An Old Wheel-suckers Dream

Redhill CC at the Redmon CC GP des Gentlemen. Alan writes:-

 

The Redmon CC GP des Gentlemen’s TT is an interesting event, a 2up Team Time Trial consisting of an “over 40”, the Gentleman – please note the use of term Gentlemen is not literal and the event has a prize for the fastest all ladies team.

 

However, there is a twist; the 'Gentleman' is not allowed on the front until the last 200m. So whilst the other rider acts as a pacer; the race is all about the Gentleman, with his time being the time that counts.

 

It’s not every day you get to race against a 56 times national champion, but that is very much the norm at the Redmon CC GP des Gentlemen as Bruce Dunbar (the Gentleman) and Alan Miles (the pacer) lined up knowing that starting 6 minutes behind them was the all-round legend of the UK TT circuit (with 10m and 25m TT PBs of 17’45” and 45’46” respectively!) and perennial winner of this event, Michael Hutchinson.

 

The course is the Sporting GS483, at just under 16 miles in length it incorporates the outward leg of the already lumpy Holmwood 10 course, before making a left turn onto the bumpier and even lumpier country lanes joining the villages of Rusper, Newdigate and North Holmwood.  A quick estimation of 34 minutes (~27.7mph) as a probable time for Dr Hutch, established the magic number of 40 minutes (~23.6mph) to avoid being caught… challenge accepted.

 

Upon arrival at the race HQ and realising that the vast majority of riders were on full TT rigs, aero helmets, disc wheels, the full works; we were clearly out-gunned in the equipment stakes with Alan on a standard racing bike (with clip-on TT bars) and Bruce on his best audax steed albeit without mudguards and saddlebag. Also Bruce and I had never ridden a single yard together until we met at the start line!

 

With a headwind that would’ve stopped most Testers from even getting out of bed, let alone getting out on the bike; I realised that the first 8 miles to Rusper (also the high point of the course) would be tough, electing to set a relatively gentle pace for the opening uphill mile, waiting until the flatter sections of the dual carriageway before fully opening the taps.

 

Upon leaving the dual carriageway, making the turn towards Rusper, my Garmin flashed up our five mile split as 12’30”, things were going to plan.  The next three miles to Rusper, all uphill and still into the headwind would be the toughest section were although valuable seconds could be gained, easily minutes could be lost. I gave everything I could (in hindsight, maybe just a little too much too soon as our time at the 8.33m split of 21’40” would turn out to be the 10th fastest of all teams).

 

After making the tight turn at Rusper and taking on a energy gel, I rather optimistically and somewhat foolishly said “that’s the hard bit done, it’s all downhill, tailwind from here”; how wrong could I have been as the next 20 minutes were quite possibly the most painful 20 minutes of my life as I pushed in hope of not seeing Dr Hutch until we had crossed the finish line.

 

Through Newdigate, no sign of Hutch, past Henfold Lakes still no sign of Hutch, under the railway bridge, nothing, Fourwents pond, still nothing. Into the last mile and just as I was starting to think “we might actually do this”; first the tell-tale “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh” of approaching disc wheels and then BOOM, the Dr Hutch Express Train flew by like we were standing still. Game Over.

 

Upon making the final turn into Inholms lane, we finally got to the point that I had been looking forward to, the 200m board and time for me to sit up and let Bruce finish the job off.

 

This final 200m was ironically a rather un-gentlemanly finish for the Gentlemen; uphill, back into the headwind and much nearer to 600m according to my Garmin. Bruce crossed the finish line to post a time of 41’20, good enough for a very respectable 15th fastest out of the 46 teams that finished the race.

 

Next year’s event will be a special 40th anniversary edition, and I cannot wait to ride it again.

 

Alan

Event / Article Type
Redmon GP des Gentlemen 19-10-14
Redmon GPdesG