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Our most packed issue yet featuring the Women's Tour, Giro d'Italia in Ireland, National Hill Climb, National Cyclocross Championships, Tour Down under, Centurian's lone ride to Rome and, of course, Killer Hill
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CYCLE MAGAZINE ISSUE 07
Editor James Maloney [email protected] Editor Dan Kenyon [email protected] Joolze DymondPaul Francis CooperJack ChevellTim DaltonCourtnie Hayes Ali Vermilio Nick HoweDesign Uniform www.uniform.netThanks go to: Wayne Greenhalgh at Champion Systems and the staff at Team Lampre MeridaRachel Heal at UHC Womens Team Peter Hodges and Guy Elliot at Sweetspot David MurphyBill SoensIan PughAndy Fenn, Rick van Slycke and Alessandro Tegner at Omega Pharma Quickstep
All information contained in Spin Cycle Magazine is for information purposes only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press. Spin Cycle Magazine cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies that occur. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this magazine. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Spin Cycle Magazine a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including all licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Spin Cycle Magazine nor its staff, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. In relation to any medical queries, the advice given is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner and we strongly advise all readers with health problems to consult a doctor.
spin cycle magazine
08 Women On Tour Peak behind the scenes with the
first ladies of United Healthcare
44 Irish Tickled Pink Giro d’Italia arrives in Ireland
74 Dirty Pretty Things Mud, glorious mud at
the National Cyclocross
Championships
108 The Stang Why does it always rain
on the National Hill Climb
Championships?
138 Brit Down Under Omega-Pharma Quickstep’s Andy
Fenn chats about racing in Oz
154 Long Way To Rome Centurian Ian Pugh’s lone
adventure to Rome
164issu Killer Hill Bwlch Penbarras - possibly our
toughest hill to date
1 2 3
4
5 6 7
Follow us on twitter @SpinCycleMag
SPIN
COVER: Women’s Tour by Joolze DymondLEFT: Giro d’Italia by Jack Chevell
5
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WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
9
WOMENON
TOUR
Words & Photography JOOLZE DYMOND
pro rider
IT’S finally happened. Great
Britain got it’s Women’s Tour
on the UCI calendar. To be
honest, it’s been an awful long
time coming.
Alfonsina Strada made history in
the 1924 Giro as the first woman to
ride a grand tour alongside the men.
Instead of being heralded as a
heroine, Strada was sidelined as
a novelty act, being dubbed as ‘the
devil in a dress’.
Now, 90 years later, women’s
racing is still largely being treated
as a sideshow - an afterthought,
run as a support act to men’s races
but without the same respect, prize
money or equal wages.
However, 2014 is the year of change
thanks to the vision of Sweetspot
and its organiser Guy Elliott. It is the
year women’s professional cycling
finally had a tour race to equal the
men’s.
2014 is the year of change thanks Sweetspot and its organiser Guy Elliott. It is the year women’s professional cycling finally had a tour race to equal the men’s
I was fortunate to attend two stages
as the guest of United HealthCare Pro
Cycling and witness the changes. It
wasn’t seeing Olympians and World
Champions rubbed shoulders on the
start line, sharing a joke and a laugh.
That spirit has always been there. It
wasn’t even how approachable the
riders were to spectators and media
alike. Autograph? No problem,
photo? Sure.
No, what was new this time was the
setup and the organization. I stepped
into Stage 2 and felt I had stepped
into a stage of the Tour of Britain
itself - the pomp, ceremony and,
most importantly, the safety.
With NEG riders escorting the
ABOVE: The weather looks grim during the Women’s TourRIGHT: Riders from UHC get changed following miserable weather on Stage Two
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour
race, delivering it from point-to-
point, there was a proper race
bubble - missing from so much other
women’s racing - where the women
could attack, defend, ride tactically,
chase, sprint, challenge all without
worrying about a random car straying
into their path.
The crowds swelled the route,
schools cheered, flags were waved
in delight and placards declaring
support for favourites - all despite
the weather on some stages.
All the cheers sent a shiver down my
spine that I’d not encountered since
the first roll out stage of the Tour of
Britain, when Brad, as he was back
then, took a victory parade after his
historic Tour de France win.
Every inch of the streets then,
as now, were crammed with folk
along the entire route. And now,
echoing that sentiment, a victorious
celebration of women’s racing was
underway and the public loved it,
every minute of it.
It wasn’t dull. The critics of women’s
cycling, who suggested it may well
be a dreary and cagey procession
from start to finish, were confounded
by the opposite.
After five days of gritty weather and
gritty racing, laced with plenty of
attacks and desperate doomed break-
aways, Marianne Vos reminded us
why she is the reigning Olympic
and World champion and the UCI
realised that women’s racing had
finally been given the safety it
needed to shine.
No, Vos didn’t dominate as first
expected. Home-grown talent
flourished and shone through. Every
day brought edge of the seat action.
Every day brought women’s racing
closer to the eyes of the world and
proved without doubt they were
deserving of much bigger and greater
things - the Women’s Tour finally
giving them the voice of reason they
needed to prove their point.
It’s as exciting and unpredictable as
the men’s equivalent. They certainly
race as hard and deserve the same
respect and coverage as the men.
More importantly, they deserve to
earn a living wage as they pursue
sporting excellence in one of the
hardest sports out there.
One of the stand out teams for the
race was the American team United
Health Care. For UHC’s two British
One of the stand out teams for the race was United Health Care. For UHC’s two British riders Hannah Barnes and Sharon Laws, both in their first season with the team, it was a triumph.
riders Hannah Barnes and Sharon
Laws, both in their first season with
the team, it was a triumph.
The riders podiumed together on
Stage One with Barnes coming third
in the sprint behind the Swede
Emma Johannsson and that Dutch
girl, while taking the best Under-23
jersey.
Laws bagged the Queen of the
Mountains jersey - or ‘Queen of the
Slopes’ as the peloton called it - as
none of the hills were high enough
to trouble the talent on show.
Hannah went on to have a couple of
top five placings and came in eight
by the end and, despite a crash on
Stage 4, Sharon clung on to hold the
jersey all week.
Barnes, who had been chosen as
leader before the race and she rose
ABOVE: Every team should have a lucky mascot and UHC have a lucky gnomeLEFT: In a demostration of equality, riders get changed aboard one of the team buses normally reserved for the men
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ABOVE: Ruth Winder relaxes listening to music and checking her emails while aboard the team’s luxury bus
19
There’s been no changing in cramped mini vans and waiting in bus shelters for the Women’s Tour squad either. UHC drove over one of the men’s team buses from Belgium – complete with Luke the driver and the lucky gnome.
past – present – futurespin cycle magazine
to the responsibility, said: “Being
young and new to the team, I really
happy they trusted me and have the
team working for me.”
United Health Care as a company
have made an equally big statement
since they started the women’s team
in 2013.
UHC’s last training camp in
Scottsdale Arizona saw the women’s
team training with the men’s.
Barnes added: “We’ve seen the guys
a lot this. Half the races have been
with the men and it’s been one big
team. When we’ve come down to
breakfast at the hotels and it’s been
guys and girls tables they’ve been
‘No no no’ and we’ve all swapped
around and mixed together and
that’s been so cool.”
There’s been no changing in
cramped mini vans and waiting in
bus shelters for the Women’s Tour
squad either. UHC drove over one of
the men’s team buses from Belgium
– complete with Luke the driver and
the lucky gnome.
It’s a display of equality with the
men’s team that’s been mirrored by
the organisation of the race itself
with full marshalling, road closures,
TV coverage and, most telling of all,
the same prize money as the men.
In a world that only recently
equalised prize money in tennis and
still excludes women from some golf
clubs, it’s a strong statement. This
first season for UHC has been one of
huge personal growth for the team’s
DS Rachel Heal as well. Heal raced
herself for nine years, competing
in the Athens Olympics, World
Championships and Commonwealth
games, as well as coming second to
Nicole Cooke in the National Road
Race too many times to reminisce
about here.
When Heal joined UHC, she
understood that she might be gain
DS experience by directing a few
of the men’s US races later in the
season.
In what you could call ‘fast-track
gender blindness mode’ UHC had
different expectations of her ability
and she found herself successfully
directing the men’s team for UHC
at this year’s rain-soaked Milan-
SanRemo.
At the end of Stage 2, I sat down with
Heal in the glamorous soundings
of The Best Western in Colchester
while soigneurs rubbed legs, music
played and preparations for day two
went on in the rooms around us.
JD: The team have come a long way
for this race. I’m guessing this is
quite important?
RH: Having two British riders on our
team for the Women’s Tour is a big
There’s been no changing in cramped mini vans and waiting in bus shelters for the Women’s Tour squad either. UHC drove over one of the men’s team buses from Belgium.
LEFT: Getting ready - once the race numbers are pinned on, a rider checks they’ve everything for the race that they’ll need, including gels
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 23
BELOW: Looking lean and clean, the ladies of UHC get into some sparkling white kit ready for the start of the next stage
RIGHT: Despite at crash on Stage 4, Sharon Laws from UHC held onto the polkadot jersey all week
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 25
ABOVE: Alone in the woods - with the exception of the TV crew - Ruth Winder looks back in search of a spare wheel while the peloton escapes in the distance
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 27
deal. The race was always one that
I personally wanted to do, but it
was the challenge of convincing the
management that it was worthwhile
for them – spending the money -
because it’s expensive us coming
over here with plane tickets and
the bus. We were very much of the
mindset that if we were going to do
it, we would do it properly, so the bus
came over from the Continent. One
of the things said at the beginning of
the year was that we were going to
try to help raise the bar for women’s
cycling. The team are treating them
the same as the men’s team and
hoping if we start doing this then it
would encourage other teams to do
the same. And with the Women’s
Tour being a carbon copy of the
mens - in terms of organisation -
that’s obviously a race we want to
support.
JD: It’s only Stage 2, but has it lived
up to your expectations?
RH: Yes. In fact, it’s exceeded them.
The public and media interest
was big before the race, but then
the support out on the road was
surprising and huge, as well as the
interest in not just the cycle media
but mainstream media too.
JD: So people are watching this race
closely?
RH: Women’s racing’s been on the
up in the past couple of years. Races
like the Olympics and then the US
Pro Championships in 2013 were
televised. People who previously
had not been too impressed have
looked again realised that actually
it is pretty exciting and this is a
good spectator sport, as well as just
as exciting – if not more exciting -
then the men;s. We’ve now been
given the big stage and the women’s
peloton have to prove they can step
up. It’s a business. If it’s not exciting
television and the money it brings
isn’t going to be there. The Women’s
Tour told us that they believe
women’s cycling can be interesting
and it’s been up to the peloton to
prove that. The organisers trusted
us to provide and I think we’ve been
doing that. So far, it’s been exciting.
There’s been nothing predictable
about the race. I think Sharon’s been
the only jersey not to change hands
over the past two days.
JD: There was a lot of talk about this
being all about Vos, but there’s a lot
of other things happening.
RH: Vos is an incredible athlete,
but there’s a lot of good athletes out
there, too. She hasn’t had it all her
own way. She’s had to race hard.
JD: I’ve been with the team all day.
It’s a great atmosphere on board the
bus and it seems a tight knit team.
RH: Yes but it’s not by accident. In
the UHC men’s team that spirit is
the big thing they’ve got and, when
we hired for the women’s team
for this year, we had to create the
same emphasis on the whole team.
We only hired riders that we knew
would buy into that ethic and build
that bond. Team results are more
important than any individual.
JD: You’ve had some goals for
Hannah and Sharon for this race,
though?
RH: Yesterday, I did have to laugh
when Hannah said in interviews
that I’d said there was ‘no plan’ and
‘just go and have fun’. It sounded
like I was a little casual. It was a
conscious decision to tell Hannah
that to try to diffuse the tension for
her, as it was her home stage. She’s
had a massive amount of pressure on
her. I know she’s incredibly talented
and incredibly fast for someone just
21. For Stage One, my job was to
pretend it was like any other bike
race. When, of course, it wasn’t.
The job was to support her with the
team and just keep them around her
– almost without her noticing it. For
her to come third and win the jersey
was just incredible.
JD: It’s a good mixture of young and
experienced riders.Sharon has been
a good signing and brings some age
and experience to the team.
ABOVE: Lauren Tamayo grabs a bi-don during a rare quiet moment on one of the stages at the Women’s Tour
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ABOVE: Making a splash - the team cars race through puddles as they hurtle along trying to keep up with peloton
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 31
RH: Sharon’s a great climber. The
climbs here aren’t quite what she’s
used to. In the US, the last race she
rode had climbs of 6,000 feet. The
first stage finished with a seven-mile
climb and the last stage with a 13-
mile climb, so it’s a little bit different
to the 1km climbs in this race. But a
good climber is a good climber.
JD: It’s a US team. Why did you pick
Hannah and Sharon?
RH: Being British myself, I’ve
always kept an eye on British riders.
I suppose with Hannah it was the
Smithfield nocturne when she won
– but then didn’t. Two things stood
out for me. First, she beat Laura Trott
and then the way she handled the
post race situation. Being 19 and
winning a race, then having it taken
from you for whatever reason it
was. She was just incredibly mature
about the whole thing and, from
what I read, said nothing negative in
the press. That struck me almost as
much as the race itself. So when we
received her CV, I remembered the
name and looking at her palmarès,
we knew that she knew how to win a
race. She has so much potential.
JD: And with Sharon?
RH: I’m not sure that I ever raced
against Sharon. I was on my way
out as she was starting. I knew how
strong she was and Mara [Abbott],
our climber, had been on the
receiving end of Sharon’s teamwork
with others and knew her as a
rider. We were looking for someone
to support Mara on some of the
hillier stage races and that’s why we
approached her.
JD: I’ve known Hannah for years and
she’s always had a bit of a raw deal.
She’s such a talented rider and very
mature considering what she’s had
to put up with.
RH: Since she’s been riding, I’ve been
based in the US, so haven’t followed
all the news about the UK domestic
team. I looked at her palmarès and
thought ‘she’s won a lot of races’.
JD: When I met her three years ago,
she had 19 nationals title to her name
yet she couldn’t get a decent team
ride. It didn’t make sense. She was
one of those faces that didn’t seem to
fit British Cycling, so it’s great to see
her flourishing with UHC.
RH: She’s like the team’s little sister
– to both the women’s and the men’s
teams. She is based in Ashville when
she’s in the US and we have some of
the guys based there too. They take
her out on their rides and like to look
out for her.
JD: You were a pretty experienced
rider yourself. You must recognise
the changes in women’s racing
recently
RH: It’s still a fairly young sport, but
developing and learning quickly.
It has changed a lot and there are
more teams now based within the
men teams. We’re using the UHC
ABOVE: Sharon Laws on the front of the group as it whizzes along
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 35
men’s experience to fast-track our
learning. Some of the races earlier
in the year, the men were racing the
same course, so able to offer. I was
lucky myself as a rider in the sense
that I was on the only women’s team
with a bus in 2004. We had Leontien
Van Moorsel in the team. She was a
huge Dutch star, so that made quite
difference. The professionalism of
teams is so much better now. It still
has some way to go, but it’s getting
there.
JD: You’re based in the US pretty
permanently now?
RH: The season is getting longer for
sure. I used to be in the US between
March and August. Now it’s Jan-Dec
and I come back to the UK for three
weeks.
JD: Are UHC happy with the team so
far?
RH: I think so. I’m not sure what
their expectations were in terms of
race results, but we started the year
with Hannah winning the first stage
in the San Luis in Argentina and
then we went on to win the race as a
whole with Alison. We then went to
El Salvador and won that race with
Mara. We then went and won a fair
few races in the US, so it’s been a
good year so far.
It certainly has. If you visit the
United Health Care Team site, you’ll
note two score boards side-by-side
listing races wins, podiums and top
10 placings. At the time of writing,
the women are ahead of the men in
every category this season. Not bad
for so-called ‘devils in dresses’.
ABOVE: Another day, another stage done and dustedLEFT: Rain, rain, go away - UHC’s soigner prepares the feed bags for the stage ahead, probably hoping the weather will improve for the team’s riders
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 37
ABOVE: Time to relax as one of the riders from UHC puts her feet up after another day’s hard racing at the Women’s Tour
women on tourspin cycle magazine women on tour 39
GO ONYOU KNOW
THAT
Also available from our selected stockistsLONDON: Condor Cycles, Magma Books: Clerkenwell and Covent Garden
MANCHESTER: Harry Hall Cycles, Eddie McGrath Cycles, Magma Books, Polocini Cafe
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2
IRISHTICKLED
PINK
Words PAUL COOPER Photography JACK CHEVELL
pro rider47
irish tickled pinkspin cycle magazine
THE blades of the TV
helicopter whirred
above the starting line
next to the spectacular
Titanic centre on the
banks of the River Lagan.
Today, it’s the opening stage of the
2014 Giro d’Italia and it is impossible
not to recall a Belfast of a bygone era.
Like many people in the crowd, I
knew Northern Ireland during the
days when the penetrating roar of
a helicopter meant British Army
reconnaissance was above, scanning
the area for signs of terrorist activity
and when it was commonplace
to see fully armed soldiers, faces
daubed with military camouflage
paint, outside your front door.
That was a Belfast of the past.
Thankfully, the Good Friday Peace
Process has transformed the city and
Northern Ireland. Yet its work is not
yet complete. Tensions at the arrest
How sweet is it for cycling that the Giro d’Italia in Northern Ireland has shown the world just how far that process has travelled?
of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, as
well as the continuing background
presence of men still committed to
violence, show that the road to full
peace is still a hard one.
But, how sweet is it for cycling that
the Giro d’Italia in Northern Ireland
has shown the world just how far
that process has travelled?
Dublin-born, 1987 Giro D’Italia
winner, Stephen Roche, who
was speaking to more than 5,000
enthusiastic spectators on the eve
of Stage One at the Giro’s opening
ceremony, held at Belfast’s City Hall,
said: “Thank you for everyone being
here tonight. I am speechless. I was
expecting a warm welcome but this is
ABOVE: Crowds gather in the rain to watch the riders for the start of the Giro d’italiaRIGHT: What it is all about - the winner’s trophy is shown to the fans in Belfast
Post race warm down. Ian Stannard bleeds from road rash picked up on course
What we learnt: Most team buses could do with a mop and bucket; lying down on the floor to photograph a rider riding through puddles means you get soaked by the following team car and, finally, the state of the coffee machine at Knowsley TOB press office could well prevent the tour returning next year. Peter Hodges has been informed...
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ABOVE: Riders from Europcar race round the streets of Belfast during the 21.7km team time trial for the 2014 Giro d’Italia
irish tickled pink 53
even more than I thought, so thanks
again. I was surprised [that the Giro
came to Ireland], it’s something I
always wanted when I was young. It
feels so unreal.”
Adding to that sentiment and sense
of amazement was Team Sky’s Philip
Deignan, who is from Donegal. He
told the crowd: “It’s just amazing.
I never thought I could start in my
own country.”
Meanwhile, the cost to Northern
Ireland in staging the opening event
and the first three stages of the Giro
was estimated at £4.2m.But tourism
experts calculate that the race
generated £2.5m in revenue from
visitors coming to watch the race.
In the long-term, it is estimated that
it will produce over £10m through
global publicity. In 2013, the Giro
was broadcast to 174 countries and
reached a global audience of 775
million.
Historically, the Giro always started
in Milan. But in 1960, the Grande
Partenza moved to other Italian
cities. In 1996, it made its debut
beyond Italy in Athens. Since then,
the Corsa Rosa has started in Nice
in 1998, Amsterdam in 2010 and
Herning in Denmark in 2012.
But the world-travelled and gnarled
officials of the race seemed genuinely
taken aback by the welcoming
warmth and friendliness of a Belfast
bathed in pink.
Andrei Monti, director of La Gazzetta
dello Sport, which has organised the
race since the first Giro left Milan at
3.53am on May 13, 1909, described
irish tickled pinkspin cycle magazine
the opening reception at Belfast City
Hall as the start of “a surprising love
affair between Belfast and the Giro.”
“Belfast, we love you,” he told the
crowd. The Giro has a history of
going beyond the realms of sport. In
1946, Italy was brutally scarred by
the Second World War. That year’s
Giro, the first since 1943, was hailed
as the ‘Giro of Rebirth’.
Starting in Milan, it travelled south
to Naples and back via Turin. It
passed on its way, bomb-damaged
cities and towns.
The riders battled over roads which
barely justified the name. Every man
riding had been affected by the strife
Andrei Monti, director of La Gazzetta dello Sport, described the opening reception at Belfast City Hall as the start of “a surprising love affair between Belfast and the Giro.”
of the War. Some had fought against
each other as partisans, communists
and fascists.
But it was a race that captured the
spirit of a nation - looking to the
future, intent on rebuilding and
reconciliation. It was described as
“the flame which lit up the nation”
by writer, Bruno Roghi.
And, as the helicopter whirred
above, on the banks of the Lagan,
the riders gliding past towards the
cranes of Harland and Wolff, the
Giro went far beyond the realms of
sport again. Long may it do so for
many years yet to come.
ABOVE: Team Lampre-Merida’s Damio Cunego rolls out for the opening cermony of the 2014 Giro d’ItaliaLEFT: Garmin’s Dan Martin chats to the crowds in Belfast
irish tickled pink 55
dublin turns pinkspin cycle magazine
LEFT: All kitted out, Przemyslaw Niemiec gets ready for action.
BELOW: Ancone Gomez and Matteo Bono warm up before the start of the team time trial
irish tickled pink 57
ABOVE: Lampre-Merida’s riders looking cool as ice before the start of the team time trial in Belfast
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ABOVE: Lampre-Merida flash past the crowds stood by the roadside in Belfast
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Nathen Hass limps in after the team time trial in Belfast during the 2014 Giro d’Italia
It was a race that captured the spirit of a nation - looking to the future, intent on rebuilding and reconciliation. It was described as “the flame which lit up the nation” by writer, Bruno Roghi.
Post race warm down. Ian Stannard bleeds from road rash picked up on course
Fabien Wegmann and Ryder Hesjedal consol each other after a tough stage for Garmin in Belfast
dublin turns pinkspin cycle magazine
LEFT: Nairo Quintana makes his escape on the freshly mopped floor of his hotel before the TTT recon - not sure the staff could believe what he was up toBELOW: Team Lampre-Merida look exhausted after arriving at the finish in Dublin
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ABOVE: Riders huddle together in a group next to the coast as the peloton heads from Armagh to Dublin during Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia
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375
DIRTYPRETTYTHINGS
Words & Photography JOOLZE DYMOND
true brit
NOW is the winter of
our discontent. It’s
CX season and there
has been a distinct
lack of mud. We
need mud. It helps inject a bit of
gritty determination to images.
CX to the uninitiated is likened to a
50min sprint round a field. For some
riders, mud is that extra challenge
that just adds to an already spicy
mix, while to others it just adds to
the overall grind.
To the photographer, mud adds a
little something to the scene, helps
exaggerate the emotions of nature and
rider literally combined. We revel in
the sheer agony of expressions and
athleticism on display, our fingers
poised ready to freeze their moment
of triumph or defeat. The highs, the
lows, the anguish, the exhilaration,
the mud...our passion.
It’s Nationals day. Champions are
to be made, hearts will be broken. A
It’s Nationals day. Champions are to be made, hearts will be broken. A tight twisty course awaits. Weaving this way and that, off camber, slippery.
tight twisty course awaits. Weaving
this way and that, off camber,
slippery.
The weather has been kind to
photographers. Wet enough in
preceding days to saturate the
ground. Leaving swollen puddles
carelessly lying around, but dry on
the day, protecting your gear. Blue
skies streaked with wisps of cloud, a
low winter sun, highlighting ribbons
of tyre tracks that have carved out
little niches.
Meanwhile, the pits, the engine
room of the race, are quite literally
the pits. A Dantesque vision of
eternal muddy nightmares. The
frisson of endless activity, masked
in high pressured water. The too and
RIGHT: A poignant moment for un-der 23 winner Grant Ferguson. My favourite type of shot. Catching an unguarded moment. The rider lost in their own thoughts, still bearing the marks of a hard raceBELOW: At first glance, you think the rider Thomas Armstrong from Wheelbase is taking the running option on this tricky section. On closer inspection, you might just notice he’s missing his left pedal. You feel for his agony as he’s left to run to the pits which are more than half a lap away
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ABOVE: Hardly anyone was cheering for the riders as they splashed through this enormous puddle. I wanted to portray sense of loneliness, a sense of the training efforts that riders endure to get to race fitness. Training takes place away from the baying crowds and I wanted the race image to portray this too. As luck would have it, eventual title winner Helen Wyman from Kona was perfect for this shot
81
Post race warm down. Ian Stannard bleeds from road rash picked up on course
Meanwhile, the pits, the engine room of the race, are quite literally the pits. A Dantesque vision of eternal muddy nightmares. The frisson of endless activity, masked in high pressured water.
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PREVIOUS: A glimpse through the trees at the ‘engine room’ of the race - the pits. An un-earthly scene. The sense of eeriness enhanced by the mist of high pressured jet washersABOVE: I’m as drawn to water nearly as much as I am to mud. I like capturing details, such as the water droplets in this imageRIGHT: A runner. Not a cyclist. Not even in the race, but essential all the same. The image sums up the team work that underlines a successful CX race.
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LEFT: A moment of refection as Thomas Craig takes the win in the junior race. Moments lat-er, he is swamped by reporters and photogra-phers, as well as a whole army of wellwishersBELOW: The concentration on the rider’s face makes the image for me. His focus on the clean bike is all encompassing. The rider is Arthur Green from Matlock CC
87
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ABOVE: The sport is awash with characters - both on and off the bike. I was drawn to this character by his intense concentration topped off by his cracking choice of head wear
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ABOVE: It’s all glamour. Sarah Lomas from Scott Contessa washing off the mud of the day after finishing fourth in the junior women’s race.
RIGHT: Race over. Happy. Jack Ravenscroft, who was third junior
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Spectators. Cheer. Clap. Console. Tears. Happiness. Distraught. Emotion. Mud. Motion. All captured. Another day. Tired. A bag full of memories. A long drive home, pouring over winners and losers.
This puddle came just a few hundred metres from the start of the races. So after a mad dash down a strip of concrete, the riders are forced to chose a line that in some places are axle deep. I love the movement of water. The explosion as man and bike hit the muddy expanse was worth standing ankle deep to capture, as Dave Collins from Hope Factory Racing demostrates
fro-ing of bodies, each an essential
link to the smooth running of their
rider. Ankle deep in mire that has
engulfed part of the course, as jet
washers add to the misery put in
place by nature.
The riders hit this particular section
at pace, firm ground giving way
to axle deep mud. Their speed is
scrubbed immediately. They grunt,
shove, grind and I’m there waiting,
patiently, armed, picking off riders
one-by-one as they forge their way
through this treacherous section.
And so the winter of our discontent
has at last delivered a plethora of
opportunities ready to be discovered
by my lens. The spray of the jet wash,
characterful people, wrapped tightly
against the cold and the wet as they
displace mud with high-powered
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spurts of freezing cold water. Soon,
the race done. They sit, contemplate,
congratulate, ready to serve another
rider. The riders themselves are
armed against the cold by a sliver of
Lycra and their own efforts.
Heaving, sprinting, spinning,
weaving, slipping and cajoling.
A rival in their sights, heartbeat
racing. Hurdles to jump or run. To
fail or succeed. Flash. A moment of
victory or success, frozen. Ready to
be relived.
Spectators. Cheer. Clap. Console.
Tears. Happiness. Distraught.
Emotion. Mud. Motion. All
Spectators. Cheer. Clap. Console. Tears. Happiness. Distraught. Emotion. Mud. Motion. All captured. Another day. Tired. A bag full of memories. A long drive home, pouring over winners and losers
captured. Another day. Tired. A bag
full of memories. A long drive home,
pouring over winners and losers.
Picking and choosing. The ones that
make the cut are buffed and polished
ready to be displayed. Ready to show
my view of their important day. It’s
my interpretation and my passion
for the beauty of their sport in all it’s
sweat stained, muddy glory…
ABOVE: I wanted to capture an essence of a rider at speed lost in their own race, contrasting and framed by the constants.LEFT: A disap-pointed Abby-Mae Parkinson from RST Racing Team shows me her muddy back. Despite a hard-fought race, she had to concede defeat to Ffion James from Abergavenny RC by just a handful of seconds
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ABOVE: This sums out the great sportmanship in the race. Paul Oldham from Hope Factory Racing was a hot favourite along with Ian Field from Hargroves Cycles to take the senior title. The racing was intense, with Paul taking a decisive lead until an incident with race tape left him running for nearly a lap to change bikes and leaving an opening for Field to grab with both hands. Field went on to take the senior title, with Oldham battling back to finish just out of the medals in fourth. Here Oldham congratulates Field after the race.RIGHT: Proud mum Sarah Craig was in action all weekend as her husband and two sons took part and came home with a bronze and national title
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ABOVE: Amira Mellor leaving everything on the finish line. Exhaustion etched over her face after she rode an incredible race to claim third placed junior and fifth overall
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The change over. More team work. The rider dismounts and throws his dirty bike as simultaneously another team member offers up a clean bike as the riders grabs without missing a heartbeat
Post race warm down. Ian Stannard bleeds from road rash picked up on course
Picking and choosing. The ones that make the cut are buffed and polished ready to be displayed. Ready to show my view of their important day. It’s my interpretation and my passion for the beauty of their sport in all it’s sweat stained, muddy glory…
A delighted Thomas Craig from Team Scott UK celebrates as he secured his first National Junior title after an in-tense battle with rival Dylan Kerfoot-Robson from Marsh Tracks Racing
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4
THESTANG
Words & Photography JAMES MALONEY
true brit
IMAGINE winds so fierce that
your car shakes from side-to-
side like a tin can, rain beating
down so heavy that visibility
is reduced to just a few metres
and wipers bouncing up-and-down
like newly-weds.
Add to that endless switchbacks,
desolate moorland roads and enough
20 per cent gradients to make the
Shire from Lord of the Rings look
positively pan flat and you’ve got a
pretty good idea of what it was like
just driving to the 2013 National
Hill Climb Championships in
Arkengarthdale.
Now, you’re probably wondering
where the devil is Arkengarthdale.
Well, you’re in good company, as
even my Sat-Nav bleeped out an
expletive when I tapped in the
postcode for The Stang, a remote
slither of asphalt that runs for two-
and-a-half miles up towards a
Just to clarify, I will be using the word ‘bloody’ at lot throughout this report, as it was bloody soaking wet, bloody freezing and bloody windy.
Godforsaken expanse of moorland in
County Durham, North Yorkshire.
Yet there I was, stood in the rain-
sodden car-park outside the race’s
headquarters at the Charles Bathurst
Inn on a soaking Sunday in October
thinking “how the bloody hell are
the riders going to ride up THAT in
THIS?”
Truthfully, I still don’t know how
they did it - but it makes you proud
to be bloody British. Just to clarify,
I will be using the word ‘bloody’ at
lot throughout this report, as it was
bloody soaking wet, bloody freezing
and bloody windy.
In fact, it couldn’t get more wet if
someone had dragged the riders
ABOVE: First off from the starting line are the female ridersRIGHT: A junior rider claws his way up The Stang. Although it looks beautiful, it packs a deadly sting
the stangspin cycle magazine climbing in the rain
The Stang in all its beauty and horror. What makes this climb so cruel is the fact that there is a descent and another whopper gradient the other side of the summit you see here. Nasty business.
Being right slap bang in the middle of these bleak surroundings, it wasn’t a surprise that many of the riders were huddled next to cars, vans – some even in tents, which wobbled in the wind like giant jellies – all desperate for a bit of cover from the constant downpour.
climbing in the rainspin cycle magazine
LEFT/BELOW: Annabel Sill from Clay Cross RT tries to keep as dry as possible on the starting line amid the constant downpour
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ABOVE: Ready to rock ‘n’ roll, Sill gets under starter’s orders at the 2013 National Hill Climb Championships in Yorkshire
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through a river – mainly because
that’s exactly what the whopping
18 per cent start of The Stang had
become in all that rain, a river.
Seriously, you could have fished in
it.
Being right slap bang in the middle
of these bleak surroundings, it wasn’t
a surprise that many of the riders
were huddled next to cars, vans –
some even in tents, which wobbled
in the wind like giant jellies – all
desperate for a bit of cover from the
constant downpour.
Each and every one of them were
trying in vain to prepare their bodies
for the inevitable depressing cocktail
of cold, rain, gusts and gradients.
Well, it’s not exactly inspiring or
motivational trying to haul your body
up a hill for two-and-a-half miles in
any conditions - let alone those that
closely resembled the ‘End of Days’.
You just want that type of cruelty to
be over – and quickly.
Some of the riders abandoned all
attempts at using their rollers or
turbo trainers in the rain and resorted
to just sitting in their cars with the
heaters on full blast - hoping the
momentary warmth would see them
through the worse this bleak part
of the countryside had in store for
them.
Even when it wasn’t chucking it
down in biblical proportions, the
gust were so comically strong that
riders trying to make their way back
down the climb - after putting their
bodies through hell - were forced
to ride so slowly against the gale-
force headwind that they practically
ended up in reverse. It would have
been comical, if it wasn’t so cruel.
One-by-one the riders were called
up to the starting line, shed their
protective layers keeping them
warm and surrendered themselves
to the cold. It was rather epic, if I
am honest. Bloody brilliant, in fact.
Obviously, only from a spectator’s
point of view. I imagine the riders
weren’t having such fun.
Near the front of the queue for
the wet wall of pain was David
Murphy, from Merseyside. He was
representing his club, Liverpool
Mercury. David is a mere wisp of
a lad, but packs a surprisingly big
engine that’s also backed up by the
ability to climb like a mountain goat.
OK, so he’s just 15, but I am very
One-by-one the riders were called up to the starting line, shed their protective layers keeping them warm and surrendered themselves to the cold. It was rather epic, I am honest.
jealous of him. Very jealous, indeed.
Murphy regularly gives the adult
riders from his club a good hiding
during the early season chain-gang.
More often than not, he is found
relaxing at the sign for the sprint,
nonchalantly eating a banana as the
rest of the group finally catches up.
They gave up trying to hold his
wheel on the hills in early 2011 and
it was a choice of ‘no choice’ really.
Murphy’s climbing credentials have
been building steadily ever since. He
began his build-up for the nationals
by tackling Glossop Kinder Velo’s
climb of the Snake Pass, where
he was best placed junior. He also
took the best placed junior result
at the ultra-tough North Lancs RC’s
hill climb on Nick ‘O’Pendle before
grabbing second placed junior over
ABOVE: Young David Murphy was 25th to start at the nationalsLEFT: David gets warmed up with The Stang menacingly in the background
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ABOVE: Gemma Sargent from Dave Hinde RT races past a spectator with his whippet, which didn’t seem too impressed getting dragged up the hill in the bad weather
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ABOVE: Hugh Carthy from Rapha Condor JTL gets a cheer from these animated spec-tors. Note the sign to the side ‘Kenny Van Vlamick Motor Homes’ - genius
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tears in the rainspin cycle magazine
at the Cleveland Wheelers hill climb
competition on Clay Bank Hill.
Equally, his preparation for the 2013
nationals was also thorough. Murphy
was the 25th rider out of 180 riders
to start on the day, but he’d ridden
the hill already in the previous 24
hours.
“The day before I did a recce of the
climb and it was alright,” explained
David in that nonchalant fashion
that only teenagers, or the French,
can pull off.
“It was OK. It was quite a steady
climb, really. It was just the start that
was brutal.
“The weather wasn’t great, but I did
OK. I am not sure where I finished
– I think it was the top 20 – which
wasn’t too bad. A lot of the other
guys, especially the adults, were
hiding in their cars before the start.
I didn’t have that luxury.
“The climb itself started pretty hard,
which I don’t mind. Then there was
a downhill bit in the middle. I am
not too great going downhill and
it was really wet, so I just kept it
steady. Then for the long drag to the
finish, I just went balls out.
“It felt good getting my first national
hill climb under my belt – it was
good experience. I’ll definitely be
having another crack at it this year –
that’s for sure.”
Defending champion James Knox
returned to battle with a large entry
of riders wanting to knock him off
his throne. The Maxgear rider not
only managed to win the Junior
title, but also finished 8th overall
just ahead of the first Veteran, Pete
Tadros of Ingear/Trainsharp.
Meanwhile, the Men’s category was
the last to be decided with Matthew
Pilkington last off the line. With
some riders on bikes weighing less
than six kilos, the race came down
to a fight between two of the best
hill climbers in the country, James
Gullen and Tejvan Pettinger.
On a course that had everything
you’d expect from the moors -
narrow lanes, cattle grids, sheep,
cold, wind, rain, more rain, and no
phone signal whatsoever - only two
seconds separated the duo.
Matt Clinton was only seconds
behind Gullen and Pettinger, but the
climbing prowess Tejvan was too
much and he won with a lightning
quick time of 07:57.7.
We know Tejvan’s secret, though,
and have the photographic proof, too.
Do you see it? Yes. That’s it. Always
warm up with a tartan coloured
umbrella draped over yourself. I
can only imagine how good a time
Tejvan could have achieved with a
wick away, sponsor backed brollie –
marginal gains and all that.
We know Tejvan’s secret. Always warm up with a tartan coloured umbrella. I can only imagine how good a time Tejvan could have achieved with a wick away, sponsor backed brollie
LEFT: Not phased by the pressure one bit, David Murphy from Liv-erpool Mercury gets ready for his first-ever national championship
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BELOW & RIGHT: Isla Rush from Wyndymilla clears her mind and focuses on the task at hand milliseconds away from starting the 2013 National Hill Climb Championships in a wet and miserable Yorkshire
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ABOVE: Young Lewis Hartley from Velocity WD-40 tries to grab as much advantage as possible by wearing an aero helmet - we’re not sure what use it was on the slippey slopes of The Stang, but he certainly looked the part
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ABOVE: Eventual winner Tejvan Pettinger from Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team getting a bit of shelter from his tartan brollie, wielded - apparently - by one of his friends who travelled all the way from Austrialia. Poor bloke
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5139
BRITDOWN UNDER
Words TIM DALTON Photography COURTNIE HAYES
pro rider
LIVING in Melbourne
forces you to go cold
turkey when you
have an addiction to
continental cycling,
trust me. It has almost been a year
since I left home for a different life
Down Under. Moving from Liverpool
to Melbourne was a huge decision,
especially being a life-long cyclist.
Melbourne does ‘do’ cycling, but not
in the same way as the Europeans.
Some Aussies treat the sport as if
it is the ‘new golf’; pedaling up-
and-down the flat beach roads for
espressos on their AUS$15k Italian
bikes, complete with deep section
carbon wheels and covered head-to-
toe in Assos kit - all essential for that
20km Saturday ride.
Admittedly, the weather is a damn
sight better here - but it was all too
easy to jump on a cheap flight and
go watch some of the big races in
Europe. Sometimes, I’d even load up
the car with bikes and head to Dover
for the Belgium Spring Classics.
Here in Australia, the European
scene is a 24 hours flight away –
and expensive. Luckily, I was off to
Adelaide to get my first European
cycling ‘fix’ in more than a year -
the Santos Tour Down Under - but
would it be up to scratch?
With modest expectations, I grabbed
a low cost Friday evening flight - the
businessman’s shuttle - for the hour-
long journey to South Australia
from Adelaide International Airport,
where it appears everyone has ‘Tour
Down Under Fever’.
Now in it’s 16th year, the Santos
Here in Australia, the European scene is a 24 hours flight away – and expensive. Luckily, I was off to get my first European cycling ‘fix’ in more than a year
Tour Down Under has been picked
up by Eurosport in recent years –
although it has to be viewed on Sky
in the UK - and is more popular than
ever.
Most of the pro teams have been
here for a couple of weeks to
escape the clutches of the northern
hemisphere’s winter weather.
Conditions can still be cruel, though.
Poor little Thomas Voeckler, from
Europcar, landed, rode for 10
minutes, crashed into a car, broke
his collarbone and went straight
back to Europe for treatment. That’s
a 54-hour round-rip for a 10-minute
bike ride.
With Europe still locked in cold
and wet, South Australia languished
under the cosh of a severe heat
wave with temperatures hitting 51
degrees. The ranks of the pro peloton
were all moaning via Twitter about
hitting the road at 6am to get four
hours in before the temperatures
made training impossible.
The race formally kicked off on
Tuesday, January 21 before covering
a total of 875-kilometers through
some of the country’s most beautiful
countryside, including the wine
regions of the Barossa Valley,
McLaren Vale and the Adelaide
Hills.
Dappled in light, dotted with quaint
villages and bustling towns. Acre-
RIGHT: Andy Fenn amid the pre- race media scrum at this year’s Tour Down Under
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after-acre of vineyards and orchards
over gentle rolling hills, with fields
full of the prettiest cattle you’ll ever
see.
Roads are wide, well-surfaced and
sparsely populated with traffic.
Thankfully, the towns and villages
en-route all support the race.
No Daily Mail reactionaries here
complaining about paying road tax
and not having access to the public
highway for 15 minutes of the year.
Meanwhile, the amount of cycling
fans out on the route is amazing - I
didn’t think Australia had this many
cyclists. Speaking to the roadside
tifosi at various points, it is obvious
that there are people here from all
over this continent-sized country.
As you would expect from a country
with larger-than-life characters, the
Aussie tifosi come in all shapes,
sizes and varieties. It’s great to see so
many people out on bike.
Of course, the Aussies love their
sport and they cheer every single
pro rider – even the local policemen
on bikes guarding the route. It’s a
fantastic atmosphere.
Admittedly, the hills aren’t in the
same league of the Ventoux or Alpe
d’Huez, but Willung Hill (3km long),
The Corkscrew (2km long) and
Menglers Hill (2km long) - nothing
more than 600 metres in height
here - are effective in splitting the
peloton, especially if climbed twice
or towards the end of the stage.
Before the riders even get a taste
of these three monster hills,
though, there is the little matter of
brit down underspin cycle magazine
a very popular stand-alone event
– The People’s Choice City Centre
Criterium, which is held two days
before the start of the main race on
Sunday, January 19.
Monday is then classed as a day off,
so provided the perfect chance of
toddling slowly along through the
heat of late afternoon to the Hilton
Hotel for a chat with Omega-Pharma
Quickstep’s Andy Fenn.
This is Andy’s first Tour Down
Under and he’s quietly confident.
Sprinters are normally the
exuberant, flamboyant type. Think
Mario Cipollini, Mark Cavendish,
Tom Steels or Alessandro Petacchi.
Andy’s aware of his considerable
talent and he’s quietly making his
way up the ladder.
Winning the 2008 junior Paris
Roubaix – just four years after
Geraint Thomas - brought a deal with
An Post Sean Kelly alongside Spin
Cycle’s favourite son, Mark McNally.
After been based in Belgium for
three years, Andy signed up to
become one of the 30-strong squad
at Omega Pharma Quickstep. More
recently, he moved to Lucca in Italy.
Originally from Kent in the UK,
Fenn’s apprenticeship was done
the hard, old-fashioned way and
eventually led to his long-term
mentor, friend, ex-professional and
1989 GB Pro road race champion,
As he plonks himself down on the sofa Fenn doesn’t look a bit out of place - even compare with Marcel Kittle, sporting white sunglasses, holding his own rock star styled interview opposite.
Tim Harris, assisting in Andy’s hefty
step up to the pro tour.
Measuring in at a rangy 6ft1”, Andy
seems to have the range for big steps.
Decked out in full OPQS casual
sportswear, he looks slim and fit but
still a little pale after the European
winter.
As he plonks himself down on the
sofa in the hotel reception to chat to
me, Fenn doesn’t look a bit out of
place - even compare with Marcel
Kittle, sporting white sunglasses,
holding his own rock star styled
interview opposite.
Both are sprinters, but Andy is at
the TDU to support newly-signed
team leader and former TDF maillot
jaune wearer, Jan Bakelants.
The first cutting question: isn’t the
TDU just a Koala-cuddling, glorified
pre-season training camp, pitted with
corny photo opportunities and where
the local Aussie riders humiliate the
European pros just awakening from
their winter hibernation?
Fenn points out this is not the case
anymore and that the TDU carries
the same amount of UCI points as
winning Paris-Roubaix or fifth place
in the Tour de France.
Teams are here “primed and ready to
ride” according to Andy. In addition,
the aptly named, old school, ex-pro,
no-nonsense Belgium OPQS team
manager, Rik van Slycke, is looking
LEFT: Time to get ready to roll out as Fenn gets the essentials from the back of a team mini-van
brit down under 145
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at the form of his riders at the race
with an eye for the spring classics
and the grand tours later this year.
Fenn is still primed from the
previous days’ prologue around the
streets of Adelaide. A late night by
all accounts.
“There was no massage last night
after the crit,” explains Fenn. “It
was just eat, that’s it, then get to
bed. Well, I tried to. You’re always
full of adrenalin after a crit and you
have a bit of caffeine before the race,
so that doesn’t help trying to get to
sleep either. I probably didn’t get to
sleep until about 12.30am. I am sure
during the stage race, it won’t be like
that. Yeah, I’ll maybe have a glass
of wine to try to get to sleep, but it’s
always difficult.”
You may think that rest days for
cyclists are all about sitting around
drinking espresso, Skype calls to
friends and family, updating your
Facebook page and then getting a
massage before mooching off to bed
around 9pm.
The reality is a little different. I’m
surprised he’s so cheery, as our
interview is towards the end of a
pretty busy day for Fenn. He’s been
up since 6am and his first job of the
day was riding out with a peloton of
50 Aussie Specialized dealers for a
couple of hours, followed by a meet-
and-greet to help sell those bikes.
“All the team head out and we even
bring the bus,” reveals Fenn. “We
went out with the guys who head
up Australia and also New Zealand’s
Specialized. Some of the people who
head up the shops and their staff in
NZ had flown over, so they all came
out with us for a couple of hours.
“Most of the teams do it, like
Cannondale or BMC. You’ve seen
a lot of them out this morning. Our
ride was incident free, but I heard
one guy broke a collarbone and
another his hip, so they’ve had the
day off work and come home with
something broken.”
Maybe Specialized have more
competent riders working in their
retail divisions than the other bike
brands? Andy isn’t saying - although
he seems to have met a fair few since
touch down in Australia.
“It’s all part of the job of riding
round in sponsors logos,” adds Fenn.
“That’s what we do. The last few
days, we have been in two different
Specialized stores. They do quite a
big push when we are in Australia.
You have a bike society, a local shop
or a ladies group, just doing a few
question and answer sessions. There
is always something going on.”
That was followed by lunch,
then the afternoon of team media
duties, which included talking to
yours truly. After our interview, it’s
LEFT: Fenn signs on before the start of Stage 1 at the 2014 Tour Down Under
brit down under
You’re always full of adrenalin after a crit and you have a bit of caffeine before the race, so that doesn’t help trying to get to sleep either. I probably didn’t get to sleep until about 12.30am.
147
time for him to enjoy an afternoon
massage, a racing strategy meeting
and then finally an evening meal at
8pm before everyone is ordered up
to bed for 10pm sharp – ready for
Stage One.
“I’ll probably try to eat about three
or four hours before the race,”
mentions Andy. “So I’ll be up for
about 7:45am, I reckon. Depends
what time we leave. but you have
to leave pretty early and be on time
because there is a convoy with like
the team cars, police and buses.
“Weather looks alright for tomorrow.
It was really hot there last week, like
40-odd degrees, but now the race
week should be OK. The heat takes
a bit of getting use to.
“Back home, you ride faster to get
warmer. Here, it’s the other way
round. The last 20 minutes into the
city on training rides, it just gets
hotter-and-hotter. In the hills, it’s
OK. Here, though, you’d get to a
traffic light and just want to jump the
red light because it’s so hot – or try
to hide in a shadow or bit of shade.”
The next day, Andy is up and
eating breakfast three hours before
the 11am start, where the course is
an hour’s drive away. There are none
of the new luxury buses so prevalent
of racing in Europe these days.
At the TDU, its one Skoda estate
car and a humble Hyundai mini bus
each for all teams - all except Team
Sky. They have three Jaguar team
cars with them to show Rupert’s
Australian links aren’t completely
dead.
All riders and teams arrive on the
start line at 10am for signing on and
the chaos of the daily media scrum.
Time for a quick chat and some
predictions from Andy.
“After the neutralized section, it
all depends on what the role of the
team is that day,” remarks Fenn.
“If you want to get into the break,
you’ll have to fight to get to the front.
Normally, you’d just wait for the flag
to drop and then jostle to get into
position.
“Obviously, if you’re race starts a bit
later, then you’ll just be chatting to
some of the other guys or maybe stop
for a pee at the side of the road. They
don’t actually like that last one here
so much, I have noticed. They’ve
been fining people, apparently.
“It all really depends on the race
as well. We’d just roll out and stay
relax. Now that we have got race
radios in this race, the directeur
will have a quick talk and tell us a
few more tactics to get us a bit more
involved in the race.”
With our chat over, the race rolls out
at 11am sharp for a few kilometers
of neutralized riding, which allows
for those final nature stops (and
commissaries’ fines) before the race
starts proper at the zero km board.
Once the neutralized flag is pulled
in, it’s the same story every day - the
local ‘pro’ outfit go on the attack to
gain the vital publicity they need to
continue in business.
There’s no need to worry, though.
That attack won’t last and the Euro
pros just keep it in check until they
brit down underspin cycle magazine
are ready to reel it in. For Stage
One, Andy works tirelessly to help
finesse Carlos to the bottom of the
final climb before dropping back to
the ‘laughing group’ and rolling in
with the gruppeto for 86th place 2:21
down on winner Simon Gerrans.
Thankfully, all his hard work isn’t
in vain and Carlos secures the young
rider’s jersey.
“It’s a pretty short race compared
to what I am used to,” laughs Fenn.
“Especially the first couple race of
the year, including here and Qatar. I
think Argentina is quite nice, as well.
It’s good to ease into the season.”
With day one complete, the OPQS
rider Carlos Verona Quintanilla is in
ABOVE: Fenn fixes his earpiece in correctly before grabbing his last bit of kit and heading off for the starting line
brit down under 149
the best young rider jersey. No need
for a sprinter over the next few days,
so Andy and the team’s work is all
about protecting that jersey. What
are Andy’s predictions for Stage 2?
“You’d expect the Uni SA guys to
get in the breakaway,” explains
Fenn. “They’ll probably have a few
of the other local teams as well. It’s
a bit difficult tomorrow, as it’s not a
‘sprint-sprint’ day.
“Normally, someone like Lotto or
Argus will control that stage, but it’s
no so predicable. They’ll still try to
control it, though. If the break is a
big one, then maybe we would try to
get someone into that. The first roads
are not too bad, so it might be quite
controlled. You might see a break go,
but not too big.
“Probably fight for position on the
climb and whoever makes it to the
top of there then I think that will be
it for the group finish because it’s so
Normally, someone like Lotto or Argus will control that stage, but it’s no so predicable. They’ll still try to control it, though.
long to come back.”
Stage two sees rising-star Diego
Ulissi takes the win with Andy
130th 9:10 down. The following day,
Cadel Evans drops the entire peloton
on the Corkscrew climb and Andy
rolls in 6:55 down in 110th place.
Andre Greipel takes stage four, the
first of his two TDU stage wins, with
the bunch split into two almost equal
sized groups on the Myponga climb
close to the Victor Harbor finish.
Andy is in the second group in
132nd place 13:55 down on Greipel.
Stage five sees the race climb the
famous Willunga Hill twice with
the finish at the summit on the
second pass. Richie Porte is a very
ABOVE: Fenn in the thick of the actionRIGHT: Weird cycling fans - you get them everywhere. Even in Oz
brit down underspin cycle magazine brit down under
convincing winner here with Andy
in 110th place 11:32 down on Porte.
The final 85km street race in
Adelaide, around a 4.5km circuit,
sees our first proper bunch sprint
with Andy in third place, just behind
his team mate Mark Renshaw –
possibly Mark Cavendish’s favoured
lead out man for the coming Tour de
France.
It’s a fantastic result. Overall our
man Andy is 116th 43:50 down on
one-second winner Simon Gerrans
from Cadel Evans. Jan Bakalandts
has come 16th overall, which the
team is happy with for the start of
the season.
Mr Slyke is happy; Andy is happy
and the team is happy.
At the finish, it’s time to play ‘Find
the Soigner’, while dodging the
media – but not us, we like to think
- race workers and various hangers-
on.
In true old-school Belgium-style,
Rik has the team riding back to the
hotel behind the team car. It’s time
for much-needed showers, massages,
making sure the race kit gets a good
wash and then there’s an evening
meal at 8pm.
“We all eat together or not at all,”
adds Andy. “If it’s been a good day,
then we might have a glass of red
wine. We maybe in bed by 10pm, but
often we are awake until midnight
catching up on daily life outside of
the bubble via the Internet.”
Fenn isn’t a massive contributor to
Twitter, but loves Instagram - more
looking than posting in his case.
Like most riders, Andy is somewhat
shy. He prefers to let his legs and his
results do the talking.
Once primed though, Andy gave me
a real insight into his world, which
by-and-large isn’t as far removed for
our own. He obviously loves his job
and is very good at it. If you want to
know how good he is, then check
out the final stage of the Tour Down
Under for yourself on YouTube.
Andy is right in there at the finale
with Greipel and Renshaw, taking
brit down underspin cycle magazine
third place despite been given a really
rough ride by Lotto Belisol.
“I’m a bit of an all-rounder, maybe
more of a sprinter,” reveals Fenn. “I’m
not a climber that’s for sure. I’ve got
a fast finish and I think that I can do
different things in different types of
race.”
Once primed though, Andy gave me a real insight into his world, which by-and-large isn’t as far removed for our own. He obviously loves his job and is very good at it.
Andy’s mother is Scottish, so this
summer he’ll be riding for Scotland
at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
in Glasgow. One of his main goals for
this season, so I’m guessing that his
end-of-year review meeting with his
team bosses will have all the ticks in
all the right boxes.
ABOVE: Tactics time for Fenn and his team-mates
brit down under 153
6155
MEETING up
with Liverpool
Century’s Ian
Pugh at Billinge’s
Fir Tree Farm on
a grey and wet Saturday in January,
ranks high on my list of this year’s
top winter warmer cafe stops.
Tea, toast and banter are always
welcome diversions to the murky,
grey lanes of mid-winter, but Ian’s
recollections of his summer’s solo
ride from Calais to Rome made
this particular respite the perfect
antidote to the season’s monochrome
landscape.
We had last chatted on a glorious
late August morning, as Ian made
final preparations for his three week,
fund-raising ride in aid of Macmillan
Cancer Support. Destination
Rome - his plan was to take in 24
long way to romespin cycle magazine
ABOVE & RIGHT: Ian’s route through Europe to Rome and all the snaps he took along the way
long way to rome
European cities and towns, cross
seven countries, traverse the Alps
from Switzerland to Italy via the 48
hairpins of the Stelvio Pass, and,
maintaining an average rate of 100
miles per day, wheel up the historic
Via del Corso to the centre of the
Italian capital inside three-weeks.
In the process, he was out to
honour more than £2,000 in pledged
sponsorships, organised with the
help of his work-place colleague,
Alice Cavanagh at Premier Foods,
Moreton, where Ian works as a fitter.
And, in the gloom of a wet Lancashire
Saturday, he was happy to reminisce
about the high and low points of his
successful 1500 mile trip.
Starting with the lows, I asked Ian
if there were any moments on the
road when he seriously doubted the
wisdom of his project.
“Only once,” he replied without
hesitation. “They say that the third
day on a trip like this is always the
hardest. The first day, you are fresh,
and on the second you are still full
of adrenalin.
“But, by the third, that has worn
off and you come mentally to grips
with the size of the task ahead. I was
heading from Liege to Luxembourg
City and started off with a 20 per
cent climb in the Ardennes.
“The road was busy with lorries and
the rain was so bad that there was
very low visibility - about 50 metres.
The bike felt very heavy and I just
stopped at a bus stop, knackered and
wet through - I still had 90 miles to
do
“But I kept going, and, when I
arrived at Luxembourg city, which is
a wonderful place, I felt that although
the day had been hard, it had been a
157
really good, solid, character building
one for the rest of the ride.”
The next early difficulty, he
remembers, was a problem of
tendonitis. Riding through the Black
Forest Hills in Germany, it became
so bad that, at times, reaching Rome
looked unlikely.
But friend and An-Post Chain
Reaction rider, Mark McNally, and
fellow Century member, Andy Mills,
helped him out with instructions and
diagrams of stretches on Facebook.
“I managed to get over it, but without
their help, I don’t think that I could
have got through.”
For Ian, though, the high points of
the trip more than outweighed its
challenges. Amongst them was his
encounter with a colder and wetter
than expected Stelvio Pass.
“By the time I reached the Stelvio, I
was nine-days into the trip and was
feeling fairly fit. Climbing was tough,
but I was going well. I overtook 10
cyclists as I made my way up in low
visibility and heavy mist.
“When I made it to the top, though,
in 2 hours 40 minutes, I was high
above the clouds. Looking down
to the clouds way below me, and
knowing that I had ridden all the
way from the English Channel, was
a wonderful feeling
“Though on the descent - as I had
deliberately kept my kit light - I was
probably as cold as I’ve ever been. I
even had to stop under the cover of
a mountain tunnel to do press-ups to
try to get warm.”
But Ian gained some of his greatest
satisfactions from being a member
long way to romespin cycle magazine
of the international cycling
community.
“On my last day, heading into
Rome, I was overtaken by an Italian
rider who was happy to let me draft
behind him until the top of a climb.
It was a long haul and so we worked
together. He couldn’t speak English,
and I was no better at Italian, but we
did manage to communicate.
“He was fascinated with my trip
and persuaded me to take a detour
with him. I didn’t fancy going far off
my planned route, but he insisted
that it would be worth it. I was
overwhelmed when we pulled up at
his house, where I was treated like
one of his family.
“Before I left, he insisted on cleaning
and oiling my bike for its final ride
to Rome. Another time, I punctured
outside a house and before I had the
tyre off, a cyclist who lived there,
came out with a track pump. He
even followed me down the road
with a spare tube. That’s cycling for
you - we can’t speak each other’s
language, but people will help each
other, like a big family.”
And on reaching Rome itself - how
did he feel?
“Well I was glad to do it, but, to be
honest, I was gutted really that it
had all come to an end. I had loved
it so much I could have gone on for
another three-weeks, except that I
had to get back to work.”
When he did get back to work, he
was in for quite a surprise. “People at
work were fantastic. They had made
a wall chart of my progress following
my route and using the pictures that
I had sent through Facebook. Most
important of all, when I set off, my
target for fund raising was £2,000,
but we more than doubled that, with
over £4,000 raised.”
So, would he do it again? Well, of
course, that’s what his mid-January
training was for. “I have signed up to
do the Rapha Cent Cols Challenge in
June. I’m doing it with my dad. It’s
a kind of dad and lad trip. It’s a 100
climbs spread over 10 days, riding
from Nice to Annecy and back to
Nice again. It will be really tough,
but I’m looking forward to it.”
long way to rome 159
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Nº.07
BWLCHPENBARRAS
KILLER HILLS
AFTER a few Killer
Hills in Lancashire,
we were thinking it
was high time that
we left our comfort
zone and tackled a genuinely nasty
climb.
When I say ‘we’, I mean that the
editor suddenly had all sorts of
pressing engagements on the chosen
weekend in December (something
about a tree... or hiding behind one)
and it was left to muggins to go find
something silly to climb.
I wasn’t totally daft. I had the bright
idea of riding the two chosen climbs
in private and then photographing
better climbers on them. When the
going gets tough, the tough call in
women.
Heather Bamforth and Joanne
Blakeley, who was ninth in last
year’s National Hill Climb, were as
fit as fleas and eager to star in Killer
Hill, so we agreed to meet in Ruthin
and climb a couple of legendary
routes.
The A494 between Ruthin and
Mold features a hill. It’s a great big
hill, part of the Clwydian range with
the whole of Welsh creation - mainly
green fields, sheep and craft shops -
laid out below, as you descend into
Ruthin.
There’s even a genuine continental
style hairpin - just the one mind -
near the bottom, nestling amongst
bungalows named, in that weird
Welsh way, after places like ‘Tahiti’
and ‘Tahoma’.
Meanwhile, the A494 climb is
busy with Bennies in skirted Clio’s
When I say ‘we’, I mean that the editor suddenly had all sorts of pressing engagements and it was left to muggins to go find something silly to climb.
and fair few cyclists twiddling
their way up the two mile hill - the
latter dreaming, no doubt, of longer,
warmer and Bennie free cols on the
continent.
Why did I mention the hairpin
earlier? Well, it features a side road
to a climb that is one of the top
five worst climbs in the UK. Let’s
be honest, there’s an awful lot of
exaggeration amongst cyclists about
the difficulty of climbs.
We hold up our hands, too. We’ve
been guilty in the past of using
too much doom-laden prose and
dramatic guff or exaggerating the
RIGHT: Heather Bamforth put herself and her friend, Joanne Blakeley, in the firing line for this edition’s Killer Hill
killer hillsspin cycle magazine killer hills
ABOVE: Heather tackles the first section of the dreaded Bwlch Penbrras, but the worse is still yet to come with a whopping max gradient of 24.8 per cent
killer hillsspin cycle magazine killer hills 171
Post race warm down. Ian Stannard bleeds from road rash picked up on course The sun was out, I had the wind at my
back and I was riding my winter bike equipped with a 34:29 ratio group set. I was also sporting my Rapha Pro Team jacket and oversocks. I felt that I looked - to quote the vernacular - ‘the business’.
unpleasant experience of having to
use bottom gear for more than three
minutes into a epic struggle between
ego and idiocy. Not this time. All I
can do on this occasion is to write
down - in clear and unemotional
terms - what happened. Think of it
as having all the poetic licence of
a Police constable consulting his
notebook on the witness stand.
After a restless night’s sleep, at
approximately 8.30am on December
12, 2013, I approached the suspect
climb from a westerly direction.
I did realise that the two mile ride
from Ruthin town centre wasn’t
a thorough warm up. However,
M’Lud, the sun was out, I had the
wind at my back and I was riding my
winter bike equipped with a 34:29
ratio group set.
I was also sporting my Rapha Pro
Team jacket and oversocks. I felt that
I looked - to quote the vernacular -
‘the business’.
I was also working on the assumption
that Simon Warren, author of 100
Greatest Cycle Climbs, was just
joking when he sent me a tweet
consisting mostly of exclamation
marks when I told him we were
going to take a look at Penbarras.
Aren’t all hill climb descriptions 60
per cent accurate information and
40 per cent dramatic varnish? How
bad good this climb really be?
Turning off the single hairpin on
the main road, the route winds past
a few houses and a couple of farms.
Then it breaks out onto open hillside
and winds it’s way up to meet Offa’s
Dyke at the neck of the pass and a
Forestry Commission Carpark.
According to the statistics, the road
gains 853-feet in altitude in just
under a mile-and-a-half. Not good,
but it gets worse. Most of this gain is
front loaded.
What started out as a little bimble
along a leafy lane for a couple of
hundred yards, soon kicked up into
a narrow lane with barely a gear to
spare and dragged ever upwards,
sapping my legs as I went.
This lane was costing me dear
already and I was in constant fear
of meeting a car coming down that
would force me to slow down so
much I’d have to stop.
Around a right hander, there
appeared a cattle grid ahead with
a fork in the road just after it. The
right hand fork dropped off and I
thought: “That must be the descent
back to the A494 - I’ve done it.”
Unfortunately for me, the end was
not in sight. The road further ahead
was just preposterous - a 200-yard
steep ramp with an even steeper left
hander and then more steepness.
Crossing the cattle grid, I realised
the right-hand fork leads to what
must be known as ‘Chortle Farm’
and the road ahead is, literally, going
to take me - very brutally - to a whole
new level of climbing. I’m not sure
what the gradient was at this point.
It’s said to be ‘approaching 25 per
cent’. If so, it’s approaching 25 from
the wrong side.
After barely two minutes on this
climb, I had no gears left, no chance
killer hillsspin cycle magazine
of sitting down without the front
wheel lifting off and I was not going
to make the hairpin in front of me –
let alone get around it to the top of
the climb.
Let me be clear here - it is not a
hairpin. A hairpin bends back on
itself with a wide outer edge you
can choose to take as an easy option.
I’m sorry, but this corner is a simple
90-degrees.
At this point, I could feel both
heart and lungs reaching for the
big red ‘bail out’ button. Also, I
had a newspaper headline flashing
through my brain saying something
along the lines of ‘MAMIL found
dead on Welsh Hillside still clipped
onto his bike’.
I stopped. There you have it, I did
the one thing that no cyclists likes
to admit. Trust me, if you climb this
monster and weight more than eight
stone wringing wet, then you’ll stop
too.
After managing to unclip on the
gate entrance right on the corner,
my pulse hammered away at shuttle
launch velocity and that’s when the
good old self justification process
ABOVE: Joanne Blakeley, who was ninth in last year’s hill climb champs, makes it look easy climbing Bwlch Penbarras
killer hills 175
killer hillsspin cycle magazine
kicked in. Of course, I’d had to stop
– obviously in order to take a snap
for the Twitter feed, to examine
the road surface and was that an
important text that had pinged in my
back pocket?
Staring off across the morning mist
with the occasional bleat from sheep
and a buzzard wheeling over head,
I thought, as I have often thought
before, ‘Why am I doing this again?’
Would Simon Warren really notice if
we just plagiarised his hard work?’
Heart-rate managed, the gate
entrance gave me just enough launch
distance to push on up in bottom gear
- from 90rpm to 30rpm in just two
metres - and, as the road dropped off
to a lame 17 per cent, then a frankly
pathetic 15 per cent and finally flat,
stage two of denial kicked in.
I marshalled all the extras excuses
that winter weight and lack of fitness
demand - winter bike, gear slippage,
wrong time of year, blah-blah-blah.
To be honest, I may have to add
‘wrong time of life’ to that.
To be fair, I reckon the bottom
section of the Bwlch Penbarras
would be difficult for Chris Froome
to race up on my winter bike after
just a two mile warm up. Ever see
Team Sky training on Penbarras? No.
There is a good reason for that.
Thankfully, the remainder of the
climb up the valley to the top was fine.
There was a patch of steepness at the
crest, but it was nothing compared to
what I’d just experienced down the
road and around the corner.
The next day, I managed to get the
car up the climb. Near the summit,
I waited to see how Jo and Heather
managed the climb.
Now, here is the thing....Jo, she
won’t mind me saying this, makes
quite a loud panting noise as she
climbs. She’s not in trouble - it’s just
her style. I could hear her steady
rhythmic breathing long before I saw
her. Both girls were definitely being
tenderised by the pre-climb ‘climb’
up the leafy lane to the cattle grid.
Ah yes, both of them seemed to falter
slightly over the cattle grid when
they saw me up ahead. Damn them
though - both were definitely making
more speed than I had.
Joanne made it first time around the
corner, but Heather wasn’t so lucky.
A car was making its way down. I
made the mistake of suggesting she
stopped - so that I didn’t get the car
in the frame as well.
Heather suggested ‘quite loudly’
that stopping was not an option. I
have to say that, for a lady, Heather
seems to know an awful lot of swear
words and I was impressed that she
had enough breath to deliver them
all as she passed.
LEFT: Side-by-side Ruth and Joanne make it up the top of Bwlch Penbarras
killer hills
Bwlch Penbarras would be difficult for Chris Froome to race up on my winter bike after just a two mile warm up. Ever see Team Sky training on Penbarras? No. There is a good reason for that.
177