Ningwood TT Report
On Thursday 12th July, Spy Velo hosted another well run time trial around the 10 mile Ningwood circuit. 30 cyclists signed up to test themselves against the clock.
The circuit started just east of the Horse and Groom pub in Shalfleet, heading towards Yarmouth on the Forest Road. Taking a left into Thorley Road then another left onto Main Road through Thorley then Wellow.
At the T-junction at Ningwood, the riders headed north to Shalfleet Primary School taking another left to pass the start. After another half lap, the riders had done ten miles to finish near to the old Post Office in Wellow.
Wightlink Wight Mountain team rider Adam Holleyman (above) took the fastest time making it three from three in the series, narrowly beating Clint Oliver by one second. Both riders rode above 27mph and broke the 22 minute barrier finishing in 21.55 and 21.56 respectively.
Two other Wightlink Wight Mountain team members made the top ten with Ian Hayden 4th in 22.40 and James Pett 9th in 23.27. Thank you again to Spy Velo for putting on the event and Island Roads for the fast smooth new tarmac!
Tour of Sussex 2018
On 5th July a team of four riders from Wightlink Wightmountain Race Team (Second Category riders Adam Holleyman, Ian Hayden, Stuart Waite and first season Third Category rider, Joe Staunton) took part in the Tour of Sussex, one of the country’s toughest and most competitive amateur Stage Races, which featured some of the UK’s top amateur teams and a team from France.
The Team would face competition from 20 other teams over five stages in four days, the stages consisting of:-
- Stage 1 – Thursday Individual Time Trial up Ditchling Beacon
- Stage 2 – Friday 50 Mile Road Race on the Beachy Head Circuit
- Stage 3 – Saturday 52 Mile Road Race on the Kidds Hill – Ashdown Forest Circuit
- Stage 4 – Sunday Team Time Trial at Goodwood Motor Circuit
- Stage 5 – Sunday 60 Mile Road Race at Goodwood Motor Circuit
Stage 1 – Individual Time Trial – Ditchling Beacon
The opening stage of the Tour of Sussex was a two mile individual time trial. Starting just outside the town of Ditchling, working its way up a false flat to the start of the climb proper, Ditching Beacon.
A climb that featured in the Tour of Britain in 2014 and Tour De France in 1994 with an average gradient of 9% and ramps of 25% this was no small lump.
On a closed road riders were set off at one minute intervals alphabetically in team order meaning Wightlink Wight Mountain would be one of the last to set off at a start time of 8:45pm with the riders riding up into the setting sun. First off Hayden posted a time of 7.17 followed by Holleyman in 6.40 then Staunton in 6.47 followed by Waite in 7.51.
Stage 2 – Road Race – Beachy Head
With the efforts of the previous days intense hill climb effort still in their legs, Wightlink Wight Mountain team joined the 76 other riders in front of Eastbourne Pier for stage two of the tour. Friday’s event was a 50 mile Road Race starting full gas with a steep climb up from Eastbourne Seafront onto the circuit to complete six laps around Beachy Head down land.
The lap was characterized by a long climb that started back down at sea level at Birling Gap, gradually getting steeper as it worked its way up to Beachey Head viewpoint high up on the cliffs.
Immediately after, the course went straight onto an exposed rolling section of road through the downs where the cross winds further reduced the peleton as riders struggled to find shelter, unfortunately first year rider, Staunton, learnt this lesson the hard way towards the end of the race and was distanced from the main group with several others. Adam Holleyman was the team’s best placed rider, finishing 32nd out of 80 and moving up in the general classification to 36th.
Stage 3 – Kidds Hill – Ashdown Forest Road Race
The second road race of the Tour featured a notorious climb nicknamed ‘The Wall’ (Kidds Hill). The tone for the stage was set when the race director took much pleasure in informing the riders in the pre-race briefing that the climb was so tough it had ‘broken the Tour of Britain’ when it headed up there several years previously.
Eight laps totalling 55 miles, of arguably one of the toughest road race circuits in the country in 30+ degrees heat faced the riders. The first ascent saw the peloton shattered, with numerous groups forming.
Staunton and Holleyman made the leading group of approximately 30 riders. Each ascent of ‘The Wall’ saw Staunton pushing forward in the lead group and even achieving a top 15 time out of 13,500 athletes to have logged times up the climb.
Holleyman, being a slightly heavier set rider, showed incredible strength to chase onto the lead group after the climb. Unfortunately on the fifth lap Staunton’s chain dropped and got jammed, Holleyman tried to assist in rectifying the mechanical issue, but it required Staunton to stop and receive assistance from the following mechanic, losing considerable time and general classification placings in the process.
Holleyman finished just behind the lead group gaining severe more general classification positions, followed by Staunton, Hayden and Waite.
Stage 4 – Goodwood Race Circuit Team Time Trial
For the final day of racing on Sunday 8th July, the Wightlink Wight Mountain Cycle Race Team returned to favoured Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit to host the fourth and fifth stages with the day starting with a team time trial.
The team time trial event involved the four members of each team riding together against the clock for two laps of the circuit. Working together to gain maximum speed is crucial in the team time trial, whilst one rider pushes through the wind on the front, the others shelter and recover behind, taking turns to spread the effort.
The short distance, close riding for maximum aerodynamic benefit and swapping positions made for a technical and intense effort. The Wightlink Wight Mountain riders had practiced this event in preparation and it showed on the day. The four riders rode the 4.8 miles at 29mph finishing in sixth place out of the 20 teams.
After a tough few days of hilly terrain and misfortune the team were proud of their result, bringing confidence to them all for the final stage to come in the afternoon.
Stage 5 – Goodwood Race Circuit Road Race
The final stage consisted of a 60 mile race (25 laps) of the Goodwood motor circuit in the still scorching heat.
Holleyman, Hayden, Staunton and Waite all happy to make it to the final event as they lined up against a field of 80 other riders to take part in the race.
The pace was high and there were a few breaks and attacks that failed to stay away with teams making sure that the race stayed together.
With two laps to go the pace ramped up as teams frantically tried to position themselves in preparation for a sprint bunch finish.
Hayden put in a big effort which helped spread the bunch out and Holleyman directed Staunton to move into a gap which opened up a space for Holleyman to make his way through the very twitchy bunch to Waite. Waite then moved onto Holleyman’s wheel where they managed to overtake riders on the grass verge to get near the front of the race.
Holleyman lead Waite into the final sprint, where Waite managed to power into second place for the finish and Holleyman held on for a 27th overall General Classification finish.
This event proved a steep learning curve for the team, but showed they have the ability and potential to place well in the country’s toughest races in the years to come.
Surrey League Report
On 15th July Wightlink Wight Mountain rider, Joe Staunton, raced in the prestigious Surrey Cycle Racing League over ten laps (49 miles) of the hilly and testing Ladies Mile circuit.
Staunton, who has specialised in his first season cycling as a road racer competed without team mates in the 60 strong field against teams of up to seven riders.
Fresh from his efforts in the Tour of Sussex the weekend before against some of the UK’s top amateur racers, Staunton felt confident in this slightly lower level event. Never straying more than a handful of bike lengths from the front of the race, chasing down breaks and instigating two break attempts of his own on the final two laps the field dwindled to 20 riders from the original 60. Staunton contested the uphill sprint to narrowly be beaten into fourth position.
Mountbatten Centre Evening Circuits
One Wightlink Wight Mountain rider attended the Mountbatten race circuit for the cat three race on the Wednesday 11th July, starting in a field of 18 the race got underway with a lot of people trying early breakaways.
Andy stayed in the bunch chasing down any attacks that occurred, about midway through Andy broke away with a few others which didn’t stick.
The race eventually came down to a bunch sprint with the pack staying together with Andy rolling over the line in a respectable fifth place to collect some more valuable points towards his Second Category License.
Fat Creations Series – Goodwood
On Tuesday 26th June, three riders went to Goodwood for the final race of the fat creations series with all three riders working well together with every attempt to get away from the main bunch failing, due to a few bigger teams chasing to keep their riders in with a chance in the overall with Matt Allsopp currently in Third.
Adam Holleyman covered every attack that he hadn’t made himself, but coming into the last two laps the race split with two groups ahead, which started to get a bit worrying, so Ian Hayden and Adam made a big effort to chase both groups down putting Allsopp up the front for the finish.
Unfortunately Allsopp was blocked by another rider on the final chicane stalling him for the sprint.
Allsopp crossed the line sixth retaining his third place overall with both Holleyman and Allsopp picking up some great prizes at the end.
