NFCC Weekly Round-up

Weekly Round-up: 15 Mar 2026

16th March 2026 Latest news

All the latest news, events, and results for NFCC Members from the previous week of two-wheeled adventures…

Gravel’n’Grogg

It was a four-man start for this week’s Gravel’n’Grogg, with Luke G and Phill B just about making it to the start on time… and a good job they did, with Matthew K and Joe O the other riders at the start, it was only the near-late arrivals who had a route to follow! As usual with Matthew at the start [he’s starting to get a reputation for it], and it was a pacey ride along Beechen Lane and through the forest tracks down to Brockenhurst. Upon arriving at Brock the group doubled in size, with the welcome return of Phil Jones after avoiding the endless cold and rain running out of excuses. We were also of Mike P back after a rather dramatic initial ride last week.

It felt like the bad luck was handed over to Barry this week, who had a series of unfortunate events. As prepared as he is, it seems carrying an extra SRAM battery is higher up his priority list than actually charging the batteries attached to his bike – nothing a quick swap didn’t fix before the long climb to Bolderwood. Mid-descent back towards Lyndhurst, two riders were spotted missing from the back of the pack. Retracing tyre-tracks, Barry was found trailside with a huge thorn through the sidewall of his tyre – nothing a bit of sealant would have solved for anyone else, but the dry tyre Barry removed to insert an innertube was never going to seal a thing. He claims he regularly checks and tops up his sealant, and declared it was all on his mudguards this week, which is a strange place to keep it… The final few KMs were trouble-free and well-earned beverages were gracefully consumed by all.

Saturday Club Ride

A bright crisp winters day was a nice reward for the recent drizzly Saturdays for the twenty riders that braved the early morning chill. Sunglasses were the order of the day which was just as well. Following his recent drivetrain fail with a chain that was storing more oil than OPEC, Mark turned up with a gleaming new components that were retina burning when the sun reflected of their beautifully clean and shiny surface. we split into two groups and made our way onto this week’s planned ride – a not too hilly 112Km around the forest. We headed west for a loop around Burley, Bransgore, Winkton and Crow where the roads were a lot drier than we expected which was most welcome. We then crossed the flood plain at Harbridge which was also dry so hopefully we’re over the worst of the wet roads.

We headed to Sandleheath, back through Fordingbridge and at Stuckton riders could start to smell the coffee at The Potting Shed. Coffee stops have been an orderly affair since Phil H’s banishment to the colonies. But climbing Frogham Hill, the spirit of Phil and the most despicable part of his character was re-enacted by about eight riders who had not done a turn on the front in two hours of headwind and the suddenly found hitherto unfound reserves of energy to sprint up the hill get first in the queue for cakes and the reserved seating. It does mean a big barrel this week but those wheel sucking, queue jumping reprobates are worthy of their week of shame. Richard P joined us for coffee and then rode back to Furzey with the group. We were delayed leaving the coffee shop as Rupert was searching for a buff / bandana type thing he was wearing when he came in. The search was fruitless, but post ride Bus Pass Graham alerted that he had inadvertently picked it up. It was an honest mistake as it was an accessory that bore no relation to the club kits colour palette, so BPG naturally assumed it was part of his usual smorgasbord of colour clashes.

Sean peeled off at Moyles Court saying something about watching some emerging nations egg chasing on TV. Smithy sensibly looped back at Roger Penney Way. The second loop continued via Ashurst and then to Beaulieu where the Second Coffee Club Mutineers got their way with another coffee stop at Steff’s. Rupert left first as he wanted to get back to see Wales win another Wooden Spoon. The remaining riders did a final loop around East Boldre and back to Brock via Hatchet Pond. This leg involved a very tidy session of through and off as the final stretch of headwind was not a one-man job. Back to Brock, Phill B and Bus Pass Graham decided that despite three hours in Nero’s on Monday, five hours on the ride they still had stuff to natter about, they decided a third coffee stop was required so they were left to their own devices. On a more heroic note, Matt K decided to celebrate his birthday weekend by rounding up to a century. As did Graham but with his multiple coffee stops this did have a much greater elapsed and probably required lights when they were kicked off of the café at closing time.
A very enjoyable club ride in some welcome sunshine and definitely improving road conditions. Thanks as ever to everyone for the camaraderie and general bonhomie
– Barry.

Wessex CX Annual Awards Evening

Following a fantastic cyclocross season for NFCC, the Wessex CX Annual Awards Evening took place on Saturday Evening at AFC Totton. With nine club riders having taken part across the season, it was the Open Senior category that the most successful for the club, with Henry Lloyd-Williams, Jay Tarrant, Joe Shepherd and Phill Brown all recording points in the category. The Tarrant, Shepherd, Brown trio scored a combined 1,414 to win the series overall. Brown also took home the one-bike category victory and finished just 4 points behind the overall winner in second place. Shepherd also had a very successful season, finishing 7th overall. In the v40 Open race, Matthew Knight finished 24th overall, with Jay Tarrant, Graham Sharman, and Alex Setchell also recording points. Emma Shepherd had a solid season and finished 6th overall in the Women’s Senior/V40/V50 category with several podium finishes across the season. Also, a special mention to Ed George, who took part for the first time in the U8 category at Crow.

Sunday Club Ride

A slightly muted turnout of twelve this Sunday, with a handful of regulars otherwise committed despite the promise of sunshine. Ambitions of engineering a Goldilocks middle group were entertained briefly before the numbers made the decision for everyone, five set off in group one, seven in group two, with a planned rendezvous at the top of Bolderwood where a returning Andrew was waiting to bring group two to a more harmonious eight. The forecast had promised sunshine and a gentle breeze. The sunshine, to its credit, delivered. The breeze did not honour its side of the agreement. What arrived was an awkward, probing crosswind, predominantly from the wrong direction, that strengthened as the ride progressed and made its presence felt particularly among the lighter riders, several of whom reported being genuinely buffeted. That aside, group two had a brief delay fixing a wayward mudguard but otherwise a ride without mishap which was a relief as the gusts picked up toward the end. Not wanting to feel left out of talk about double and even triple coffee rides in the Saturday chat the Sunday ride has quietly embedded a double coffee stop of its own. None of this 40km between coffees, same venue, same table arguably, ordered almost immediately after the first. A double dose of caffeine definitely helped the journey home.
Great ride, great company, as always. Spring is trying its best.
– James A.

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