Millions of cycling fans woke up on Saturday morning excited about the greatest cycling event on the calendar.
No not the Tour de France but the Redhill MTB Experienced ride” Le Tour de Kenley”!!
An 11 strong peloton left the station car park heading for the first stage climb up Welcomes Road. Jason from the “Specialised I can do the quickstep team” getting all the points and handed the polka dot jersey at the top.
After gaining a bit of height the peloton were now on the way down Stage 2 “le In Wood” for a nice rooty section with a couple of surprising drops and off cambered corners, Mike and Stuart from” Iam a Cycling Moviestar” team both choosing to attack and making it to the bottom first, behind me of course! Well I am leading the ride so wearing the yellow jersey!
In light rain and after the peloton caught up with the attack we looked for more height under the trees up the tight and rooty climb of le in wood.
Stage 3 was across Le Farthing Downs and a technical rocky descent down Le Happy Valley where yours truly got his first puncture of the day, the rocky descent cutting through a brand new Fat Albert!
With the support car know where to be found I had to rely on Jason for support and Graham from YMCA Racing team (the only 56 year old to wear the white jersey) offering me a tube of Colgate to repair my tyre! There’s me thinking he wore dentures!!
Stage 4 saw the peloton at the highest point or the tour “Le View Point” with the descent down to the A22 Bridge with all riders at the bottom with nettle rash!
The steps at Le Britannia Sanderstead had only one walker and with a runner looking to embarrass all riders the pace stepped up for the toughest climb of the day “Le Golf Course Ascent”
Before we made the climb we bumped into Rob who had turned up at Woldingahm station instead of Kenley? That’s one for Garmin Not So Sharp Team!!
At Le Golf Course Ascent, Mike Chaplin absolutely roasting the climb in 2.55 taking 2nd place Strava segment nearly 2 mins faster than my best effort of that day. Polka Dot jersey ripped from Jason’s back!
After our tea stop stage 5 took us to “Le Farleigh” across the golf course and down frith wood, the hedge trimming fairy’s had been out and this took a big risk of punctures. I shot of ahead to take some snaps of the Peloton down frith wood and after they all passed I rolled to the bottom to find Graham and Rob repairing punctures.
The climb up to Le Selsdon Nature Reserve gave us our fourth puncture and my second of the day!
Now I was on the scrounge for a tube and James kindly offered his, after using Jason’s only co2 cartridge to find the tube that James gave me already had a puncture!!!.That’s one for “No Confidents or solutions credits team”
Stage 6 took us on a climb up Le Puplet Wood where we lost 3 riders at the bottom who missed the turn! That’s one for team "Lotto-Belast Wrong Turn Again “at the top we gathered and regrouped before heading down Le Oaken Shaw.
The trail trimming fairies were out again and took the fifth puncture of the day and my third, now with not many 26 inchers amongst us! It was getting tough in getting someone to part with a tube and the demand was now pushing the price to an all-time high!
The thought of waiting for me to carry out a repair rather than a replacement soon got a rider to part with a brand new tube.
The Final stage of our tour took the peloton through Le Kings Wood and Le Riddlesdown Common
With the big sprint back to the car park, Dave finished with the Green Jersey! He has more points on his driving licence, but the real winner was Team Redhill CC
Colin