Testing Times

I've really been getting back into the time trials this month, with the Scottish 10, the first two rounds of the Rabbie Burns 250 series, and the Glasgow St Christophers event on the A77 course tonight.

The Scottish Champs had really tough conditions, the wind never seemed to help, but did plenty to hinder! Tonight was much better, warmer and significantly less wind (hence an improvement of nearly a minute!).

The Dumfries CC 25 mile was super tough - only a few miles of the course were flat, and the climb to Beattock summit almost made me stop and cry at the side of the road! Jim Cuisik was unbelievable there - 56 minutes on that course is impressive. I'd secretly been harbouring hopes of a sub-hour ride, but think I'd need a cracking good course for that!

The Ayr Roads event on the Pennyglen Circuit was more my cup of tea - actual climbs rather than rolling drags - and I collected my first TT podium of the year, and only 2 mins behind Jim this time (helped by his 400 mile drive and arrival 15 mins before the start!) - next time I need him to drive the full 1000 miles, and get straight out the car and onto the line to stand a chance! I was glad to have recce'd the route beforehand, and chose the TT bike, and decided to take it steady on the first couple of climbs! I'd ridden that course in a British Series TT in 1995 as a junior, but after a lengthy search for my 2005 training diary found it blank for that day!

So I think I may be leading the 'Burns TT Series now after 3rd place in Dumfries and 1st in Ayr, and I also may be taking it a bit too seriously, with Lance style course recce's!

Anyway, away to see how I can get more aero - only kidding!

Neil Walker