Vita Cycles Team at Pimbo Road Race

There was a big representation by the Vita Cycle Team at the CDNW Pimbo race today.
We had 8 riders on the start line of 74, ready to face a wet and windy 64km race!
I Didn't manage to get over to see the race, but our Very own Mr Vita Cycles (Team/ shop Boss, Barry) was there to support the lads, and snap some shots for the Blog, along with Coach Zel, who was a Marshal.

And they are off

Steve off the front of the race.

In the thick of it!

6 of the lads finished, and were placed well throughout the field. The race lasted for 1hour 50 mins with an average speed of 25mph and a top speed of 37.3!
Unfortunately Gav was taken out 500m from the end of the race, just as he was winding up to sprint for the line. Luckily he is ok, and the bike didn't get damaged either!

Here is a link to more Photos from the race.

This weekend has been a  great start to the season for the Team, which we hope continues next week when the racing goes to Saighton

The full race results can be found here

Vita at the 51st Eddie Soens Memorial Race

Instead of riding myself this morning, I decided to take the boys to a real bike race. Paul joined me with his two lads, and we met Ian and Carla and their lads there. The Future of Team Vita all together!!

If they don't like cycling there is always base jumping!

The Weather wasn't too kind at the beginning of the day. When we arrived at Aintree the rain was getting harder, and it was pretty cold. I felt for the 260 riders as they lined up at the start line.

Vita were represented by Andy and Steve today. It was Andy's first ever race, a big one to chalk up as the field included some of the country's top teams and riders. 

Andy (220) on the start line

Steve however is a seasoned rider and had a real race face on when we saw him lining up.

Start of the first group

The riders were split into 4 Groups and were set off at minute intervals. Starting with Cat4 and juniors and finishing with the Elite riders.

First group are off

And the rest are off.

The first few laps were pretty grim!

As the race went on the conditions started to clear

The pace was furious, Steve has told me that his average was 28mph and he reached a top speed of 38mph, on a flat course! I think this video shows the pace of the pack well.

Andy did fantastically to last just over an hour into the race.

Steve riding well in the pack. (Black helmet and top with 3/4 bibs.)

After 1 hour and 40minutes and 57 seconds the suffering was over and Russ Downing, Endura Racing, crossed the line as the winner with his team mates Scott Thwaites and local rider Jonathan McEvoy in second and third giving Endura Racing a clean sweep.

Russ Downing

After a warm down and a quick clean up, the Three team mates stepped up to the podium.

The Boys were made up to have their photo taken with Russ.

It was a great race, and a good start to the season for Endura, and Vita with Steve finishing 118th. 

Here is a link to a much more comprehensive report from British Cycling.

I have put these photo's in to show that cycling isn't an easy sport. The faces of these riders show how much determination and effort go into riding "an easy bike!"

Dan Whelen of Omnipex Bio Racer Team and his Onix Aurious

There was a lot of talk about the possibility of either Paul or Me entering the race next year! The good thing about riding a bike is that you can live the dream and have a chance to give it a go against the Pro's, but if any of us are going to give the 52nd Eddie Soens race a go we need to start training now!!

Full Photo album here.

First ride in Shorts!

I had been looking out of the window at work today, wishing the hours away, as the sun was cracking the flags. Mrs P's Mum had agreed to look after the kids tonight so that I could go out earlier for the Thursday night Club ride. I had decided to leave work at 4, be home by 5 and out by 5.30 so that I could get a couple of hours in before meeting up with the lads. As usual, someone else had other ideas, and I didn't leave work until 5!! By the time I had got home and ready it was just before 7 as I left!
I decided to wear shorts tonight, even though as the sun set the temperature did fall quite dramatically. Once going though it wasn't too cold.
I managed to get a 6 mile loop out to West Kirby and back to Greasby at a good pace, 19.8mph, done before meeting the others at the 12th Man.
There were 5 of us tonight, Me, Dave, Ross (also in Shorts), Tim and Jon. We decided to do a less lumpy ride tonight and headed out to New Brighton.
When we arrived at New Brighton, Ross said he wanted to show us a good hill to climb. He wasn't wrong, Atherton Street is certainly Challenging. It has 5 roads crossing it as you climb, so you have to reduce your speed at each junction, and then start again. A very good way to practice climbing in intervals!
After our foray up and down we continued round to the prom that runs along the Mersey to Seacombe ferry terminal. As we rode along we were commenting how lucky we were to be able to ride along, with no traffic, just a few dogs to dodge, and with a great view, so we stopped to take some photos!

 We continued along past Wallasey town hall, and then ran into a little trouble! Some kids with nothing better to do decided to use us as moving targets to throw things at from the raised side of the prom. I was hit in the chest, which struck my heart rate monitor luckily, and Ross was hit on the side. The missile throwing reprobates were not keen to discuss their actions at close quarters with us, and as we approached them to find out where their anger was coming from, they shot off up the hill. Such brave boys!
We continued on into Seacombe, then through to Claughton, down Ford hill, out to Moreton and along to West Kirby. We managed to keep up a good pace all the way into West Kirby, and along the Marine Lake, then we headed up over Caldy, up Montgomery hill and back to Gresasby.
It was a great ride tonight, some good pacey sections, a new hill to practice and warmish and dry!
I recommend that you avoid the avoid the prom though!!

I am not riding with the club this Saturday. I am however, going to Aintree to watch the Eddie Soens race. I will hopefully get some great photo's for the Blog, especially the Team Vita guys racing there!

Tonight's Ride Details