Author: Sean Leckey

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli rider Tom Martin gives his thoughts on this year’s Cross Country National Championships

‘This years national championships was at Cannock Chase which incorporated some of the trail centre trails and plenty of trails that are only used for similar events. The course was used in a cross country national round in May, I didn’t race this round but apparently the course was the same. We had three riders racing with myself in the U23 race then David Duggan and Giles Drake in the Senior Men’s.

A good start was crucial as it was more or less straight into single track, I didn’t get a great start, something I’m normally good at doing in XC races. I found myself just outside the top part way through the first lap, with limited passing places I moved up to 7th and closing in on 5th at the end of the second lap. Once I caught 5th I sat on and tried to recover before attacking, a silly mistake in the woods caused a 10 second gap to grow between us.

It took me half a lap to get back to him, but I went straight past this time to try and drop him but I wasn’t able to create and keep a decent gap. Going into the final lap I chose to sit on feeling I would be able to come round 5th place on one of the climbs but I couldn’t get round, we were both evenly matched. With there being 3 races on the course at the same time (Senior, U23 and Junior male) it meant we ended up catching lots of riders and unfortunately I got held up behind a senior rider who I’d caught forcing me to slow and increasing the gap between myself and 5th that I just couldn’t close, but if I was strong enough I would of been able to close it but just didn’t have legs on the final climb.

I finished up in 6th, that at National champs isn’t too bad, especially with it being my second mountain bike race of the year and I’ve not trained specifically for the mountain bike races this year. Dave Duggan and Giles Drake also finished in the top 10 of the Senior men’s race with 8th and 10th.

A good day all round, back to racing on the road next weekend for me.’

Men’s U23 Results:

1. Thomas Pidcock – TP Racing (UCI CX Team)
2. Sean Flynn – Team Inspired
3. Cameron Orr – Team Inspired
4. Christopher Rothwell – BW Cycling
5. Paddy Atkinson- Renavle RT
6. TOM MARTIN – WHEELBASE CABTECH CASTELLI
7. Max Gibbons- Orbea Racing Team
8. James Pickering – Push Sport/Barford Van Hire
9. Joseph Beckingsale- Wales Racing Academy
10. Callum Fernie

Men’s Senior Results:
1. Frazer Clacherty- Team Inspired
2. Grant Ferguson- Hope factory racing
3. Jason Boutell -Espresso Library
4. Tom Bell
5. Joe Griffiths – Torq
6. Ben Wadey – Clee Cycles
7. Tony Revell
8. David Duggan – Wheelbase CABTECH Castelli
9. Chris lever
10. Giles Drake – Wheelbase CABTECH Castelli

Photography from Huw Williams

Local fell running legend is nearing the end of her hiking and cycling challenge

Jane Reedy has climbed Ben Nevis and Snowdon, cycled in between and tomorrow will be scaling the third and final peak of Scafell Pike in the Lake District before cycling back home to Kendal on Tuesday. Undertaking the challenge in aid of Cancer Care, Jane set off from her home in Kendal on 18th July by train to begin the challenge at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain peak in the UK.

After climbing Ben Nevis Jane set off on bike for North Wales and the second summit of the challenge – Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. Once Snowdon had been conquered it was around 220 miles of cycling (including riding over Wrynose and Hardknott Pass) back north for the third and final peak of Scafell Pike, which Jane will be climbing tomorrow (Monday 29th July) before riding the 54 miles back home to Kendal.

You can follow Jane’s challenge and donate here. Chapeau to Jane from all here at Wheelbase.

Cervelo has entered the gravel world with a new kind of speed machine

The Canadian brand has engineered the Aspero for those serious about gravel racing, with performance taking priority. Designed for tackling mixed terrain at speed, the Aspero leverages Cervelo’s expertise in making road bikes for racers and brings it to the gravel scene.

Cervelo has said that the Aspero offers World Tour level stiffness, as found in their S and R series bikes and through aerodynamic frame profiles, creates maximum efficiency when travelling at speed. The bike is adjustable to different wheel/tyre combinations depending on your preferred riding. It’s engineered to fit most 700×42 or 650×49 wheel/tyre setups comfortably, with Cervelo recommending 4 mm clearance around whichever combination you run.

In terms of spec the Aspero will be available with both 1X and 2X setups. The top of the range model comes with Sram’s Force eTap groupset and retails at £5,399 with two colourways available. The Aspero range includes a Shimano Ultegra RX model, GRX 1X and 2X and a Sram Apex bike at £2,699.

Hope everyone enjoyed Tour de Staveley 2019! A great field of 300 riders and loads of smiling faces on a sunny day in the South Lakes.

Riders were treated to a stunning summer’s day as they took to the lanes of the South Lakes. Now in its 13^th year, the Tour de Staveley offers participants a choice of two fabulous routes – a 28 mile undulating course or a longer 48 mile version taking in some challenging Lakeland hills.

Starting and finishing from our Wheelbase cycle store in Staveley, the event offers a great introduction to group riding and is run in partnership with Kendal Cycle Club and the Wheels for All initiative. Kendal Mint Co. were at the start line offering up samples of their brand-new energy products. A post-ride meal was served up in Wilf’s Café and many riders opted for a much deserved drink in Hawkshead Brewery afterwards with the day’s Tour de France action playing on the big screen. James Kirkby was on hand to photograph riders as they came across the finish line and the event was supported by fantastic volunteers and marshals from the local community.

Results can be found here from T2.Events: https://my2.raceresult.com/131314/results?lang=en

Full photo gallery from James Kirby Photography

Gallery 1: https://www.facebook.com/pg/WheelbaseUK/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156020676291572
Gallery 2: https://www.facebook.com/pg/WheelbaseUK/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156020712781572

PLEASE TAG YOURSELF in the photographs, like, comment, share and download a high resolution – www.wheelbase.co.uk

 

Saturday 13th July – 3pm. 

Now celebrating its 13th anniversary and with two stunning Lakeland routes to choose from, this friendly non-competitive cycle sportive has a perfect distance to suit you. An homage to the world’s most famous cycle race, the Tour de Staveley is ‘a real social sportive ride with enough challenging terrain to test the most accomplished riders’.

Starting at 3pm from the UK’s largest cycle store WHEELBASE with a feed station positioned 3/4 at the Hare & Hounds pub, both routes take in fabulous Lake District scenery and famous climbs before finishing with a 2-course dinner served up by Wilf’s Cafe with the day’s Tour de France action playing on the big screen.

There are two rides available:

• Le Petit Tour: 28 miles
• Tour of Staveley: 48.5 miles

And different packages on offer:

• Full Monty £30: Ride + 2-course French themed meal, 3x pre-paid drinks
• Demi £25: Ride + 2-course French themed meal
• Skinny £12: Ride only
• Food only: £10

Book your place:

ENTER ONLINE

We have partnered with our friends at Kendal Cycling Club and all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Wheels for All charity.

The Wheels for All initiative is a nationally recognised program that embraces all children and adults with disabilities and differing needs, to engage in a quality cycling activity. By using specially adapted cycles, the activities are both physically and mentally stimulating and above all fun for everyone involved.

Vive Le Tour!

Short course map: http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/kendal-eng/le-petit-tour-of-staveley-2014-short-route-190001754

Long course map: http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/windermere-eng/le-tour-de-staveley-2014-long-course-route-30757232

Results

 

Bumper turnout for Lakeland Lanequest Season Finale

Over 90 riders tackled an extremely demanding and hilly course around Staveley on Tuesday evening for the final event in the Lakeland Lanequest Road Bike Orienteering Series, which has seen over 320 entrants across all 6 events this year.

Centred around the Wheelbase Cycle Store in the Mill Yard Staveley, competitors were treated a to post-event slice of Winners Cake cut by 2019 Solo Champions Helen Jackson and Tom Gibbs at the annual awards ceremony with prizes being presented by David Wilkinson, Performance Team Manager at sponsors Wheelbase.

The event itself, according to planner Phil Morgan, was a challenging route of nearly 33 miles and over 2000 metres of climbing for the leading riders attempting to visit all 30 control points. The severity of the route meant that scores were lower than in previous Lanequest events this year- even Gibbs failed to clear the course but still managed a creditable 290 points, his excuse being tired legs after his win in the Saunders Lakeland Marathon at the weekend.

After the disappointment of a routing glitch in a previous event, Natland’s Dave Hollingham bounced back at Staveley to score an excellent 290 points- tying for equal 1^st with Gibbs in the process. This also meant Hollingham now shares second place in the series overall with Dave Heffernan, who after a strong start in the series had started to fade a little toward the end- Staveley not seeing him at his best by his own admission.

In the women’s solo class, a typically barnstorming ride from Kendal CC rider Helen Jackson saw her top the standings yet again, beating international bike orienteer Angela Brand Barker into second place, but this wasn’t enough to overtake Haverthwaite’s Jo Cleary, whose consistent riding saw her take runner up spot in the overall series behind  champion Jackson. No such luck for Cleary’s daughter Hannah however, who after a promising start suffered an early puncture putting paid to her chance of a podium finish in the series.

Leading into the final event it was  Richard Davies and Julia Richardson in the Pairs/3’s just a few points in front of   James Annan and Julia Hargreaves ,but it was the latter pair who were victorious on the night, pipping their rivals by the merest of margins to become 2019 class champions. On a one-off appearance at were local pairing of fast lads Keiran Saunders and Mark Fishwick, flying the flag for Kendal Cycling Club, who won the pairs class by some margin.

Running alongside the main event was a mini Lanequest organised by Kendal Charity Wheels for All, who use adapted bikes to offer cycling opportunities to people with additional needs. Riders Rebecca Hughes and Chris Woolf completed the course within the 2-hour time limit, winning their class in the process.

Next year, 2020, sees the 25^th anniversary of Lakeland Lanequests, the event attracting over 7000 cyclists down the years as well as raising over £35,000 for local charities.

Results from the night:

Solo Men: = 1 Tom Gibbs/Dave Hollingham 290 points; 3 Dave Heffernan 274 points.

Solo Women: 1 Helen Jackson 264 points; 2 Angela Brand Barker 250 points; 3 Jo Cleary 246 points;

Adult Pairs/3’s: 1 Mark Fishwick/Keiran Sandham 264 points; 2 James Annan and Julia Hargreaves 240 points; 3 Richard Davies and Julia Richardson 228 points;

Overall League Men: -1 Tom Gibbs 1214 points; = 2 Dave Heffernan 1144 points/ David Hollingham 1144 points

Overall League Women: – 1 Helen Jackson 1098 points; 2 Jo Cleary 1048 points; 3 Angela Brand Barker 968 points;

Overall League Pairs: 1 James Annan and Julia Hargreaves 1014 points 2. R&J Richardson 954 points; 3 Mike and Rachel Toyn 940 points

For further information on the series see the Facebook page: Lakeland Lanequest Riders Forum:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/533101300084139/about/

For further information on events, and results

see: https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/blog/lakeland-lanequest-2019/

Our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli elite riders were in amongst the action yesterday at the Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland. The race was the sixth round in the men’s HSBC UK | National Road Series and was won by Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes’ Rory Townsend who beat 2017 winner Pete Williams in a sprint for the line.

We had riders at the front for the majority of the race, working to bring back the original break of four riders. Wheelbase rider Tom Martin escaped off the front of the peloton at one point to bag some King of the Mountains points which helped him take 8th place in the competition. The break was caught with around 30km left of the race and shortly after a strong group of seven riders escaped in what would be the race winning move.

The Beaumont Trophy is one of the longest running races on the road calendar and takes place around the village of Stamfordham in Northumberland. Last year the race held the British National Championships alongside the women’s Curlew Cup, with both races taking in a circuit culminating in the race-defining climb of the Ryals.

Although the racing was tough as it always is at this race our riders showed good form with Will Orrell-Turner and David Duggan finishing inside the top 40 as well as Finn Crockett in the bunch. We’ll look to carry the good form into the next round of the series at the Stockton Grand Prix, which takes place on Sunday 14th July.

Photos from swpix.com

 

Our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli squad will be racing in Otley tomorrow evening as the HSBC UK | National Circuit Series gets underway with a full evening of racing in the Yorkshire market town. The town centre crit race has run annually for the past 34 years in the picturesque market town of Otley in Yorkshire. One of the most prestigious criteriums on the British calendar, the race boasts a history of big-name winners including local stars Scott Thwaites and Lizzie Deignan  as well as World Tour stars Steve Cummings and Mark Cavendish.

The Pinsent Masons Women’s Otley Grand Prix gets under way at 7:30pm, while the Property Development Group Men’s Otley Grand Prix is set to start at 8:30pm. Both races will be streamed live on British Cycling’s YouTube channel.

 

Cannondale’s purest road bike has evolved

After four years of extensive testing and research an all-new SuperSix Evo is here. Known for it’s ultralight weight, unrivalled handling and its classic good looks, the SuperSix has undergone an aero evolution. The tube shapes have been redesigned, cabling has gone internal and comfort has been improved.

Cannondale have designed the new SuperSix Evo to be the fastest, most appealing, most capable lightweight road bike there is. The ultimate bike for hilly races, fast group rides and all-around high-performance road riding, the EVO comes primarily with disc brakes and is available with spec from Shimano 105 up to Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.

Key Benefits:

Less Drag. More Speed:

– 30 watts. That’s how much power the drag-reducing tube shapes and integrated design of the new SuperSix EVO saves over the prior version at 30 mph (48.3 km/h).

– New family of highly truncated airfoil tube shapes offer the same weight, and equal or better stiffness than round tubes, while reducing drag by up to 30%.

– Designed as a system with new HollowGram 45 KNØT wheelset, integrated 27 KNØT SAVE seatpost, and new SAVE integrated bar with KNØT stem. The full system integration has a
major impact on drag reduction, and gives the bike an incomparably clean, beautiful look.

– Fully hidden hydraulic brake line and Di2 cable routing. Same thru-the-headtube routing as SystemSix. The easiest cable routing of any internally routed bike.

Even Lighter:

The new SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD is the lightest disc road frameset we’ve ever made.

– 19 grams lighter than the previous EVO (56cm disc brake Hi-MOD frameset with seat post). Sure, 19 grams doesn’t sound like much, but you usually have to pay a hefty weight penalty to get the kind of drag reduction the new EVO offers. Nice work, engineers.

– Maintained EVO’s perfect frame stiffness (perfect, according to the Tour magazine testing index, and everyone who has ridden it).

– Made possible by the new tube shapes, integrated seat binder and new 27 SL KNØT seatpost.

More Comfortable and Capable:

18% more vertical compliance, a slightly elevated riding position and room for big tires, work in harmony to improve the new SuperSix EVO’s ride comfort and rough road capabilities, without diminishing its pure race performance.

– Increased frame compliance due to lower seat stays, integrated seat binder and the 27 SL KNØT seatpost with SAVE.

– Revised geometry provides a better fit for more riders, with a slightly taller stack and shorter reach – just 3 to 3-10mm depending on size (except for size 44 which actually gets about 1cm lower and longer, finally!).

– Tire clearance is boosted to 30mm, with 6mm of space on both sides, so riders can put on larger
volume tires if they wish. Note – rim brake bikes are limited to 28mm tires by the calipers.

New bikes for 2020 include:

SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD Disc Dura Ace Di2

SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD Disc Dura Ace

SuperSix EVO Carbon Disc Force eTap AXS

SuperSix EVO Carbon Disc Women’s Ultegra Di2

Bikes will be available to order online very soon. For further information call us on 01539 821443.

 

Morecambe Bay Maxillofacial Unit Sponsored Bike Ride

At 5:30am on Saturday 15th June, more than 40 cyclists from the Oral and Maxillofacial department, and other colleagues, at Morecambe Bay University Hospitals Acute NHS Trust, gathered to set off from Morecambe Prom to ride along the Way of the Roses cycle route to raise money towards a new scanner. The department works out of Kendal, Lancaster and Barrow and treat all manner of facial trauma and pathologies.

A large and enthusiastic support team with feed stations and marshals along the route meant that riders were supported with nutritional, mechanical and even emotional help. The cyclists were all sponsored to get as far as they could along the 170 mile waymarked route towards the east coast town of Bridlington. The route is along beautiful quiet lanes through Lancashire, the Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire Wolds before ending in Bridlington. 8 of the cyclists got all the way to the East coast – some not arriving until 1.30am.

The much-needed scanner will provide a detailed 3D image of trauma and cancer cases and allow for far greater understanding and treatment management.
If you would like to help support the team’s efforts, please go to: justgiving.com/maxfacbigbikeride

Photos from James Vincent

A self-supported bikepacking odyssey spanning the length of Great Britain

Wheelbase team photographer Dan Monaghan (Cadence Images) has been following the progress of Lachlan Morton, EF Pro Cycling rider and current race leader. Morton is closing in on the second checkpoint of the 2,000km route which started from Lands End and finishes at John o’ Groats in the north west of Scotland. Dan has followed the Australian pro rider through the heart of the Welsh mountains over a mix of gravel roads, tarmac and singletrack. Morton is riding the brand-new Cannondale Topstone Carbon, kitted out with full bikepacking equipment from Rapha.

GBDURO is a new event for 2019 and the devised route aims to ‘link Britain’s wild places with its rich industrial past’. The ride consists of 4 timed stages and the rider who finishes with the lowest aggregate time is crowned the winner. Although there is no actual prize awarded. The event combines hard riding and community, challenging riders to find their limits in some of Britain’s most remote and beautiful places.

During the second stage riders will pass through landscapes and ride along roads we know well. At the time of writing Morton is currently riding through Dentdale, not too far from our Lake District store. Heading north towards Kirkby Stephen, he and the other riders will continue through the north east corner of Cumbria and up and over the famous Great Dun Fell road climb, where Dan is looking to catch up with him once again.

2019 is the inaugural edition of GBDURO. With only 30 riders taking part there are no wheels to follow so the riders will have to navigate through the dark and light on their own and fix any mechanicals. Experienced bikepackers will know how to strike the balance of travelling light and smart, only carrying what is necessary and stopping as and when they can along the way. With Lachlan Morton at the head of the race, these intrepid riders will continue into uncharted territory and no doubt share a beer and a story at the finish line.

All photos from Dan Monaghan, Cadence Images.