Author: Sean Leckey

EVENT 5 REPORT – ROYAL OAK CARTMEL- TUESDAY 4th JULY

Another splendid summer’s evening- Lakeland style- saw 69 competitors in this the penultimate Lanequest of the 2017 series riding in the usual grey drizzle along murky wet roads in their attempts to reach 30 control points laid out this week in a 3 mile or so radius of event HQ- the splendidly located Royal Oak pub, Cartmel.

No surprises in this week’s results, with Backbarrow’s back from holiday Tom Gibbs and Kendal’s Helen Jackson winning their respective solo classes, further stretching their lead in the overall series in the process. With one event remaining it looks as if it will be these two who will be “Cutting the Cake” at the  Wheelbase sponsored series  presentation at Wilf’s Cafe in the Old Mill Yard Staveley on Tuesday 11th July.

Close behind in the men’s solo class, Ulverston’s David Heffernan is enjoying a strong showing this year, winner last week and a close runner up to Gibbs this week. After a gap of a few years, David Hollingham from Kendal returned to action this year, and has impressed with consistent showings, this week beating off a strong challenge from the ever present David Sproston. Similarly in the women’s solo, Jo Cleary has stayed within touching distance of Helen Jackson throughout the series, even winning the first event from Hawkshead. But even navigational cunning could not compete with Jackson’s sheer speed.  Commented Cleary: “Hats off to Helen’s year round commitment to cycle racing and the training to support that. Also there is the small question of her relative youth compared to mine!”

Despite being  narrowly beaten into second place in the Generation Pairs class  by flying  father/son combo Graham and Patrick Christian, Michael and Matthew Fell head into the final event with a strong lead  over second place mother/daughter pairing of Sharon and Briege Hutchinson .

A no show this week for James Annan and Julia Hargreaves in the Adult Pair’s/3’s  saw Robin Everigham and Tim Seddon grab the lead going into the final event at Wilf’s cafe next week, the former dropping into second place. With only 7 points now separating these two teams it is all to play for next week. An excellent shared 1st at Cartmel for Ben and Lee Proctor saw them climb to 3rd in the series, but an 84 point gap to the leaders will be a real challenge for next week.

Another well organised event, this week’s planners were Gary Thomason and Ian Ramsey, and their chosen charity – Ulverston Victoria High School in the World Schools Orienteering Championships

Full results can be viewed on http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/event/lakeland-lanequest-2017/

Final event and prize giving– ”

Tuesday 11th July: Wilf’s Cafe Staveley- LA8 9LR- followed by  “Winners Cut The Cake” with prizes presented by series sponsors Wheelbase.

Just turn up with a bike, helmet and mapboard and enter on the night. Only £6 Adults/£2 Juniors.

For further details  visit  www.bmbo.org.uk or visit  the series sponsor www.wheelbase.co.uk website.

Marcel Kittel became the first rider to win a stage of the Tour de France on disc brakes on stage 2, and yesterday he bagged a second win on his custom Specialized Venge ViAS Disc. Today we take a look at the fastest bike in the world.

The Venge ViAS Disc is a bike built for sheer speed, with over 1000 hours of testing and prototyping in Specialized’s purpose built Win Tunnel. The frame is made from Specialized’s top-level FACT 11r carbon fibre and features fully integrated cable routing, and the FACT carbon fork is designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. Kittel’s custom graphics are inspired by the CERN particle accelerator and were created by Specialized designer Ron Jones.

Kittel’s Tour de France bike is equipped with Shimano’s Dura-Ace R9170 hydraulic disc brakes and Dura-Ace R9100 Di2 groupset. The integrated Vision Metron 5D stem and handlebars enhance the aerodynamic profile and the Roval CLX 64 wheels are the fastest in Specialized’s range.

Key Features:

• FACT 11r carbon frame is Rider-Engineered and features fully integrated cabling.
• Roval CLX 64 tubeless ready wheelset provide the ultimate in speed and performance.
• Integrated bars and stem enhance aerodynamic profile.
• First disc-brake equipped bike to win a Tour de France stage.

After a strong showing on yesterday’s summit finish to La Planche des Belles Filles, in which he took 7^th place, we’re today focusing on Columbian climber Rigoberto Uran’s team issue Super Six Evo Hi-Mod.

At just 770g, the Super Six Evo Hi-Mod is one of the lightest frames in the peloton and with Mavic’s Cosmic Pro Carbon wheelset it’s the ultimate climbers’ bike. Uran’s team issue frame comes with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 shifting and Cannondale’s Hollowgram SiSL2 chainset with 170mm cranks. The bike is finished with a fi’Zik Aliante saddle and FSA seatpost, bars and stem.

 

Cannondale are on the rim brake version at the Tour but riders have been using disc brakes throughout the early part of this year at some races and in training.

Key Features:

• Ultra-light BallisTec carbon frame.
• Electronic shifting from Shimano Dura Ace Di2.
• Mavic’s top of the range carbon climbing wheels.
• SPEED SAVE Micro-suspension for improved comfort.

Today features the first mountain-top finish of this year’s Tour de France and is likely to see some of the GC favourites flex their climbing legs. We think Louis Meintjes of team UAE will be among the contenders and have chosen his Colnago V2-R for a closer look.

The V2-R features as Colnago’s top-of-the-line carbon fibre monocoque frame and has received some upgrades from the V1-R. The weight of the frame remains unchanged at 835 grams for a medium and the grade and construction of carbon fibre is the same. Lateral rigidity of the bottom bracket has increased by 13% and by 4% at the headtube – noticeably improving the acceleration. The toptube/headtube junction has been redesigned with a cleaner aesthetic and the integrated seat clamp gives the frame cleaner lines. Meintjes V2-R frame is adorned with Campagnolo Super Record groupset and Bora Ultra wheels.

Key Features:

• Lightweight monocoque carbon fibre frame.
• Improved stiffness in key areas.
• Integrated seat tube and internal cable routing.
• Clearance for up to 28c tyres.

EVENT 4 REPORT – THE STRICKLAND ARMS SIZERGH- TUESDAY 27th JUNE

Would it rain, or wouldn’t it rain? Lanequesters turn out whatever the weather, and with the highest turnout of the series so far, 105 riders clearly felt it wouldn’t. And it didn’t, just a few spots- which in Lakeland terminology is a fine evening.

With classic roads encircling  the ever popular  Strickland Arms, Sizergh, this venue was always going to attract a strong field, and organisers Dave and Zoe Cowgill laid on the perfect event,  giving everyone a master class in how these things should be organised.

Everything came together at last for Lune RCC rider David Heffernan, who fought off David Sproston and Sam Clifford to take a fine win in the men’s solo class. Not so fortunate was leading contender Dave Hollingham, an early puncture putting paid to a high score.

For Heffernan, it was “an excellent event- really well planned, perfectly organised. With roads still wet from an earlier downpour, I found it a bit skiddy on some descents,  with a few near misses on some bends, but thankfully it all went very well for me this week”.  ” I managed nearly 35 miles inside the 2 hour time limit, at an average of just under 18 mph, whilst visiting 29 control points- so very happy” he added.

With Heffernan now taking the overall  men’s series lead with 2 events remaining, it was however business as usual in the women’s solo class,  Kendal ace Helen Jackson winning yet again to extend her series lead over 2nd place Jo Cleary, whilst Jo’s daughter Hannah managed a creditable 3rd place, just ahead of former champion Anne Plant, impressing everyone  with a healthy turn of speed on her mountain bike.

The Generation Pairs is turning out to be a ding dong battle between MIchael and Matthew Fell, and  Sharron and Briege Hutchinson. This week’s winners were the Fell family,  turning the tables this week on last week’s winners the Hutchinsons, whilst in the Adult Pairs,  it was business as usual for winners James Annan and Julia Hargreaves, fighting off a strong challenge from the Toyns, Rachel and Mike on their flying tandem.

With only 2  Tuesday evening events remaining in the Wheelbase sponsored  2017 series, it is all to play for and come rain or shine.

Full results can be viewed on http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/event/lakeland-lanequest-2017/

INTERVIEW WITH MEN’S SOLO WINNER DAVID HEFFERNAN:

“First of all it was an excellent event. Really well planned, perfectly organised, well located and clearly sited controls. Zoe did a fine job on the results too which made my job easier. So thanks to Zoe and Dave, and as always to Ray and Marion.

The weather had looked like it might be terrible, but it turned out fine. A bit skiddy on some of the descents, but not too bad. I only had two or three near misses on bends whilst descending …… The wind and the wet roads made the riding just a little slower than on a perfect night, but not by very much.

As for my ride, I felt much improved from the previous week. Not sure what was up with me at Crosby Ravensworth, but I wasn’t my usual self. It was far better this week.

My planning centred first around clockwise or anticlockwise. I felt that clockwise would leave me totally committed from Milnthorpe on, with no options to drop anything. That felt a bit risky so I opted to go anticlockwise and keep my options open as late as possible. I decided that 30 controls was out of my reach and scrubbed of 24 and the obvious one to drop. The trickiest controls to weave together seemed to be the ones around Beetham and Hale. I considered lots of different options, and could find very little to choose between them. In the end I took the controls in this order.

2 1 5 6 29 8 12 30 13 14 20 19 22 23 25 26 28 27 18 21 15 17 16 11 10 9 6 4 3

27 was approached from the north as I felt this reduced the climb. There were more flowing routes but I do think that this one kept climb to a minimum. Putting 15/21 with 30/13 gives some extra climbs that I remember suffering on in previous events.

I was pretty clean on the night. My only real clanger was between 20 and 19 where I simply missed the turn at the farm to the south of 20 and realised as I approached the next junction. That cost about 90s according to my GPS track. In spite of that I managed to get back with 30s to spare for a score of 290. The stats from the GPS were 35 miles and 2000ft.

Dave Sproston did a good ride also notching all 30 controls. But time just got the better of him, 7 minutes late, 20 penalties, 280.

Dave Hollingham who has been scoring highly was unlucky with a puncture. Having suffered that way last year, I sympathise with him and cross my fingers for the next two events!”

Next events:

Tuesday 4th July: Royal Oak, Cartmel- LA11 6QB

Tuesday 11th July: Wilfs Cafe Staveley- LA8 9LR- followed by Series Prizegiving and “Winners Cut The Cake”

Just turn up with a bike, helmet and mapboard and enter on the night. Only £6 Adults/£2 Juniors.

For further details of forthcoming events visit  www.bmbo.org.uk or visit  the series sponsor www.wheelbase.co.uk website.

After spending much of yesterday on display in the break, we’re taking a look at the Cube Litening C:68 of Wanty-Groupe Gobert’s Frederik Backaert.

The ultralight and super stiff Litening excelled on yesterday’s lumpy stage, with Wanty’s Guillaume Martin bagging a top-20 finish as well as Backaert’s aggressive 160km ride off the front. The Litening frame hits the scales at just over 850 grams and combined with an entire Dura Ace Di2 groupset and Fulcrum Racing wheelset it’s certainly a race bike to be reckoned with.

Key Features:

• Full Dura Ace Di2 groupset.
• Lightweight C:68 SL carbon frame and fork.
• Selle Italia Flite saddle for comfort on the longest races.
• Race geometry for aero position and agile handling.

Wanty are debutants at this year’s Tour de France, and we expect to see the Litening clocking up many more breakaway kilometres.

Throughout the first week of the Tour de France we’ll be taking a look at some of the bikes of the pro peloton.

First up is Alberto Contador’s team issue Trek Emonda – the second iteration of Trek’s super-lightweight climbing bike. New for 2018, the Emonda version 2 includes a disc brake option and comes with clearance for wider tyres.

The new Emonda frame (rim brake) is 50g lighter than its predecessor and is stiffer and more vertically compliant – making it a more comfortable ride. The disc brake model is incredibly light at 665g for the frame and comes with flat-mount disc brakes and 160mm rotors. The geometry remains unchanged on the new version and SLR models are available in H2 and H1 fit with the SL models featuring a H2 fit.

Key Features:

• Introduction of disc brake version.
• Even lighter frame than previous edition.
• Increased clearance for wider tyres on both rim and disc brake options.
• OCLV 700 carbon for SLR models and OCLV 500 carbon for SL versions.
• Control freak management for a clean, fast look.

Lighter, stiffer and more comfortable than ever, the new Emonda will be available within the next couple of weeks.

Introducing: PROJECT Y from Focus – ‘The Future of Racing Bikes’.

Focus have become one of the first brands to bring powered pedal assistance to the road with their collection of PROJECT Y bikes. The German bike manufacturer has introduced three carbon models – a disc-brake road bike, an adventure/gravel bike and a cyclocross model. All three models come equipped with Shimano Dura Ace Di2 for top quality shifting and a Fazua 250W drive system which will assist up to 25km/h.

Each bike weighs less than 12 kg and with up to 400 watts additional power, going uphill will no longer be an issue. With internal cable routing, flat mount disc brakes and an integrated drive system, PROJECT Y harnesses the very latest technology to offer maximum performance across a range of disciplines.

Designed as an all-round, high performance clincher wheelset, the new Zipp 302 comes from a new approach to the manufacturing process. With almost 50,000 kilometres of on-road testing Zipp’s new offering has been refined by the engineers with guidance from test riders.

Key Features:

• Optimal 45mm rim depth for all-round riding, as proven in the Spring Classics.
• Lightweight Sapim CX Sprint J-bend spokes increase durability and stiffness.
• Shallow rim profile provides stability while the streamlined shape reduces aero drag.

  

  

  

All of Zipp’s carbon rims are handmade in Indianapolis with precision and reliability. The new 302 is no different and is a wheel that is both fast and reliable, proving tough enough to tackle less-than perfect roads as well as being light enough to perform on steep gradients.

Scorching weather and relentless attacking was the order of the day at the Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland yesterday. Pete Williams of One Pro Cycling took in the victory in what was an exciting and brutal race, with attacking riding from the 1st kilometre. After several small groups broke away but failed to establish a lead within the first short lap, a fifteen-man strong group, including our own Andy Hawdon, finally got away and built up a lead of almost 6 minutes over the peloton.

The break of fifteen worked well and it became clear they were going to go on and contest the victory. On the penultimate lap the lead group started to splinter and attacks came from all angles, finally Pete Williams and James Gullen of JLT broke clear with Williams taking the victory in the sprint. Wheelbase Altura MGD rider Andy Hawdon came home in an impressive 12th place, capping off an incredible ride by sprinting to second in a group of five who were contesting the places just outside the top 10.

A combination of soaring temperatures and electric racing whittled the 158 starters down to just 72 riders who finished the race. Chapeau to Andy who took our best result so far this season and played a significant role in what was a hugely entertaining race in front of the cheering Northumbrian spectators.