News Archive

Martin Meets the Challenge of the Fred Whitton Ride (Added 15/05/08)

Martin Croft rode what is generally regarded as the toughest challange ride in the UK calendar last Sunday. The 112 mile ride started & finished in Coniston, Cumbria, and included the climbs of Kirkstone Pass, Honister Pass, Newlands Pass, Whinlatter Pass, Cold Fell, Irton Pike, and finished with the brutal Hardknott & Wrynose Passes. The challenge is to finish the event but Martin not only managed that but in a very respectable time of 8 hours 29 mins too. Good enough for 439th place out of 1000 entrants!

3rd Place for Sean (Added 06/05/08)

Sean Smith finished 3rd in last weekend's A1 Classic in Boroughbridge. The race was a counting event in the National Vets Series and attracted a quality field. The winner, Daniel Otter of the Rutland CC, soloed away from the field about half way through the 60 mile race. A chase group of 8 eventually formed on the last lap but it was too late to catch Daniel, Giles Pidcock of Crosstrax got the better of Sean in the sprint for 2nd, Richard Binks of Triangle came in in 4th place.

Results of the Pete Fryer RR (Added 24/04/08)

Results now in for the Pete Fryer Road Race held on Norland Moor last weekend. The club promoted two races, for the over 40s and for the over 55s.

In the 'youngsters' event the race blew apart on the second of eight laps. The shape of the race was quickly established with a leading group of 3 chased by a group of about 8 with the rest of the field behind them - and so it would remain to the finish. Dave Compston of the Bridlington CC and Daniel Otter of the Rutland CC dropped home rider Sean Smith on the last lap to finish first and second respectively with Sean trailing in third place.

In contrast, the over 55 race held together for much of the 46 mile distance. The one notable exception of one rider who 'time trialled' off the front of the bunch for much of the race only to puncture before the finish. So it was down to a bunch sprint dutifully won by Kevin Shand of the West Pennine RC ahead of Paul Fisher (Ellis Briggs) and Dave Maughan (Middridge RT). Local rider Brian Sunter finished in 9th place to claim second in the over 60 category.

PB for Daniel (Added 14/04/08)

On a somewhat blustery day Daniel Shaw managed a PB of 22:35 and got 27th place in the Barrow Central Wheelers open 10. The winner was Derek Parkinson of the Cleveleys RC in a time of 20.46

Daniel's First Result for the 2008 Season (Added 02/04/08)

In what was Daniel Shawss 2nd TT of the year, he was proud to finish in 16th place.  On a wet windy afternoon in the Harrogate Nova CC 25 Daniel finished in 01:03:46, an improvement of 2 and 1/2 minutes on his time for the same course and event last year. Julian Ramsbottom of the DeRosa RT won the event in 00:54:11

Club Mountain Time Trial Results (Added 07/10/07)

Results of today's club time trial:

Janice beats her 10 Standard (Added 15/09/07)

In what's likely to be her last race of the season, Janice Saleem posted a fabulous 26.35 in the Kent Valley CC 10 mile time trial on the L1015 course - Levens - Lindale (A590). Perhaps more significantly this was almost 2 minutes faster than her age related standard of 28.12.

Janice is hanging up her racing shoes for the year with a satisfied grin from ear to ear.

Janice's latest results (Added 26/08/07)

Janice's last 25 of the season was the Seamons CC25 on the J2/9 course. On a wet and windy day (what else!) she put up a personal best for the course with a 1.13.44.

The previous weekend she rode the Drighlington BC 25 on the V232. Despite posting a time of 33 minutes at half distance she struggled back into a headwind to finish in 1.11.12 .

New Personal Best for Janice (Added 01/08/07)

In the Yorkshire Road Club Open 25 held on the 21st July, Janice Saleem acheived a personal best time at the distance. Due to roadworks an alternative and more complex course, the V232 (Thirsk - Dishforth), was used. But despite this, Janice posted a time of 1.10.56.

Results in from the HCA 25 / 10 (Added 15/07/07)

The club had a good entry in the HCA 25 held on the 11th. Unfortunately due to roadworks the event was knocked back to a 10 to be held on the V514. Undaunted, Andy Jackson of the Yorkshire Velo won the race in a time of 20.28. Not far down was the fastest of the Imps, Daniel Shaw, who posted a very respectable 23.00. Martin Garget came in with a 23.14, Neil Dyson with a 24.36 and Martin Croft with a 25.23. These combined rides were more than enough to win the team prize on the night!

Sole female representative for the club was Janice Saleem who just missed out on her Vets standard time with an actual time of 28.24.

Other local Halifax rides: Brian Sunter, Condor CC, 22.00 and Denise Shackleton (Yorkshire RC) with a PB of 25.31.

Results from the Jodrell Bank Time Trails (Added 02/07/07)

Martin Croft and Janice Saleem rode at Jodrell Bank on Saturday in the male and female 25 time trials respectively. Both events were based on the tough J2/9 course. Martin posted a personal best in the Nova CC event in a time of 1.06.05, quite a feat on this course. Janice wasn't going to get near her PB in the appalling weather, nevertheless she improved on her previous time in the Man & District Ladies Cycling Association event by 3.45 mins. A time of 1.14.29 was good enough for 2nd fastest lady an 2nd fastest handicap.

A win at last for Sean! (Added 19/06/07)

A determined effort to beat off the label of 'nearly man' saw Sean Smith finally winning a road race this weekend. The Jim Armitage Memorial RR based on a hilly course at Bolton by Bowland was a counting event in the LVRC National Road Race series. As in the previous week Sean broke away from the main field in the company of two previous winners of the race, Paul Stubbs (MI Racing) and Richard Binks (Triangle RT) with half the 44 mile race still to go. The three built up a sizeable lead and in the uphill finish, Sean held off Richard Binks to win, with Paul Stubbs finishing 3rd.

Neil's sportive rides (Added 19/06/07)

Neil Dyson seems to have found his niche in the increasingly popular sportive / challenge rides and has been improving from one week to the next. He finished well up the field in the Etape de Dales event held 3 weeks ago. Last weekend he finished 26th in a field of 394 finishers in the 184K White Rose Classic in a fantastic time of 6 hours 57 mins. This weekend, of course, he rode our own Pain in the Pennines challenge and was the first finisher, coming in just ahead of team mate Martin Cleminson. Seem like umpteen climbs and extreme miles are no match for Neil!

And yet more 3rd places for Sean (Added 11/06/07)

Sean Smith's road racing results have an air of jeja-vue about them lately. Last week he rode the Yorkshire Division Veteran/Junior Championships based on the Pennypot Lane circuit near Harrogate. A break of 8 riders, including Sean, formed half way through the 60 mile race. The inevitable attacks came in the last 2 miles of the event. Sam Webster (Glendene RC), one of the two Junior riders in the break set off on his own and finished well clear of the group. Andy Mitchell (Bradford Wheelers) also opened a small gap and maintained this to the finish to win the Vets Gold Medal. Sean led the rest of the group home to finish 3rd (Second Vet) beating Richard Binks (Triangle RT) into 4th place.

This weekend Sean found himself in a break of 3 riders early in the Bashall Eaves Bash Veterans RR together with Paul Stubbs (MI Racing) and Richard Binks (Triangle RT). In the final 8 miles of the 44 mile event Paul Stubbs attacked and stayed clear of his two rivals. In what has become a close rivalry this season, Richard Binks beat Sean in the sprint for the finish line. Paul Stubbs won the prize for first 45 - 49 aged rider, leaving 1st and 2nd in the 40 - 44 age group to Richard and Sean respectively.

Two 3rds for the Imps this weekend (Added 27/05/07)

It's been a successful weekend of racing for the club.

Janice Saleem had her first outing of the year, riding the the Holme Valley Wheelers 25 on the V232 course Dishforth, Knayton, Dishforth. Despite an ongoing leg injury she posted a personal best and beat her standard with a time of 1.11.07. Her performance netted Janice 3rd place in the handicap competition for the event.

Sean Smith also finished 3rd in this weekends local road race promoted by our friends' the Batley CC. The 2/3 categgory race was based on the Heartshead Moor course. An early break formed at the head of the race within 2 miles of the start of the 70 mile event. Sean and 8 other riders worked well together and eventually established an unsurmountable lead over the main bunch. Inevitably, attacks started from within the group in the last 10 miles resulting in a split, 5 riders were chased by 4 over the closing stages. Sean managed to make the front cut but with tiring legs had to settle for 3rd place in the final sprint, this being his longest race of the season so far. Julian Ramsbottom of Scunthorpe Poly CC won the event, with Martin Freeman of Team Corley Cycles finishing second.

3rd place for Sean (Added 17/05/07)

Sean Smith finished 3rd in the West Pennine road race on Sunday. The 2/3 category event was held on the Horse and Jockey circuit based at Uppermill. It was all action from the start of the 50 mile event with riders attacking mostly up the long climb through the finish. With about 4 laps of the 8 covered, two riders gained a significant lead over the rapidly declining main bunch of 20, Michael Marshall of the University of Birmingham and Matthew Robinson of All Terrain Cycles. These two maintained a lead of about 1 minute to finish first and second respectively. Sean led the bunch sprint out from about 200 metres and managed to hold Richard Binks (Triangle RT) off to finish an exhausted 3rd.

Results from the Drighlington BC 25. (Added 13/05/07)

Club members: Daniel Shaw, Martin Gargett and Martin Croft rode the Drighlington event on the 12 May. The race, won by ex imps rider Brian Jennings (Now with the Yorkshire RC) in a time of 54.05, saw a number of finishers under the hour. Daniel's time of 57.49 represented a one minute improvement of his previous personal best at this distance and netted him 22nd place. Martin Gargett, who returns to racing after a few years absence due to family commitments, produced a 58.21. To complete the set, Martin Croft produced a commendable performance, finishing in 1.06.59.

Daniel continues his accent up the results board. (Added 09/05/07)

Last Sunday Daniel Shaw improved his personal best 25 mile time by 42 seconds (from his last outing around J2/9 on the 14th April, see below). He posted a time of 1.00.07 in the Glossop Kinder Velo 25 mile Time Trial. So close but yet so far from 'going under the hour', however the ride was good enough for 28th place in a field of over 100! The event winner was Ian Stott of the Blackburn and District CTC, a rider better know for his hill climbing prowess. Ian posted a time of 54.39 in the warm and dry conditions.

A1 Classic (Added 01/05/07)

Following on from his fourth place in the previous week's Imps' Vets RR (full results here), Sean Smith finished second in the A1 Classic, a vets road race based in Boroughbridge. The 60 mile race was eventful throughout, with riders continually on the attack. A breakaway of 8 - 10 riders formed with just over 20 miles to the finish which included Sean. The group quickly established a reasonable lead and held it to the finish. In the dash to the line, Sean was beaten by sprinter extraordinaire, Giles Pidcock of Fensham Howes CRT. Richard Binks (Triangle RT) finished third and Simon Keaton (Rutland CC) was fourth.

Daniel Shaw shines in the Otley CC 10 - 21st April (Added 25/04/07)

Daniel produced a fantastic time for a relative novice at this event, a 22.51, enough for 19th place in a field of 75! Halifax based Brian Jennings and Leeds's Vince Macklam were joint winners in a new course record of 21.11.

Results from the Macclesfield Whlrs 25 - 14th April (Added 25/04/07)

In near perfect conditions Martin Gargett managed a very pleasing 59:28 in his first serious competitive outing for many years. Daniel Shaw took almost 6 minutes off his time in the Harrogate Nova event two weeks earlier to finish in 1:00:49 and Martin Croft and Andrew Taylor both posted respectable times of 1:09:02 and 1:13:06 respectively. Given that Martin Croft and Andrew Taylor are time trialing novices riding without Tri-bars and the J2/9 course around Jodral Bank is not a fast circuit they should both be very pleased with their times.