Ride London report by Lee Kingston

For me the London Surrey 100 this year epitomised what is so fantasitic about cycling and why, after an absence of 20 years riding, I once again  mounted a bike 2 years ago.

My application was turned down for this years ride along with many thousands of others but during a London to Paris ride I took part in 18 months ago, I met some great new cycling friends, one of which rides for Solihull cc in the midlands, They had a group ride entered but at the last minute a rider dropped out.

I recieved a phone call!

“Absolutely yes!” Was my answer I only had 3 weeks to prepare (and  was away for 10 days during this period on holiday ).

Several good 75mile plus rides later and I was ready and feeling good.

The plan was to meet the other team members in the travelodge at excell london the Saturday night prior, stay over in a shared room ready for the start sunday morning.

On arrival to the travelodge excell I noticed there was nobody from the team there but a quick phone call clarified they had gone to the bigger, fancier hotel, just up the road.

As I walked round to the Aloft hotel I was drawn towards the pro team buses parked up outside,  Team Sky, Belkin, Cannondale etc. As I walked round the hotel trying to find my team mates I walked into an area of the bar that appeared to have many team sky personnel frequenting.  Regardless of anything else that may have happend that weekend,  it was made for me at that moment as whilst moving towards the bar I bumped into a rather tall slender chap who looked at me up and down as if to say…. “should I know you?” This is mainly due to the fact I had my team sky supporters jersey on that is identical to the jersey worn by the stars and specifically…. Sir Bradley Wiggins! Yes, the chap I literally stumbled accross was the 2012 Tour de france winner and hero of mine. “Hello Bradley” was all I could think to say and rather simply… ” hi there” was the response. Awsome. My weekend made.

The race ride though, as I eluded to earlier, was a great example of why cycling is such a compeling sport. After the disappointment of hearing the ride was reduced and box hill cut out (whilst queuing to leave the start the rumours were doing the rounds on Twitter) it was cold and wet and this remained the  case for some time. As a Londoner and former employee of east London,  riding down the A12 with no traffic was a bizarre experience. The ride was fine untill we reached Richmond park where, due to an accident on the exit of the park and flooding just outside, there was a horrendous bottle neck and the heavens decided it was time to rain as hard and fast as it possibly could. We were stuck, cold and unbelievably wet. Our confidence and attitude were rock bottom and if I had taken some money with me I would have gone home there and then. It was trully awful. I had no choice though. I could not move and had no money for the tube so I had to ride.

Wifh about 25 miles left the sun decided to make a long awaited appearance and we rode warm, dry, and in a group speeding along turbo charged by the cheers from the super crowd and to the tune of “come on solihill cc!” Every 100meters

Just then, as we sped along the embankment,  a pedestrian decided to cross from the central island and stepped straight out in front of our lead rider. Two adults and a bike were hurled into the air and the screams and fear of what just happened were awful. She, the pedestrian,  was taken away to hospital,  luckily,  our rider was shaken but not stirred and like 007, found the coolness to re-mount and carry on.

It was great to see some medway velo riders en route even if I felt a little bit 
of a traitor riding with solihull.

We finished on the mall all lined up reminiscent of the TDF team winners cruising down the champs elyeese and the most fantastic feeling of achievement warmed over us.

And this is why, cycling is such an amazing sport, pastime, activity. For me, a 40yo who has been around  the block a bit, to have this wave of feeling and camaraderie wash over me on a day where the weather was trully disgraceful and everything seemed to be against us .it made me smile. A huge smile