Gt Yarmouth reliability riders include VCB

Four VC Baracchi riders took part in the Gt Yarmouth CC 50-mile reliability ride on Sunday and achieved an implausibly fast time.

Liam Gentry, Mark Richards, James Moore and Nick Esser rode out with DAP CC’s Harley Matthews, David Loynes and GYCC rider Julian Claxton from Oulton Community Centre roundabout at 8.30am to meet up at Northgate Street in good time for the 3-hour group start at 9.30am.

Some mechanical issues (a dropped seat-post and a jammed rear mech) on Gentry’s race bike meant they were delayed and did not have time to enjoy a coffee at the Norfolk Kitchen beforehand.  As soon as they had arrived they were met by the full DAP squad and VCB old-timer Steve Ogly.

Esser said, “We set off out towards Caister at a steady pace and we all knew something was going to happen.  Soon enough, once out on the coastal road at Scratby the pace quickened and riders dropped off like flies.”

By the time they rounded the Winterton left-hander there were just the VCB riders and Matthews. Esser added, “Unfortunately we then lost James between Waxham and Sea Palling due to the relentless crosswinds.”

The route from there was Lessingham, Dilham, Neatishead, Horning, Ludham, Potter Heigham, Thurne, Filby, Mautby and back through Caister to Northgate Street.

Esser said, “We did this in just under two hours and eight minutes.  We did stop at Dilham to raise Liam’s seatpost as it dropped again, stop again to pick up Mark’s glove as he dropped that and then the others waited for me as I dropped off the back after mounting a verge (wasn’t watching where I was going)!”

“I must say at this point I had nothing to do with adding to the pace – I simply held on for grim death the whole way round!”  The next group came in sixteen minutes later with Loynes, Ogley & Claxton and the main group followed in a further ten minutes.

By way of slight apology for riding the event at speeds unheard of in the old days Esser said, “It was not quite a reliability ride but good effort considering we’re racing in a fortnight at the first Eastern Road Race League race.”

John Thompson opted for the EACC 75-mile reliability trial based at Horsford.  The route was to  Aylsham, Cromer, Cley, Holt, Guist, Reepham, Cawston and back to Horsford.

Thompson said, “I went for the longest option of 6 hours but as it was entirely a solo ride, I was pleased to get round in more or less exactly 5.5 hours, which would have been the next option.”

“There were plenty of good hills, particularly in north Norfolk, (including climbing to the highest spot) which combined with a head wind made the stretch along the A149 coast road from Cromer to Cley pretty tough.”

Paul Dennington

The VCB Sunday 8.30am club ride had five riders, Paul Dennington, Kate Churchill, Chris Womack, George Kerridge and Nicki Hawkes, who rode 60 miles to Halesworth, Wissett, Homersfield, through The Pulhams to Harleston, Bungay then home.