24th September

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On Sunday 1st September, thirteen members of the club joined around 150 riders in the inaugural edition of ‘The 5 Valleys Gran Fondo’. The event was organised by Prostate Cancer Wales to raise funds for lifesaving equipment that at present is not available in the principality. Glorious weather greeted participants at the start in Margam Park where the riders were set off in groups at 3 minute intervals. While not a race, the presence of riders from four other local clubs ensured that there was plenty of friendly banter and no small amount of competition.

The route wound its way to Pencoed and on to the first climb of the day at Smilog Woods, where club president, Gerald Clements and committee man Gwyn Humphries were on hand to ensure that nobody took the easy option. From there it was over to Blackmill via Gilfach and up the Ogmore Valley to The Bwlch. Acme riders received additional support at the top of this climb from Roger, Margaret , Carl and Sharon who handed out food from a ‘goody bag’ provided by Chris Thomas that could have fed an army.

The route split here with the shorter version heading into the Afan Valley and back to Margam while riders doing the longer route descended into the Rhondda then over the Rhigos to Glynneath. It continued to Neath then over the Cimla climb to Pontrhydyfen before an undulating final stretch back to Margam. All members completed the 75 mile event in times under five hours with Paul, Phil, Anthony and Ethan achieving the quickest times.

Everyone who took part can donate their sponsor money online at www.justgiving.com/fivevalleys. You do not have to return your sponsor forms.

(The only Acme rider not shown in the group photo is Chris Clements)

All our members wish to send their best wishes for the future to Ian and Katie Humphries who leave, tomorrow 25th September for their new home in Devon. Ian, we have all enjoyed your company and who knows, some of us may turn up on your doorstep one day and accompany you on one of your marathon hilly rides !

3rd September

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Another Club Championship, the 10 mile Time Trial was held on 18th August, incorporated in the Welsh Championship. With a full field of 120 riders it was necessary to include an overflow event in which 58 year old Paul Griffiths competed, recording 27 minutes 56 seconds. Three other members were included in the main event for men, Neale Lewis completing the distance in a very good 22.40 for 59th overall. Dan Taylor recorded a personal best finishing in 45th place with 22.03 while Steve Bennett, in a good run of form recorded 21.42 to take 30th overall and our Club Championship for 2013.

Steve continued to notch up results, riding in the last of the JIF Summer Criterium races at Llandow on 28th August. Now riding with 2nd Category status he competed in the Cat 2/3/4/Vet event, finishing in 3rd place then also rode in the following Cat 2/3/4 race where he came away with 9th place against mostly fresh riders.

Dan Taylor, meanwhile, was completing his training for the Welsh 12 hour TT Championship on 1st September. Following a night of clear skies the 6 am start, shortly after dawn, had some riders donning gloves and extra clothes ready for the first leg out to Hereford. By late morning the helpers and riders on the Chainbridge circuit were bathed in hot sunshine but a stiff wind had developed, hindering riders on the dual carriageway from Raglan to Hardwick. Unfortunately for Dan, some muscle damage suffered in the Championship 10 began to cause serious pain, forcing him to pull out after 125 miles with just under half his allocated time remaining. Extremely disappointed because he still felt strong, he is already thinking ahead to the 2014 event where it looks as though he will be joined by several other Acme riders. On a day which saw seven other withdrawals, 38 riders and two tandem teams completed the course with veteran rider Jon Wynn taking the title with an astonishing 287.74 miles.

The final round of the 5 Mile Time Trial Series 2013 took place on 29th August on the Porth bypass. Seventeen members have competed in the six events which began in early June. Junior member Ethan Derrick claimed his second club title with a points total (Best 5 Results) of 94. Runner up was Tony Rees, 83 points and in third place was last year’s winner, Paul Harries, 76 points.

Ethan was presented with the Dudley Thomas Memorial Trophy by Gwyn Humphries. It is rumoured that his dad, Anthony, has been putting up extra shelves at home to cope with all the silverware ! Once again, the riders would like to thank everyone who has given up their time to officiate at these events. A special mention should go to Chris Thomas who has taken over the ‘event signing’ duties this year. It is to his credit that each event has been run safely and without incident.

Overall winner of the Hill Climb Series, Paul Harries receives his trophy from timekeeper Gwyn Humphreys, flanked by the runners-up and start timekeeper, Carole Dietman. Ethan Derrick was not able to beat dad Anthony in the final event but managed to overtake Jason Dodd in the points count to claim second place. Jason’s consistent high finishing saw him claim the last podium place over Tony Rees who had occupied this place until the last event.

A special mention should be made of former Series Winner, Ian Humphries who rode his last Hill Climb event with the club before moving back to his native Devon. All the riders wish to thank the club officials and members who marshalled and timed this year’s events. Without their help the series would not take place.

Chris Thomas has supplied some additional pictures taken at the club events which have now been added to the relevant sections of the Photo Gallery.

Several older club members recently attended the funeral of the mother of Nigel Evans. Nigel, a past member, moved to England many years ago in pursuit of his profession but keeps in touch with Andrew Leach. Some of our members met Nigel at this year’s Dragon Ride when he and other members of his current club, Coalville Wheelers, were training for a sponsored ‘End to End’ ride. On this ride from John o’Groats to Land’s End, Nigel’s son Tom, new to cycling, achieved the feat of completing the 930 miles and helping to raise £11,000 for their charity.

14th August

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Gary Flower powers to another Club Championship win riding in the Welsh 100 mile Time Trial Championship on Sunday 11th August on a course which included 3 laps of the Abergavenny to Monmouth dual carriageway circuit. On a dry and warm day he had no one to feed him so had to stop to collect drinks and was further hampered when, on the back road at Mitchell Troy, he unshipped his chain which got wedged between the bottom bracket and chainset. Undaunted, he fininished in 4 hours 28 minutes and 51 seconds for 20th place, an excellent time for his first event at this distance.

Unfortunately, he will not be able to ride the Welsh 12 hour and collect the club BAR award becuse he will be competing in an Ironman event, his main goal for the year. Also riding in the championship was Dan Taylor. Unable to ride the West Wales 100 because his car failed its MOT, this was his only chance to challenge for the club BAR. At approximately 40 miles he punctured near Hardwick and lost 10 minutes or so waiting for a spare wheel to be brought from Raglan. He carried on but at about 83 miles he went off course, arriving at a confused timekeeper from the wrong direction. He still intends to ride the 12 hour and this Sunday joins Steve Bennett, Neale Lewis and Paul Griffiths in the Welsh [and Club]10 mile Championship.

Following his upgrading to 2nd Cat road-racing licence, Steve road his first open time trial of the year on 18th August, the Cwmcarn 25 mile event. From a full field of 120 competitors and 98 starters he took 18th place with an excellent time of 54 minutes 39 seconds, the fastest Acme time this year.

No doubt inspired by Steve’s achievements, Dai Long, riding in a 4th Cat criterium at Maindy, attacked from the bunch with a couple of laps to go, chasing a lone breakaway. Dai just got pipped on the line but still took 3rd place and collected enough additional points to be upgraded to 3rd Category.

Samples of the new design Club Clothing were approved by the committee last week. There will be an open evening at the clubroom on Friday 30th August between 6 and 8.30 pm when members will be able to drop in to view the range of summer and winter garments and try them for size. All orders for the first batch of clothing must be placed by 10th September. There will be no late orders accepted and no other bulk order will be placed until late spring 2014. Members will be able to order individually, direct from the manufacturer but the cost will be substantially more.

Tony Rees now has entry forms for the 5 Valleys Gran Fondo charity sportive on 1st September. Please contact him for further information.

The Valleys Velo Sportive takes place on 29th September and a link to it can be found here.

This is a final reminder to members that anyone wishing to book a place for our autumn weekend ride needs to contact Eddie Blayney as soon as possible. All members have already received full details from the chairman.

10th August

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This year’s Club Hill Climb Championship was held on Thursday 8th August in dry but not the most favourable conditions. That did not prevent junior rider, Ethan Derrick, giving a super performance and finally cracking senior rider, Paul Harries to become 2014 Club Hill Climb Champion by 21 seconds.

Eight Club riders and two guests faced starter, Carole Dietman before racing to the top of the Bwlch where they were pleased to see Gwyn Humphreys back in his traditional role of finish timekeeper.

Tony Rees [ finish time 15mins 48 secs] was first rider to challenge the mountain but 16 year old Kyle Adams, riding his first hill climb, soon had him in his sights on the long straight after the cattle grid. He relentlessly closed the gap to overhaul Tony and cross the line first with a ride that eventually gave him equal 4th place with experienced competitor Jason Dodd in a time of 14.20. Ethan [12.40 ] starting at number 5 caught and passed his minute man, Dean Cummings [14.28] while number 6, Paul Harries, battled to hold off Tony Derrick [13.26] who valiantly fought his way to 3rd place on the podium. Simon Kinsey kept himself away from the action until last week but made a great effort up the tough climb to finish in 19.05. Times and current overall positions for the hill climb and time-trial series may be found in the results section.

There has been a flurry of activity in recent months. In early July, Simon Iles rode to 16th then 10th places in the Forza Cycles RT criterium series. On 17th July, Steve Bennett, riding in the first of the Cardiff JIF Summer Criteriums took 1st place in the 2/3/4/vets category event to add another 10 points to his 3rd Cat licence. He followed this up in the second race of the series on 24th July with a 2nd place and Simon just behind in 6th. Steve had now accumulated enough points to be upgraded to 2nd Category. As a result he was invited to ride as a composite team with Matt Beckett and Adam King of Cardiff JIF in the 2 day L’Etape de la Defonce stage race in the Vale of Glamorgan. Day one,20th July, began with a team time trial and they took 3rd place out of 18 teams. Then in stage 1a, Steve took 12th place in a field of 69 riders. Dat two saw Steve take 18th place, which was good enough to place 9th overall out of 55 finishers. He was also 5th Welsh rider. Well done Steve, we all recognise you as a classy rider.

Our younger members have also been mixing it in circuit races with Ethan taking 13th spot in the Under 16’s at the Wales Open Criterium Youth Support Races on 12th July. His cousins Evan and Freddie Rickards have been competing in the Celtic Criterium Series where Freddie gained 4th place in the under 8 age group in round 2. Evan, unfortunately, has been temporarily sidelined by a knee injury following a fall.

Our club jerseys were well to the fore in the 4th cat. race at Llandow on 7th August when Dai Long gained another three points for his 7th place and Hywel Morgan one point for 10th. Steve Williams missed out on the points following a mistake at the last chicane but finished strongly in 14th place.

Dan Taylor was the sole Acme representative in the Cardiff 100 miles RCC 50 mile Time Trial on the Abergavenny/ Monmouth course last weekend. In his first ever ’50’ and in very wet conditions he recorded a creditable 2.03.59 for 23rd place and set the fastest club 50 time this year. This Sunday he rides the Welsh Championship 100 in the same area and is joined by Gary Flower who has recorded very good times at all distances in this, his first season.

15th July

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Second place in the Welsh Schools Track Championships. Fifteen year old Ethan Derrick is reaping the benefits of his weekly battles with his dad in our club events [Ethan always wins!] and arrived at the start of our last 5 mile time trial sporting his medal and certificate. He represented Treorchy Comprehensive in the Championship but continues to wear his Acme colours with pride.

Neale Lewis has moved on from his Club Championship-winning 59-11 for 25 miles recording 57-49 in the Real Team 25 on the 30th June, competing against the likes of ex world champion Wendy Houvenaghel who finished third in 54-10.

Also competing in the event was Steve Williams who just missed out on our bronze standard time of 1-06-00, recording 1-06-18 in his first 25 mile time trial.

In the Cardiff 100 miles RCC 25 mile event on 6th July, Dan Taylor finished in 58-16 for 41st place out of 82 finishers. Not a bad result on his standard road bike with everyone else on TT machines. His mistake in not entering the non-aero section delighted Dai Long who won that competition by one second in 1-05-16, also beating our bronze standard.

The Ross-on-Wye & District 10 mile TT the following weekend saw both Dai and Neale representing Acme. Neale recorded an excellent 22-22 while Dai was pleased to take 40 seconds off his personal best, finishing in 26-09.

Riders in the club evening events have been enjoying the long awaited summer weather and wish to thank Carole for pinning-on numbers as well as timekeeping and fee collecting ; unsung hero Chris Thomas for erecting / removing signs and marshalling ; Jason Dodd for going as last man in order to push-off all other starters ; and all the others who turn up and help. More photos from the events, care of Jeff can be seen in the Gallery. Dan Taylor wishes to thank everyone who contacted him directly or inquired after his health. He is recovering well from his injuries and riding his bike but still shaken by events.

Jamie Rowlands of the Bicycle Doctor in Porth is organising a sportive in September. Click here for a link to the website.