St Neots riders were in Time Trial action over the weekend of 12th & 13th tackling the ECCA 10 and Cambridge Cycling Club 25 events (TT Races)

Saturday saw a full field tackle the superfast but fickle E2/10 course on the A11 between West Wratting and Six Mile Bottom. The three Simon’s (Elkington, Murphy and Richardson ), Pat Ellerbeck, Normal King, and Roger Williams took to the start but a block headwind on the way out made for a very challenging 5+ miles on the out-leg and blew away any thoughts of setting personal bests. The event was won by local rider Simon Norman of BRCC who was the only rider to break the magical 30mph barrier setting a time of 19:52. In the club competition SNCC was 11th, ahead of some of our nearest neighbours P'boro 12th, St Ives 13th and CC Ashwell 17th.


Come Sunday and the racing moved to the F2/25 between Maddingly and Caxton on the A428 with Mark Greenhow, Simons Murphy and Elkington representing St Neots. Until this weekend the course with its silky-smooth surface, wide lanes and favourable prevailing wind was a little known fast, safe and fun local gem. This year word got out and the event was hugely oversubscribed with many road racers and scattering of professional riders stretching their legs. Simon Murphy put in an excellent performance taking 1 minute from his personal best for 25 miles. Abbo regular Hayley Simmonds won the women’s event by over two minutes posting a time of 51:28 and Ashley Cox of Team Bottrill won the men’s event by 55 seconds with a time of 46:25 and in the process took 2 minutes from his PB. The course lived up to its billing with 23 riders, 4 of whom were juniors going sub 50 minutes and more than 50 PBs set by the field.  

 

 

CC Ashwell (CX Races)

Sunday also saw the second round of the CCAshwell Summer CycloCross series; another test event to see if / how mass-start racing can be done in the current circumstances. A baking hot day and re-jigged course from the first round of races made this a harder day, with two mounds, one set of steps, a trench and two pairs of hurdles all requiring dismounts. 

Vincent Plosky & Simon Richardson represented the club in two different 'open' races, with Vin taking 12th overall / 6th vet in his race and Simon 15th / 6th in his