We were lucky enough to have two photographers at the event yesterday.

Please have a look at the photos taken by both of them and support them buying any pics that you like !!!

Scott Tilley Photography – Rutland 10

Kimroy Photography – Rutland 10

Many thanks to everyone who turned up today. Special thanks to the club members who gave up there time to marshall and help out, John Smallwood, Simon Keeton, Chris Broadhurst and Lizzie and Lorna (soon to be) Latimer. The two time keepers, John Clarke and Roy Parker. And an extra special big thank to Daryll May, Lyndsey and family who helped out with the refreshments, catering and clean up after the event.

Apologies for the computer malfunction that led to the full results not being displayed at the finish. I’m afraid I have had a few problems getting the spreadsheet to behave. I have however typed out the results so find these attached. I will persevere with the spreadsheet and hopefully have the full results including the vets on standard very soon.

Until then, view the results here RutlandCC_10_Results_29_8_2011 (pdf).

ps The tandems time are still refusing to on the sheet, sorry about this, it was a very close competition too in the end. Taking it was Derek Sanderson and Helen Coleman in 29:39 with Stephen Brown and Robert Fotheringham second with 29:45.

The Rutland entourage we’re living it up in York last Sunday shopping, sitting in pizza express and cheering on our boys on in the prestigious city centre crit.

We had Nick in the 3rds race and Danny in the E,1&2’s .

The course was really fast with cobbled speed bumps and lined with footed railings!

After seeing loads of bad crashes, failed attacks and people packing in due to the pace… our lads both had their time handing out some pain to the other riders and both finished in one piece.

Well done lads, it was a pretty cool race to watch, I would say it was the Monaco of crits and a bloody good test for Dan’s new Chinese Carbon wheels .

Richard Teare has contacted me to tell me that he has got engaged to to his long suffering girlfriend Alicia.

As way of a celebration he has arranged for a cake to be at the cafe on Saturday morning and would like to welcome all Ruttlers and Teacakers along for a slice.

Congratulations to Rich and his lass and looking forward to a slice of cake with you on Saturday.

Steve Ellis would like to thank all those who helped him to organise Tumby’s road race at the weekend. This is a big thank you to all marshals (don’t forget if you have marshalled twice in one season you can qualify for free membership next year !!!), all lead and following car drivers and our expert photographer !!!

He would also like to say a special thanks to his wife Louise, without her hard work Steve says the event couldn’t have gone forward.

As well as thanking all of those people, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Steve, on behalf of the Rutland, for organising the event!

Right hope that covers everyone, if anyone needed thanking that I’ve missed, add a comment to this and I will add them to the list asap!

Well it was a roller coaster of a bike race today from where I was standing / shooting.

In the last week of May during the school holidays Rutland riders Andy Smith and Dick Cubison rode the Pyrennean coast to coast with Richard Walker from Sheffrec and Mike who is too busy drumming with Sheffield punk band ‘the Fuckwits’ to be in a cycling club.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB4Xw3Ngav0

We took the train to Biarritz which is a fine way to get there and knocks the spots off the bike bus.  But you do have to take your bike apart.  There are bike spaces on the French TGVs but I haven’t a clue how you book one on the main routes.  Stick your bike in a bag though and no-one bats an eyelid, plus there is no need to pay a fee.   I stuck mine in a John Lewis blanket bag, cost £7:00 and will do me a few more train trips.

We even got to Biarritz an hour early.  Got back to Sheffield from Perpignan in 12.5 hours including 2 changes at Paris and St Pancras.

From Biarritz it was six days to Perpignan following more or less the classic Raid Pyrenean route but with a loop into Spain on day 1 and finishing with the much quieter Port de Paillheres.  We managed all the classic climbs plus a few others such as the Bagargui.

The weather was varied, we had everything, hot to cold, dry to wet, clear to mist, often on the same day.

We booked accommodation at the start and finish then winged it for the rest.  That worked out really well especially the Hotel de Cimes on the slopes of the Peyresourde and the spa at Tarascon that was full of ill people smoking!  It felt like booking into an old peoples home for a night.

The Pyrenees are much wilder and quieter than the Alps though slightly less high.  But there are miles and miles of fantastic smooth quiet roads.  When we climbed over the Port de Bales I think we met about 6 cars in 40 Kms.

We didn’t find that many other cyclists except for the first day when we looped into Spain when there were hundreds on what seemed like mega teacakes.  Ever single person wearing a crash hat as well but I got away with, only saw one cop and he didn’t make me get off and walk.

We did meet some Dutch guy in the bar at the top of the Tourmalet who left to go down to Luz in the rain into the wind wearing very little.  He’s probably still shivering.  We were lucky as we descended in the rain with a tailwind!!

My own highlights were

Biarritz – Beautiful town and a great place to start

Cols de Iraty, Spectacular roads and hardly any traffic at all

Lightning strike at Argeles.  Seemed about 50 metres away from where we were eating.

Hotel de Cimes – what a place.

Port de Bales – what a climb.

The spa at Tarascon – what a hoot

more pics here

Next year I’m planning to do a trip through the Italian dolomites.  If you haven’t been before the Dolomites make the Alps look dull.  Watch this web site for details on how to sign up in the next few months.

Tuesday 2nd August saw the first race put on by the relatively new club/team RVO racing. Many of you will be familiar with the kit due to two stalwart teacakers, Mick and Tim Rowson being members. The race was held up at the excellent Barlow triangle course, this time comprising of 15 laps.

We had four Rutland riders on the line, Simon Keeton, Nick Latimer, Steve Ellis (you’ll always be Rutland and you know it) and myself Danny Lowthorpe. A glance round the rest of the field showed it was more of a quality rather than quantity field with only about 30 turning out but some decent riders in the field.

The race started out a fairly brisk pace and after just a lap Chris Metcalfe decided to put in the first attack. After sticking his nose in the wind for about a lap he was joined by approximately eleven riders that would form the definitive break of the race. Luckily for us, three of our riders, Steve, Nick and Danny were safely tucked away in the break. Behind Simon put his brakes on hard and slowed the following pack.

Despite a few notable exceptions the whole of the breakaway worked smoothly together and despite a few attacks which came to nothing the group worked smoothly towards the finish. As the laps ticked by and the finish approached, the group began looking at each other and at this point James Thompson took his chance and attacked hard alone.

James remained in front for a few laps and built up a fair a lead. With three laps to go a reaction came from the group and it was again Chris Metcalfe who forced the pace with Mike (Surname pending) and Ben Kellett in tow. Danny managed to make this move too and before long they were working very smoothly together and quickly established a good lead. By the bell it became clear that the winner would come from one of these four.

There were a few break attempts on the final lap but three of the riders remained as the rounded the final bend. Danny kicked first with the finish line in site and gained enough of a gap to raise his arms and take the win.

Nick crossed the line in 10th after leading out the sprint. With Steve coming in one place behind in eleventh.

All in all it was a great night for the Rutland. Many thanks go out to RVO for a successful first promotion. And thanks to Andy Jones for supplying the following excellent photographs.

A few weeks ago my little brother Ollie came over to compete in the English Schools time trial championships at Darley Moor. He was up against some pretty stiff competition including some of the best from our region. It was also the first time he had ridden on a proper time trial bike (he borrowed mine).

The weather as per usual for Darley moor was very windy and just after the start the rain came pouring down. However he took it all in his stride and clocked a very impressive 24:29 to win the event !!! Top work Ollie.

Then in the afternoon there was a 2/3/4 crit and so up I stepped. Luckily for me the rain had stopped and the field was looking a little depleted. I took it to them from the gun and managed to force a move of about eight or nine riders by the end of the first lap. We stayed together for the first part of the race but with seventeen laps to go, I attacked again and got a gap. Shortly after I saw another rider coming across the gap so waited for him and then we worked till the finish. As the finish line approached I managed to put in final surge and took the win.

All in all a great day to for the Lowthorpe brothers !!! My brotehr in law was on hand with his camera, see the attached pictures.

I was supposed to be giving time checks...I didn't do very well...When the big hand gets to the top...he's up!!!

A skinsuit shot that doesn't make look thirty stone...result !!! Even my ankles look quite thin.

Before the end of the race...it proper p*ssed it down....

It's always good to get the arms aloft !!!

Stalwart teacaker, Tim Hall, recently sent me this pic that he took at a recent book launch in Nona’s on Ecclesall Road.

If you look hard at the picture in the background, doesn’t it look like the spitting image of a certain “retro” member of the club ??

All answers on a postcard please to: Tony Sweeney competition, PO Box 2011.