National 100 mile TT

Sunday was the national 100 mile Time trial championship in the sleepy Norfolk town of Swaffham. It was was essentially 4 laps of an undulating course, run on quiet country roads, with minimal traffic. I thought it was a good course for a national 100, especially with the outbreaks of rain which would have made a dual carriageway more difficult. The men’s event was won by Charles Taylor (South Pennine CC) in 3.43.27. The women’s by Brownen Ewing (Trainsharp Racing Team). I finished 3rd. It was one of the hardest time trials I’ve done for a long time, and really blew up after 70 miles. My average power was much lower than last 100. I’ve never hurt so much in TT for a long time. I also punctured at 90 miles, but just managed to scrape home, to pip Michael Broadwidth into 4th by 20 seconds. Adam Topham (High Wycombe CC) was 2nd.

The first 50 miles were good. The only difficulty was at about 40 miles – catching someone who started just in front, but then half a minute later they re-overtook. I had to sit back ease off, take a gel and then I went really hard to make sure they got dropped.  I think this sustained burst of power didn’t help later on. At 70 miles, I started to feel really tired and there wasn’t much power left. I’m not sure why, in the ECCA 100, I had a similar power at this stage but could maintain it all the way to the end. But, for some reason today, it wasn’t there. At 75 miles, I  stopped by side of road to pick up a third bottle. In ECCA I only needed 2, but today I needed some more  energy. Shortly after – going down a fast hill I got overtaken by a rider who I had recently caught for 16 minutes! He shouted some encouragement and said not to loose concentration. But, It wasn’t really a loss of concentration, just a loss of power. Anyway, the good thing about being a hill climber is that if someone who is slower than me overtakes on the downhill. I know that on the uphill I’m almost certain to be able to overtake and drop them. Even if my power was relatively low.

The last 20 miles were really hard, it was raining, slow and everything was hard work. I started to get cramps in my legs (something that never happened before). At around 92 miles I noticed handling was becoming difficult because of a slow puncture on the front. By the last corner, I had to go around at walking speed, there was very little air left. I was just relieved to finish. The last 50 was really slow. But, somehow I managed to get 3rd.

I had to report to doping control. They are pretty thorough, which reminded me of my favourite doping story from 1962, when standards were very different.

Piet Rentmeester (who won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 1962) was asked for a doping sample. He said he couldn’t provide a sample at the time, so the doping control allowed him to go home and three hours later he came back with a urine sample.

When his doping test was revealed, the authorities told him he was negative for any performance enhancement. However, the test result did show he was pregnant! (he used his wife’s urine!) A great story, (though probably one made up by Jacques Anquetil.)

Anyway UK Anti-doping are very through and professional which is reassuring to know.

 

 

A really tough day, not a great performance power wise, but, pleased to get a medal at 100 miles. It’s been a target for quite a long time. Beating my best performance from back in 2005, where I finished 4th on a really hilly 100 mile TT course. It seems strange to grumble a bit about performance when you get a championship medal – but that’s cycling! You could always go faster.

Congrats to Charles Taylor for winning.

Power files

power-100

I didn’t really want to look at this. But, interestingly many riders seemed to have a really tough last lap.

av. power 252 watts

av. speed 26.1 mph

Thanks to EDCA – a good event well signposted, which was good as I hadn’t ridden any of the course beforehand.

Men Results

PosRiderClubTimeN2N3
1
Charles Taylor
South Pennine RC
03:43:28
1:53:01
26.850
2
Adam Topham
High Wycombe CC
03:45:37
1:54:44
26.594
3
Tejvan Pettinger
Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team
03:51:23
1:55:16
25.931
4
Michael Broadwith
Arctic Tacx RT
03:51:47
1:56:09
25.886
5
Rich Hunt
Richmond Tri Kudu
03:53:47
2:01:39
25.665
6
Jonathan Parker
PMR @ Toachim House
03:55:16
1:57:43
25.503
7
Gregory Woodford
Reading CC
03:57:05
1:58:26
25.308
8
Daniel Bloy
Team Velovelocity.co.uk
03:57:35
2:01:57
25.254
9
Nick English
AW Cycles.co.uk
03:57:58
2:01:23
25.214
10
Liam Maybank
Twickenham CC
03:59:14
2:02:52
25.080
11
Scott Davidson
Team Velovelocity.co.uk
04:01:40
2:03:49
24.828
12
Robert Hayes
Manchester Wheelers Club
04:03:12
2:02:31
24.671
13
Charles Nurse
North Norfolk Whs
04:04:12
2:02:39
24.570
14
Jim Burgess
Anglia Velo
04:08:03
2:01:24
24.189
15
Tim Hastie
Team Jewson – MI Racing
04:12:13
2:07:27
23.789
16
Ian Turner
St Neots CC
04:12:15
2:03:31
23.786
17
Edward Renwick
Oxford City RC
04:13:08
2:08:29
23.703
18
Oliver Mytton
Cambridge University CC
04:15:33
2:07:53
23.479
19
Will Bamber
VC Norwich
04:15:41
2:04:52
20
Chris Hopkinson
API-Metrow
04:15:50
2:07:58
23.453
21
Andrew Askwith
Bridlington CC
04:15:51
2:08:02
23.451
22
Geoff Frost
Team Velovelocity.co.uk
04:16:15
2:07:58
23.415
23
Angus Jardine
Ipswich BC
04:16:44
2:08:15
23.371
24
Tim Mardall
Kings Lynn CC
04:17:50
2:09:06
23.271
25
Julian Middlewick
Hampshire RC
04:19:51
2:15:36
23.090
26
Steve Batsford
Fairly United Cycling Team
04:19:55
2:10:35
23.084
27
Ben Keeley
Kings Lynn CC
04:20:15
2:10:07
23.055
28
David Moore
VC Norwich
04:22:57
2:10:59
22.818
29
Stuart Emmett
Wisbech Whs
04:24:47
2:16:27
22.660
30
Mark Sanders
Mid Devon CC
04:24:58
2:12:30
22.644
31
Chris Nudds
CC Breckland
04:29:56
2:13:15
22.228
32
Ed Dean
Norwich ABC
04:31:32
2:16:26
22.097
33
Paul Perry
In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT
04:33:08
2:18:12
21.967
34
Howard Staunton
Hainault RC
04:33:08
2:12:01
21.967
35
Danny Watkins
Team Velovelocity.co.uk
04:37:29
2:20:07
21.623
36
Chris Womack
VC Baracchi
04:45:02
2:22:59
21.050
37
Bob Quarton
Wolsey RC
04:47:02
2:23:35
20.903
38
Richard Birkin
Nottingham Clarion
04:49:41
2:24:41
20.712
39
Phillip Gosling
Ely & District CC
04:52:25
2:27:17
20.519
40
Mark Fairhead
CC Breckland
04:54:01
2:27:20
20.407
41
Martin Hedley
Witham Wheelers
04:54:30
2:23:20
20.374
42
Chris Jones
Calderdale Tri Club
04:54:44
2:24:51
20.357
43
David Percival
Team Swift
04:55:36
2:23:26
20.298
44
Paul Thomson
Hemel Hempstead CC
05:03:33
2:32:43
19.766
45
Markos Janes
VC Norwich
05:06:52
2:31:06
19.552
46
Peter Horsnell
Chelmer CC
05:37:04
2:51:51
17.801
47
John Appleby
API-Metrow
05:42:29
2:37:03
17.519
1001
Ron Back
West Suffolk Whs & Tri Club
2:26:38
1002
Mark Smart
VC Norwich
2:21:50

Women Results

PosRiderClubTimeN2N3
1
Bronwen Ewing
Trainsharp Racing Team
04:11:26
2:07:00
23.863
2
Paula Moseley
Climb on Bikes RT
04:15:10
2:09:03
23.514
3
Lucy Gossage
Cambridge CC
04:18:20
2:12:26
23.226
4
Lynn Hamel
Trainsharp Racing Team
04:23:17
2:13:39
22.789
5
Helen Eborall
Born to Bike – Bridgtown Cycles
04:28:55
2:16:10
22.312
6
Clarice Chung
Twickenham CC
04:35:13
2:18:18
21.801
7
Tina Reid
Trainsharp Racing Team
04:42:22
2:23:14
21.249
8
Jasmijn Muller
Kingston Wheelers CC
04:42:48
2:15:09
21.216
9
Katja Rietdorf
Team Milton Keynes
04:46:18
2:22:12
20.957
10
Josephine Perry
Trainsharp Racing Team
04:47:36
2:26:44
20.862
11
Marina Bloom
Rugby Racing CC
04:49:25
2:25:15
20.731
12
Deborah Sheridan
Warwickshire RC
05:16:59
2:38:51
18.928
13
Sarah Bentley
Spalding CC
05:18:40
2:38:17
18.828
14
Nicola Fox
Manchester Wheelers Club
05:26:29
2:37:59
18.378
15
Jenny Bonham
API-Metrow
06:19:28
3:08:32

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4 thoughts on “National 100 mile TT”

  1. Hell of a ride regardless, I blew around the same point, 50W just evaporated at ~70-75 miles! I liked the course though, a few grumbles elsewhere about it, but I had no notable hold ups and other than the pain it inflicted on the last lap, it was a pleasant course to ride!

    Quite frankly mate, you’re an inspiration, I’d have packed if I’d have punctured (I thought I punctured the rear in the 1st 15 miles as the bike felt really weird for a while, turned out it was the bottle I had behind my saddle slowly readying itself for ejection, taking some gels with it, despite me using some elastic to secure it so it wouldn’t do this!)

    Top job!

    Reply
    • Thanks Rob. The only thing about puncturing is that if you can ride slowly on a deflating tub, it’s better than walking!

      Reply

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