Members Dean and Kerry recently visited the Pyrenees with friends, cycling around famous Tour de France mountain climbs.

Saint Savin was the base for the time away staying in the Pyrenees Cycling Lodge run by a British couple Mark  and Niamh. They take care of their guest in a wonderful friendly way, and being cyclists themselves provide all the information required with morning briefings for the area, maps, and weather reports.

The first day of cycling turned out to be a bit of a shock as we just had to Join in on an annual community event up the highest mountain we were going to experience that week. The closed road event attracted hundreds of cyclists to follow up a lorry carrying a statue up to the top of the Col du Tourmalet, a mountain which tops out at 2115 meters. The statue is in memory of a famous cyclist Octave Lapize who was the first rider to cross the Col du Tourmalet in 1910 and is famous for calling the race organisers “assassins” during that gruelling mountain stage of the Tour de France. 

The climb of the Tourmalet was long and in places steep, experiencing varied weather conditions along the way, fortunately the cloud breaking to see the sun and warmer conditions nearer the summit. The day was one of the highlights of the week with the closed roads on such a famous climb and a carnival atmosphere on times.

Unknown to us the base in Saint Savin proved to be a great location as the week went on as every day became an adventure to ride numerous famous climbs just local to the area –  The Hautacam, Col d’Aubisque , Col de Spandelles, Col du Soulor, Col du Tourmalet,  Luz Ardiden and unfamiliar mountains names Pont d’Espagne, Col du Tentes, Col du Borderes, Lac d’Estaing and a few others  providing a test and spectacular sights along the way

After travelling to the Alps a number of times in recent years, the Pyrenees was also a great destination with amazing scenery and quiet roads during the month of June. We met many  cyclists from around the world who were attracted to the area  during the week who were also impressed and prepared to travel to experience the famous climbs. We were also lucky to have a week of good weather, as the mountains can cause a lot unpredictably…. It is a highly recommended  and interesting place to visit.

More Photo Click:- https://acme-wheelers.co.uk/gallery-2/gallery-2020/nggallery/awaiting-location/pyrenees-2025

Dry chilly overcast conditions set the scene for the 2024 Hill Climb Championships on Barn Hill, Tonyrefail. Regulars to the hill climb event Dean Cummings and Kerry Lewis were unable to compete due to injury so it was just three members competing for the R & M Trophy.

Experience rider Gareth Clements was the first to line up alongside the start timekeeper Roger Evans, next to take the start line to be released  by Club Chairman Jeff Matthews was new member Nathen Mullins and he sped away and determined to set a good time. Final rider and last years champion Ed Wells, with good form and the still  conditions  Ed  set off up the tough half mile climb.

Gareth powered up the ten percent climb and along the finish straight onto the finishing time keeper Margaret Evans setting a time of 3 minutes and 18 seconds. A close battle for the next rider across the line as Nathen recorded 3 mins 6 sec to ride into second place, Ed stormed up the climb and across the line with an impressive time of 2 minutes and 3 seconds  to take the 2024 Hill Club Championship for the second year,  improving on last year’s time by 38 seconds.

More Photo’s from the event:- https://acme-wheelers.co.uk/gallery-2/gallery-2020/nggallery/awaiting-location/hill-climb-championships-2024

Kerry Lewis and Mike Bevan recently took part in the Cycle Sportive which forms part of the Tenby Long Course. A well-established event and attracts thousands of competitors to participate in a swim, run and cycle spread over three days.  The chosen undulating medium 70-mile cycle tour of West Wales started in Tenby, overcast clouds and light rain forecast for the opening miles as the riders set off. The route headed towards Pembroke on gentle undulating roads, the closed road event led to an interesting start as large groups filled the road. The route then headed to the coast passing through Castle Martin then onto the scenic coastline of Fresh Water West.

Tough climbs greeted the riders as they made their way back inland toward Carew then a northern loop around Tavernspite before south and onto Wisemans Bridge and Saundersfoot for the closing miles and two long ten percent climbs provided a sting in the tail. Large crowds along the route provided great encouragement and distraction on the tough climbs especially out of Saundersfoot. An atmospheric loop around Tenby Town before the finish. An incredibly well organise event on amazing scenic roads, but be prepared as the route is very undulating with 4500 feet of climbing along the way.

More Photo’s from the event https://acme-wheelers.co.uk/gallery-2/gallery-2020/nggallery/awaiting-location/tenby-long-course-sportive-2024

An absolutely stunning day for it, cold but not freezing with blue skies, a gentle breeze blowing up the valley from the South West so a slight tailwind after the turn.  Josh’s younger brother Finlay Tarling was off last and there was talk in the HQ before the event about the course record going with such a perfect day but I wasn’t sure, 18 minutes is quick for a 17 year old??

A healthy field by current standards, 65 starters with only a handful of DNS’s which was undoubtedly due to the weather.  Sadly Simon Richardson fell at the start just before he joined the dual.  He needed ambulance treatment and was down for a while so fingers crossed it’s not too serious but he was eventually transported to hospital via helicopter.

Nathan Mullins in his first TT was off at number 3 and he raced in the road bike category, for some reason Nathan missed his start and had to wait until number 13 before he was allowed to go.  He eventually recorded an actual time of 28:31 which is very respectable for his first ever race. I was off number 28 with a pretty uneventful 25:04, I’m happy with that as I’m deep in a training block for Ironman Mallorca in May so hopefully I’ll go quicker by the summer

Nancy passed away on the week before Christmas, she was the wife of the late Neville Yeo and both were popular and hard working former members of the Acme Wheelers (Rhondda) cc . Along with Nev they were involved with the WCA and was part of the group that  organised the Builth wells cycle Rally during the sixties seventies and into the eighties. 

The funeral of Nancy Yeo will take place at St Matthews Church Treorchy at 11am on the 11January 2024. and at 12 oclock at Treorchy Cemetery