Cycling report by Simon Foster - Andover Wheelers
Andover Wheelers' Jake Prior has taken the coveted Andover Advertiser championship held over 25miles. Prior won with a time of 55.31s for the Popham based course. Prior had an advantage of just over a minute from second placed rider Lee Gardner who smashed his pb by over a minute to record 56.51s. In 3rd place was Roger Hartnell who recorded a seasons best of 58.36s, nearly 3 minutes ahead of Simon Foster in 4th with 1.01.31s. Fastest ride of the night came from Neil Coleman who recorded 54.47. Neil no longer counts for Andover events as he has joined Portsmouth based club VC St. Raphael, the club wish him all the best for the future with his new team. Other times; J Eady 1.05.32s, N Adnitt 1.06.12s, M Risdale 1.09.32s, K May 1.17.05s.
Tandem pairing of Simon Foster and Lee Gardner scored a convincing win in the recent Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers Tandem 100 mile Time Trial. The pair rode consistently throughout the event covering the first 50 miles in 2.08.11s and the second in 2.08.20s to record 4.16.31s and a winning margin of just over 24minutes. Both riders admitted that the low point was the Puddle town by-pass as they had to struggle into a head wind for 17 miles to Dorchester before turning around and heading to the finish at Sturminster Marshall where both vowed to be back for another go.
In the solo event Andover rider John Martin was having a bad day and had to climb off at 60 miles as the conditions just got harder and harder.
By the time of the handicap 25mile time trial Lee Gardner showed he had fully recovered from the effects of the 100m event, as he again smashed his pb to record an impressive 55.06s for the distance.
In this event the riders are given a pre-determined amount of time allowance on the designated scratch rider, the time is then taken from their actual time to then calculate their final time.
Not only was Gardner fastest on the night he also went on to win on handicap as well, with a corrected time of 52.54s. Second fastest on the night and on handicap was Phil Jacobs. The Behind the Bikeshed employee recorded a personal best of 56.21s for a corrected time of 54.30s. In 3rd place was first year rider James Eady who recorded 1.03.44s giving him a handicap time of 54.35s, a sterling effort in only his first season. Another rider to pulverise his pb was Martin Pattinson who recorded 57.54s for joint 3rd on actual time with Roger Hartnell, on corrected time Pattinson recorded 54.50s for 4th to Hartnells 555.58s for 8th. Other times,(handicap times in brackets); G Evans 1.04.12s (55.47s); M Risdale 1.04.04s( pb) (55.48s); N Adnitt 1.05.31(pb) (55.50); J Martin 1.03.32s (57.21s); K May 1.16.32s (59.13s); Alison Hartnell 1.11.28s (59.28s); P Welch 1.09.34s (1.00.33); Jane Pattinson 1.17.47s (1.01.08s); I Knight 1.08.28s (1.04.14).