Looking forward in hope to New Year’s Day

Five Velo Club Baracchi riders have entered CC Breckland’s New Year’s Day open time trial to be held on the A11 road near Wymondham.

The total number of riders entered, thirty, is rather smaller than usual for this out of season 10-mile event.

VCB riders, if all can take part, will be Liam Gentry, Mark Richards, Nick Esser, Chris Womack and John Swanbury.

It is said to be always a mistake to tempt providence, but the club riders have the potential to win at least some of the prizes on offer.

In the run-up to Christmas the “Wrinklies” rides on Tuesdays and Fridays were popular, with ten riders out on last Tuesday’s main ride.

Wrinklies on Tuesday

Wrinklies at Wenhaston – is that a collection of leaf mould on Mr Rainton’s top? Mind the kerb!

The Christmas holidays may have disrupted some riders’ schedules, but not John Thompson’s.

On Christmas Day he had what he described as a “fair ride” via Lound and Bradwell to Gt Yarmouth and then to Repps, where he turned along the lane to Thurne.

He said, “I didn’t plan it deliberately but a nice coincidence struck me while riding.  Thurne was where we went for lunch on my first Lowestoft Wheelers club run in June 1966.  How appropriate I should ride there on the Xmas Day of my 50th anniversary year of starting club cycling!”

The thought was there but he didn’t quite get to Thurne, having found a lane he didn’t know, along which he deviated from his plan.  He went to Filby and then back to Caister and through Gt Yarmouth, covering around 40 miles and facing a strong headwind on the return.

Thompson has decided to call it a day so far as time trials are concerned, putting his time trial bike up for sale and intending to concentrate on audax events, reliability trials and other non-competitive aspects of cycling in the future.