EMAIL RECEIVED FROM ORGANISER OF THIS EVENT - keep scrolling down for all the images and details.

 

I am attaching information below about our Bard’s Bike Ride on September 11th 2021 and would be very grateful if you could please let your members know.

 

We are running 100k (60 mile), 25 mile and 10 mile bike rides around the wonderful Warwickshire countryside. 

 

Our social media details are: Facebook @bardsride     and Twitter @Bardsride 

 

Our website is at www.bardsride.co.uk

 

Many thanks in anticipation of your help

 

Best wishes

 

Sarah 

Sarah Constable 

 

Administration and Communications Officer

Warwickshire and Coventry Historic Churches Trust 

Email: bardsride@gmail.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Yes, and no - Dan Martin - a contentious matter - born in Birmingham - I also  understand that he was part of the British Cycling development squad - however, he now holds an Irish racing licence, so he cannot go on the list, unfortunately.  When his wins are shown under the Irish flag, I often think that he should be invited on a boat ride along the Thames to a well known infamous gate, from which there is no return.  Then, we cannot have it both ways, can we?  As is well known, a certain Chris Froome was brought up in Kenya, educated in South Africa, and rode for Kenya in his first World Championships.  Going back to the 1960s we also had Michael Wright, of course.  Born in the UK, brought up from early childhood in Belgium, he spoke very little English for most of his years as a professional, but rode for Great Britain in the World Championships, and picked up three stage wins in the Tour de France, and two in the Vuelta a Espana, all to be credited as British victories!  There are probably other examples of dual or doubtful nationality out there, so have any members snippets of obscure information they can share ?  

 

 

WORLD TOUR TEAMS:                 (All ages as at 1^st January 2021)

Bahrain Victorious                         Scott Davies (25)

                                                            Stephen Williams (24)

                                                            Fred Wright (21)

 

Bike Exchange                                 Simon Yates (28)

 

Bora-Hansgrohe                              Matthew Walls (22)

 

Deceuninck-Quick Step                  Mark Cavendish (35)

                                                           James Knox (25)

 

DSM                                                   Mark Donovan (21)

 

EF Education-Nippo                         Simon Carr (22)

                                                            Hugh Carthy (26)

 

Groupama-FDJ                               Jake Stewart (21)

 

Ineos-Grenadiers                             Owain Doull (27)                           

                                                            Tao Geoghegan Hart (25)

                                                            Ethan Hayter (22)

                                                            Tom Pidcock (21)

                                                            Luke Rowe (30)

                                                            Ben Swift (33)

                                                            Geraint Thomas (34)

                                                            Adam Yates (28)

 

Israel Start-Up Nation                     Alex Dowsett (32)

                                                            Chris Froome (35)

 

Lotto Soudal                                    Matthew Holmes (27)

 

Movistar                                           Gabriel Cullaigh (24)

 

Qhubeka-Assos                               Harry Tanfield (26)

 

Trek-Segafredo                               Charlie Quartermain (22)            (Total: 25)

 

 

PRO TEAMS:                                    (All ages as at 1^st January 2021)

 

Alpecin-Fenix                                   Alexander Richardson (30)

                                                            Scott Thwaites (30)

                                                            Ben Tulett (19)

 

Arkéa-Samsic                                  Daniel McClay (28)

                                                            Connor Swift (25)

 

Eola-Kometa                                    John Archibald (30)

                                                            Mark Christian (30)

 

Novo Nordisk                                  Sam Brand (30)

 

Total Direct Energie                       Chris Lawless (25)                         

 

Vinu Zabù-Brado-KTM                  Daniel Pearson (27)                       (Total 10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My best wishes to you, Chris.  I had not realised that you had been off the bike for so long.  

 

If there is a ride to Defford tomorrow, some of you (possibly) might want to keep an eye open for a Spitfire aircraft that is promoting the NHS.  It is painted blue with NHS lettering on the underside, and is a photo-reconnaissence version of this iconic aircraft.  Its serial number is PL983.  It is on one of a number of tours of NHS hospitals, and will be taking off from Duxford aerodrome near Cambridge and flying over Coventry, Birmingham, Telford, Hereford, Worcester and Cheltenham before landing at Kemble in Gloucestershire.  The scheduled times are Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 10.40am, Worcester Hospital at 11.17, and Cheltenham at 11.25.   With regard to the Defford ride, if it flies in a direct, straight line from Worcester to Cheltenham it should go over Abbotswood, Croome Park and Woodmancote (Defford cafe).

By the way, enjoy your ride, wherever it might be going.

Dave Jones (President, Saracen Railway and Aviation Club)

Thank you, Chris.  Good to see images of my local riding roads - very local at the moment, but hope to get a little further out as my legs, hopefully, get better. 

The photograph of the allotments approaching Worcester on the A38 is '300-yards-to-go' to the intermediate sprint, that is, the '30' sign at Perdiswell, on the Tuesday and Thursday evening training bashes of the 1950s and 60s from Northfield to Worcester and back, straight down the A38 through Bromsgrove and Droitwich.  At Perdiswell Park, which used to be an airfield, air displays were held in the 1920s and 1930s, and it was used by the RAF during the Second World War.   Post-war, the local Air Training Corps (ATC) had their headquarters there, and I am sure that many of our members will remember the Supermarine Spitfire on display by the entrance, which was replaced, I think in the early 1970s, by a Gloster Javelin delta wing jet fighter - sadly removed a very long time ago.   The turn of the bash was at the '30' and it was then flat-out, bit-and-bit, all the way back, up Spring Pools (no M5 then, or dual carriageway), with the finish being at the bottom of Rubery village - again, no Rubery bypass in those days. 

Photograph No. 7, is of The Rhydd, just off the main road halfway between Callow End and Upton, the left hand road leading to Hanley Swan and Welland, and the other road leading westward to Guarlford and Barnards Green, Malvern.   Coming in the opposite direction from Malvern was part of the circuit for the Worcester St. John's CC road races in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, with the finish being on the short climb to Old Hills (Callow End) common.  The circuit carried on to Powick, then along the main A449 to just before Malvern Link, where it turned off to Madresfield to join the road from Malvern through Guarlford.  

The church at Hanley Swan is the The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St. Alphonsus.

I hope, Chris, that you didn't have too many problems with the recent laying of tar and chippings going into Upton from Hanley Castle, and on the road from Lower Strensham to the Defford cafe. 

In the last 10 days, Judy and I have been able to get out to do food shopping on a couple of occasions, and fortunately, it was very quiet both times.  We have done more gardening so far this year than we have done for a very long time. 

Finally, what is the Carrick Wheelers CC top all about?  Are you defecting to Ireland in a Dan Martin move?

Keep the ride reports coming!

Dave Jones

Thank you, Chris, for a very enjoyable 'virtual' ride.  What superb photography!

Item 'D' - can I have a point for still being able to read the Packwood House sign?

The Fleur de Lys pub - it must be almost 60 years since I last rode past here - both up and down the hill.  Of course, I never stopped to sample the fare as I was too intent on getting in as many non-stop hard miles as possible - a misguided compulsion that I eventually overcame, and which is now very much under control.

Dave Jones

 

FOR THOSE CLUB MEMBERS WHO MIGHT BE COMPETING IN TIME TRIALS UNDER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF CYCLING TIME TRIALS (CTT), THE USE OF A WORKING REAR LIGHT WILL NOW BE COMPULSORY WHEN COMPETING IN ALL CTT TIME TRIALS, WHETHER OPEN, SEMI-OPEN, OR CLUB EVENTS.

THE CTT GUIDANCE NOTES ARE ATTACHED.

CTT - Guidance Note 24 - Jan 2020 (Rear lights) final.pdf