The first Sunday club run in the new format found yet another very busy and active Market Square  with about 40 club riders plus the Breeze riders taking the total to almost 50. With eight of the Club away at the Dragon Ride, the St Neots colours were out in force in Cambridgeshire and Wales today to the extent that a St Ives club member tweeted on how many St Neots riders were out today.

Today turned out to be a very good trial run of the new format for the Sunday club run and the initial choreography was ably led Steve and Mark who split the longer route group into two as noted below. As well as welcoming the Breeze riders to the 8.30am slot it was good to see new members Graeme Mulheron , George Lendrum and Daniel Hurst testing themselves on the longer route and a welcome to prospective member Nathan Temby on his first outing with the Club .

The general feedback back at the Market Square was that everyone enjoyed whichever group they were with and that the new format was successful. Don't forget the new short ride (about 25 - 30 miles at about 14mph) starts this coming Sunday, 16th June, and continue weekly thereafter.

A reminder especially for new members is the need to bring a spare inner tube, pump and tyre levers with you on all Club runs.

Longer Route First Group

The first of the longer route groups headed off from the Square a few minutes after the medium distance group had departed and even though we had them in sight by the top of Potton Rd, it wasn't until the run into Abbotsley when the catch was made. Being a smaller group of 12 meant that the group worked well as a tight unit and good riding discipline, with two lines of closely bunched riders, ensured a decent pace through Gransden, Caxton and Cambourne. On the drop down through Knapwell we encountered the various groups comprising the St Ives CC club run and, pleasantries exchanged, the route continued into the face of the NE as we headed on through Boxworth, across the A14 to Swavesey and on to Longstanton and Oakington. As we reached the furthest point of the route, the group had averaged just over 18mph into the headwind.  
With the wind finally on our backs, the pace lifted with some "through and off" until the cry of "puncture" went up at Rampton. After a quick tube change, there was a brief display of comedic, ultra low speed, falling off by a few in the group but, thankfully, with no damage to either bikes or riders we were quickly back up to speed through Over, picking up the guided busway back to St Ives. After Fenstanton and Hilton an  unusually favourable tailwind meant that the climb up to Graveley was taken at speed, possibly because a few Strava KOMs were on the cards. With a few riders going directly home, seven stretched their legs on the Toseland straight and a very fast decent down Paxton Hill returned the group to the Market Square to complete a very enjoyable and highly disciplined 54 mile club run at an average speed of just over 19mph.

Longer Route Second Group

The second of the longer group routes set off about three or four minutes later and we possibly didn;t have the precision in our riding lines as the first group.  However we worked well as a group with a pace around the 17.5 mile mark and we also had a puncture caused by a pothole on the approach to Over which did not hold us up for very long, and we were soon back on the road with the pace picking up as we headed for Fenstanton. This pace however was not sufficient for one irate car driver as we approached Hilton and we are not sure whether his shouts were of encouragement or perhaps abuse, but the general consensus was for the latter. On the Toseland straight we were led out by Dan King with Andy taking the sign ahead of Rob, Tony and George.

Medium Route

Chris P and Gareth led 8 out riders out from the Market Square towards Abbottsley on the 40 mile route.  Joining us was Mike who had stepped up from the Intro Ride.  Despite being June, arm and leg warmers were much in evidence as the temperature failed to better 12 deg.  The wind was a 10 mph north easterly. The route followed the TT course “wrong way” to Camborne then north to Swavesey picking up the silky-smooth guided bus route westerly toward St Ives.  Unfortunately, the group were split by traffic lights leaving the busway and the latter group of 4 then missed the turning for Fenstanton.  Despite extensive searching, the two groups failed to find each other so two groups of 4 returned to St Neots through Hilton and Graveley finally recording a touch over 38 miles at an average speed of 16 mph.  Everyone in this group liked the new Club Run format and all were comfortable with the pace and distance.  

Fast Group

Four of us set off for a group 1 paced ride, heading north to Huntingdon and Sawtry. We made good progress into the wind, but riding across the edge of the Fens, Richard's calf muscles started to cramp and so we eased the pace. After Sawtry we headed across to Hammerton then across to the Giddings and Winwick with a welcome tailwind. Then it was the familiar route back via Kimbolton and Staughton. A good, if uneventful ride, but ain't that the kind we like?