The ladies shopping evening provides us girls an excuse to go wild in-store, and with the encouragement of 20% off clothing and accessories and 10% off bikes on the night, we can’t really refuse.
And that’s not all. With a free goody bag on offer to the first 50 through the door at each event, sparking wine and snacks (well, it is the off season), and invaluable advice on hand from store mechanics and staff, it’s set to be a fantastic and insightful evening with fellow female cyclists.
Places are limited, so be sure to get your name down to one of the following events fast:
I’m registered for the Mortimer Street event. Fingers crossed I’ll see you there, credit card in hand!
Hayley Davies
Writer
Riding since Feb 2011 Hayley is a 30 year old female who loves adventures. If she’s not on one of her many bikes or in the water on a bodyboard/surfboard, then Hayley is probably out looking for something new to keep the adrenaline pumping! Website: www.hjdonline.co.uk
Time for a World Cup in a drizzly Manchester and it got off to a blistering start.
Day one roundup of the Track World Cup and it was all about the pursuit!
Team Pursuit Men
The men got the event underway.
In qualifying Team GB (Doull, Clancy, Burke and Tennant) fly out of the blocks. At 1km they’re fastest. At the halfway point the GB quartet are 0.4 seconds up. at 3000m they’re over a second up. Great Britain stop the clock at 3:59.672. They were through to the gold final and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
In the final Denmark took Bronze over the Netherlands. Great Britain take Gold with a fantastic lead out from Ed Clancy 3.58.552 Australia Silver 3.59.064. He commented after the ride, “It was good, this is the start to the Rio Olympics!”
Men’s Team Sprint Men
GB qualify in 43.693 (Kian Emadi, Jason Kenny, Philip Hindes), Germany post a blistering 43.351 to go fastest in qualifying, Robert Forstemann’s thighs being the German teams biggest weapon – with his time of 17.2 in the opening lap. The race for Gold would be between Germany and Russia.
Matt Crampton replaced Kian Emadi in the GB team lineup for the final – racing for Bronze against New Zealand. Unfortunately
Team Sprint Women
After two heats of women’s team sprint qualifying, the Max Success Pro Cycling trade team of Juhong and Zhong were fastest with a time of 33.507.
Germany produced an impressive 32.992 to go fastest. World and Olympic champions Welte and Vogel were to face off against Great Britain’s James and Williamson in the final. Russia v Max Success Pro Cycling in the bronze medal ride-off.
In the final GB’s Becky James and Victoria Williamson were on top form but they got beaten by the World Champions in style. Germany gold – Team GB Silver.
Team Pursuit Women
Before the race we caught up with Laura Trott and She expressed how the team was raring to go but obviously anxiously waiting to see what sort of time Australia would put in as they currently haven’t shown their colours in the new four woman Pursuit.
Canada put in a great time of 4.28.054. Australia falls short after a false start (4.33.011).
In qualifying Team GB beat their own World Record set a few weeks ago at the World Championships. After 1km Great Britain are a quarter of a second ahead of Canada. At 2km Great Britain are over 2 seconds faster than Canada and a new world record is on the cards. After 3km Great Britain are smooth and polished, over 3 seconds up. Before the girls took to the track for the final I overheard Team GB coaches discussing that they expected the team to go sub world record. Great Britain stop the clock at 4:23.910, smashing their own world record set just a few weeks ago.
When it came to the crunch thought Team GB got the better of all the competition. Bronze went to Australia.
Awesome performance from Trott, King, Rowsell and Barker.
Women’s Scratch Race
Earlier in the day British riders Dani King (GB), Amy Hill (GB) and Katie Archibald (Braveheart.com) qualify for the scratch race. Immediately after the thrill of the women’s Pursuit win Dani had to remount her bike for the Scratch race final. This may have had some impact on her result, with 25 laps to go Dani is in the bunch but Caroline Ryan of Ireland has launched a solo attack and has half a lap on the chasers. 15 laps to go and King was just hanging on. Sofia Arreola of Mexico (sis to CS’s very lovely Nancy) went all out and gained a lap with the peloton trying their hardest to chase her down. Archibald tried her best to escape with a couple of riders but to no avail. The bunch start to split as Dani King hits the front and Katie sees her chance to go for broke. With five laps to go she finally gets her well deserved lap. The pace has been kept so high that Arreola has to work extra hard to keep contact after her daly lone attack. Katie Archibald is the best placed British rider in the final taking the silver podium spot with a gutsy ride. Well deserved Katie! Sofia Arreola for Mexico comes in 4th just missing out. Gold to Poland’s Wojtyra and bronze to Ukraine’s Klimchenko.
Mens Omnium 1 – Flying Lap
Jon Dibben finishes 5th in the opening event of the omnium in what was a very long days racing for him.
Watch Olympic Podium Programme rider, Jon Dibben’s Omnium 1 Flying Lap here:
Mens Omnium II – Points Race
Boudat of France and Deuhring of the USA both take a lap on the field. Boudat on 32pts and Duehring 26 after the first 5 sprints of 12. Duehring then dramatically loses a lap, leaving his with 6 points. The rider from Trinidad has a tough old race – 3 laps down and still he kept going!
Jon Dibben for GB put in an amazing effort to break free from the pack to no avail, but he kept going for 5pts and a hefty cheer. He then digs again for another try but this time only manages 1pt. Gold went to Boudat of France with 33pts who rides off the front of the pack and has time to wave to the crowds as he crosses the line. Silver De Buyst 20pts, Gate 14pts takes bronze. Jon Dibben manages a respectable 8th. After two events Jon Dibben was sitting in 5th overall for the Omnium.
Mens Omnium III – Elimination Race
This turned out to be the thrills and spills race of the evening. three riders took a nasty tumble. With one rider retiring but the rider who seemed to come out worse scrapes wise was Belgian Jasper De Buyst, literally losing the seat of his pants, he got back on his bike to great applause and a few wolf whistles as he bared all. Not shaken at all he kept going and made it to the final sprint for the line against Thomas Boudat of France. Boudat took the win but there was; in true British underdog supporters style a huge round of applause for De Buyst.
Overall after 3 rounds, Jon Dibben lies in 7th place on 25pts. De Buyst of Belgium took second place in the elimination and retains the overall lead, with Tim Veldt of Netherlands sitting in second place overall.
The Revolution moves up a gear – The new season has seen an expansion from 4 to 5 rounds and the racing will take place at London, Glasgow and Manchester – tonights action coming from Manchester. Throughout the series there will be a new feature; UCI qualification points can be won by the elite riders in selected races, bringing even more of the top cycling talent to the boards through the winter. These points are required by the top riders and the teams to gain selection for the World Cups and World Championships, so if you buy a ticket to one of the rounds you are guaranteed to see a British cycling star racing.
Recently retired Sir Chris Hoy who raced the very first Revolution in 2003 obviously won’t be taking to the track this season but he’s not stepping back from the Revolution, he’s taking over sponsorship of the Future Stars league from DHL (through his HOY bike brand). This year the winning girl and boy of the series will get their own HOY track bikes. “The Revolution is arguably more important for the young riders. At that age, racing in front of a full house, with Olympic or world champions along-side you, must be pretty cool. In the old days, when I was competing, you’d be going round with one man and his dog watching.”
Another first; this year we see the introduction of afternoon sessions and the fun and games got under way with the Sprint Qualifiers. Looking like they meant business were Revolution newcomer Danni Khan and seasoned pro Matt Crampton were certainly the strongest two riders through the afternoon sprint rounds.
At only 18 Dani has achieved more than most would in a whole career, by 16 she was a European and National Junior Speed Skating Champion, cycling was an off season hobby. She then decided to stick with the cycling as it gave her a real buzz, so this year she competed at the World Championships and bagged herself the 500m time trial and sprint title. Next partnered with Jess Varnish she won her first Senior National title in the team sprint at Glasgow. This girl has talent and she was showing it at the Rev! In the afternoon Revolution Dani won the Sprint Qualifier and the first of her heats in the Sprint. A cool calm and measured performance.
Matt was looking very strong, he seemed very fired up (in readiness for the World Cup on the 1st Nov no doubt), competition is very tight between the top male riders right now fighting for places and qualification points, with his powerful riding style he did remind me of a young Chris Hoy as he rode on to win his UCI Sprint Qualifier and first heat of the Sprint and UCI Keirin.
In a tight UCI Women’s Points Race Dani King just sneaked past Russian rider Anastasia Chulkova; winning by one point [45-44 respectively]. The Men’s Elite UCI Points Race was dominated by Jon Mould [Team USN] with a whopping 97 points, but Owain Doull made his second outing on the track equally as successful as his first bagging another 2nd for Team Telegraph [68pts] and Rudy Project’s Christian Grasmann 3rd on 51pts.
The afternoon session concluded with Ed Clancy storming to victory in the Flying Lap with a time of 13.358. Steven Burke took 2nd coming in with a time of 13.570, a pattern was emerging for the consistent performance we could expect from Telegraph All Stars teammates Burke and Doull as we headed towards the evening session.
As we waited in the press area for the evening programme of cycling to start, we returned to our our annual discussion about our choice of jelly based confectionary laid out on the table. Percy Pig & Friends seems to be a steady favourite but the two Chris’s [Chris Keller-Jackson & Chris Maher] and I came to the conclusion the occasional Colin Caterpillar wouldn’t go amiss… well the guys seemed to be more knowledgable about Colin than me, Fizzy Pig Tails weren’t quite as popular and to be honest after a couple of sweets I felt sugar rushed out and quite queazy. I’m sure we’ll review other jelly sweets at the World Cup between sessions… and no doubt Colin will make an appearance.
The evening session kicked off as the morning did with the sprinters, ladies first…
The Women’s Sprint Semi Finals saw Jess Varnish dispatch Dani Kahn, Dani led out the cat and mouse but the 18 year old was caught with relative ease by the experienced Varnish. Becky James came through her heat to comfortably beat Katy Marchant. Newcomer Katy took out the lead but the World Champ Becky James outsmarted her – but this just really showed us the talent coming through Women’s Track Sprinting after the reign of Queen Victoria [Pendleton]. The final was going to be a cracking fight between the two top British women.
The men’s Sprint Semi Finals saw a head to head between Philip Hindes and Matt Crampton and Jason Kenny against Lewis Olivia. Crampton tried to take the front in his heat on the first lap but decided to sit back and go the long way round on the second lap pipping Hindes at the line. Jason Kenny seemed to glide through his heat, looking very much in control.
Laura Trott stamped her authority on the Women’s Elimination Race, with a very tight result for second and third being fought out between Chulkova and King, The Russian got the better of Dani King.
Men’s Elite Elimination race and Luke Rowe wins in style, 2nd Jon Mould and 3rd Owain Doull. Luke celebrates with a double handed ‘W’ after he crosses the line.
Future Stars Girls:
The ‘one to watch’ Future Stars rider for me was Sophie Capewell, she was consistently gritty and determined throughout her events, and kept popping up when you least expected it. In the first of the girls events (6 Lap Dash) she managed a 2nd behind Lucy Shaw, 3rd was taken by sister Emily Capewell. In the Girls Scratch Race – there was a gutsy performance from Team USN’s Megan Barker, 2nd Lucy Shaw, 3rd Sophie Capewell. Capewell finally got her win in the Girls Points race a whole 5 points ahead of her nearest rival Bethany Taylor, 3rd went to Grace Garner.
Future Stars Boys:
The boys races were brought to you by the letter “J”, Joe Truman of Rapha Condor Sharp managed to dominate the Points race and Six Lap Dash, the lead was held by Brett Nethall with two laps remaining but Truman hauled him in. Joel Partington of Team Sky won the Scratch Race. Jack Carlin of Rudy Project Race Team managed a respectable 2nd in the Six Lap Dash and a 3rd in the Scratch Race.
The Women’s Scratch Race was the last of the outings for the professional women on the track and all conquering past Future Stars Rider Emily Kay, who has now embarked on her professional career showed her usual flair for the track and rode a brilliant Scratch Race, never panicking or being intimidated but the big names, in the sprint for the line she saw off Leire Olaberria Dorronsoro of Spain and Laura Trott clung on to 3rd.
Katie Archibald
I caught up with Revolution first timer Katie Archibald who took a tumble earlier in the evening:
CS: How did you find your first Revolution experience?
Katie: “It went pretty terribly to be honest with a crash and a god awful devil. I’m hoping to get back on my game for Glasgow. It was the first I’ve ridden so the mass of cameras and crowds impressed me, I’m riding the Scottish Champs tomorrow and it’s a pretty stark contrast.”
CS: Congratulations on your recent news [British Cycling Academy] Can I ask you thoughts about the big move south? and what you expect to be in store for you?
Katie: “It’s still all a bit up in the air, so unfortunately I don’t really have any details about what will happen in the next few months, it’s making it quite hard for me to form a reaction! I’m glad I’ve gotten on… and I’m glad I won’t be going back to work!”
CS: How did you hear you’d been selected?
Katie: “Chris told me by phone the week after we got back from the Euros. I was expecting to find out two weeks prior to that so it had been festering quite a while, it’s was such a relief to have my place confirmed.”
CS: What are your long term goals?
Katie: “Hmm.. My long term dream would have to be Rio. Also I hope to ride for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games next year. My biggest strength is pursuing, but my biggest love is the points race. Though I will be doing more road in 2014.
CS: The Women’s Tour?
Katie: “Yep probably the women’s tour – my team for next year is Madison / Boot Out Breast Cancer and I’ll be riding with the like of Sarah Storey and other big names. It’s a really exciting time”
Elite Men’s Madison 1km Time Trial is always a favourite with the crowd and tonights didn’t disappoint, The crowds and track centre were on their feet ready to watch the changeovers, In the end Ed Clancy and Ollie Wood of Rapha won ( 00.56.001 ) helped by a perfect slingshot changeover. but once again Owain Doull and Steven Burke weren’t far behind taking second; .333 down. Luke Rowe and Jon Dibben of Team Sky took 3rd place with a time of 00.56.557.
UCI Men’s Sprint Final – Jason Kenny showed the crowd some flawless sprinting beating Matt Crampton to the line, Hindes and Olivia fought it out for 3rd place with Philip Hindes taking it.
The girls provided the real nail biter of the evening in the UCI Women’s Sprint Final, the fight for third and fourth went to the line with Dani Kahn winning third place and Katy Marchant taking fourth, but the battle for the win between Varnish and James had everyone out of their seat shouting their favourite on. Varnish just edged it on the line.
UCI Men’s Scratch Race: Dean Downing rides off the front of the peloton with 56 laps to go in his true gritty style, pulled back into the pack with 51 laps to go. Luke Rowe then takes up the challenge but he’s chased down by Christian Grasmann of Rudy Project. Jon Mould Goes away but has to admit defeat and join the peloton again.
A strong looking breakaway of 4 riders led by Christian Grasmann and made up with Simon Yates, Sam Harrison and Otto Vergaerde again holds a half lap gap for a handful of laps but gets hauled in by Owain Doull and the fully committed peloton. Dean Downing gives it another go off the front to please the crowd who cheer him on, with 16 laps to go the peloton starts to show signs of splintering as Downing gives up with a cheeky smile knowing he’s done damage. Jon Dibben of Team Sky takes his chances and takes Jon Mould with him but to no avail with 6 laps to go Sam Harrison makes a break but with moments to go and roars from the crowd olympic champion Ed Clancy powers off the front to take an impressive victory. I have to say the Men’s Scratch race was one of crowds favourite events judging by the cheers… mine too!
Men’s UCI Keirin Final: Jason Kenny proved his stripes in the final beating the best of the UK riders with an impressive gap to roars from the crowd.
Women’s UCI Keirin Final: Jess Varnish comes to the front with two laps to go, but timing is everything and Kahn wins in a photo over Jess Varnish, Rosie Blount 3rd and Becky James 4th. There was just a 7cm margin!
Round 1 TV Highlights
If you’re in the UK you can watch the highlights of Round 1 on the new BT Sport2 Channel (not available on all TV services in the UK).
Tuesday 29th October 2013
For more information on the Revolution and to book your Glasgow tickets for round 2 visit: www.cyclingrevolution.com
UCI Men’s Keirin Round 1
Heat 1
1. Matt Crampton
2. Phil Hindes
3. Kian Emadi
4. Benjamin Edelin (Fra)
5. Matt Rotherham
6. Callum Skinner
Heat 2
1. Tomas Babek
2. Lewis Oliva
3. Jason Kenny
4. Jean Smith
5. Nel Jeanne
Elite Men’s Flying Lap
1. Ed Clancy 13.358
2. Steven Burke 13.570
3. Andy Tennant, 13.824
4. Jon Dibben 13.904
5. Evan Carstens 14.021
6. Jon Mould 14.178
7. Christian Grasmann 14.342
8. Chris Latham 14.385
9. Jacob Scott 14.502
10. Jake Ragan 15.270
Elimination Race
1 ROWE, Luke SKY
2 MOULD, Jon USN
3 DOULL, Owain TMG
4 GRASMANN, Christian RPR
5 HARRISON, Sam TSC
6 TENNANT, Andy MGE
7 CLANCY, Ed RCJ
8 VERGAERDE, Otto WD4
9 SCOTT, Jacob TSC
10 RAGAN, Jake MAX
11 WOOD, Oliver RCJ
12 DIBBEN, Jon SKY
13 DOWNING, Dean MGE
14 GRAF, Andreas RPR
15 DAVIES, Scott USN
16 YATES, Adam MAX
17 CARSTENS, Evan ROU
18 LATHAM, Chris WD4
19 BURKE, Steven TMG
20 GOUVERIS, Kellan ROU
Future Stars Boys Scratch Race
1 PARTINGTON, Joel SKY 30
2 HOLT, Joe USN 25
3 CARLIN, Jack RPR 23
4 IRESON, James TMG 22
5 ROTHERHAM, Tom ROU 21
6 TRUMAN, Joe RCJ 20
7 BAILLIE, Karl SKY 19
8 KIRKBRIDE, Ellis MAX 18
9 LONGSTAFF, Frank MGE 17
10 PAYNE, Jack ROU 16
11 WALKER, Joey TSC 15
12 WALLS, Matt MAX 14
13 AL-RAMAH, Hisham MGE 13
14 BOOTH, Tom RPR 12
15 BALFOUR, Stuart TMG 11
16 WOOD, Reece TSC 10
17 BRAYBROOKE, Alex WD4 9
18 MORGAN, Luke RCJ 8
19 BRENNAN, Fabian WD4 7
20 NETHALL, Brett USN 6
UCI SCratch Race Final
1 CLANCY, Ed GBR
2 BURKE, Steven GBR
3 RAGAN, Jake GBR
4 GRASMANN, Christian GER
5 CARSTENS, Evan RSA
6 DIBBEN, Jon GBR
7 DAVIES, Scott GBR
8 LATHAM, Chris GBR
9 VERGAERDE, Otto BEL
10 DOULL, Owain GBR
11 MOULD, Jon GBR
12 TENNANT, Andy GBR
13 GRAF, Andreas AUT
14 YATES, Adam GBR
15 HARRISON, Sam GBR
16 ROWE, Luke GBR -1 Laps
17 SCOTT, Jacob GBR -1 Laps
18 WOOD, Oliver GBR -1 Laps
19 DOWNING, Dean GBR -3 Laps
Men’s Keirin Final
1 KENNY, Jason GBR
2 HINDES, Phil GBR
3 CRAMPTON, Matt GBR
4 OLIVIA, Lewis GBR
5 EMADI, Kian GBR
6 BABEK, Tomas CZE
Back in July, British Cycling announced their initiative to inspire one million more women to get on their bikes. The Rider Development Sessions for Women and Girls from Go-Ride, aim to build confidence and teach new cycling techniques in a relaxed and informal setting, in closed road venues. Sessions include track, CX, BMX, and road. And over the past 2 weekends I’ve had the opportunity to attend 2 of them….
Last Sunday, the weather a little stormy, I headed over to Burgess Park BMX Track in London, with 10 other fearless ladies for an afternoon of BMXing. As a teen, I had no interest in my brother’s BMX bike, but it seems I wasn’t the only one who’d found a new want to try something different. And different it was!
The session, aimed at women familiar to cycling (most of us road and track cyclists), started with an introduction to ‘what’ a BMX bike is, the difference in handling to our typical 700c bikes and an hour of getting used to being on our toes and using our bodies to control these small rental bikes. Even before we’d put on the smelly helmets, we were all itching to get on the pump-track; and it wasn’t long before we were let loose on sections, slowly building our confidence, speed and pumping action to complete full runs of the track, including use of the start gate and mini races of 3 riders towards the end. We went from being complete novices to race-ready in 2 hours. Not bad going I say!
Today, 50 lady cyclists of different ages and abilities gathered for the first of 4, 4-hour road specific development sessions in the South region. Rather different to an introduction to something completely new, today’s session was with the aim of growing bike handling skills for road cyclists and the main goal of racing; with a Go-Ride race in the final session in December.
Riding round a rather soggy and windy track at Kempton Park, we progressed from group riding, chain-ganging, speedy cornering to finishing with an elimination race, or survival of those with speed and good bike handling skills! (Yes, you read that right. And you’re guessing right too – a questionable decision for road racing with a group of ladies only just getting used to the idea of being bumped and squeezed in a group!). It was great to see so many eager ladies keen to learn and determined not to let the weather ruin it. For me, it wasn’t as fun or exciting as giving something new a go (cycling around a 1 mile course 40 times gets a little tiring), but with intention of racing next season, I hope to build on some skills and if anything, check out what I’m up against.
Having spent the past 2 weekends at two very different events, I can highly recommend giving it a go – whether it’s something completely new, or something you wish to build on. Well done British Cycling for investing the time and money – I’ll be sure to renew my membership next year.
Hayley Davies
Writer
Riding since Feb 2011 Hayley is a 30 year old female who loves adventures. If she’s not on one of her many bikes or in the water on a bodyboard/surfboard, then Hayley is probably out looking for something new to keep the adrenaline pumping! Website: www.hjdonline.co.uk
An inspiring book to read and then to ride… if you dare!
This inspiring hardback book presents a selection of the most challenging and rewarding routes for road and racing cyclists. From the South Downs Epic and Tour of the Peak in the UK, to Paris-Roubaix in France and Tour of Flanders in Belgium, from Gruyere Cycling Tour in Switzerland and Tour of Lombardy in Italy to the San Sebastian Classic in Spain, this book is the ultimate motivation for cyclists who want to push themselves to the next level.
The fifty-two classic European cycling routes – one ride for each week of the year – selected to appear in this weighty A4 hard backed tome of well over two-hundred pages cater for the aspiring and experienced cyclist as well as those more romantically inclined, inspired as they are by the epic routes raced by the legends of the sport.
Experience an example… The Retro Ronde.The routes have derived their inspiration from the many professional races as well as the ever growing mass-participation events, the cyclosportives. Indeed the twenty-four routes that cover the UK and Ireland are exclusively ‘sportive in scope. I’m ashamed to report that I have ridden only one … but can vouch for the books accuracy; I was indeed Flat Out in the Fens! Several of the European events feature in the World Cycling Tour: an age group series in which participants have the chance to qualify for and compete in an age-group final. You, yes you, could become a World Champion!
Route 34, pp148-150, covers the outstanding Retro Ronde*
I rode this in 2013 and am happy to state without hyperbole that it is my absolute favourite cycling experience, second to none – full review coming soon to Cycling Shorts (Ed. I promise!)
Here I am… climbing ‘The Wall’ Retro Ronde 2013
In the book the route distance is correctly stated as 100 km (I managed 112 km but did get myself lost taking in a few extra Heligen!) but the total climbing was very different to my experience. The book states 525 m however I managed 1200 m. To be fair to the author the organisers fine tune their route each year – and I did do the extra cobbled climbs! All the other information is accurate and succeeds in conveying the flavour of the experience. For experience the Retro Ronde certainly is! I shall be back every year – or as long as the old bike, and even older legs will allow. If you do plan on riding try to make a long weekend of it. The ‘Crit’, ahem, racing on the Saturday is wholly authentic yet rather tongue in cheek, and well worth the entry fee of €5!
Posing for the official photo at the start… the atmosphere was the best I have experienced.
So how does this fine book present the information?
The book in a nutshell …
52 European cyclosportive and Grand Tour routes
Full-colour route maps with directions and elevation profiles
Advice on ride strategies and techniques
Tips on training, appropriate clothing, nutrition and fitness
All routes are available to download for your GPS cycling computer
Routes cover the UK & Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
The author suggests the reader takes two possible approaches, both of which allow them to make full use of the route information. The first, and Sidwells strongly suggests this as the most preferable avenue, is to take part in the official event for each route (if there is one) as, and I can only concur with him in this respect, …
“…the atmosphere and camaraderie of these events, where thousands of like-minded souls take part, all enjoying doing something they love, is incredible.”
Additionally, there is also more than enough information within the book to allow you to ride each route, or your own variation of it, independently of the official event and at any time of year. Words to the wise… check before you leave that roads are open!
Each route is clearly described and supported with often fascinating background information along with tantalising titbits of history; and who amongst us hasn’t unleashed the inner child and ridden a classic imagining the spectres of the greats; Coppi, Bobbet, Garin, et al, riding alongside?
There are maps and directions for each route, including profiles that clearly indicate where each hill is located along with rather useful yet often unsettling detail on how long and steep they are! The ever useful height gain is also presented.
In the words of the author, Chris Sidwells, “Enjoy the book, use it for planning and setting objectives, but above all get out and ride these routes. They represent some of the finest cycling experiences you could ever have.”
Classic Cycling Routes in a little more detail …
The introduction is extensive and covers three very important pre-ride requisites: Basic equipment – your bike, creating a training plan, and challenge-ride nutrition. There is a lot of very useful information here ranging from how to best use a GPS device (by Garmin) to the basics of creating a training plan.
The two-hundred pages devoted to the fifty two Race Routes traverse Europe through seven countries but with the majority set in the UK and Ireland.
The UK & Ireland section contains twenty-four routes, as listed below:
Etape Caledonia
The Cyclone
The Fred Whitton Challenge
Etape Pennines
The Ryedale Rumble
Etape du Dales
The Cheshire Cat
Tour of the Peak
The Shropshire Mynd
Flat Out in the Fens
Hell of the North Cotswolds
The Ups and Downs
The Lionheart
The New Forest Epic
The South Downs Epic
The Tour of Wessex
The Exmoor Beast
The Dartmore Classic
Cornwall Tor
Etape Cymru
The Dragon Ride
The Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive
Tour of Sligo
Malin to Mizen
France:
Paris-Roubaix Challenge
Paris-Tours
Megève Mont Blanc
L’Ardéchoise Marathon
La Marmotte
Cinglés du Ventoux
Etape du Tour 2010
Belgium:
Tour of Flanders
Gent-Wevelgem
Retro Ronde
Grand Fondo Eddy Merckx
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Holland
The Amstell Gold Race
Germany:
Vattenfall Cyclassics
Switzerland
Gruyére Cycling Tour
Alpenbrevet Platinum Tour
Italy:
Tour of Lombardy
Milan-San Remo
A Stage of the Tour of Italy
La Leggendaria Charly Gaul
Maratona dles Dolomites
La Pinarello Cycling Marathon
L’Eroica
Spain:
San Sebastian Classic
Quebrantahuesos
Val d’Aran Cycling Tour
A Stage of the Vuelta
La Pico del Veleta
Don’t forget… all routes in this book can be downloaded to your Garmin (the Edge 800 in my case) from the AA website.
In conclusion…
As the book itself says, ‘the classic race routes selected here are not for the faint-hearted. Based on the best cyclosportive events in Europe and on stages of Grand Tours, they are much more than just pretty rides in the country. The fifty-two routes are serious mental and physical challenges (in the case of the Retro Ronde… the liver is called upon to do its bit too!) that require training and preparation. Yet each is accessible and achieved by many thousands of amateur cyclists each year.
Classic Cycling Race Routes allows you to cycle these rides at any time, either as preparation for the race events, or for the sheer joy and exhilaration of the challenge. For those rides that don’t have a dedicated cyclosportive route, the author has designed a ride a ride to reflect the demands and history of the race.
Each route contains a map with directions and an elevations and an elevation profile, and Chris Sidwells provides an overview combining ride strategy and techniques with the history of the race.
Practical and aspirational, Classic Cycling Race Routes will inspire a new generation of cyclists to push themselves to the extreme. You never know, the next Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish or Sir Bradley Wiggins may well be among them!
One for the rider as well as the reader + GPS routes = 100% Awarded our Star Buy Rating!
Reviewed by: Nichiless ‘Nicky’ Dey.
Neunkirchen-Seelscheid, Germany
About the author
Chris Sidwells is an internationally-respected British cycling journalist and author, with nine books on cycling, ranging from biography through fitness and training to bike repair. His Complete Bike Book has been translated into twenty-four languages, and his Bike Repair Manual is about to reach its fifth edition. Tour Climbs and Race for Madmen were best sellers in their genre. His ‘The Official Tour de France Records’ has the backing of Le Tour Itself. Most recently he has published The Long Race for Glory: How the British Came to Rule the Cycling World… the next book to be reviewed on Cycling Shorts. Chris’s words and photographs have graced the pages of Britain’s best-selling cycling magazine Cycling Weekly (indeed he seems to appear in every issue,) and in all issues of Cycle Sport and Cycling Active, along with Cycling Fitness. He has also been published in Men’s Fitness, Cycling Plus, GQ, Running Fitness and the Sunday Times. Phew!
Scottish Cycling athletes travel to Manchester ahead of the British Cycling National Track Championships
This week sees the Manchester Velodrome play host to the British Cycling National Track Championships. A line up of 284 riders are confirmed to appear throughout 5 days of competition (25th – 29th September) including World Keirin Champion, Jason Kenny, who will go up against fellow London 2012 Team Sprint gold medallist Philip Hindes in the men’s sprint events. The men’s endurance events will feature Olympic Gold Medallists Ed Clancy and Steven Burke as well as former World Champion Andrew Tennant and Olympic Champions, Joanna Rowsell, Laura Trott and Dani King.
In the women’s events, Scottish Commonwealth Games silver medallists in Delhi; Charline Joiner (MG Maxifuel) and Jenny Davis (City of Edinburgh RC) will compete for the 500m time trial title alongside Katie Archibald (City of Edinburgh RC), Louise Haston (City of Edinburgh RC), Emma Baird (City of Edinburgh RC) and Eleanor Richardson (Edinburgh RC). Joiner and Archibald will also compete in the 3000m Individual Pursuit and Davis will compete for the women’s sprint together with Haston, Baird and Richardson. Louise Borthwick (Edinburgh RC) will be joined by Eileen Roe (Breast Cancer Care Cycling Team), Archibald and Joiner in the points and scratch race. Baird, Davis and Haston will also be lining up for the women’s keirin.
Also taking to the boards will be Commonwealth Games hopefuls Callum Skinner (City of Edinburgh RC) and John Paul (City of Edinburgh RC) competing in the men’s keirin on Friday and the sprint event on Saturday in which Skinner, as reigning champion, will look to defend his title.
Speaking to British Cycling, defending British sprint champion and Commonwealth Games hopeful Callum Skinner, originally from Glasgow said: “It (winning the British National Sprint Champion title) was probably one of my best achievements last year, so to be able to hold onto that or even be close to it would be a great thing.”
“The Commonwealth Games is also big target for me; want to hit that event full on. With ticket sales having drawn to a close, it seems like it is really on the horizon now.”
John Paul, Bruce Croall (City of Edinburgh RC) and Jonathan Biggin (Glasgow Life Track Cycling Team) are hoping to bring a British National Championship medal home to Scotland when they compete for Scottish Cycling (Scotland) in the Team Sprint, however they will be up against strong competition from the likes of Callum Skinner, Philip Hindes and Matthew Rotherham who will be competing for the North West of England.
Team Raleigh rider Evan Oliphant, straight from the Tour of Britain, will be competing in the points and scratch races alongside James McCallum (Rapha Condor JLT) who will also be competing in the omnium.
Another Commonwealth Games hopeful taking to the Manchester track will be Silas Goldsworthy (Sandy Wallace Cycles) who will compete in the 4000m individual pursuit scratch and point’s race.
Paralympic gold medallists Neil Fachie (Ythan CC) and Aileen McGlynn OBE (Champion System/Maxgear/Base) will compete in the para-cycling kilo time trial and flying 200m TT. Scottish para-cycling pilot Craig McLean will also be competing in the keirin and sprint races.
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And that’s not all. With a free goody bag on offer to the first 50 through the door at each event, sparking wine and snacks (well, it is the off season), and invaluable advice on hand from store mechanics and staff, it’s set to be a fantastic and insightful evening with fellow female cyclists.
