Coronavirus Update: Club Time Trials Still on Hold...

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

This update relates to CTT events in England only. It does not relate to events in Wales or Scotland.

In the update on 08 June, it was said that in anticipation of the government restrictions on social distancing being relaxed sufficiently to allow competition to resume once more, the suspension of competition was to be further extended, although for a limited period only, with Type B ‘club’ events being further suspended up to and including 05 July 2020 and all Type A events being further suspended up to and including 17 July 2020.

Since then, although the social distancing measures have been relaxed quite considerably, it remains the case that as of today’s date, people from multiple households can meet only in groups of up to six.

CTT remains optimistic that it will be possible, within the government guidelines, to resume competition in July. However, the guidance released by the government has not been as clear as had been hoped for. It is anticipated that further clarification will be provided by the government when the amended legislation is published, which is expected on 04 July.

CTT is very much aware that clubs and organisers do need certainty about whether or not events can be held. As the government guidance is not clear, and as the amended legislation will unlikely be available until 04 July, it is very unlikely that CTT will be able to give the “green light” in good time for those club events due to be held in the few days after 04 July.

Accordingly, the suspension of Type B ‘club’ events is further extended by one week, up to and including 12 July 2020, to allow time to consider the legislation and any further government guidance that may be published around the same time.

Type A events remain suspended up to and including 17 July 2020.

The COVID-19 risk assessment and guidance – Putting on a Cycling Time Trials Events under COVID-19 is available on the CTT website.

CTT will continue to review the position and a further update will be released shortly.

26 June 2020

Easy for Culverwell as Road Racing Returns to Guernsey

"After all the hype, not the most exciting road race in the end unfortunately!"

Overnight rain meant the race started on wet roads, and the stiff south westerly wind combined with a high tide to add some sea spray to the mix along the coast road too, Reports Alex Margison.....Given the conditions the race started at a fairly steady pace, with the group of 10 Division 1 riders staying together until Sam Culverwell attacked the bunch at the top of the course midway round the second lap of the 6 lap race. He’d built a 25 second lead by the end of the lap, but a crash in the chasing bunch on the notoriously slippery left hand corner at the bottom of the main climb ended the race of both Seb Tremlett and Mike Serafin. It also held the peloton up enough to effectively end the race as a contest too, with Sam’s advantage up to over 2 minutes by the end of the third lap.

The bunch managed to claw back 15 seconds on each of the next two laps, but Sam had edged the gap back out to over 2 minutes by the finish as the chasing group eased up in the final lap for a bit of cat and mouse ahead of the sprint for second place which was won by Jack English from Marc Cox in third.
Full Result
Div 1 1 Sam Culverwell Trinity Racing 6 laps 01:52:46
Div 1 2 Jack English Guernsey Velo Club 6 laps 01:54:54 +2:08
Div 1 3 Marc Cox Guernsey Velo Club 6 laps st +2:08
Div 1 4 James Roe Guernsey Velo Club 6 laps st +2:08
Div 1 5 Sam Reed Côtes d'Armor Marie Morin Véranda Rideau 6 laps st +2:08
Div 1 6 Matt Osborn Guernsey Velo Club 6 laps 01:54:57 +2:11
Div 1 7 Jack Reed CC Plancoët 6 laps 01:56:35 +3:49
Div 1 8 Andy Colver Guernsey Velo Club 6 laps 02:00:55 +8:09
Div 2 9 Jack Hoskins Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps 01:39:23 1 lap
Div 2 10 Tony Bleasdale Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps st 1 lap
Div 2 11 Andy Gibson Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps st 1 lap
Div 2 12 Simon Baker Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps st 1 lap
Div 2 13 Kyle Nelson Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps st 1 lap
Div 2 14 Phil Touzeau Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps st 1 lap
Div 2 15 Jon Osborn Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps 01:39:24 1 lap
Div 2 16 Mark Smith Guernsey Velo Club 5 laps 01:39:29 1 lap
Div 3 17 Dave Fairbrother Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:20:52 2 laps
Div 3 18 Charles Lowe Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:20:53 2 laps
Div 3 19 Nick Despres Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:20:56 2 laps
Div 3 20 Danielle Hanley Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:23:01 2 laps
Div 3 21 Chantal Green Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 22 Andy Godfrey Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:23:02 2 laps
Div 3 23 Adam Torode Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 24 Maddie Wilson Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 25 Kylie Vaudin Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 26 Jack Castleman Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 27 Simon Francart Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 28 Steve James Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps st 2 laps
Div 3 29 Jamie Rive Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:23:03 2 laps
Div 3 30 Alex Clark Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:23:07 2 laps
Div 3 31 Nathan Medlock Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:27:51 2 laps
Div 3 32 Andrea Nightingale Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:32:21 2 laps
Div 3 33 Ed Rocha Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:34:03 2 laps
Div 3 34 Marina Bleasdale Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:38:18 2 laps
Div 3 35 James Duguid Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:38:19 2 laps
Div 3 36 Adrian Vaudin Guernsey Velo Club 4 laps 01:39:30 2 laps

Time Trialling: Another Casualty of Covid 19?

In a reflective mood: Julian Gee (Sotonia CC) looks back with nostalgia and forward with some pessimism……..
On 21st June 1980 I organised my first open time trial – the British Students Sports Federation ‘25’ on the Six Hills course in Leicester. There were only a handful of cyclists at Leicester University at the time so I was grateful for the help of some of the local Leicester clubs and some friends I managed to rope in to run what turned out to be a successful event, with over 60 entries from Universities (and Polytechnics – remember those?) all over the country.
In that era, the traditional club structure was quite strong as I recall and most clubs whose members competed also promoted their own events, whether that be road, track, TT, cross or across all disciplines. Many clubs would also run regular club time trials for their own members and guests during the racing season.
Fast forward 40 years and the scene has changed quite dramatically. There are still plenty of people cycling (even more so during the recent lock down) but many fewer ‘traditional’ clubs and with that the BC and CTT handbook and lists of events are much slimmer volumes that in the past.
There has been an increase in clubs and ‘team’ numbers in recent years but most of these outfits are relatively small, often (but not always) somewhat elitist and usually launch with a manifesto to compete but no obvious plans to shoulder any of the promotional load.
There has been a rise in commercially promoted ‘sportives’ but, these same organisation haven’t much ventured into the promotion of bread and butter road events or time trials – these are still the preserve of a reducing number of clubs that in many cases have been around for decades.
I am reflecting on this following a recent plea from CTT Head Office for people to step forward to help organise events following the hopeful resumption time trialling again as Covid 19 lockdown conditions ease : I hope clubs will be able to reactivate at least some of their promotional plans in what remains of the season and will find a ready stream of volunteers to help run them, however, I am a little pessimistic, not just for this season, but for the seasons ahead.
The recent racing hiatus could see further clubs being unwilling or unable to run the events that they have been promoting year in, year out and then one asks what will happen to the racing calendar longer term and the finances of bodies like CTT (who are mostly financed by race levies)?
I don’t have all the answers to this question (or perhaps any answer!) but I think the recent troubles have highlighted the need for the sport to start to seriously consider the issue of who and how the sport is continued long term, as I suspect (I hope wrongly!) than in a further 40 years (when I might still be around at 101 years’ old – I hope again!) when all that is left to do is to reflect on what once was great sport and pastime.
Julian Gee
P.S. In case you are interested, my first promotion was won by Steve Hudson, (pic) of Coventry in 57-47.

Road Racing Returns to Guernsey this Weekend

With no new cases of Covid-19 for 50 days on Guernsey, local restrictions will be lifted from midnight 19th June allowing contact sport to make a welcome return to the island this weekend. Guernsey Velo Club will be hosting their first road race since 1 March on Sunday (21st) morning on the 7.75 mile L'Erée circuit in the far South West of the island. The start/finish is at Rocquaine Bay and the course immediately heads up the Col du Pleinmont before a false flat along the South coast as far as the airport, then a left turn for a long descent via St Peter's village back down to the coast at L'Erée and down the West coast along Rocque Poisson back to Rocquaine. There are currently 45 signed up, but GVC are expecting further entries on the day, the racing will be run on a divisional basis with Division 1 racing 6 laps, Division 2 5 laps, Division 3 4 laps and a 3 lap novice race. The popular 10-round Open 10 mile Time Trial series also makes a welcome return on Saturday, so it promises to be a busy weekend on the island.

2021 Tour of Britain Race Dates: 5-12 September

Following the postponement of the 2020 Tour of Britain, the provisional race dates for next year’s race are Sunday 5 to Sunday 12 September 2021.

These dates are provisional and subject to change until the publication of the 2021 UCI calendar later this year, although organisers are anticipating there should be no significant change to what is the Tour of Britain’s traditional early September position. Further stage details will be released throughout the summer.