Weekly Round-up: 18 May 2025
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Ten Series Rd.3 – P311A calm and collected evening on “the rumble strip” of P311 for the third round of the NFCC Ten Series on Tuesday evening welcomed 17 riders on the night. Full results can be found by CLICKING HERE, and the current overall standing for the Ten Series by CLICKING HERE. |
RCR Goodwood Summer Series Rd.2With circuit racing at Thruxton concluded for the year, Goodwood is now the Tuesday evening venue of choice NFCC’s Phill Brown to ride his bike around in circles. The race this week was an E123 category to allow members of a recently fallen cyclist’s team to race in memorial after a tragic accident a few weeks earlier. Phill positioned himself perfectly for the first prime lap, getting the better of the whole field, but his luck was out by the time the second prime lap came around. The relentless 48.5km/h (30mph+) average pace on a calm night prevented any breaks getting away. However, Brown still fought through the sprint to cross the line in 15th place. |
Thursday Evening Chain GangTwo groups of five started Chaingang this week. Group one set off at a very lively pace and became a group of four before arriving at the A35. We quickly settled into a four-up during the testing middle section, but remained together thanks to James N and Elliott taking pity on their aged co-rider. Phil G also seemed to be suffering at the back, but it turned out that he was just making sure that the framing for his photos followed the principles of the golden section. We hammered the stage from Burley to Wilverley rise before a temporary split on Wilverley rise. After another sympathy vote, we all beasted it back into Brock’ together, recording very similar times, at a pace of 37.2 kph. Group two kept together for most of the ride, with several new to the discipline who seemed to have enjoyed their first Chaingang. Group two averaged 33kph, which I think they surprised themselves with. Another great Chaingang, thanks to all for attending. |
Saturday Club RideA glorious day for the club ride this week, warm, light winds and mostly sunny skies. Sixteen riders made the ride, so we had two evenly sized groups of eight for most of the day. Group one held a good pace all day mainly thanks to the less altruistic riders shamelessly sucking the wheels of Chris and Phill B all day. Group two was well matched and managed to stay together throughout the ride with most of the riders sharing the work. The route this week was 134Km around the forest with a little less climbing than some of the recent rides. Group two also picked up Richard P when nearing the coffee stop (no surprise there!). |
 The coffee stop was taken al fresco at Dan Tanners Farm Shop in Bransgore. There was some doubling up of cakes as a) they were delicious and b) there was a long way still to go. Given the hot conditions, a brief stop was made for group 2 in Minstead to top up bottles. The Second Coffee Club started their usual chorus when we were close to Beaulieu at the 120 km mark, and the aroma of fresh coffee from Steff’s was too much, so a third stop was then made. |
 One aspect of club rides is the conversation needed to fill a five hour ride. I have suffered (and instigated) some dull conversations myself but recently we seemed to have plumbed new depths. Rather than the usual rubbish being talked about groupsets, tubes or tubeless and tyre pressures, we have had Sean and Phil J talking for 45 minutes about the benefits of waxing. Fortunately, they were talking about lubrication for bike chains and not their nether regions. Smithy took up the whole of the coffee break, repeating what he learned about oiling his chain from a YouTube video he watched (when his time would have been far better spent training). But the line was finally crossed this week with Smithy and Rupert talking about golf. This transcends what is acceptable and must stop with immediate effect. Nerdy conversations that are cycling-related will be tolerated, but talking about a sport with a dress code that makes cyclists look sane is a step too far. |
 Fortunately, conversations about walking around a field playing with balls weren’t all too free flowing in the first group, with the pace taking what little oxygen the riders were managing to process. Despite this, it has to be celebrated quite how well behaved group one were – not a wheel out of place and the noticeable return of the highly regarded NFCC group ride etiquette… Chapeau to those in group one this week. As what seems to be becoming standard for group one, it wasn’t long after the first coffee stop when the group initiated its vaporisation process, leaving just three riders to complete the route, with Matt K in a Phill (H & B) sandwich. |
 Sixteen riders, no mechanicals, all well turned out and mainly in club kit (Rich W was excused this week for his Mallorca 312 souvenir jersey), good riding. How were we going to fill the barrel this week? Step forward another barrel debutante. Baz B will be inducted thanks to thinking that his mighty calf muscles would have their aesthetics improved by the addition of a 4th Cat tattoo! A number of riders rounded up to 100 miles plus, extra kudos to Phil J, Matt K, Phil H and any others I missed. Great efforts all round.– Barry. |
Southern XC Rd.3: ClanfieldAnother weekend riding in circles around a field for Jay “Flying Fenton” T this weekend for round three of the Southern Cross Country Mountain Bike Series in Clanfield. The course takes on the side of a hill with very few natural mountain bike-specific features available, but the organisers do an outstanding job of bringing in rocks, building drop-offs, and digging up berms to make the track one of the most exciting and technically challenging of the series. Jay had an intense race and fought hard against his nearest rivals to take P3 on the day. |
Sunday Club RideBring me the head of Tomasz Schaffernacker. The BBC had promised glorious sunshine all morning, and so as trusting sorts most of those assembled at the start were decked out in their summer kit. It turned out to be FAKE NEWS, Bigly so because it was in fact flipping cold. 15 made the start, a great turnout considering that several regulars were away doing the Hampshire hilly hundred or invigilating the clubs Round the forest TT. Despite the Met offices treachery we set out in shivery but high spirits in two groups. First timer Gavin braving the occasionally pacy group one and apparently quitting himself with some aplomb. Group two was joined by all-conquering Allon W and Bill M back from their French adventures. |
| Looks like a fast one for group one who were onto desserts by the time group two made the cafe. Not too much to report from group two except that the ride fitted the brief of being an enjoyable social ride. A number of riders seem to be in particularly fine fettle entering the summer with Andrew D looking in strong form and Peter N occasionally showing some daunting climbing skills. Great to welcome Graham M, who rendezvoused with the ride at the cafe, working of the jet lag after his return from down under and John B who, likewise made the cafe after his duties at the Round the Forest TT. The sun did finally make an appearance at the cafe, which will I guess save me writing a stern rebuke in red crayon to the Director General of the BBC. – Phil H. |
Circuit of The Forest Time TrialThe thirty-three-mile course used for the Circuit of The Forest open time trial is full of “fun”… Incorporating multiple one-way systems, roundabouts, cattle grids, pedestrian crossings, a level crossing and just about every other kind of street furniture you could imagine, it’s a testing course for sure! This year, Hamish Hunter (Primera-TeamJobs) was the class of the field, overtaking all of the 17 “minute-men” ahead of him to record the fastest time of 1hr11m02s. Jamie Witcher (Bournemouth Cycle Works) put in an outstanding ride to finish as the fastest road bike, second overall in just 1hr12m20s. Janine Pattison (Poole Wheelers) was the only female, clocking a time of 1hr42m56s on her road bike. Paul Lockyer (NFCC) was the fastest of the organising club rider and second fastest TT machine, taking home the Ted Joyce Memorial Cup in 1hr16m35s. Alex Stanley and Aaron Borrill (Farnborough & Camberley CC) took the honours in the 2-up category, clocking in third overall at 1hr15m22s. Full results can be found by CLICKING HERE. |
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. |
