One point was available in the latest Challenge series event on Sunday for those who took part in the sensational Dirty Club Run.  Rob’s objective for this ride was simply to “go out and play” – and that’s exactly what we did.  Rob, Steen, Andrew, Joe (a new guy from Nottingham Uni), Dr Joe and myself joined in the fun – the first 4 on cross bikes and the last 2 of us on mountain bikes.  The cross bikers had the advantage on the tarmac while the Mtb-ers had the edge in the mud and soft grass, and it was about even on the hard gravel tracks. Let’s just say honours were shared equally on the day.

Rob had plotted a superb route, skilfully managing to strike the perfect balance between on and off road. We charged out of York via the cycle route through Osbaldwick and Dunnington – I’ve departed York on many Club Runs over the years but never taken this route – it was a real treat! We kept going at a reasonably strong clip out through Stamford Bridge and Yapham before finally arriving in Millington when the real fun started. Half way along the Millington pastures valley, Rob ushered us up the nearest hill, Dr Joe the only one of us who made it up the steep slope, a passing group of roadies refusing our invitation to join us.  We made our way along the ridges overlooking the valley floor, amazing acoustics allowing us to listen to the conversations of cyclists passing on the roads below – we felt like red Indians on the ridge in an old-style cowboy movie.

More mud was consumed before we made our way past Huggate to Fridaythorpe where we lunched with the motor-bikers. After Thixendale, we navigated along the grassy valley, disturbing sheep and horses from their sleep, one horse deciding to take flight as we said hello.  Another long steep slope up Uncleby Hill took us towards Kirby Underdale before a democratically agreed final run from Great Givendale towards Millington and then retraced the original route back to York. I had 80 miles on the clock by the time I arrived home, my longest ever ride on a mountain bike – and with all the hard yards, it felt like 180!

The 2015 Pock Pedal was held on Saturday, 24 May. 320 cyclists lined up in great cycling conditions. Andy J had kindly arranged some nice weather, with lots of cloud cover early, moderate temperatures (Andy: note for next year - I personally prefer a few degrees higher) and little wind. The start was located at Pocklington Town Football Club, a fantastic facility for a popular event such as this. I booked onto the 100 mile Mega route. Plenty of other Cliftonites were spread across all routes, including the 60 mile Midi Route and the 25 mile Mini Route – hope everyone enjoyed their day!

As we prepared in the car park before the event, Dr Joe and I spotted a bloke applying chamois cream in a manner which would have got him arrested in most public places. Unbeknown to the bloke in question, his application technique, which lasted far too long, ‘went viral’ in the cars around us - huge laughter ensued! – I suppose it’s a case of each to their own when it comes to preparing for a cycling event.

It was fantastic to catch up with all the Inters regulars for this ride. Seven of us headed through the transponders at 8.00am on the Mega route– John B, Graham T, Dr Joe, Craig B, Rich C, Maple Leaf Tony and me.  Everyone rode exceptionally well, especially on some of the tough climbs. The group stayed closely together all the way round, despite also having to drag other interlopers at various times. 

The Pock Pedal is a great event because it is super-well organised, lots of high-vis arrows placed at every corner along the route and generous feed stations at 37 miles (Norton) and 75 miles (Stamford Bridge). The ride takes in some of my favourite Yorkshire landscapes - the panorama from the top of Settrington Bank, the valley through Thixendale, the view from the top of Kirby Underdale down onto the Vale of York and the ride through Millington Pastures.

About 15 miles out of Stamford Bridge, the Clifton train picked up a few rival groups who jumped on the back for a free ride – Surely their accepting help from rival teams should have resulted in them all being docked 2 minutes each! ;)  We had our revenge by racing them through a narrow lane near Buttercrambe which contained more potholes than the main road through Helmand Province. Two blokes in particular were the biggest guys I have ever seen on bikes, they looked like the Dad from the ‘The Incredibles’ – 6’ 7” tall and the same width across the shoulders – they actually did very well to get through all the climbing too because they were carrying three times the weight that I was.

Big thanks to Dr Joe who was on hand to address various health issues throughout the day – all appreciated the support, including the guy who flipped himself straight over on a jammed chain in front of the main door of the village hall at Stamford Bridge and did a pile-driver into the concrete step! I also had a finger blow-out at the top of Leavening Bank – my raised blood pressure must have opened a deep cut in my finger from a couple of days earlier and the blood was spurting like a Z-grade horror movie. I stopped and did what most blokes do, wiped it on the grass - but the flow wouldn’t stop. Thankfully Graham came along from St Graham’s Ambulance Brigade and found a 50 year old band aid at the bottom of his puncture kit - thanks Graham! All the blood on the hoods and drops of the bars made us Clifton blokes look well ‘ard! Tony also had his issues with leg injuries from a fall earlier in the week and Dr Joe had him flying by the end.

Everyone looked out for each other all day and that made for an extremely pleasant ride. A few of the boys also impressively displayed the Clifton fighting spirit in the official Teeth Gritting Hour towards the end as well.

Everyone had disposable transponders for timing purposes and we were only just edged out of the Gold standard - by about an hour and a half!  The last time I did this event, I recall this ride had more climbing than I expected and this day was no exception with over 6,000 feet of elevation over the 100 mile course. It was nice to ride across the line together in Clifton formation which prompted an official photo call. Andy J then directed us upstairs to the Football Club for tea & cake, which we duly obliged. One of our lot then noticed there was a guy behind the bar!...which prompted something I never thought I would ever write in my lifetime – “Remember the day the Clifton boys had a beer at the bar together after a long ride, I think it was the same day the Aussies nailed a top 5 finish in the Eurovision song contest!!"

It was a sensational day on the bike and big thanks go to Andy and his team for organising a great event. I was so hyped up when I arrived home that I was able to zero-sum the brownie point ledger by mowing the lawn – that’s how you do it boys!

 

See here for slideshow containing more snaps of Clifton members in the Pock Pedal event:

Nb. Please note that this slideshow is not compatible with mobile devices, such as mobile phones  and iPads.

What a day at the Tour de Yorkshire Sportive held on Sunday 3^rd May 2015! There was a choice of 3 routes (55km, 109km & 142km) from which you could batter yourself. Later in the day, the Pros were racing on the majority of the same route into Roundhay Park, Leeds, at the end of Stage 3. People had come from all over the UK and beyond, I even rode up Pool Bank with a bunch of Americans on holiday. There were at least a dozen Clifton CC members who participated, having to cope with all the different elements thrown at them: rain, hail, cats ‘n’ dogs, kitchen sink and even some ‘shine’ towards the end.

I had mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension as I drove to the event in pouring rain, the windscreen wipers flicking into double quick mode to cope with the torrential downpour. I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the leisure centre in Leeds in good time and be expertly ushered into the parking area on the surrounding rugby fields – 6,000 cars belonging to 6,000 cyclists! Cars were filled with cyclists getting changed behind their steamed up windows, everyone leaving it to the last possible moment before facing up to the inevitable soaking. There was a certain gallows humour amongst everyone, one guy asking his mate whether he’d left a copy of his dental records with next of kin in case they needed to identify his body!

The start was very well organised. After getting the starters orders via the loud hailer and all of us shouting in unison about how much fun we were having in the rain, we rode through the timing chips in a group of around 50. The descents were treacherous on the slippery, wet roads and there was a veritable smorgasbord of opportunities to ‘do a Ben Swift’. On the long climb up Pool Bank, I gave my one and only shout for the day to a fellow Clifton member.  By this time, I’d latched onto a couple of strong groups of riders from both Otley and Ilkley who thankfully knew the local roads and passed on some tips in advance of some dangerous sections. It was unchartered territory for me through the ups and downs around Bingley before the first feed station at Cullingworth where we were treated to a convict’s feast of boiled potatoes and biscuits (oh, and jelly babies!).

When I entered the event earlier in the year following a period of illness, I didn’t think I’d have the legs for the 88 mile long route so opted for the 68 mile medium route instead. This route cut off the bottom loop to Hebden Bridge. As it turned out, I did have the fitness but was quietly chuffed that I’d avoided having to do the extra 20 miles in the rain. A big well done and congratulations to the other Clifton Members who did do the long route!

We picked up the long route again just before Haworth. The steep cobbled climb up through the quaint tea shops and cafes was used in the 2014 TdF Grand Depart and again was one of the highlights of the day. The crowds were gathering in the narrow cobbled lane and ‘lifted’ us up and over the steep hill. At the very start of this climb of about 400 metres, a female cyclist riding near me asked an old Yorkshireman on the side of the road how far it was to the top. He replied quick as a flash: “Keep going luv, only 30 metres to go, you’re almost there!”  Made me laugh.

More climbs followed before we arrived in a small village with a little stone bridge crossing. I had ridden quite hard in ignorant bliss to this point, following a nice selection of wheels.  I turned the corner and was confronted by a 25% wall, the Cote de Goose Eye! The left hand side of the road was clogged with riders reduced to walking. The right side of the road contained riders doing wobbly ‘S’ shapes to cope with the gradient. It was actually quite tricky to navigate a path through the cycling traffic on the steep, narrow road. The brilliant thing was that the crowds at the top were giving huge support to any riders who were having a go at making it up the climb. People were literally shouting in my face, willing me up to the first hairpin. They gave me the necessary shot of adrenaline to get me successfully over the top – it was amazing the difference the crowd support makes. It was another mile or so before we arrived at the final summit. One guy in front of me leaned across to his mate and gave him the news that they were roughly half way through the ride – this news completely shattered his mate who had mistakenly convinced himself he was near the end of the ride! “Ya jorkin’! Ya jorkin’ aren’t ya! YA JORKIN!!”   He almost fell off his bike in exasperation.

The next group I latched onto took me at full tilt through Silsden to the next feed station at Addingham where we were subjected to a barrage of flapjacks. I was still feeling ok at this point, despite the incessant climbing. By now, the rain had finally stopped and the crowds were really starting to line the roadsides in readiness for the arrival of the Pros a bit later on.  We were getting huge cheers at every corner as the police outriders were holding up traffic to let us sail through, despite it being an open road event - it really was an amazing feeling.

In Ilkley, the crowds were starting to swell and my ignorance of the parcours continued. I chatted to another rider just outside of the town who said ‘he’d done a bit of racing’. We hit the beautiful , long climb up to the Cow & Calf and he proceeded to trash me.  I’d forgotten the popular Yorkshire ditty: “On Ilkley Moor bah't 'at, Never climb the Cow & Calf, On the wheel of a 1st Cat”.  Towards the top, the gradient ramps up from 10% to 17% at about the place where Ian Bibby started popping wheelies in the Pro race. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9sEwxWjH_I)    Once again, the walkers filled the left side of the road and the cyclists who were having a go at summiting were literally willed over the top by the crowds. Given the number of times a Clifton club run had been to Bolton Abbey or Ilkley, I wondered why I’d never done the Cow & Calf.

After some rolling hills, we arrived at the Chevin Pub. Someone said “ere we go again” – I looked up, “oh, up there you mean”  - Slithering into the distant sky above was one long moving snake of coloured cycling jackets scaling the Cote de Chevin – an awesome sight! Once we crested the summit, I stupidly thought the hard stuff was over. We absolutely flew back down Pool Bank and innocently took a right turn at Arthington where I quickly pulled over to remove my rain cape as the clouds had started to disperse and the sun was starting to poke through.

At this point, I thought I could really start to put the hammer down on the charge back to Leeds. I came across a sprint points sign and obviously expected to see a flat road ahead. “Hang on a sec, what are those people doing up there!”  It was known locally as Black Hill, a 19 percenter! - used for sprint points! – only in Yorkshire.  Just when I was starting to struggle a bit, a group of fans at the top went berserk at the sight of my Clifton jersey – they obviously knew the Club and their support helped me successfully through the tough section. 

We ticked off the 15km, 10km and 5km to go banners before hitting the uphill section of the Leeds outer ring road. Somehow I found myself on the front, which occurred to me would have been a strategic mistake in a Pro race, unless of course I was in charge of the lead out train! We turned right at the roundabout and swept down a descent under the flame rouge before turning right again into Roundhay Park. I’d learnt from previous experience to separate myself out of the group I was in to ensure I was well positioned for a great photo at the finish line. Plan A was to drop off the back and let the remainder of the group ride ahead. Then I saw the others had the same idea as me and the group started to slow down and splinter. I decided to activate Plan B and noticed there was a 250 metre gap up ahead, so I charged around the pack and drove hard into the gap. At this point, my opinion of the ride elevated from merely ‘sensational’ to a much higher level of something approaching Cycling Utopia. I could re-live the next minute or so forever in my cycling dreams, riding by myself down the final straight with hundreds of cycling fans bashing the hoardings in support – I felt like I’d died and ridden through the pearly gates of heaven on the big cycling club run in the sky. I did consider zipping up the jersey and throwing my arms in the air, but then imagined myself sprawled on the road in front of the huge crowd, so thought better of it and kept my hands on the bars. A groovy looking finisher’s medal was then shoved into my hand.

Clifton CC is excited to announce that the 2015 Challenge Series for both the road and mountain biking categories were recently unveiled. Glittering prizes in the form of gold, silver and bronze medals are on offer to Club members for participation in the Series.

Road Challenge Series

Details of the 2015 Road Challenge Series can be found here:

http://www.cliftoncc.org/challen

In the road Challenge Series, medals are available for participation in events which offer some fantastic social days out in great company. The highlights are plentiful. Thixendale Spirograph, which takes in all the climbs out of Thixendale, has been moved slightly earlier into March this year – maybe to avoid those April showers! Steen’s popular Illegitimate Banks ride is back again for the third year in a row – lunch at the gliding club on Sutton Bank is a treat! We enjoyed a great day out on a stage of the Tour de France route last year and this year’s follow up edition takes in the best bits of a stage of the Tour de Yorkshire in late April, a week ahead of the Pro’s.  Wiggy warriors have the usual fare to feast on in late April & early May, and one of the best organised Sportive’s on the calendar, the Pocklington Pedal which takes in the Yorkshire Wolds, is also back in May. The memorable Circuit of the Moors ride was held for the first time in 2014 and was one of the best rides of the year – don’t miss the 2015 edition in May!  Regular series riders will recognise the challenge presented by tackling the sand dunes on a road bike at the far Siberian outer reaches of the Humber Estuary at Spurn Head and this excellent ride is back again in June. Events being held for the first time in 2015 are a pasta run to the best café in Yorkshire in July as well as a weekend away on the High Road.

There are many other rides available to qualify for Challenge Series points on the road, all of which represent a grand day out in their own right. At the same time, while these events are designed to provide participants with a lot of fun and the leaders of the rides will always make sure you enjoy your day out, the distances aren’t exactly a stroll in the park and you should make sure you turn up with legs hardened and mind-set steeled, not to mention stomachs prepared for some fantastic café stops!  If you haven’t tried these Challenge rides before, definitely give them a go, they provide some of the best memories you’ll hold dear for the rest of your time on a bike!  

MTB Challenge Series

Details of the MTB Challenge Series for this year can be found here:

http://www.cliftoncc.org/mtb/mtb_challenge

The MTB Challenge Series is designed to encourage broad participation in mountain biking events throughout the season. This year we have relaxed the restrictions around various types of events so that anyone who participates in a Challenge Series event of any type or competes in an MTB event while representing Clifton CC will qualify for Challenge Series points.

Some of the most memorable rides for Clifton CC mountain bikers have been experienced on pre-arranged Sunday Club rides or weekends away so, for the first time, we are offering 3 Challenge Series points to anyone willing to plan and lead one of these rides.  Points are also available for participation in these MTB social rides. 

There are many ways to score points for the Challenge Series Medal and we hope members will be encouraged to join in the fun! Also, if you participate on behalf of Clifton CC in an unlisted MTB event, you should mention it at the time of submission of your form at the end of the year and the Committee will consider an appropriate allocation of points. The Club hopes that more members will give these Challenge Series events a try this year. Good luck!

MORE than 90 Clifton Cycling Club members packed Your Bike Shed in Micklegate on Friday evening, 16th January 2015, for the club’s annual awards, which for the first time included Junior Go-ride awards.

 AWARD-WINNER: Clifton Cycling Club's Ella Lazenby

Recipients included British Cycling number one ladies junior Omnium champion Anna Docherty, aged 14, and men’s junior number two Rob Gray.

Docherty took the trophy for youngest Reliability rider and, in recognition of her ranking, the club presented her with a skin-suit in Great Britain colours with Clifton club name down the side.

Lauryn Dawber collected the Hilly T/T Cup for the club’s hill climb with a time of eight minutes and 26 seconds. Caven Walker received the Club Junior 10 mile Time trial award. He clocked 24.35.

Other junior winners were Jess Smith, Leo Coning, Isobel Plummer, Jasper Wood, Ella Lazenby and Robin Smith.

Bronze medals went to Ros Littlewood, Mark Briggs, Dave I’Anson, Graham Thresh, Bernard Turgoose and Ian Wilcox, while John Bricklebank, Steen Berg, Ian Hagyard, Darren Neylon, Rob Osman and David Whiter collected Gold in the Road Challenge series.

Other awards were Dave Cook and Ian Hagyard - most meritorious ride 2014; York to Barcelona (Joe Calvert Shield); and Craig Brown won the most improved rider Chris Hillyard Cup.

In the Mountain Bike section, Adam Bates received a gold medal, Andrew Windum a silver and Darren Neylon and Will Turley bronze. The Chris Wilson Memorial award went to Jeremy Wood.

For services to the club, Andrew Johnston collected the Jack Wood Cup.

Article courtesy of York Press:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/11762757.Clifton_Cycling_Club_hand_out_pedal_plaudits/