Weekly Round-up: 31 Aug 2025
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Road Bikes TT SeriesThe final road bikes TT was also the final TT of the season on P163 this week. Results from the evening can be found by CLICKING HERE. Overall series standings can be found by CLICKING HERE. As always, a HUGE thank you to everyone involved in making the time trial season such a success this year – we couldn’t do it without the generous members who give up their evenings to help make our calendar happen. |
Saturday Club RideWith a dismal weather forecast of high winds and rain forecast it was no surprise when some of the regular riders played the “Enforced Family Fun” card early in the week and made their excuses for Saturday morning duvet hugging. However, with the addition of Kris and Andrew making their first Saturday rides we had enough riders for a couple of 8 up pelotons. The ride was made up of a couple of 60Km loops to keep it local and give us flexibility should bad weather come in. We headed west for the first loop taking us around Bransgore and back to Brock via red Shoot and Bolderwood. It was one of those days where it felt that the wind was against us whichever way we were heading. Despite the wind the speeds were high, and Group One made it to the coffee stop with an average of over 32Kmh. This of course preceded the inevitable and wholly predictable disintegration of the group. Group Two were averaging a still respectable 28Kmh but at the coffee stop the club hydrophobes made themselves known, and it was just Barry and a couple of Neil’s that started the second lap. Neil S took the headwind to Beaulieu before peeling off. |
 The ride went around Lepe, where there was lots of sand across the road and a crosswind that nearly took us both out. Back to Beaulieu Neil V and Barry shared turns providing the shelter and then split for home. The rain held off until about 5Km from Brock but the club Gabba jacket provided suitable warmth and protection. Remember, this is the time of year that Sean needs to know what to order so get requests for Gabba’s in, so he has enough for an order. Despite the weather there were plenty of riders completing 120/130Km plus. Robert was the leader on the day with another magnificent Saturday century. With sixteen well turned-out riders, no mechanical problems apart from a puncture on a tubeless wheel that sealed and didn’t even require any additional air, it should be hard to fill the barrel this week. But no, I put NFCC, Enforced Family Fun Excuse, bad weather forecast into Chat GPT and it came up with an exact match for those who were missing this week. No need to name them, they know who they are!Thanks to all for turning up on a day with a dodgy forecast. Your fortitude and humour was much appreciated. – Barry W |
RTTC National 10 Mile ChampionshipSien vdP was reported in action again this weekend at the RTTC National 10 Mile Championship on the lumpy S102/10 in Cornwall. Crossing the line just 43 seconds off the leader, Sien finished in just 26m58s to take second place in the female road bike category to add another amazing result to their palmarès for the season. Chapeau! |
Sunday Club RideA forecast of pretty high winds and probable rain reduced this weeks Sunday club ride to a mere 20 participants. I had, for reasons lost in the fog of time decided to use a longer route this week which happened to pass by, and as it turned out directly through a triathlon event. Possibly not my greatest act of route planning to date. In any case two groups headed out West into quite the headwind. Group one soon ran into bother with Steve B suffering another puncture and again being ruthlessly deserted by his cycling chums. |
 Group two made steady progress and finally found a tailwind just as we noticed the closed toad signs for the triathlon and were thus slowed to a crawl. The Marshals took pity on us and let us through but the next few miles were somewhat hampered by triathletes, either running or cycling and in both directions. Triathletes aren’t the most predictable road users at the best of times but dodging them whilst they are exhausted is like playing a high stakes stage 10 computer game ( I don’t know what that means either but, you know, there was some jeopardy involved!) No sooner had we navigated the worst of this when we turned the wrong way, well according Budge anyway who boomed ‘right’ so convincingly that we all stopped. It was indeed left so we carried on until we all missed the actual right turn. |
 A long section along Roger Penny way, on paper looked a good option during the planning phase of this weeks ride but on a very blustery day with lots of traffic and triathletes coming from the opposite direction, it should probably have stayed on paper. We soon passed the hapless Rupert who had like Steve been mercilessly abandoned by group one. To lose one rider may be considered a misfortune, to lose two smacks of carelessness. He said he was o.k so we too left him to his fate. Presumably he hadn’t checked his saddle bag at that point because it turned out that, in fact he wasn’t ok and had to make the call of shame to get home. Turning right off Roger Penny way we soon felt the headwind that would hamper us for most of the following 24K. A few K later it was wearing thin but some brave souls moved to the front from time to time, quickly regretted it and peeled off. Group 2 managed to reach the cafe without getting wet but group one apparently got an absolute soaking, which serves them right for deserting two riders.Another fun ride, although starting to feel a tad Autumnal. Can’t complain, though, after such a fantastic summer of cycling. – Phil H |
Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
