by Ian Baily and edited by Neil Robinson
For those who don’t time trial it can seem an odd affair, the machines used are familiar but different, the kit appears to be a Lycra onesie and the helmets are out of this world. From the moment you set off it’s you against the clock for 10 miles going as fast as you can to eventually finish having expended all of your energy along the way. Unfortunately you may have been unlucky this time having been held up at junctions or roundabouts along the predetermined non-stop route or for once the run was clean and without traffic either way its just you, the bike and the road.
Once finished you return to HQ in the local village hall and grab a celebratory cup of tea and a sandwich whilst waiting for your time to go up on the results board.
Times are measured in minutes and seconds but mostly its about personal bests. Maybe you beat last weeks time except every course is different so due allowance for gradients, weather conditions and seasons required.
The NLTTA Combined Clubs event is the 2016 season’s opener for many local cycling time trial riders’ and with 140 competitors this year many more have take to this fast and exhilarating cycle sport. Southport fielded a team of 9 riders in the event with David Hilton topping the team with a ride averaging just less than 25 mph for the distance with Karl Turner and Ian Bailey grinding out a 24 mph average after being hit with a pelting of hail from halfway to the finish. Notable rides came from our new veteran rider Will White with 24mph and from 13 year old David Unsworth a credible 23.5mph and who says he is keen to flourish in this sport over the coming season.
Southport’s Aaron Green’s first TT unfortunately had to be abandoned after he suffered a puncture just before the start and missed his slot, there is always next week.
Many thanks to our cousins at Chorley Cycling Club namely Jamie Carson for organizing a fabulous event well done!
Left to right David Hilton Karl Turner Will White Maggi Biggs Alan Stark Ian Bailey David Unsworth Aaron Green Colin Baldwin (Club president)
Karl Turner ………25’08”
Ian Bailey …………25’44”
Will White ………..25’50”
David Unsworth.. 27’09”
Margret Biggs ……29’45”
Alan Stark …………30’56”
