Another busy Sunday saw four velo riders in action in three different disciplines.
First up was Steve Smith and Rob Sapp who were both competing in the VTTA 15 mile time trial held on a new course starting from Ham Street.
Despite having to contend with a road accident on the M20 which saw the start of the event delayed, and a very cold spot of rain which he compared to a cold shower and caused him to lose some sensation in his fingers, Steve rode well to claim eleventh place overall, only a few seconds behind tenth, finishing in 33:13.
Rob Sapp also made a welcome return to time trialling and finished in 37:15. It’s good to see Rob back in action.
On the other side of Kent Carla Button was competing in the Catford CC Hill Climb, considered the oldest continuously raced event in the world having first been raced in 1886. Held on the now traditional but fearsome Yorks Hill near Sevenoaks, competitors have to contend with ‘leaves on the line’ as they make their way up the 646 metre long course with an average gradient of over 12%.
Carla has her race face on!
Carla’s official time for the lung busting race was 3:11.
Finally Phil Booth was in action in round 4 of the London Cyclo Cross League, held at Happy Valley in Brighton. The course for the vets 40 race, was more to Phil’s liking with it being grassy and not overly technical, and Phil was able to initially hold a mid pack place before he started to drop back through the field, however he still recorded his best placed finish in a cross race, and afterwards remarked that at least it was evidence of his continued development, even though he needs to work on his remounting.
Phil gets underway at Happy Valley
