News From the Road

The Club’s evergreen “roadie” Dean Cummings has been busy again this season with four starts already under his belt.  In March it was off to Malvern in Worcestershire for the Pinvin LVRC Road Race, this 46.5 mile race was made up of 7 laps of a 6.5 mile circuit.  The course was undulating with one longer clamb around 500 metres long.  Dean felt he was riding well but became boxed in on the last climb and lost contact with the bunch.  In cool, breezy conditions he finished just behind the main bunch with his aims of finishing and gaining race fitness met.

Early April saw Dean returning to Worcestershire for the Echelon Cycles LVRC RR, this time three laps of a 16 mile circuit on a rolling course. Feeling strong, in the pleasantly warm conditions, Dean was able to cover all the attacks and small breaks and was in the sprint at the finish.  He lost a bit of ground in the last 40 to 50 mts but was pleased with his overall 16th place.

The following week Dean had a shorter trip for the Abergavenny Handicap RR, three laps of a 15 miles on the old Handicap Circuit.  A strong field had been assembled meaning the race was run at a fast pace, made more difficult with the cross winds on the Abergavenny to Raglan course.  Dean was keen to finish the event but after being dropped as the bunch was sliced apart by the cross winds he, unfortunately, packed after two laps. 

Keen to improve his performances later in the season Dean took off to Mallorca on the South Wales Police warm weather training camp, accompanied by former member Hywel Morgan.  In five and a half days they covered  480 miles (770Km)  and a massive 29000ft (8800mts) of climbing. During the week the Mallorca 312 Sportif was taking place and Hywel and Dean took the opportunity to ride on the closed roads, but maybe without officially entering. Another former member Dai Long was spotted on the way, he had entered the event.  Dean recommends this week to other members with the weather quite pleasant, though a little cool.  The one day of rain felt more like Maerdy than Mallorca.  Dean’s aim of getting in some quality miles in warm sunshine was more or less met.  Lucky him.

To test out the effect of his training week it meant another trip tp Worcestershire’s Little Wittle.  The was a tough course of four 12 mile circuits on hilly, winding difficult roads, with one  mile long climb being negotiated five times.  After riding well in the strong field Dean lost contact on the third climb, but event though he was feeling the Mallorca miles in his legs he managed to get back into a group and finished just over a minute behind the bunch

Posted in 2017 News, April.