Category Archives: Time trialling

BUCS 25 and Varsity Rider Profiles

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CUCC have competed in two BUCS events already this Easter, but the 25 mile TT holds extra importance as it is also our Varsity competition with Oxford. The aggregate fastest three times from each university decide the winner, and as Cambridge has won 45 out of the 60 total men’s events including every race since 2011 we’re feeling confident! Our women’s and men’s teams are made up of previous BUCS medallists, rising stars and promising freshers – scroll down to meet the teams.

Many thanks to Sean Irving (seanirvingphotography.co.uk) for photographs.

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BUCS Team Time Trial Race Report

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Cambridge had a successful day at the BUCS TTT, with the Men’s A team winning with a new course record and the Men’s B and Women’s A teams both placing third and setting times that would have seen them win previous events. Read on for a race report by Ali Golby.

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BUCS TTT Rider Profiles

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The second BUCS cycling event of the Easter break is the TTT – Team Time Trial. Teams of three riders will take on the U601B course near Bristol in the Bath University-organised race. All three riders must complete the course and the time of the last rider clinches the result – there’s nowhere to hide! However, CUCC is no stranger to heroic feats of teamwork: last year not only did the Men’s A team take the overall victory, but the Cambridge B team recorded a faster time than every other university to place second. Cambridge are fielding two of the strongest women’s teams in recent years and the Cambridge defenders for 2018 carry a combined 9 medals already so are certainly favourites for this year’s title. Meet the riders below:

Photos: seanirvingphotography.co.uk

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BUCS 10 Race Report

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BUCS 10 was a huge success this year with highlights including John Mulvey taking Silver, leading four CUCC men into the top ten including Seb Dickson only two seconds back in fourth and Jess Atkinson placing fourth in the women’s race. The Cambridge women’s A team (Jess Atkinson and Carrie Bedingfield) took home Silver while the men’s A team (John Mulvey, Seb Dickson and Felix Barker) took Gold – second place in the team competition was occupied by none other than the Cambridge B team (Ali Golby, Rob Walker and John Grenfell-Shaw)!

Toby Cowell picks up the story:

“Saturday 7th April proved to be another successful day for Cambridge University Cycling Club, both in terms of the race results and the success of the event (organised by CUCC events sec Ryan Pringle) as a whole.

The weather forecast had looked worrying throughout the week, but as the fifteen riders descended on Cambridge the roads were dry and the wind favourable. Many (the Northerners in particular!) had made epic journeys to make it back to Cambridge to ride in the event which Ryan Pringle, Trinity College, organised with apparent ease. This was despite the nightmarish walls of admin and slow email replying standing in his way (cough cough BUCS cough cough). The course was the E33/10 which starts in Bottisham, to the north-east of Cambridge – this gave everyone the chance to beat their times from cuppers five weeks previous.

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BUCS 10 Rider Profiles

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BUCS 10 mile time trial – the first of the BUCS races this Easter – is coming up soon on Saturday 7th April. While our riders are completing their final preparations for the race, which, this year, will be held on the Bottisham E33/10 course, we’d like to introduce you (in no particular order) to the 2017-18 BUCS 10 team. Many thanks to Sean Irving (seanirvingphotography.co.uk) for photographs.

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Lea Valley 25 Race Report

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The Lea Valley 25 is held on the e1/25b course near Saffron Walden, making it a club favourite for CUCC. Eleven riders signed up, including John Mulvey and Seb Dickson contesting the 2-up category, but unfortunately a bout of flu meant that three riders were forced to DNS including John’s teammate Seb.

Thanks to Mike DF for photos.

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Cuppers 2018

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On Saturday 10th March, CUCC took to the notorious E33/10 for the annual, inter-college ‘Cuppers’ time trial. A stiff southerly breeze meant that no super-fast times were likely to be posted, but a strong sense of college rivalries and with selection for BUCS just around the corner, it was clear that many riders had showed up in form and with a point to prove. The stage was set for an epic contest.

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Ely Hardriders Race Report

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Fifteen CUCC riders signed up to ride 2018’s Ely Hardriders event despite its reputation for foul, cold weather. Perhaps the draw of the cakes was too much to resist? The weather on Sunday morning was clear without a frost, but unfortunately very breezy with gusts exceeding 30 mph. Disastrously CUCC’s resident megawatts machine, Ali Golby, choppered himself on the ride out to the course when some road detritus jammed in his front wheel. Jali Packer and Rob Walker were there to pick up the pieces and even a trip to A+E could only keep Ali from intervals on Bottisham for a matter of hours.

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BUCS 10 Success for CUCC!

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On Saturday the 9th April it was the BUCS 10 Mile Time Trial Championships, held just outside Oxford. The format of the racing, a time trial, sees each competitor try and lay down the fastest time they can around the 10 mile course. On top of this, the Team medals would be awarded on the combined times of the fastest 3 from each University.

In the Men’s Competition 48 Universities were represented and 7 Cambridge riders qualified – fewer than the year before. The Women had 4 qualify for their event, but bad luck (and shoulder dislocations!) lead to just 2 taking the start. With only one rider seeded, both men and women were regarded as outsiders for the titles- one person from a Scottish University even forecasting that Cambridge ‘would go off a bit of a cliff’ this year and stood no chance- laying down a bit of a challenge!

WOMEN’S CAPTIAN JESS TAKES THE START

WOMEN’S CAPTIAN JESS TAKES THE START

With one rider put off every minute it would be 3 hours before all the times were in, making for an anxious wait to see how riders compared. Soon, however, it began to show that the Cambridge Men were doing pretty well! The fastest time crawled slowly downwards throughout the course of the afternoon, until it came to a halt with Cambridge’s Oliver Mytton setting a new fastest time of 20:23 with 110 people still to go. This ended up standing unchallenged for over half an hour- despite some seeded people coming and going, the person coming closest was Fresher Ali Golby, 9 seconds back in his first showing for Cambridge.Continue reading→

Lea Valley CC E1/25b including new club record

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Despite the promised wet weather, several members enjoyed warm and dry conditions on the E1/25b on Sunday, promoted by Lea Valley CC. A quick glance through the start sheet showed a large Oxford contingent entered, and since public urination is frowned upon a strong showing was needed to mark our territory.

The gently rolling 25 mile course along single carriageway unfortunately starts at the south end, but a short train ride brought us to the HQ at Lea Valley CC’s cycling hut: a taste of the cycling club scene of the ‘50s. Continue reading→