Mildenhall Cycling Club, Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club and Ely Cycling Club jointly held their combined Hill climb Championships at Moulton on Sunday morning.

Mild windy conditions greeted the 17 riders who tackled the 985 yard primrose Hill. Overall winner was Marc Cox (Ely Cycling Club) who stopped the time-keepers watch in 1minute 56.38 seconds and together with second placed Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon club member David Goodwin, the only 2 riders to beat two-minutes for the course.

Fastest Mildenhall Cycling Club rider was Keith Richardson who finished in 8th place overall. Two ladies competed - Emma Thorpe riding for Newmarket finished in 15th place and Lucy Walker, who although being a member of the Didcot Cycling Club, will shortly be joining Mildenhall CC, finished in 16th place.

1. Marc Cox (Ely CC) 1min 56.38secs.
2. David Goodwin (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 1min 57.98secs.
3. Tom Sykes (Ely CC) 2mins 06.80secs.
4. Bruce Smart (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 10.08secs.
5. Steve Presland (Ely CC) 2mins 10.72secs.
6. Andy Clarke (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 15.64secs.
7. Martin Graves Newmarket cyclin & Triathlon club 2mins 17.54secs.
8. Keith Richardson (Mildenhall CC) 2mins 18.06secs.
9. Martin Holland (Ely CC) 2mins 21.07secs.
10. Michael Sheridan (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 23.83secs.
11. Paul Barnes (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 24.71secs.
12. Mark Hatton (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 26.88secs.
13. Neil Payne (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 32.47secs.
14. Steve Peck (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 34.90secs.
15. Emma Thorpe (Newmarket Cycling & Triathlon Club) 2mins 45.65secs.
16. Lucy Waller (Didcot CC) 3mins 3.11secs.
17. Simon Larby (Mildenhall CC) 3mins 23.83secs.

Matthew Cook and Will Adams produced excellent rides in the GHS Championship 10 mile time-trial Final, held on Saturday at Sawtry, Cambridgeshire.

On a warm, if not breezy day, the N1/10 course (based on the old A1 and runs beside the now motorway classified stretch of the new A1) provided a stiff test for the youngsters as there was a head wind on the way back, writes Mark Burchett.

Fourteen year-old Matthew (pictured right) was third in his age group, with the fastest 14 year-old Dominic Schills (Interbike RT) just 35 seconds quicker. Matthew finished in a time of 24minutes 40seconds which meant he sliced just over a minute off his previous best over 10 miles! He reached the halfway turn in 12m 4s, so only lost 36 seconds on the return leg against the wind. His first ever sub 25 minute ride saw him average 24.32 miles per hour.

Although Will may have finished 90th out of a field of 125 riders, that was quick enough to see him finish fifth in his age group, which is a much better yardstick by which to judge his ride. He stopped the clock at 29m 38s which bearing in mind he is only twelve and a newcomer to time-trialling, is a fantastic ride, averaging 20.25 mph!

They were watched by Mildenhall Cycling Club's Chairman Richard Carrington, who had taken time out of his busy work schedule to come and support the younger members of his club.

The event was won by Erick Rowsell (Glyn Technology School) in a time of 21m 49s. The GHS championship which began in 1966, is in memory of George Herbert Stancer who was a prominent cyclist in the early 1900's and as always, attracted riders from across the UK. Previous winners of this national prestigious competition for 16 year old and under riders, include Chris Boardman who won it in 1984 with a time of 22m 16s.

For the full result click here.

Mildenhall Cycling Club's youth riders William Adams, aged 12 years, and Matthew Cook, aged 14 years, recently returned from a six day International Youth Tour in Holland, writes Jim Staines. The youngsters were in high spirits having been members of the winning team, gaining the green team jerseys on the first day and keeping them for the whole tour, the first time this has been happened in the 32 year history of the youth tour.

The youth tour is six days of serious cycle racing and fun events all of which count towards the overall team award. The results of the racing counted for the individual overall placings, with the leader having the Yellow Jersey.

For William Adams (pictured on the left) this was a not to be forgotten experience as this was his first trip abroad, without the experience of the camp and racing in Holland, where most clubs have their own circuit and clubhouse with town centres being closed off most of the day for racing. For Matthew Cook (pictured on the right) it was his third trip this year and his second racing, so he has more experience of racing in Holland and he attended the youth tour last year.

The Youth Tour uses a Scout camp as its headquarters with youngsters sleeping in dormitories on bunk beds. An army of helpers tries to keep them under control, making sure they get to places on time, organising games for the team classification and to keep them occupied, making sure they do their chores, organising the races and most important, from the youngsters point of view, feeding them three meals a day.

On arrival the youngsters are booked in and split into teams, usually seven teams of nine riders plus an adult team leader, with a couple of riders from each category making up the team. Each team is named after a well known rider, Matthew and William were in Ivan Basso. Once the formalities have been completed the camp is officially opened, then a meal. The Prologue Time Trial is held over a short distance, this year 1.8 kilometres over closed roads. This, as in the Tour de France, is to sort out the placings in the various classifications. With the Yellow Jersey for the leader in each category, pink for the girls and Green Jerseys for the leading team. Later in the evening there was a game which counted towards the team classification. Eventually it was bedtime.

Day two, after breakfast, it was bikes out and ride to Helmond, a town about ten kilometres away, for track racing on the circuit belonging to the local club.

There were three races, a Devil Take The Hindmost where the last two over the line each lap were pulled out, a Points Race, where points are awarded in sprints every two laps and placings decided according to the number of points the rider has.

Then finally a team time trial over a distance of about two kilometres, with seven of the nine team members counting for the result, William and Matthew's team were second fastest just 0.64 of a second slower then the fastest team.

They then rode back to the camp and after the evening meal another game towards the team classification.

Day three, everybody was bussed to Gemert, a town some twenty kilometres away, bikes and all, for a 100 metre sprint race in the morning, a circuit race in the afternoon and a disco in the evening.

The town centre was closed off for the circuit races, barriers and marshals in place at all junctions, a special caravan at the start/finish line for the judges and referees, a public address system giving commentary and music. The road surface was pave with traffic calming humps, a very demanding course. Unfortunately William was sick, suffering from the heat. Matthew finished seventh in the circuit race.

Day four, after breakfast and chores done it was the hilly time trial, one kilometre down a gentle slope then 400 metres up onto the top of the motorway bridge, with both William and Matthew finishing ninth in their respective categories. The afternoons racing was cancelled due to the heat, 37 degrees. Later in the evening a water game was held again towards the team classification.

Day five, the last full day at the camp. The morning was spent relaxing and playing. After lunch was the main event of the week, in the past known as the Klassieker (the Classic), this year it was called the Gran Prix 't Tapperijke, after the café it started and finished in front of. This is a full Tour de France style road race, with closed roads, lead car, motor cycle and cycle outriders, service cars and referees cars. Mierlo's main street was closed for the start and finish area. William had a good race considering he was unsure of what was going on not having ridden this type of race before and he missed a turning on the run in loosing two places ending up tenth in his category. Matthew knowing a bit better what was happening had a better ride, failing to go with an initial breakaway of three riders at the start he left himself a lot of work to get back on terms ending up fourth having closed down the gap on the leaders from over a minute to a few seconds, time trialling for over ten of the twenty plus miles.

Day six, shut down and Prize Presentation. Everything had to be cleared up and packed away, personal kit and camp kit, beds dismantled and put into the lorry to be return to where ever and everything cleaned.

The Prize Presentation was quite a long affair as every rider got at least two prizes, with every rider in each category presented with a trophy for the Overall Classification, another prize each for the Team Classification and the first three in the Hill Points Classification in each category were presented with a trophy.

Then all the speeches and well deserved thanks to all the organising committee and the helpers.

Finally it was all over!

Max Pendleton, the father of Mildenhall Honorary Member and commonwealth Games Champion Victoria, had his own chance to race at National level at the weekend in the British Masters Track Championships at Welwyn`s Gosling Stadium.

In 2005, Max attained medals at 5 disciplines but only one gold. This year he placed 4th in the Pursuit, 6th in the Sprint and 7th in the 500m Time-Trial, however, when duly fed up with his performance in the shorter disciplines then took the race to the opposition in the two longer events.

The first was the 10km points race, an event held over 22 laps of the track where points are awarded every 5 laps in sprints. Max came third in the first sprint after 2 laps but then decided not to leave the other sprints to chance and proceeded to lap the bunch, picking up the equivalent of 5 sprint wins in points on the way. This followed by then driving the pace and put the win out of reach of the other competitors.

The next day was the 10km Scratch race, an event decided on the final sprint at the end with nothing but general tactics to decide the race at that point. The race programme had been delayed by rain and as a result the organisers decided to put several age groups in one race. This meant a large group of varying abilities with an age range from 55 to 75. The race started to split up early on and Max bridged a large gap, after following the wrong wheel, to join four others from the youngest group after only 3 laps. The remaining laps were run off at a fairly brisk pace, somewhere around 28 mph. At the end of the event there was only Max from his age group in the leading bunch thus making him the champion for the second time in the weekend in the 60-64 age group.

Max now leads the Pendleton family National Championship competition for the year, 2 to 1, with Victoria having won the National Derny (Motor) Paced Championships four weeks ago at Reading Track. Max does not however hold much hope of retaining this lead as Victoria has several more Championships to contest, including the Ladies National Grass Track Sprint that will form part of the Mildenhall Rally Grass Track Racing on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

The Club held its latest round of the Evening Time-Trial series tonight on the West Stow circuit. It was very hot and was probably why only 4 riders turned up.

Unfortunately our best rider to date Simon Palmer punctured just as he was just a bought to catch veteran Adrian Turner for a minute, leaving the way clear for Peter Delano to win the event in a time of 26minutes 17seconds.

Full result:

1. Peter Delano 26mins 17secs
2. Adrian Turner 28mins 21secs
3. Harvey Wright 30mins 7secs

Simon Palmer D.N.F. Puncture

Simon Palmer proved the quickest Mildenhall member around the West Stow circuit, stopping the clock at 26 minutes and 27 seconds. West Suffolk Wheeler David Griffin however, stormed around in 24min 43sec

Full result:

1. David Griffin 24mins 43secs.
2. Simon Palmer 26mins 27secs.
3. Peter Delano 28mins 08secs.
4. Matthew Cook 28min 17secs.
5. Harvey Wright 30mins 28secs.
6. Vera Staines 33mins 38secs.

Mathew Cook turned in a good ride on Monday evening to win the first event of the Mildenhall Cycling Club evening time trial series.

The event was held on the 9.5 mile Red Lodge circuit on a calm cool evening .Fourteen year old Mathew's time of 24 minutes 55 seconds was seven seconds ahead of veteran Simon Palmer, with fellow veteran Adrian Turner finishing in third spot.

Full result:

1. Mathew Cook 24mins 55secs.
2. Simon Palmer 25mins 2secs.
3. Adrian Turner 25mins 12secs.
4. Harvey Wright 26mins 30secs.
5. Barry Archer 27mins 55secs.
6. Vera Staines 29mins 36secs.

Victoria Pendleton has become the first ever member of Mildenhall Cycling Club to win a Commonwealth Games Gold medal.

The World Ladies Sprint Champion saw off strong Australian competition to beat them in their own backyard to take the honours in what is her premier event - the Ladies Sprint. She saw off Anna Mears in an exciting final that produced some phenomenal sprinting. Anna Mears had beaten her sister Kerrie on the way to the final. Pictured right is Victoria sandwiched between the Mear's sisters.

On Thursday she had broken the Commonwealth Games record in the 500m time-trial, which her rival Anna Mears had to then break to claim the Gold Medal, leaving Pendleton still a very worthy Silver Medal winner! Pictured below right is Victoria proudly displaying her silver medal.

Victoria's achievements prove just what hard work, dedication and lottery funding if used in the right way can achieve and she fully deserves all the success that is now coming her way.

Full details and pictures are on British Cycling's website.

Click here for the report of her Gold medal winning ride

Click here for the report on her Silver medal ride

Pictures courtesy of British Cycling.

18th March 2006