Briercliffe 10 TT – 10 July 2018

Chequered Flag

Frank Turner: Principal Time Keeper
Paul Riley: Assistant Time Keeper
Nick Hickman: Event Sec, Prop and Deputy Assistant Time Keeper
Reporter: Matt Lippard

So you’ve woken up this Wednesday 11 July, probably a little nervous, a bit anxious, palms sweaty.  You sit in anticipation, yearning to get the news of a top level event involving our sporting heroes.  Well the wait is over, relax and sit back.  It’s here; the write up of the Briercliffe 10 TT, 10 July 2018.

It was another fine evening in the rolling Bedfordshire countryside.  The rubber hit the tarmac for eighteen eager athletes taking on the sporting course.  Weather was a milder 20 degrees, and though there were a few gusts and 70% humidity, a 6mph south westerly wind was not too unkind to riders looking to post a fast time.

To the race then.  With only one rider going off course on their debut this week, the stats in that respect have also gone in the right direction.  First away was the beautiful sight of the Robinson / Hayes tandem, posting another top time of 25:07.  With five riders going under 25, the ride of the day probably found a home elsewhere though, with a really competitive field in the race behind Witchell, only 30 seconds separating 4 riders who went under 25 minutes.

Behind that the midfield was equally as competitive, and the whole field managed times under 31 minutes, with a real prospect of an entire Briercliffe 10 TT squad going better than “evens” a possible future achievement.

Once again Witchell was the fastest on show, with a time of 21.45 that was 11 seconds off his course best, the course record being 21:12 by Justin Layne of CC Ashwell.  Its almost become de rigeur to see the man at the head of the results, but it should by no means underplay his achievement. Ryan puts in times week in week out that require a huge amount of effort.  Is it only a matter of time before that record falls?

Few opportunities remain for those to don pointy hats and climb into ridiculous contortionist positions to beat an arbitrary number in time over the next couple of months on this course.

A last thing to remember for those that intend to ride, apparently you don’t need to shout “one hundred and seventeen” as you sweep past the finish, when everyone has numbers over one hundred on their backs. Just “seventeen” is fine.  Though I’m sure no one would be stupid enough to make that mistake.  On an unrelated note, the author rode at number seventeen.

The hands of time were again wielded by the gentleman that is Frank Turner, with special thanks to Nick Hickman who wore many caps assisting and propping with help from Paul Riley.

Results

Hitchin Nomads Women

Catherine Jones 29:53

Hitchin Nomads Men

Ryan Witchell 21:45, Tom Weir 24:26, Andy Saunders 24:40, Mark Desborough 24:49, Steve Robinson / Sam Hayes (tandem) 25:07, Nigel Tooke 26:35, Matt Lippard 26:48, Paul Wright 28:19, Paul Fletcher 28:24, Chris Corney 29:13, Mark Loosely 29:48, David Summerell 29:52, Stephen Oliver 29:52, Steve Smith 30:48, David Heath 30:51

Private Time Trials

Lindz Barral (JCA-Equipe Velo) 24:18, Andy Wickham (BRCC) DNF (off course)