Velo Club Baracchi riders support Beccles Cycle for Life

Velo Club Baracchi was well represented in the successful Beccles Cycle for Life charity ride on Sunday.

VCB riders among the many people from the Lowestoft area who took part included Chris, Patricia and Mark Womack, Jenny Hill,Steve Summons,Paul Bedford, John Swanbury and Steve Cone. 

Conditions were nearly perfect for the ride on country roads, enjoyed by nearly 500 participants. 

The Beccles Rotary Club organisers say that on initial information they anticipate at least as much as last year’s £8,000 will be raised to be divided between the East Anglian Air Ambulance and their own charitable trust. 

Chris Womackof Velo Club Baracchi had a bad time in Saturday’s North Norfolk Wheelers 100-mile time trial when the weather closed in. 

Riding on a triangular course starting west of Fakenham on the A148 road Wommack set off into the strong south-westerly wind. 

He said, “The undulating twelve miles to the first turn made it tough going but once you turned the second and third section became easier, although you were constantly looking out for pot holes around the course.” 

The first lap was dry but windy and on the second lap back into the wind the temperature dropped and it stated to rain, with sleet mixed in. 

Womack said “This wasn’t great but this only lasted for several minutes.  After completing the second lap and 67 miles into the ride the heavens opened up and the road was awash with water.” 

“Because of the spray from cars and poor visibility it was to dangerous to continue the third lap, not knowing were the pot holes were.  Many riders didn’t finish due to this.” 

Womack pulled out, disappointed. Thirty-six riders finished and twenty did not, while sixteen did not start.  The winner was Charles Nurse of the home club with 4-14:48. 

John Thompson rode the Wisbech Wheelers 25-mile time trial and was not well rewarded in the unfavourable heavy winds, which even on the return leg failed to bowl him along as he expected because there was some side in it. 

He said his 1-20:48 was not the slowest time of the day but acknowledged that one of his failings is to make good progress riding into the wind. And added, “The last nail in the coffin was the headwind on the last little bit off the dual carriageway along the old road to the finish.” 

The winner was John Surtees (Team Swift) in 55.49. 

The Lowestoft Cycling Festival is taking place this weekend.  VC Baracchi has not been given any real opportunity to prepare anything for this but there may be members present.  The club certainly wishes the event well and is pleased to see the current resurgence of cycling.