman 17th and James Eastwood 21st. This bodes well for the season ahead with Venske in his first full season of ‘trialling’ and U23 rider Matt Toman rejoining the valley club after a successful winter riding ‘cross’.
Another new Rossendale member to mention was Ashley Holt finishing 27th with an excellent time of 29:14 on a standard road bike in his first ever TT. Other RRC members taking part were Derek Schofield, who amazingly had to avoid a herd of deer crossing the road, eventually finishing 35th in 31:54, and Helen Thomas 47th, again on a standard road bike, in a time of 38:33.
Another valley club member making the news in a different class of competitive cycling is club secretary, Tony Bowler, riding in the Manchester Regional Track League now that the velodrome re-opened after being closed for refurbishment. Racing takes place every Friday evening with each rider taking in 5 races – 1km, 15 lap and 25 lap scratch races, 20 lap points event and an Elimination race. After 3 weeks of racing Bowler has taken 7 first places, 1 second and 1 third and currently lies in 4th place overall in the league table. The League runs through until the end of March and Bowler will be hoping to make the podium for the final league placings.
Thanks
Derek
Photos (courtesy of Steve Bateson, Runningpix):
Ashley Holt, maybe better known for his fell running, now making his name on the bike
Matt Toman, a welcome addition to the RRC squad
Tony Bowler on track and in the lead
