With dawn breaking on a cloudy Sunday morning three Lewes Wanderers riders began their attempt to cycle from London to Edinburgh and then back to London within a five day time frame. The three riders attempting this challenge were Chris Martin, Paul Gibbons and Michael Turner, who joined nearly a thousand participants from thirty three different countries in this classic Audax promotion. The route is broken down into stages to enable riders the opportunity to grab a few hours sleep and refuel, though with such a tight timetable riders cannot afford to linger as they have to average 280 km per day if they are to arrive back in London within the prescribed time. The three Lewes riders had a fantastic start reaching Thirsk, some 400 km from London after 24 hours, a good three hours ahead of their schedule. It remains to be seen if the three can maintain this fierce tempo, as fatigue will increasingly kick in on the tough return leg.
Young Callum Middleton was the sole Lewes representative at the Southern Counties CC 100. Due to road works the course had to be revised, and the thought of repeated loops around the hilly Partridge Green circuit dissuaded many from entering, a fact reflected by a very small starting field of thirty two riders. Callum had a good ride and his time of 4.57.02 was praiseworthy indeed. Steve Kane of Brighton Excelsior won the event dipping under the magic four hour mark by 25 seconds.
Meanwhile, Nick Dwyer has set about rewriting the Lewes record books by smashing his club record by posting a time of 1.45.51 for the Shaftesbury CC 50, held on a fast course near Newmarket.
Monday’s ride in the evening ten series incorporated the Athlete’s Ten, an event where riders must complete the course without the usual accruements and paraphernalia associated with time trailing - no pointy hats, fancy wheels, tribars or skin suits etc. Most riders’ find that they complete the circuit between one to three minutes slower than their best on an all singing TT machine - this race is about the rider not the bike!
The winner is based on comparing the times of riders on their full-blown TT bikes and relating them to the times posted on normal road bikes. After complex calculations and deliberations, the winner was Hugh Procter, followed by David Beale and Bob Evans.
On Monday, Lewes riders face a challenge of a different kind as they tackle the club’s annual Hill Climb. This lung busting torture entails riders ascending the fearsome Firle Beacon.
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