Hypothermia, Wiggo and a Shaggy Dog

The Best Time Trialer In The World On The A63

Saturday the 16th of May was going to be a momentous date.

Was it because of the CRC club ride I was doing that day ? 

A hilly route out to Nunburnholme and back taking in 3 climbs at Warter, Londesborough Hill and the old favourite of Trundlegate.

Including the return journey to and from Barton this ride would be 75 miles. Close to the longest ride I'd ever done.

Or was the day going to be special because Bradley Wiggins was going to break the world record for a 10 mile time trial in the City Road Club event on the A63 ?

History could be made on this day.

I may well get quite a few PRs on Strava !

Wiggo may do pretty well also.

THE ROUTE

SHORTS ? YOU MUST BE KIDDING ?!

It was going to be a hard day in the saddle. My first issue was what to wear.

The sun was shining brightly in the morning but I knew it was going to be windy during the day bringing the temperature down.

I decided to go for 4 layers on top with cycling tights. Shorts ? No chance.




Poor Unfortunates In The Late Stages of Hypothermia

Needless to say when I arrived in Cottingham I was surrounded by people in shorts and short sleeve tops.

I can only surmise they must all have been in the late stages of hypothermia where the victim believes they are in fact too hot.

The only other explanation is that I am a little odd.....no I'm going for the hypothermia thing.

 LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TOUR DE YORKSHIRE

The first big hill was going to come just under 30 miles into the CRC ride so I set about going far too fast too soon particularly on Keldgate Road coming out of Beverley where I hung on to Ian's back wheel for grim death. This would be a recurring theme on this ride.

" This hill is like nothing compared to the Tour De Yorkshire"

The rest of the time on the way to the first significant hill at Warter was spent listening to June going on about the Tour De Yorkshire.

"Hill after hill after hill. What is the point of that really Alan ?"

"Yes June"

"Carol ! Alan thinks the same as me don't you Alan ?"

"Yes June"

"I mean it's not my idea of fun at all. Is it yours Alan ?"

"Yes June, I mean no June"

"I mean there must have been at least 20 big hills or maybe 30 hills , don't you think Alan ?"

"Yes June "

THE HARD PART OF THE RIDE

When we got to the first big hill at Warter I settled down to do a bit of silent suffering at my own pace. I was getting distracted though by Chris and Ben behind me who were chatting away without any distress at all.


Ben & Chris On The Hill At Warter

Whilst I didn't have the breath to string more than 3 words together they were having a long discussion about, of all things, hills that would be harder to go up than this one.

This was rubbing it in I felt. I summoned up a huge effort to string my 3 words together.

"I hate you !"

All this seemed to do was cheer them up though.

We made our way down Nunburnholme Hill which was a refreshing change. The respite did not last for long though as we lined ourselves up to climb Londesborough Hill at Burnby.



Carol Coming Down Nunburnholme

This is a tough hill. 1.3 miles long with an average gradient of 6 % but well over 10 % in places.

Once again I got on Ian's wheel and tried to hang on as long as possible. The elastic went twang about three quarters of the way up and Ben and Chris also came past. At least they weren't chatting this time.

No Chatting Now - To Be Fair There Is No One To Talk To

After the regroupment at the top of Londesborough Hill we headed off on the downhill section that would take us back to Market Weighton.

Gary came swooping past me spectacularly at speed shouting

"I hope you've got that machine on Alan !?" referring to my GoPro capturing one of his best moves.

I waited until he was out of ear shot.

"No !"

It would've made a great picture. As we cycled away from Market Weighton I made a big show of switching the camera on for Gary when he was right behind me.

" I can see it now Alan, there's a flashing LED "

"That means it's recording Gary, so show me what you've got ! "

It's On Gary - Show Us What You've Got !

On the way over to the last big hill of the day, Trundlegate, Ian really cranked it up on the front. For that matter he cranked it up after the last big hill of the day as well.

I faded in and out of the scene. Sometimes I was there on his back wheel and others I was killing myself to catch up. Being in front was out of the question.

Even the last mile into Cottingham when I was hoping to just spin the legs along Eppleworth Road there was a mad dash for the finish all set off by June.

"Never again Alan ! I'm never doing that Tour De Yorkshire again ! "

OK June for crying out loud !

After the finish of the club ride in Cottingham I made my way slowly back to Barton to rack up the last of the 74 miles of the day.

ALLEZ ! ALLEZ ! ALLEZ !

At least I was like Bradley Wiggins in one respect.

After a hard bike ride I was ready to spend the rest of the day on the settee and get Annette to carry all the shopping in from the car just in case I injured myself.

I toyed with the idea of not going to see Bradley and staying on the settee. I discussed it with Annette.

" Shall we go ? "
" Yes " she replied.

Discussion over.

Waiting On A Bridge Over The A63

We parked up in North Ferriby and made our way over to the Melton and North Ferriby junction with the A63. This was where the time trialers would exit the East bound A63 turn round and get back on the A63 heading West.

We positioned ourselves on the bridge section over the A63 and waited. There was 30 minutes to wait before his official start time.

I was glad that we didn't have long to wait as the wind was getting up and the temperature had fallen. It was getting really cold.

We ran into a number of people from the club who had chosen the same place to come Wiggo spotting.

I embarrassed myself by initially failing to recognise Ian who was waving to me from across the road.

Well I'd never seen him with his clothes on before. At least he was out of danger from the hypothermia now.

Oscar The Shaggy Dog

Unfortunately I would have plenty of time to practise my photo taking of time trialers as we learned that Wiggo's start time had now been put back to 5:15 pm.

I sheltered from the now biting wind by bravely standing behind Annette.

We were waiting so long that I got fed up of taking photos of the cyclists and moved onto portraits of Tracey C's fantastic shaggy dog.

That is not a euphemism. He is called Oscar.

Then eventually there was a buzz in the crowd and Wiggo himself was approaching. About time !

I focused on the roundabout to my right at the top of the off ramp from the eastbound A63 and got my camera phone ready.

There was a flash of white as he emerged onto the roundabout and then disappeared out of sight behind the roundabout itself.

Straight away it was apparent that he was in a different league to the other time trialers. That is an understatement to say the least.

It was like he was the best time trialer in the world.



Here He Comes ! - Tracy T's Picture

He came round the roundabout onto the bridge and flashed past us ...quickly. All our heads turned to the left like a tennis crowd watching a 100 mph serve. He went onto the roundabout on the other side of the bridge and then he was out of sight and gone.

All I could remember of this split second experience was that he had a golden helmet. Not golden balls but a golden helmet.

I looked at my phone to see if I had captured anything and by pure luck there was one picture showing him in a super position manoeuvring off the first roundabout. That will do for me.

What now ?  We could either watch some of the other competitors or go to the pub. What shall we do ?

15 minutes later I was downing my first pint of San Miguel and ordering my burger and chips.

We learned later that unfortunately Wiggo had fallen short of setting a world record for the 10 mile time trial.

" You know why that is love don't you ? " I declared when back at home clearly effected by the drink.

"No dear why don't you tell me " replied Annette.

"Well look at this picture" I said pointing at my phone "He's wearing shorts and is clearly suffering from the late stages of hypothermia !! "

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