Evening 10s, Round 6
The sixth and penultimate Round of Lewes Wanderers’ 10-mile time-trials was held on the warm and sticky evening of Monday 7th July, on the A22-based “Boship” course. Thankfully, there were no roadworks to jeopardise the event, but the movement of vehicles to commence roadworks elsewhere did have a bearing on the result.
The opening trio of racers who set off from 7:30 onwards were blissfully unaware of this complication, but Dan Street and Peter Baker, who set off fourth and fifth, found themselves amid a slow-moving line of traffic following a wide load.
In the circumstances, Dan’s time of 24 minutes and 37 seconds was impressive as it was the fastest road bike performance on the night and runner-up overall, behind Darren Haynes, who recorded his maiden overall and time-trial bike victory with a superb time of 24:13.
Neil Edwards was runner-up in the road-bike category and third overall with a time just three seconds slower than Dan. Despite almost certainly being delayed, Peter completed the course in 25:16 for runner-up in the TT-bike class and fourth overall, just a solitary second ahead of Alex Steer who claimed bronze among the road-bike fraternity. Paget Cohen (26:50) completed the standings on his debut in the series.
Paget Cohen by Bob Taylor
Eastbourne Rovers Birling Gap TT
Paget and Peter were joined by club mate Ben Gregory on Thursday 10th July for a similarly sweltering evening to race. Eastbourne Rovers CC were the host club on this occasion with the event being one of their hard and hilly Birling Gap Time Trials.
From the start, just east of Birling Gap, Peter clocked the third fastest time to Beachy Head of 8 minutes and 14 seconds. Paget was fourth with 8:21 and Ben sixth from eleven with 8:39.
The trio held the same positions, but in reverse order by the time they completed the 7.2-mile circuit. Ben took third spot on the podium with a time of 22 minutes and 16 seconds. Paget was nine seconds and one place behind, while Peter placed 6th with 22:40.
Eastbourne Rovers Pevensey TT
After Lewes Wanderers’ proposed “Evening 2-up 10” for Monday 14th July was cancelled at short notice due to the sudden appearance of roadworks on the A22, Ben and Peter returned to individual action on Thursday 17th July.
On a warm and sultry night with rain clouds scudding around, but missing the racing, Ben and Peter competed in an Eastbourne Rovers time-trial on their 14.07 mile “Pevensey” course. The course starts on the levels, heads up and through Hooe, and then back via Ninfield, Boreham Street and Wartling.
Ben put in a superb ride to smash his course personal best by two-and-a-half minutes, taking third overall and runner-up in the road-bike category in a time of 2 seconds inside of 38 minutes.
Competing on one of his vintage machines, complete with toe-clips and down-tube shifters, Peter recorded a creditable 44:20 to place 9th from thirteen overall and sixth in class.
Sussex Cycle Racing League
Peter has been a regular competitor in the Sussex Cycle Racing League Wednesday night Track League at Preston Park outdoor velodrome. In Round 10 on 18th June, he placed 6th from 7 in the 5-lap “Scratch” Race. He clinched third place from six on the sixth and last lap of the Points Rampage, and came third again in the 3-lap Dash.
A week later he took another third place in the 5-lap Scratch, fifth from seven in the 5-lap Elimination Race, a result he repeated in the 6-lap Points Race, and concluded the night with fourth in the “Unknown” distance race.