Year: 2006

Both Dave Fleming and Ed Rieu rode this opening 22 mile Prologue TT, strictly road bikes only, and no tri-bars. Ed rode as a Group A competitor recording a time of 57:34 over the difficult and lumpy course. Dave romped home to first in his age category, Group E, recording 56:06 and having the ego boosting opportunity to start the next race in the white Leaders Jersey!! If ever there was a man who didn’t need a white jersey to show of its tan its Dave…life is just so un fair.

Mike Thorogood came 7th with 59.26. The winner was Paul Smith Shaftesbury CC in 56.29.

Bob Loader was the first Sydenham rider off on this early season classic. After suffering a puncture and having problems getting his tub off he eventually recorded a 2.28.19. Dave Twin was next off and slightly improved on last year with a 1.45.56. Richard Hallett followed with a 1.42.57 (winning the vets on std with +25.22) and Matt Lucas recorded a 1.48.25 having un-shipped his chain once and been suffering with a cold. The winner was Jason White of JD cylces in 1.37.21.

Dave Fleming got his Road Racing season off to a start in this event on the soon to be sorely missed Eastway Circuit. Apparently riding to check his fitness he managed 6th overall and 4th in his age group, so it looks like the fitness is not a problem.

Sydenham Wheelers were well represented in this event on the Tonbridge bypass on Saturday morning. Michael Thorogood, Ian O’Hara, Dave Twin, Robert Royston and Harry Royston all rode this event in pretty dodgy conditions managing 7th (22:16), 11th (22:40), 19th (23:22), 34th (24:40) and 58th (28:02) respectively. Things did a bit exciting when at one point Mick and Ian were lying 1st & 2nd overall…..but it wasn’t to be. Full result available on LondonCycleSport.com

On yet another blustery day and on damp road two teams were down to ride this event to challenge for the 2-up trophy. Unfortunately due to a heavy chest infection Ian O’Hara was unable to ride. Richard Hallett then road solo to a very respectable 58.47. The other team of Mike Thorogood and Dave Twin finished with a 57.05 (6th), therefore winning the 2 up trophy, even though Dave suffered a number of times thanks to Mike’s strength. The overall event was won by Graeme Stirzaker and Ben Instone of a3crg in 51.37.

Using crits to prepare for the TT season Mark Yeulett came first in a Vets event on closed roads on Sunday 19th March. The following Sunday, riding in gale force winds, managed a second place after deciding not to contest the sprint. The TT season starts for Mark this coming weekend when he will be competing in a 10 mile event on a brand new course…report to follow.

Some other recent results from club members in recent Time Trial and Road events:-

RTTC Rudy Project Round 1 – Vets Actual – Richard Hallett 13th 27.22 (won by Michael Coyle 24.36)
RTTC Rudy Project Round 1 – Vets Target – Richard Hallett 24th +3.45 (won by John Woodburn +9.02)

Southborough & District 10 18/03/2006 Luke Edwardes-Evans 13th in 25.57 (won by Peter Tadros 23.33)

SERRL at Eastway on 25/03/06 – Mark Newton 16th and Jamie Walker 23rd

At last the weather turned a bit milder, even though the wind and damp road surface still didn’t make feel much like spring. Seven members of the club were entered, six of which rode. Mike Thorogood once again was the fastest with 23.28, Dave Twin did 24.17, Robert Royston 25.00, Tim Morton 26.26, Dave Mulford 27.51and Harry Royston 29.17. Matt Lucas was the non-starter. The scratch event was won by James Stewart Le Coq Sportif – Dolan – SIS with 22.13. The actual vets event was won by Ron Keeble 34 Nomads.

33 teams were down on the start, many of them suffering in the stiff, cold cross winds on the day. The Sydenham had three teams: Harry Royston, Dave Mulford and Glyn Tully who recorded 1.27.23. Robert Royston, Mark Newton and Luke Evans with 1.05.20. Mike Thorogood, Ian O’Hara and Dave Twin who 3rd with 1.00.29 picking up bronze medals. The may well have finished 2nd if Dave hadn’t been suffering from a slight chest infection! Richard Hallett also rode as a part of a composite team, but pulled out having found Chaz Hollosi efforts a little excessive! The event was won Gary Banfield, Gary Chalkley and Paul Burrows of Kent Cycles R.C. in 56.39.

Matt Lucas was the sole Sydenham rider competing in this sporting 21 mile event, effectively taking in two laps of the Bletchingly road circuit. Sporting a brand new TT bike (ridden for 15 minutes the day before for the first time) and novelty arm warmers (don’t ask!) managed a blustery 57:15, which at time of leaving was good enough for about 10th, with a handful riders times o/s. The overall winner was Paul Mill – Edwardes Elite in 51:45. Rumour has it Paul was stuck in 55/14 for most of it due to a mechanical…not sure if ‘impressed’ or ‘depressed’ best describes how Matt felt about that!

Mark and Jamie both rode the 4th cat event managing 13th and 17th respectively. Ian O’Hara riding under the Citi Hub banner rode rode the 2/3 event getting 15th overall. Full result available from LondonCycleSport.Com.

Following on from our previous report on the East Surrey Hardriders event it turns out that in addition to some fine individual performances Sydenham also won this team competition (R.Hallett +5.12, D.Twin +2.03, E.Rieu -2.59).

We now have full details of the Sydenham results from the his sporting event. Mike Thorogood got 5th with a very impressive 58:38, Grant Beerling did a 01:04:45 and Harry Royston won the junior competition with 01:30:58. The event winner was Gary Birch of promoting club VC Elan with 56:45.

Normally when we hear from Mark he’s bragging about the great whether and glorious racing circuits around the harbour. No so this time, apparently the whether in Bermuda is on the up after ‘weeks of wind and rain’……don’t complain to us Mark, substitute your weeks for ‘months’ add ‘freezing cold’ then you might recall what winter training and early season racing in the UK is like!

On a racing front Mark got is competitive season off to a start on Sunday with a 45 minute crit in which he came a pretty impressive 2nd. Apparently he has another crit lined up for this Sunday, on closed roads apparently, and then plans to get his TT season off to a start on 2nd April with a 10 mile competition.

On yet another very cold morning, but with a wind that wasn’t as bad a the previous year’s event, 5 members of the club rode this sporting event. The fastest Sydenham rider was Ian O’Hara with 1.14.55 (8th), Richard Hallett did 1.17.01 (13th), Dave Twin 1.18.21 (16th), Ed Rieu 1.24.35 and Luke Evans 1.24.36. Ray Hughes of Clarence Wheelers won with 1.10.45.

Ian O’Hara rode this 8 lap (115km) road race in Essex. A 5 mile neutralised section combined with very cold weather resulted in a break in the first few miles. A break of 8 built a lead of around a minute over the next two laps. Ian jumped away from the break with Kevin Chambers (API/Metrow Foods) and built a lead of around 6 minutes on the bunch. A group of 5 riders got across to Ian and Kevin. With limited remaining energy Ian finished 7th. Full report Here!

Mark Newton rode the 4th Cats event. Apart for a few small breaks the bunch stayed together and ended in a sprint with Mark finishing 16th.
Ian O’Hara rode the E/1/2 event forcing an early break in the first lap. A group of five stayed away for 15 laps before being caught by the bunch. The race ended in a bunch sprint with Ian finishing 14th.

It was the beginning of a new racing season for 4 members of the club who joined Richard Hallett on yet a bright, but rather cold morning to ride this very sporting event. Richard once again showed his early season form with a 59.49 (4th), Mike Thorogood recorded 1.00.49 (6th), Dave Twin 1.04.18, Ed Rieu 1.08.49 and Graham Ward 1.16.26. As a result the club picked up the team prize. The overall event was won by Tim Mardall of V.C.Etoile in 57.32.