CYCLING — Time Trial League ResumingINVERCLYDE Velo riders are preparing for another busy year of racing in the Alex Hunter Time Trial League on the Cloch course and in open events across Scotland.
The Alex Hunter Time Trial League starts on Tuesday 10 April. All are welcome to go along and race the clock; riders meet every Tuesday on Cloch Road just after McInroy’s Point, and every Thursday at the Gantock flats for the APR (Australian Puruit Race). Both events start at 6.30pm. Anyone using Strava can check out the routes using the Cloch Time Trial segment.
A few of the riders have already tested their racing legs in an eventful 50-mile Lake of Menteith APR on Saturday 24 March. Ryan Bunyan and Gordon Young were among a full field of 80 riders, split into four groups. Ryan set off in the first group and Gordon was in the second group.
The groups were all working well, but, at around 30 miles, Ryan touched wheels with another rider and went off the road into a ditch and was tangled up in a barbed wire fence. While this would be enough to force most to retire from the race, Ryan got back on the bike and set off knowing group two wasn’t far behind. Unfortunately, Gordon had also crashed, taking a heavy knock to the head and was sadly out of the race.
Ryan sprinting for the line
Ryan sat in for a few miles to recover but then moved up to the front and took his turn at pulling the group along. In the closing miles, Ryan got into a good position and conserved energy for the inevitable bunch sprint. With the chequered flag in sight, the group erupted into a furious race for the line with Sigma Sports rider Martin Lonie taking the victory with Ryan only a few yards behind, securing fifth place. This was an amazing result considering this was Ryan’s first BCF (British Cycling Federation) open road race. Ryan’s next event is Crit on the Campus criterium (closed circuit) race in Stirling on Sunday (1 April).
Patricia Baird will also be flying the flag for Inverclyde Velo on 1 April, racing in the Law Wheelers 10-mile time-trial in Stirling. Patricia has been training consistently and spending a lot of time racing in the Chris Hoy Velodrome.
Results will be posted on the Inverclyde Velo forum.
