50 Mile Flat Reliability Ride

On Sunday, 16 January, the High Wycombe CC 50 mile flat reliability bike ride was held.  The weather was not as nice as the weatherman said it would be, but then again…when is it?  With gail force winds and intermittent rain the first group took off at 9:00 am sharp.  The event started and finished in Princes Risborough.

Last year’s Tour of Wales Team (Gareth Batson, James Norris and Clive Nichols) took off with the first group of fast riders…Wycombe’s own elite cyclist Steve Golla among them.  Needless to say, the pace was brutal.  The second group fast, but smart enough not to try and keep up with group 1, took off minutes later, and then finally the third group…) those of us that have not even seen our bikes over the holidays, took off last. This group consists of some of this year’s hopefuls for the Three Up Time Trial including Cynergy’s own Cat Batson, along with Becky, Charlotte and Sarah.

After a long grueling ride, group 1 finished the ride in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Group 2 came in about 2 hours and 50 minutes, while the last group limped in at about 3 hours and 10 minutes.  The first group, aside from the obvious blinding pain at holding the speeds they were in the wind, managed to make it back unscathed, as did the second group.  Sadly, one rider in group 3 touched a wheel and came down rather hard.  After a brave attempt to get back on her bike and try to complete the effort, the adrenlin was not enough to carry her on, so she had to abandon the ride with about 15 miles to go.  Cat and Richard stayed behind to help sort things out and then had to hit time trial mode in order to catch the group…sadly Richard had to do the hard work as he is bigger and stronger than me, oh and he knew the way back:-).  Thanks for that Richard!  You are an absolute star!

So well done everyone for the first High Wycombe Reliability Ride of the season!  Two weeks to go and we’ll be doing it all over again…but with hills this time!