Mercia Report 03-03-08
Reliability Rides
Of the 60 riders who signed on for Burton’s Plan B Racing’s Reliability Trials held at the Forestry Centre at Rosliston. Eight were from the Mercia HBM Cycling Club. The route of the 50km circuit went out to Whittington via Catton Park & Whitemoor into a very strong headwind. The wind was more helpful after turning left in Whittington to go through Fisherwick to Elford, then to No Man’s Heath riding through Harlaston, Haunton & Clifton Campville. From No Man’s Heath it was downhill through Chilcote to Netherseal & back to the Forestry Centre via Grangewood & Botany Bay. Jeff Slinn, Nick Marriott, Richard Knott, Simon Parker & Mark Eccleston completed the 50 km within 2 hours. Peter Rose & Ken Goy finished in 2hrs 50 mins. Roger Owen completed the 100 km in 3hrs 32 mins.
The previous weekend five Mercia HBM riders rode in the Sutton Coldfield club C.C. Giro’s Reliability Trials on a shortened version of Plan Bs event, also based on the Forestry Centre. One lap covered just 33 kilometres. Richard Knott & Nick Marriott did 1 lap. Simon Parker & Mark Eccleston 2 laps. Roger Owen did 3 laps to do 100 kilometres.
David Clarke
David Clarke’s first road race of 2008 in his new team ( Team Lacuna ) was the Perfs Pedal Race held at Rowlands Castle in Hampshire over 43 miles. With one lap to go Clarke tried to get a group together to catch the leading breakaway that finally failed, so he finished joint 15th with team mate Robert Orr & 30 other riders. The winner was James Stewart ( KFS Special Vehicles ) who broke away to win by 10 seconds. The following weekend Clarke was a non finisher when he was completely out of luck when he crashed into a wall in the 90 kilometres Clayton Velo Spring Classic Handicap Race held at Clithero in Lancashire, fortunately he was not injured.
Posted by Richard Knott on Monday, March 03, 2008
