Acme Wheelers (Rhondda) Cycling Club

Acme signs foreign rider to boost squad !

Despite Will Denny failing to find suitable recruits during his year-long search around the world, the Club has just been successful in signing Spanish rider Manuel Pelaez Heras.

He is pictured here, third from left, during the first of our technique training sessions and the following day was happy to dispense advice when he joined us on our clubrun.

He recalled chatting to fellow countryman and Team Sky member, Juan Antonio Flecha who advised that the expensive equipment on top-end bikes makes little difference, it's fitness that matters.

Dan sends his report on the cyclo-cross race at Margam Park where he finished one place higher again.

Nerves.

After pleasing results in the last two rounds, I was determined to keep the momentum going into the race this weekend.  I think I've been putting a bit of pressure on myself to maintain a top 15 result, with the ultimate goal of breaking into the top 10, and the walk through the car park to register didn't help.  As I walked past other riders I was thinking 'he looks quick' or 'they'll be fast', although with the amount of nervous feet tapping on pedals at the starting line, I discovered it wasn’t just me doubting myself. 

After coming 13th last week I knew I'd be on the second row of the gridded riders and after the turbo sessions in the week my confidence was slightly higher knowing I'd be able to maintain a hard sprint going into the first corner. The whistle blew and I immediately made the ultimate beginners mistake and slipped a pedal!  With other riders barging past and my right foot slipping about on the muddy cleat, it took a while to just to get clipped in: a disastrous start!  

The first corner is always a tight bottleneck and there was room for 2 or 3 riders at most.      6 or 7 went round with me, someone on the outside shouting wildly followed by a slow motion dismount over the bars.  Luckily the soft verge cushioned his landing and I made my way back up the pack and found myself between a few familiar faces.

The Margam course was quite different from last year, with some of the longer, harder surfaced sections being replaced with sodden wet grass and a number of steep sided          up-and-over banks being introduced to keep concentration levels high throughout the lap.  As the race went on the wetter, grassier sections became wider and more cut up and on the final laps I resorted to shouldering the bike and running in some parts. The steep sided banks were also getting more cut up and the constant lifting and carrying of the bike started to take its toll on the shoulders.

A rider for Bike Shed Wales (who'd put a few minutes into me at Cwm Darran) was snapping at my heels for a number of laps.  I know a couple of guys on the Bike Shed team from my MTB days and with a number of them working as professional cycle couriers they ain't slow! We fought tooth to tooth for 4 or 5 laps before he eventually made a break riding through a muddy section I'd chosen to run.  As he rode past I tried to ride one handed while clearing my front brakes of the mud that had built up in previous laps.  It was a mistake! Looking up the rider had made some good ground and I knew it'd be a challenge to take him back before the final lap.  

After nearly an hour on the circuit, cloggy mud was starting to build up in every nook and cranny available on my bike.  I kept trying to pull handfuls of mud off the front brakes whenever the course let you take a quick breather and I was glad to hear the bell just to know that if my bike completely seized up I wouldn't have far to run.  I made some ground on the Bike Shed rider on the last lap and having only just been lapped by the race winner, crossed the finish line about 15 seconds behind him, coming in 12^th from 84. 

Late news.

On Sunday, Dan achieved his cyclo-cross goal for the year when he finished in 10th place at the Black Mountains Cross.

Black Mountains 'Cross / Welsh League Round 9

With only two league races left, it was starting to become make or break for the seasons goal of making the top ten before the final round. As the end of the season approaches, my pre-race prep is becoming more organised and I'm experimenting less with pre-race food. Going from zone 1 to zone 5 while trying to digest a couple of banana bagels is not recommended!
After two warm up laps my bike was covered in a mixture of grass and mud; this will be interesting I thought, as we lined up. I'm not sure if I arrived late or if the start was just left ungridded but after a quick warning of 'do not wash your kit in the showers!' we were away.
A fast decent down the field led the way with a number of off-camber corners helping define what grip was available early on. After dropping a bit of tyre pressure in the warm up laps the bike was cornering and gripping on the climbs as well as I could have hoped. Once through the swoopy decent we were up and around the edge of the field; a steep off-camber ramp took some concentration to overcome and I found it quicker to run than ride as the laps progressed. A quick escape onto the farm track gave chance of a slight breather and also the chance to get past a few bodies easily.

Back into the field we were straight into soggy grass and a nasty chicane through deep mud whilst trying to avoid the trees on either side then back onto the grass, across a small bridge and into another very deep muddy section in the trees. I found this much faster on foot with me running further and further along this section as the laps progressed. The course then came back into the field, across two barriers and another chance to have a breather on the farm track before descending through the field once more.
I appeared to get a decent start and had made my way into a leading group after a few laps. Passing the usual suspects, it became a constant tussle for myself and a Forza rider to
stay ahead, with a Jiff rider also in hot pursuit there was no time for any kind of sustained rest through the whole 50 minutes. While lifting my bike through one set of barriers I noticed my front wheel lock up instantly due to the amount of mud around the brakes. I bounced my bike as best as I could to shake the mud off and jumped back on.
Through the next 4 or 5 laps, myself, the Forzer rider and the Jiff rider traded places, with neither rider making the lead stick. Eventually we lost the Jiff rider who was quickly replaced by another racer snapping away at our heels.
As the race winner past us in the penultimate lap we all knew the next attack would decide which position we would each finish in. As we came into the final muddy section, the Forza rider was just ahead then we were side by side through the barriers. He took the lead into the final section of farm track but as we came through the final corner I just managed to squeeze through a gap on the left and pipped the rider to the line taking 10^th place.

The following report was delayed while suitable photos of the event were being chosen. The photos will appear soon.

Over twenty members of ACME Wheelers met at Porth on the morning of 8^th October for the start of the annual ‘weekend away’. This years’ destination was Caerleon, where excellent accommodation had been booked at The Priory Hotel. The majority of the club were in a buoyant mood having just watched Wales defeat Ireland in the quarter final of the Rugby World Cup. The sole Englishman on the ride, Ian Humphries, was updated regularly on the England v France match by occupants of the support vehicle. He received counselling and sympathy when the result was announced.

After riding through Pontypridd, Cilfynydd and Ystrad Mynach the group skirted Blackwood and descended to Crumlin where they faced the longest and steepest climb of the day up to Hafodrynys. The riders regrouped at the top before taking the ‘old road’ to Pontypool and through New Inn. The skies had cleared and the pace increased during the scenic ride through Govilon and onto Abergavenny where everyone enjoyed a welcome lunch break.  The final leg of the ride took the group along quiet roads through Usk and into Caerleon. The undulating approach to the town caused some minor splits in the bunch but all arrived within minutes of each other.

During the evening, Club members ‘rehydrated’ during a tour of the ‘cultural and historic’ buildings in the town. This resulted in a much quieter group on Sunday morning when everyone gathered for the return journey to the Rhondda. The gloomy weather added to the subdued atmosphere as Newport was negotiated but conversation and speed increased as the ride progressed. The stretch from Rhiwderyn to Bedwas saw a number of different groups form as riders dropped off the pace being set at the front. As the first riders reached Caerphilly the rain arrived and increased in intensity for the remainder of the route. The majority of riders reached Pontypridd in less than two hours and headed home to various locations in the valley.

Once again this popular event was a great success. Everyone in the club was pleased to see popular veteran Ken Washington back in the saddle and riding so well after his serious accident earlier this year. He is a real inspiration. All who rode would like to thank everyone who provided vehicle support for the event. A special thank you to Eddie Blayney for planning the route and organising the accommodation.

Our Annual Prize Presentation  was held on Saturday 12^th November 2011 at ‘The Colliers’ in Porth.  This year’s Guest of Honour was Mr Tudor Thomas, a longstanding member of Bynea Cycling Club who represented Wales at International Level and has made a major contribution to Welsh Cycling over many years.  Before the Club Champions for 2011 were awarded their trophies, Master of Ceremonies Jeff Matthews paid tribute to Chris and Carolynne Clements for organising the Acme Open 25 Mile Time Trial. Under their stewardship the event has been recognised as one of the best in the country and has attracted riders from all over the UK.

All Acme Time Trial Championships for 2011 were incorporated into the relevant distance in Welsh Championship events. Gareth Clements recorded 23 mins 22 secs in the Welsh 10 Mile Championship to become club champion for this distance in 2011. Gareth was unable to attend on the night so his father, Chris, collected the trophy on his behalf. Gareth has made a successful return to time trialling after working abroad for a number of years and has achieved very respectable times this year.

Carl Banwell was this year’s 25 mile champion in a time of 1 hour, 1 minute and 18 secs. Despite his disappointment in not breaking the hour, this was the start of a very successful years racing for this talented rider. He became the Acme 50 mile champion on 12^th June in a time of 2 hours, 8 mins and 17 secs on a day when many riders decided not to start the event due to gale force winds. In July Carl again battled the elements, this time scorching temperatures, when he tackled the Welsh 12 Hour Champs on the Abergavenny/Hereford course. He recorded a fantastic distance of 255 miles in 12 hours to become club champion and win the Ralph Phillips Memorial 12 Hour Shield. The excessively hot temperatures that day caused numerous riders to abandon this event but the distance covered by Carl saw him finish as 4^th placed Welsh rider and in 5^th place overall. This was an exceptional achievement in the conditions. His results over the year in 10, 25 and 50 mile events have seen him record an average speed of 24.66 mph. This gave him the Acme Short Distance B.A.R (best all rounder) Championship for 2011. His results over 50 miles, 100 miles and 12 hours saw him achieve an average speed of 22.54 mph to become the Acme Senior B.A.R for 2011. Having collected his final award Carl thanked club coach Dave Roberts for his advice and guidance throughout the year which helped him achieve such great results.

Steve Bennett was the 30 Mile Champion in a time of 1 hour, 13 mins 19 secs. He won this award on 7^th April on theLlangadog/Llandovery course. This event saw Paul Griffiths suffer a crash that would affect the rest of his 2011 season. Paul’s injuries prevented him from matching the results he achieved last year, but his dedication and perseverance saw him win a Club Championship award when he was the best Acme rider in this year’s Welsh 100 mile event. Paul recorded a time of 5 hours 42 mins 08 secs to win this trophy. Finishing off the Time Trial Awards for 2011, Kevin Bartlemore collected the Veteran B.A.R Award with an average speed over 50 miles, 100 miles and 12 hours of 20.26 mph. Kevin has made a successful return to competition after a number of years and this was a great achievement in his first year back.

The Road Racing Champion and Cyclo Cross Champion for 2011 was Dan Taylor. Dan has raced throughout the season and has gained 15 points in road races to qualify as a 3^rd Category rider. He is still competing in the Welsh Cyclo Cross Series and has had a number of top 20 finishes. This is Dan’s first year in competitive events and he seems certain to become more successful as he gains experience.

In the events run specifically for club members, Neale Lewis became Hillclimb champion in the one off race held on the Bwlch Mountain on 28^th July. Neale completed the course in a fantastic time of 11 mins 59 secs to clinch the trophy. In the Hill Climb series, over six events on the same course, the winner was Paul Harries. The runner up was Tony Rees and 3^rd place, Jason Dodd. In the 5 Mile Time trial series over five events on the Porth course, the winner was Gerald Stevens. The runner up was Tony Rees and 3^rd place Kevin Stoddart.

The Acme Riders Rider of the Year was awarded to Tony Morgan who competed in every round of both Hillclimb and 5 series events and whose effort in these competitions is an inspiration to all. The final award of the evening was the Wilfred March Memorial Trophy for Clubman of the Year. This prestigious trophy was presented by Tudor Thomas to long serving committee man Kerry Lewis. This year Kerry has been involved in the organisation of every club event. Without his commitment and dedication many of the clubs activities would not have taken place.  Jeff Matthews echoed the feelings of many when he pointed out that Kerry could probably win this award every year. He is an outstanding member of the club.

Photographs taken at the dinner are now in the Photo Gallery.

He just gets better.  Dan proves that Guiness is an essential part of training as he gets his best placing yet.

Cross By the Sea / Welsh League Round 7, Pembrey.

After a cracking night at the Acme Wheelers presentation evening, it was back to business early on Sunday morning. A stiff breeze welcomed us at Pembrey Race HQ and with little natural cover on the course, overcoming the strong headwind on the long open straights would become the main challenge of the day.  

I'd been lucky enough to finish 14th in the previous event which awarded me gridded status for the first time in my CX career; I saw this as a mixed blessing.   In all previous events I'd started in the middle of the pack and this usually allowed me to move up the field, picking off riders through the race and often improving morale as the race went on.  Starting at the front meant getting a really good sprint into the first corner, not something I'd practised, and as I expected a number of riders went belting past in the first 100m.

With the event being held in Pembrey it attracted many riders who would maybe not venture to compete in the more easterly fixtures.  This made it a little more difficult to get an idea of placing while on the way around so as usual I kept my head down and got involved in as many cat and mouse chases as possible. An enjoyable course made the hour fly by.  Barriers, ditches and tight hairpin turns allowed a little time away from the constant headwind that seemed to hit you full in the face on any open section.  I'm almost certain a rider overtook me early on making a cartoon accelerating noise as he sped past through the corner, I managed to take him back later on but forgot to repay the joke.

The headwinds on the straights were bringing a few more road like tactics into the race with me weaving whilst in the drops to deter any hangers on from getting a free ride into the wind. The sun also played a part by making it easier to see the shadow of a chasing rider approaching without having to take your eyes off the various lumps and bumps that made up the flat sections.

Having been lapped by the 2 leaders and with the bell ringing in the background, I was glad to see some light at the end of the tunnel.  I pushed on as hard as I could to prevent any last minute digs from riders approaching but as we came onto the final straight for the last time a shadow appeared down to my right.  I tucked in and gave it everything to hold the rider off, just reaching the line ahead of him before falling to a heap on the floor, I ended up 13^th from 71 riders in total.

As I lay there trying not to be sick I looked over to find 3 Bynea riders in the same sorry state.  “That was fun!”  I shouted to the man next to me, “Some people go to the pub on a Sunday!'” he shouted back.   I thought about the Guinness I'd drunk the night before and went back to feeling ill again.

If you would like to see more of Cath’s photos from this season’s cyclo-cross events then click on this link :

http ://www.flickr.com/photos/cathnoble/collections/72157627698673104/

Membership application from Uruguay !

Last week an application form arrived from South America together with an enclosed postcard from Peru which is shown below.

Some of you may remember William Denny from Hopkinstown who rode a number of our clubruns over a year ago but didn't join at the time because he was intending to spend a year travelling around the world. Well, his year is almost over and as he says on the postcard " I'm very much looking forward to going out cycling with the club again. I should be back mid November, just in time for a cold Ponty winter !"

Hopefully he will be able and willing to share his photographs and experiences with us.

We wish to remind members to arrive at 7pm for a 7.30 start to the Annual Dinner and Prize Presentation on Saturday. We always have a raffle to help swell our funds so will be grateful for any wrapped item to go on the table. Club members have been pleased to see Glenn Waters join them on clubruns recently, his snapped achilles tendon having healed. He now looks forward to building up his strength so he can half wheel everyone ! Also out on his first run and looking for a sporting outlet after retiring from rugby due to injury was Marvin from Tonyrefail. He enjoyed the experience and friendliness as well as the success of completing his longest ever ride and intends to do a lot more riding. Obituary. Longer standing club members will remember Dai Cahill of Hirwaun Wheelers who died last week after spending some years in a nursing home. Small in stature but a larger than life character, Dai was a mainspring of the Welsh Cycling Association, expending a great deal of time and energy for the benefit of time triallists in Wales over a great many years. He continued to ride time trials until no longer able to turn the pedals and his his joviality and wit will be sadly missed. His funeral takes place at 2 pm at Llwydcoed Crematorium,Aberdare this Friday. Dan continues with his experiences from cyclo-cross in the last two rounds. Beacons 'Cross / Welsh League Round 4, Brecon. Through other commitments I'd been blessed with two rest days on the Friday and Saturday before Sunday’s event.  On race day morning, the legs felt strange without the dull aches and tingles of tiredness, and it left me apprehensive as I warmed up on the playing field. Warm sun, golden brown leaves littering the course and the soft mud under wheel came together to make it one of those classic cyclocross Sundays.   Once lined up on the start, and after a bit of reshuffling, we were away into the first grassy right hander. The wide and open course suited my lack of technique and made overtaking easier than many other circuits. Unbelievably, the rest days had worked a treat. Who'd have thought?! Usually after two laps my legs and lungs have had more than enough, today they actually felt OK, good even. They seemed willing to put a full hour’s shift in! I made my way up the field overtaking riders I knew had always finished ahead of me in previous races, and even making ground on them.  By mid-race a good battle had developed between myself and a rider representing CC Blaenau Gwent, neither of us wanting to give up and inch, with us both being side-by-side on more than one occasion through the barriers. Eventually I got my head down and made space before passing another rider who again had remained out of reach in previous rounds. I still felt good and in my head I knew I was on for my best finish yet. Passing the start/finish with 2 laps to go I was almost there.  Going into the next corner I felt the front wheel grab the concrete slightly heavier than on previous laps, and looking down at the tyre I thought "has that gone down?" whilst secretly hoping the lower PSI just felt softer than my usual road tyre.  The next corner confirmed the inevitable. With me fighting to stay on the bike, the tyre fighting to stay on the rim, and the bell ringing in the background, I knew I had at least another full lap to go and no spare bike in the pits. As the lap went on the tyre pressure lowered and it became more of a struggle just to point the bike in the required direction.  I passed the finish line with the bell still ringing and the idea of having to get off and run the next lap becoming more and more imminent. 200yrds on, I was off the bike and running alongside.  5 riders came passed while I was running that final lap, all riders I'd never passed before. I was the last over the line, but still pleased not to DNF, the final result of 25th out of 69 was reasonable enough.   Although disappointing I've taken two huge positives from the day.  Firstly the fact that I'd passed a number of  people I'd not even thought I'd be near at the start of the season; secondly and perhaps even better than this, this was the first race in which I'd not been lapped! Darran Valley 'Cross / Welsh League Round 6 Having spent the day on Saturday tightening every bolt, fettling gears, checking tubes and re-checking tubes, I was sure I'd done my best to not repeat the disappointment of Brecon.  I arrived early to find the youngsters coming back to the cars absolutely covered in mud and this set the scene for the day.  I'd missed the 2010 Cwm Darran round and as the course was not the familiar school playing field environment, I was keen to find out what lie ahead. The course was made up of a long out and back loop with the usual small number of steep banks being replaced with one filthy long drag of a climb (that flurried a mixture of water and coal dust by the end of the event).  The rest of the course was made up of pavement and what could only be described as wide grassy bogs. Time to line up. The leaders shot off as if they'd started on tarmac; leaving riders such as myself to steadily grind up to something I'd say was just faster than running pace. On the concrete and paved sections it became a choice of making up as much ground as possible or just easing off and catching your breath.  Having felt like I'd started particularly poorly, I opted for the former and tried as best I could to make up a few places.  Old rivalries resumed from previous races, edging past, making ground, then 2 laps later realizing the guy you thought you'd lost was about to re-take his position.  As the race went on a few more club tops were recognized, over taken, and somehow held.  The work paid off; I just swooped past another two rivals with around 500m to go on the last lap. With the finish line in sight, myself and a racer representing the Parragons came into the final grassy bog neck and neck.  I heard a spectator shout 'get off and run, it's faster' and I took no time in heeding his advice! Just managing to clip my rival to the line and finishing 14 th overall from the 68 starters. I'd recommend the Cwm Darran event to anyone.  It’s a really well laid out course, there’s showers, a good café and free use of the nearby lake for all bike and kit washing needs!