Archives 1990 to 1991

Adrian honoured by cycling club

Teenager Adrian Kirby is on the right track after being honoured by Yeovil Cycling Club this week.
Adrian (15) was presented with a trophy for best junior performance in the pastier. He finished eighth in the English Schools’ Association time trials at Bournemouth.
Other prize winners at the presentation on Sunday at Skippers in Sherborne were Garry Mitchener, for services to the club, and Dave Driver, for the quickest 50-mile ride (1 hour 56 mins).
They received their shields from Club President Mrs Ivy Andrews.
The club, which has 70 members, meets every Sunday at Yeovil’s Old Town Station car park.\

Pictured from left: Garry. Adrian, Mrs Andrews and Dave.

PEDAL POWER REWARDED

Forty members and friends of Yeovil Cycling Club crowned a successful season with their annual lunch on Sunday. Pictured at the presentation ceremony are, from left: Garry Mitchener, who received the Webb Memorial Shield for his services to the club as press officer; 15-year-old Adrian Kirby, who won a number of cups including the John Andrews Memorial Trophy for best performance in a national championship; club president Ivy Andrews and Dave Driver, who also won a number of awards including the Henry Haywood Trophy for the club's time trial championship.

Clive dominates the trial scene

LOCAL cyclists were involved in a full Easter programme of time trials and circuit racing.
On Friday YEOVIL CC collected their first team award of the - year in the Western Time Trial Association 25 near Chippenham.
Individual honours went to Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) with an excellent time of 56.09 on the far from flat course.
Yeovil CCs Danny Ellery was second overall and fastest veteran with 1.00.12. Yeovil’s other team prize counters were Dave Driver 1.02.12 and Stuart Wroot 1.04.48 while Kevin Robins clocked 1.05.39.
The wind-swept Bridgwater Flats on Sunday morning in the Cleveden and District 25 saw Brooks continue his domination of the local time trial scene. He was the only rider under the hour in 58.19 with second placed Welsh ace Derek Rogers recording 1.00.23.
Navy rider Chris Absolom clocked 1.04.36 and Yeovil CC riders Stuart Wroot 1.10.04 and Nigel Letheren 1.13.48.
A 68-mile circuit race at Merryfield Airfield on Monday was contested by 80 massed start enthusiasts.
Six riders soon formed a breakaway group and worked well together but as they seemed to be slowing they were joined by three more riders and sped away again.
Local riders Andy Millward (Rufus Wheelers) and Chris Absolom (RNCRC) were prominent in the chasing bunch but they made no impression on the leaders.
On the last two laps as the pace began to tell both the leading group and the chasers started to split up.
Nick Salmon (Anglia Sports. was first over the line with Bournemouth Olympics Mark Beal-Toms second and National Junior squad rider Andrew Parker from Mid Devon in third spot. Gloucester’s John Barnes was fourth and also took the most aggressive rider award.
Millward and Absolom were placed equal 11th, 30 seconds in arrears while Yeovil CC veterans Dave Driver and Nick Armstrong were a further 30 seconds down.
Yeovil CCs Evening Time Trial Series starts this week with a 10-mile event.
Time trials will be held every Thursday this year starting 7 pm and the Merryiield Circuit events every Tuesday starting 24th April also at 7 pm.

19 April 1990

Brooks is top man

CLIVE Brooks continued his winning run last Saturday, taking top spot in the Poole Wheelers 25 based on the Ringwood-Bournemouth road
Clive took full advantage of the improving conditions and increased traffic flow enjoyed by the later starters in the 120 rider event.
His time of 54.28 was over a minute better than second placed Terry Icke from the promoting club.
Yeovil CCs team was lead by Dave Driver, who clocked 1.00.07 followed by Gareth Evans (1.01.09) and Stuart Wroot (1.02.16).
Bovington Army Camp was the venue on Sunday for circuit racing on the six-mile perimeter road.
The senior seven lap race attracted a good class field but the fresh northerly wind on the uphill part of the circuit meant that most attackers were soon caught.
It took a determined effort by international Glen Longland to break clear and good team work by his Antelope Race Team members covering all attempts to organise the chase.
Three riders eventually escaped but could not catch the flying Longland.
Yeovil’s Andy Millward (Rufus Wheelers) was second in the bunch sprint to take sixth place and Yeovil
CC veterans Dave Driver and Nick Armstrong who had both figured in the chasing attempts were placed equal seventh.

26th April 1990

Veteran cycle success

THE seasons evening cycle racing started this week with the first of a series of training
events at Merryfield Airiied, near Ilton.
This year Yeovil CC have been joined by Somerset RC, VC Taunton, Wellington Wheelers, VS Wellington, Culm Valley RC and Chard Wheelers for these events, aimed at giving riders, especially juniors and novices, experience and practice in massed start racing.
Yeovil CCs Thursday evening 10-mile time trial was contested by 16 riders in cold and breezy condition, which made personal bests out of the question. Veterans Dave Driver (23.45) and Tony White (24.05) took first and second with Gareth Evans third in 24.10. Top junior was Lee Ackland, fourth with 24.18.
Sundays Bristol South 25 used the Bridgwater flats course and riders found condition very difficult from their last visit, with a calm and chilly start at 6 am!
The calm condition did not seem to help riders as most were at least two minutes slower than usual and nobody could find an answer to the power of Clive Brooks (Poly CC).
Brooks was again two minutes clear of the next man with 56.23.
Chard Wheeler, Rex Facey, took fourth place in 1:0.8 and Yeovil CCs Danny Ellery was 68h and fastest veteran with 1:0.10.

3rd May 1990

BROOKS IS T0P MAN

LOCAL time trial specialist Clive -Brooks (Poly CC) had another good win on Saturday in the St Budeaux 25, staged on the rolling A38 near Plymouth.
Brooks was once again minutes ahead of his rivals, clocking a very rapid 54.28.
Dave Driver was Yeovil CC’s best, recording 1:0.08,
followed closely by Gareth Evans who was 30 seconds behind and Tony White a further 40 adrift.
Driver was not so fortunate on Sunday when he rode the 50-mile Radfords road race in the New Forest.
The race was only 10 minutes old when officials judged he had ridden in an unsafe manner overtaking a vehicle that had strayed into the race. He was disqualified.
Many of the competitors found the narrow forest roads difficult and the five mile lap course included a stiff climb.
Andy Millward (Rufus Wheelers) was the best local rider, taking third place in the hilltop finish after being prominent in a five man winning breakaway.
Millward has now gained 21 placing points this season and moves into the second category. A further 44 points are required for the coveted first category licence.
He had prepared for the event by riding an attacking race on the Merryfield circuit on Tuesday where he was always in front. In the sprint he beat Taunton’s experienced Dave Smith by inches with another Taunton rider, Shaun Foweraker, third.
Yeovil CCs Thursday evening event was a two-man team time trial over 16 miles. The team of Lee Ackland (Yeovil) and Coulter Patton (Mendip) tied with Mark Johnson and Stuart Wroot (Yeovil), both clocking 38.28. Nick Armstrong (Yeovil) and Steve Paul (Heron) were third.

WELSH TRIP REWARDS

LOCAL cycle time trial specialists had to travel a long way to find events over the holiday weekend.
The Cwmcarn 10, in South Wales, netted Clive Brooks £50 for second place 54 seconds behind his Polytechnic CC clubmate, John Pritchard, who took the £100 first prize with 20.52 minutes. Yeovil’s Stuart Wroot was 26th with 24.12.
Dave Driver and Gareth Evans took a 215-mile round trip to ride the Hampshire 25 near Bognor Regis, and the Yeovil cyclists were rewarded with third and fourth 'places.
Drivers time of 1:1.18 also gave him first veteran award.
Road race fans went to High Ham on Sunday for the Mendip CCs two-stage contest. The first stage was a short time trial of only three miles but with a sting in the tail - the 3/4-mile climb to High Ham.
Yeovil-based riders did Well with Andy Millward (Rufus Wheelers) placed fourth in the time trial and second in the 40-mile road race stage, placing him second overall behind Gloucesters Ed Morris.
Royal Navy rider Chris Absolom was well up in eighth place overall.
The evening racing was fast with speeds near to 26mph over the Merryfield circuit on Tuesday. Taunton’s Shaun Foweraker won the 21 mile event beating Andy Millward and another VC Taunton rider, Steve Cavill
Thursdays 10-mile time trial was won by Clive Brooks who clocked 20.53, only four seconds outside his event record. Somerton’s Adam Norris was second in 22.04 while Yeovil CC’s veteran Dave Driver recorded 22.19 a personal best and a new club record on age standard. His time was 5 minutes 1 second better than the standard for a 49-year-old.
Lee Ackland was again the fastest junior recording a personal best of 23.19, for sixth place.

10th May 1990

Clive is the Tops

CLIVE Brooks demonstrated his cycle time trialing versatility by winning at 10 and 50 miles on following days.
In the CC Weymouth 10 on Saturday he came home in 21.58 for an easy win, Yeovil CCs veteran Dave`Driver was placed fourth with 23.49 while Gareth Evans clocked 24.44 and Stuart Wroot was just four seconds slower.
Katy McLeod was Yeovil CCs only lady competitor and she recorded 31.46 on her first outing of the season. Yeovil missed the team award by only two seconds.
Brooks was the only local rider in the Bristol South 50 on the Bristol to Gloucester
road and he won in a time of 1.58.15.
Other local riders rode the shorter distance 25 in the New Forest area staged by the Sotonia CC. The conditions were far from ideal with a strong northeasterly wind. Driver
was again Yeovil’s best in ninth place, clocking 1:1.44, and another veteran, Danny Ellery, recorded 1.2.29, well outside his usual times.
The Merrylield circuit event on Tuesday evening was run over 14 one and a half mile laps in preference to the usual one mile lap 20 times.
The race proved to be faster and only about 15 riders of the 34 starters contested the sprint.
Andy Millward and Tauntons Shaun Foweraker had shared a 15 mile breakaway effort but were caught in the closing miles.
Yeovils junior Lee Ackland produced a good turn of speed over the final 300 yards and surged over the line ahead of Taunton veteran Pete Sandy with Foweraker and Millward still managing to hold third and fourth places.
Thursdays time trial over 16 miles was contested by 22 riders whose speed ranged from 26 to 21.8 mph.
Driver was fastest home in 37.59 with Mark Johnson starting to find some form in second spot with 38.48.
Yeovil-based Steve Paul from Devons Heron RC was third clocking 38.48. Top junior was Ackland, close behind with 39.15.
Yeovil’s Southern Area under-13 champion Patrick Mahon, has been selected to ride for the South of England team in a series of age related events in Ireland next month.

24th May 1990

Ackland so near

LOCAL racing cyclists had a busy time last week with three mid week competitions.
The Merryfield circuit training race on Tuesday evening was hotly contested by 38 riders.
Although all breakaway attempts came to nothing, the field was slowly broken up as riders struggled with the strong winds.
Yeovils Lee Ackland mistimed his finish effort and was just passed on the line by Taunton’s Shaun Foweraker with veterans Dave Barns and Brian Sandy in third and fourth
places.
The Exeter Wheelers 10 on Wednesday evening saw Clive Brooks relegated to an unaccustomed second place by Zenith Road Clubs Geoff Giddings, who clocked a very fast 20.58 with Brooks 30 seconds in arrears. Next best local rider was Chard Wheeler Rex Facey, recording 23.14 followed by Yeovil’s Danny Ellery with 23.28.
Yeovil's other riders were Dave Driver, 24.14 after unshipping his chain, Stuart Wroot, 24.38, and John Saunders, 24.48. Chard Wheelers John Trout and Andy Lawrence
recorded 25.06 and 25.18 respectively. Former Yeovil rider and wife of the winner, Georgina Giddings, clocked 26.21.
On Thursday evening, Yeovil’s 10-mile time trial enjoyed good conditions with some riders making good improvements. Somerton rider Adam Norris, who now rides for
the Leicestershire RC, scored his first win on the local course, clocking 22.22, six seconds ahead of Yeovil veterans Tony White and 19 up on Dave Driver.
The Yeovil CC junior 10-mile team record was broken by Ackland (28.04), Gareth Davies (24.38) and younger brother Chris Davies (24.52). Their aggregate time of
1:12.34 beat the record which has stood since 1962 by 25 seconds. Twenty-one riders from five clubs took part.
The Rufus Wheelers 30 in the New Forest early on holiday Monday morning was the scene of another Clive Brooks victory. There are not very many time trials at this distance
so six Yeovil CC riders had a try and were rewarded by a team win.
Brooks was in a class of his own, recording 1.8.27, but was without team backing.

31st May 1990

Juniors take the honours

YEOVIL Cycling Club has been relying on its veterans to scoop the team awards in time trials by their consistent performances. But it was the juniors that saved the day last Saturday.
In the windy Frome and District 10-mile event at Axbridge, top Yeovil veterans Tony White and John Saunders both suffered punctures and retired.
The three remaining Yeovil riders were led home by junior Lee Aukland in 24.38 with Gareth Evans clocking 24.48 and Gareth Davies, another junior, recording 26.30. They took the team prize.
In the western area heat of the national schools 10-mile championship, held on the same course, Yeovil’s Chris Davies rode into ninth place in a field of 40, recording 27.45.
The wind had subsided by Sunday morning for the old-established Wessex 50 on the Ringwood, Cadnam and Bournemouth course. Riders, though, had to contend with heavy rain throughout the rate and misfortune continued for local men with Clive Brooks (Poly CC) taking a wrong turn at a roundabout to be called back by anxious marshals, so losing valuable time. How much time was difficult to assess but Brooks finished just nine seconds in arrears of the winner,Leo Road Club rider Shay Giles, who clocked a
fast 1-51-20. Chard Wheelers Rex Facey was next fastest local, recording 1-58-41, followed by Yeovil veteran Dave Driver (2.1-59).
Chard veteran John Trout clocked 2-11-28 and their third counter was Andy Lawrence (2-15-35).
The Yeovil Thursday eve ning time trial was a 25-mile circuit event because the use 25-mile out and home course is disrupted by the A303 road works. Gareth Evans scored his first win in these events, covering the three laps in 1-0-25 followed by Driver (1-1-16), Saunders (1-1-25) and Stuart Wroot (1-1-26)-
Bournemouths John McKenzie won Sundays 84- mile road race championship at Piddlehinton. It was a fiercely fought battle, with a group of 12 detaching itself from the
main field. Bournemouth Arrow clubmate, Lee Davis, was a constant companion at the front of the field. He eventually finished third. Second was Mark Bealtoms, in his first year as a senior. It was his fourth runners-up spot of the season. He could have own but tired over the last 20 miles.
Andrew Hutchins, another Arrow rider, was one of the preface favourites. But he suffered two front-wheel punctures.
There was disappointment also for Arrows Phil Stone. He held an early lead of one and a half minutes but then had a puncture.

Cyclists tackle 90 miles

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs John Andrews Memorial Road Race, staged with the help of Somer Valet CC last Sunday, used a new course and increased in distance. .
Fifty riders tackled the triangular course based on Sparkford, Wincanton and Castle Cary, which was covered six times for a total of 90 miles.
The prospect of 90 miles racing did not seem to worry the riders and the first lap was run off at 25 mph.
This seemed to set the pattern of the race, and after a split saw 16 riders go clear on the second lap, the lead was constantly changing as smaller groups forced gaps.
At the finish, on a section of the old A303 road east of Sparkford, Andy Hitchens (Bournemouth Arrow) sprinted clear of his three breakaway companions for a well deserved win after being in the thick of the action throughout the race.
Devons Pat Folley (Heron RC) was second, with Welshman Phillips Hodge (Coldra RC) third and Lee Davis (Bournemouth Arrow) fourth. All four were credited with the same time of 3-49-34.
Richard Prebble (Gloucester City) led in the next group seven seconds down. Andrew Perkins (Mid Devon) and Karl James (Coldra RC) were sixth and seventh in the same time.
A group of four finished a further five seconds down, and the last of the 23 to finish, trailed in 10 minutes behind.
Yeovil CC veteran road racers scored their first team Win when they travelled to Worcester on Saturday to ride the 45 mile Wyre Forest road race. Dave Driver, Nick Armstrong and Chas Witton were all placed equal eighth, just seconds down on the winner.
In the weekends time trials, two Yeovil riders rode the Chippenham 10 on Saturday, Stuart Wroot clocking 24-43 and Kevin Robins 24- 49 behind winner Andy Cook (Leo RC) who finished in 22- 35.
Early on Sunday morning, in the Rufus Wheelers 25 at Ringwood, Stuart Wroot was again the best of the local riders, recording 1-2-29, with .Chard veteran John Trout (1- 3-15), Andy Lawrence (Chard) 1-9-05 and Geoff Faddy (Yeovil) 1-9-55.
Riders found the conditions quite hard in the Yeovil Thursday evening 10, and veteran time trial specialists Dave Driver and Tony White tied for first place, both clocking 23-14. Junior Lee Aukland, improving all the time, was only two seconds behind.

14June 1990

CYCLING RECORDS TUMBLE

YEOVIL Cycling Club records tumbled when a time trial team made the long trip to ride the Hertfordshire Wheelers 30 on Saturday. The event was staged neon-Colchester road.
Tony White, off at numb r six in the field of 120 riders, was the first record breaker, clocking 1-9-51. It shattered the late John Andrews record of 1-12-03 which had stood since 1962.
Veteran White also set a new age standard of plus 14.51 for the 20 mile distance.
The records stood just over 20 minutes till Dave Driver crossed the line to clock 1-9-17 and also better the age standard with a plus of 15.25.
Yeovil’s third rider Gareth Evans was not far behind recording 1-9-53 and so ensuring a new team record of 3-29-01, an 11 minute improvement on the 1962 figures.
Tuesday evenings Merryfield circuit event was a rather negative race with no attack gaining more than a few yards. Nearly 30 riders contested the sprint with the honours going to
the Taunton clubs, Velo Clubs Juniors Foweraker on a fast course on the and Chattel were first and think, with Somerset Road Club veterans Brian and Pete Sandy second and
fourth. Yeovil’s Gareth Davies, another junior gained his first placing in these events with fifth spot.
Thursday evenings time trial was a triumph for junior lee Ackland who covered the three lap 24- mile course in 56 minutes.

Tony White, Yeovil Cycling Clubs record breaker

June 1990

HARD WORK FOR LOCAL CYCLISTS

THE strong winds. set the pattern for all of last weeks Yeovil Cycle Club sport Tuesdays Merryfield circuit event was a hard fought affair with attacks stretching the 38-strong field into lines. The inevitable breaks came as the weaker riders struggled to find shelter.
After 20 miles only a dozen riders were left in contention. Velo Club Taunton revelled in the conditions and took the first four places with Watch, Foweraker, Chattel and Smith. Yeovils
Lee Ackland and Steve Paul finished fifth and sixth.
The weather was even worse for the Thursday time trial and only 10 riders contested the 10-mile event.
Riders were content with times one or two minutes outside their bests. So it came as a pleasant shock when it was announced that junior ace Ackland had actually improved by three seconds to record 28.01.
Paul and Gareth Evans were over a minute in arrears, clocking 24.30 and Stuart Wroot was Yeovils only rider in the VS Bristol 10 at Avonmouth on Saturday and returned with a
disappointing 25.18 on another hard day.
On the road racing scene veteran Nick Armstrong travelled to Harwell and rode the Didcot 60-mile race. He was in contention until the last 10 miles, eventually finishing 22nd
overall and second veteran.
Yeovil~based riders performed well in the Gerald Curtis Memorial road race at Tiverton. Andy Millward (Rufus Wheelers) took fourth place and Steve Paul (Heron RC) was 10th
in a field of 60 riders racing over 70 miles on a hard hilly course.

28th June 1990

CYCLING JUNIORS IN FORM

LOCAL time-trial stars Clive Brooks (Poly CC) and veteran Dave Driver(Yeovil CC) travelled to Bedfordshire on Sunday to contest the National 50 championship.
A field of 120 of the top trialists in the country had to contend with high winds and driving rain. Most recorded times 10 minutes outside their best.
Brooks was 12th with 1:57.25 and Driver 55th, in 2:5.17. The winner was Horwich CCs Dave Smith who finished four minutes ahead of the second man.
Brooks and Driver had limbered up on Saturday in the Clarence Wheelers 10, near Swindon, where Brooks was beaten by just .05 of a second by Geoff Giddings (Zenith RC).
The Yeovil junior riders am starting to show some good form now their exams are behind them. Lee Aukland and Gareth Davies contested the Portway Circuit Races at Andover on 'Sunday and were m me action throughout.
In the four special sprint laps, known as Prime Prizes, Ackland won one and was second in two, while Davies broke clear of the field to take the remaining prize.
At the finish Ackland sprinted into fifth place and Davies was equal sixth.
The midweek racing saw the juniors well to the fore again. At the Merryfield circuit event on Tuesday Ackland outsprinted Somerset RC veterans Pete and Brian Sandy to take the
honours. He was in top form again on Thursday, clocking 56.40 when winning the three-lap, 25 mile, time trial ahead of Steve Paul (Heron RC). Davies also performed well recording a fast 1:00.47.
Some riders opted for the shorter race over 8.5 miles, and the fastest was junior Jonathon Sowerby with 21.38. Chris Davies (14) was second clocking 22.32 and Pat Ellery, one of Yeovil’s few lady competitors, recorded 26.30 riding a fixed gear bike.

5th July 1990

Tough for Cyclists

THE return of the strong winds made racing hard for local cyclists last weekend.
On Tuesday at the Merryfield circuit event the wind was still light resulting in some fast racing. Somerton’s Adam Norris was constantly on the attack but was always closely marked, and eventually narrowly. beaten by Andy Millward, Yeovil’s top juniors, Gareth Davies and Lee Ackland, took third and fourth respectively, from a bunch of 30 riders.
Thursdays 10-mile two-up team time trial was a testing event with strong winds slowing the riders. Heron Road Clubs Steve Paul partnered by Yeovil’s Stuart Wroot were fastest,
clocking 24 mins 17 secs, followed by Davies and Millward .(24.34).
Yeovil's veteran road racer, Nick Armstrong, and Mid- Devon rider Neil Boxall were third in 24.56 and the Chard Wheelers team of John Trout and Andy Lawrence fourth in 25.36.
The youngest rider, 14- year-old Chris Davies, rode with the oldest, veteran Garry Mitchener, and despite the 38-year difference then recorded 26.34 for fifth spot.
The Radstock CC 25 on the Bridgwater flats on Sunday morning started at 8 with a fresh breeze, which soon got up to a strong southwesterly.
Wroot was the first Yeovil rider. Off at number seven he had the best condition and clocked 1-3-55. John Saunders found it hander, starting 48 minutes later, and recorded 1-4-40 while Geoff Faddy struggled around in 1-15-20 which included a 1.30 start penalty.

12th July 1990

DRIVER GRABS THIRD SPOT

YEOVIL Cycling Club time ma] team scold their best w1n of the season on Sunday in the New Forest CC 50. Conditions on the Cadnam Ringwood - Bournemouth -Ferndown course were a lot better than those of the last two weeks, with a NE breeze making the first half very fast.
The 85 competitors found the return journey a bit more difficult and only three broke the two-hour barrier.
First place went to Lands End to John O'Groats record holder John Woodbury of Manchester Wheelers, with 1-56-15; second was Bournemouth Olympics Glen Pickford (1- 58-39).
Yeovil’s Dave Driver rode into third spot, clocking 1-59-24 and recording his best ever placing in an open event.
Yeovil’s second counter Gareth Evans, riding his first 50, did very well to record 2-4-04 and John Saunders, returning to form, clocked 2-6-59, which was enough to give Yeovil the
team award.
Saunders had shown his returning fitness on Thursday evening in the Antelope RT 25 on the same roads when he clocked 58-40. Castle Carys Clive Brooks recorded a rapid
52-44 for fourth place be hind his polytechnic club mate, John Pritchard, who won with 51-28.
The midweek sport was very fast, starting on Tuesday at Merryiield circuit with a second 44 riders contesting a fast event. V C Tauntons Shaun Foweraker won from Yeovil’s Lee Ackland with another Taunton rider, Andy Bartlett, third.
Thursdays 10 mile time trial was a close fought race with junior Ackland beating senior road racer, Adam Norris (Leicester RC), by one second. Acklands time of 22.06
was a personal best and a new Yeovil junior record. Veteran Driver and Tony White were third and fourth with 22-31 and 23-08 and there were personal bests for Stuart Wroot (23 22) and J Wenglorz (25-48)

19th July 1990

CYCLISTS BEATEN BY THE HEAT

YEOVIL’S cycle time trial enthusiasts are travelling far afield in their search for fast courses.
Saturday evening's West London CA 25 on the Oxford - Didcot roads was no exception with a 200- mile round trip. The conditions, however, did not match the course, and the
humid weather ruled out fast times.
Dave Driver was the best Yeovil rider, recording a creditable 58.54 for 20th place in a field of 150 riders. Stuart Wroot was next fastest, clocking 1.0.29 with Gareth Evans 1.0.40 and
John Saunders 1.1.43. The winner was South Western Road Clubs John Oaks in 55.16.
A town centre road race at Bovey Tracey on Tuesday provided an outing for three local riders. An undulating circuit around the town for the first hour and switching to a smaller circuit with a steep narrow climb for the final laps.
The hill caught some riders in high gears and they stalled, blocking the narrow road and causing splits in the field.
Steve Paul (Heron RC) was Well placed at the front of the bunch and escaped with two other riders, but the continual accents of the hill took their toll and he fell back to finish outside
the top ten.
Nick Armstrong (Yeovil CC) and Neil Boxall (Mid Devon) were caught in the wrong half of the bunch and could not regain the leaders. Armstrong continued riding strongly and finished
about 20th and was first placed veteran.
The Velo Club Taunton Staged a two-stage road race on Sunday at Creech St Michael. A seven-mile time trial in the morning was followed by a 60-mile road race in the afternoon with aggregate times counting for overall places. .Yeovil-based Marine Mick Benkinsop, who rides for his north-eastern home club Weardale RC, was prominent in the road race stage, breaking away with another rider, but was soon caught by the Western Divisional team.
Ken Stewart of the Western Division had won the time trial stage and his .team were protecting his lead. Stewart proved a worthy winner when he broke away on the last lap to win the second stage as well.
Benkinsop and Yeovil veteran Armstrong were both placed equal seventh in the road stage but their time trial times were not fast enough for high overall placings.
Thursday evenings Yeovil club time trial was commuted to a single eight- mile lap from the scheduled 16-mile two laps because of the hot weather.
Steve Paul came out on top, recording 18.18, five seconds faster than Dave Driver. Gareth Evans was a further 10 seconds in arrears with John Saunders fourth in 19.18.
Juvenile Chris Davies rode well to take fifth place with 19.34.

9th August 1990

CLIVE GETS A DOUBLE

LOCAL cycle time-trial expert Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) had two good victories last weekend. On Saturday afternoon he clocked 55.55 to win the Mendip CC 25-mile event on
a course around Axbridge, Burnham and Weston-super- Mare.
The Andover Wheelers 50 on the Cadnam-Ringwood- Bournemouth roads was his next event the following morning. He was equally impressive, winning in a time of 1-51.17 with conditions far from ideal, a sting head wind on the Ringwood- Bournemouth stretch slowing competitors.
Yeovil CC veteran Tony White clocked 2-00.33 for 12th place riding his first 50 of the season.
One rider who found the course and conditions to his liking was Yeovils Stuart Wroot, riding on the Didcot- Oxford road in the Clarence Wheelers 25 on Saturday evening. He beat the hour barrier for the first time when he improved over two minutes and clocked 58.46.
Yeovils Dave Driver rode the Western Time Trials Association 100-mile event on Sunday on a course based around Cirencester, Swindon, Farringdon and Malmesbury in conditions
similar to those in the southern event. Drivers time of 4-28.52 was a 25 minute personal improvement and won him the handicap award and fourth place overall. He also broke his own club veteran record.
Portland carnival road race gave the Velo Club Taunton team first, second and fifth places, with Shaun Foweraker taking the honours in a lone attack. Yeovil’s juniors were
prominent in the race but missed a split in the main field. Gareth Davies and Johnathan Sowerby led the second group home in 13th and 14th places. Veteran Nick. Armstrong
was caught by the leaders in the closing laps and pulled out by officials.
Somerton’s Adam Norris, who rides for the Leicestershire RC, came out on top in the local midweek events, winning on the Merryfield circuit on Tuesday and the Thursday time
trial. Norris clocked 21.56 for the 10-mile time trial, seven seconds up on Heron RC rider Ken Vale, who had travelled up from Wellington.
Another Heron rider, Yeovil-based Steve Paul, was third with a personal best 22.42m and Yeovil veterans Driver and White were fourth and fifth in clocking 22.51 and 23.02.
Fastest junior was Martin Hendrick, who recorded a very good time of 24.05 in the first time trial.
There were also personal bests for Andy Newbury (25.38), Mike Brewer(27.36) and juvenile Steve Green, who beat 20 mph for the first time with 29.51.

2nd August 1990

Chinnock cyclist off to Majorca

EAST Chinnock cyclist Keir O’Donnell has been selected to ride for Great Britain in the World Student Games in Majorca next month. Keir, a first category racer, will ride the 106-mile
road race where his climbing ability will be an asset in the hilly terrain.
Local time trial specialist Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) scored another convincing win on Sunday in the Weston-super-Mare Wheelers 50. On the flat, but sometimes narrow and bumpy roads, Brooks time of 1- 54.42 was exactly three minutes faster than second- placed Geoff Giddings (Zenith CC), who was the only other rider inside two hours.
Yeovil veteran, Dave Driver was well outside his best time, clocking 2-6.02 for seventh spot.
Other local riders preferred the shorter Bournemouth Jubilee 25 on the muchfaster Ringwood- Bournemouth dual carriage ways. Yeovils fastest was Stuart Wroot who recorded
58.51 followed by Gareth Evans, who improved his personal best by 21 seconds, clocking 59.00. John Saunders recorded 59.49, and fellow veteran Frank Duerden showed he
is regaining his fitness with 1-2.18.
The local clubs Thursday evening 10-mile time trial was contested by 18 riders in warm but breezy conditions. Driver was fastest with 22.57 just three seconds ahead of junior Lee Ackland with Danny Ellery third, a further 32 second behind. Gareth Evans was fourth in 23.41 and Ian Jarmarkier, a visitor from Southampton University CC, fifth with 23.45.

16th August 1990

Brooks scores double

CONSISTENT cycling champ Clive Brooks scored a fine double in west country time trials at the weekend.
In the Frome & District Wheelers 10-mile event on the A38 at Axbridge on Saturday, Brooks won with a good 21.13 minute time.
Victory helped his team, Polytechnic CC, to the overall team award.
Yeovil CCs Lee Ackland, riding his first open 10 mile event, was sixth overall and fastest junior, recording 22.31m.
Dave Driver was the next local man home, clocking 22.46m to finish ninth. The other Yeovil times were .Gareth Evans (23.39m), John Saunders (23.56m) and Stuart Wroot (24.33).
On Sunday the action moved further up the A38 to the north of Bristol and the Severn Road Clubs 50-mile event.
Brooks was in a class of his own, clocking 1.58.32, Six minutes ahead of the runner-up. The race was deceptively hard as, although it was fine
and warm, a stiff breeze slowed riders on the return leg with most at least 10 minutes off their bests;
Yeovil veteran Driver was well up in seventh place, recording 2.09.51.
If the weather was not ideal for racing, it was just right .for the fifth annual Som-Dor Hilly cycle tourist event. The popular 100km ride started and finished in Yeovil with riders travelling to the West Bay checkpoint via Halstock, Mosterton and Broadwindsor.
The best of the climbing was in the second half of the ride with climbs at Abbotsbury, Litton Cheney, Eggardon and Batcombe Hills, a total of 1590m.
Among the 126 entries were three tricycles and two tandems with the youngest rider 13 and the oldest, who was on one of the trikes, 70.
Riders were allowed between four and 10 hours to 'complete the course and had to pass through several checks ensuring the route was followed correctly.

6th Sept 1990

Ackland is top junior

YEOVIL Cycling .Club won the team award in the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10 mile time trial on Saturday for the second year in succession.
Junior Lee Ackland laid the foundations with a superb ride on the far from easy Wool-Warrnwel road course. Ackland was fourth overall and fastest junior with 22.49, just 37 seconds behind the winner, experienced Poole Wheeler Terry Icke. Veteran Dave Driver (23.36) and Gareth Evans (24.02) were the other Yeovil team counters.
The remaining Yeovil riders were close with junior Gareth Davies (24.10), Stuart Wroot (24.17) and veteran John Saunders (24.52).
This Saturday Ackland and Davies with younger brother Chris Davies will be riding for Yeovil in the newly instituted National junior 10-mile championship at Epsom.

Veterans

Veterans Driver and Nick Armstrong with Yeovil based Heron RC rider Steve Paul chose a much different event on Sunday, the Verwood Challenge Cup, an 88-mile road race for 2nd and 3rd category riders.
Paul did try a lone attack and was joined by two more riders but the escape was shortlived as were all the breakaway attempts.
The 60-man field was gradually reduced by the high average speed (24.5 mph) and distance and about 30 were in contention in the closing stages.
Both Driver and Armstrong experienced attacks of cramp over the last few miles but managed to hang on to the main bunch.
Paul was placed equal 11th and, credited with the same time as the winner as was Armstrong, and Driver was close behind.
Tuesday evenings Merryfield circuit event was contested by 32 riders over 18 miles. Somerset- Road Clubs Steve Caville had a quiet race until the last half mile when he attacked and held a small gap to the line. VC Tauntons Shaun Foweraker and Steve Chat- tel were' second and third with Yeovil’s Ackland fourth.
Now that the racing season is drawing to an end local cyclists are turning to the Sunday morning club runs. Last Sunday 14 riders enjoyed a run through Ilchester and Somerton to
Low Ham and on to Westhay for a tea stop. The run home went across the low moors to Godney, on to Glastonbury then Baltonsborough, Keinton Mandeville and back through
Ilchester for a total of 55 miles.
The runs leave the Old Station car park in Yeovil just, after 9 am returning by 1 pm for lunch every Sunday, and can be tailored to suit most riders ability.

13th September 1990

Fast Driver’s second best

VETERAN time triallist Dave Driver recorded a personal best at 25 miles for the second week running on Sunday.
Riding in the Andover Wheelers event on the A303, the Yeovil CC man was timed at 57-28, an eight second improvement and good enough for eighth place in a field of
120 riders. It is also a new Yeovil club record for this age group and distance.
Gareth Evans was just outside his best but was pleased to go just under the hour in 59-11, and Nigel Letheran continued to improve, clocking 1-3-50. Race winner was Pete
Pickers (Antelope RT) in 55- 08.
In the tandem event which followed, the Yeovil pair Geoff Faddy and Katy McLeod recorded 1-8-07.
Nick Armstrong, a veteran who prefers road racing to time trials, travelled to Ripley in Surrey to ride the CC Woking Road Race. The 60 mile event for third category seniors was a triumph for another Antelope rider, Alan Dawson, who escaped from the field with 20 miles to go and held a lead, never more than a minute, to the finish.
Armstrong was in contention in the sprint for second place, but finally finished just outside the first ten.
This weekend Driver and Armstrong team up to ride the Duo Normand, a 32-mile two-up team trial in France. Over 200 teams from all over Europe are expected.

27th September 1990

ACKLAND 13th NOT UNLUCKY

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs youngsters entered their first national level time trial on Saturday and emerged with credit. They travelled to Holmwood in Surrey to compete in the Road Time
Trial Councils 10-mile championships, held on the A24.
Lee Ackland finished 13th out of a field of 106 with a time of 22.53 minutes, while brothers Gareth and Chris Davies were well up in the top half of the field clocking 24.43 and 24.56 respectively. First place was shared by C Allcock (Mansfield) and S Howes (Aylesbury) who both recorded 21.29.
Closer to home, the seniors contested the Salisbury RC 25 at Ringwood with pleasing results. Dave Driver recorded 57.37, improving his personal best by a full minute and Gareth Evans clocked 58.45 for a 15-second improvement.
John Saunders time of 1.01.30, well outside his best, showed that he has yet to recover from the chest bruising sustained in a recent motor accident.
Tuesday evenings Merryfield circuit event was the last of the season and, with Taunton’s fast juniors forcing the pace, it was one of the quickest. The high speed made
breakaways difficult and the 34-strong field was slowly worn down to 20 at the finish. First across the line was Taunton’s top junior, Shaun Foweraker, followed closely by Mark Curtis (Somerset RC), Matt Watch (VC Taunton) and Ackland.
Sundays club run was well supported with 20 riders travelling via Cerne Abbas to Dorchester for a tea stop. The return journey by the Piddle Valley included a stop to watch the Piddlehinton Road Races before continuing home through Buckland Newton and Holnest.

20th September 1990

FRENCH TRIP

LAST Sunday Yeovil CC veteran racers Nick Armstrong and Dave Driver made the trip to France to take part in the International Duo Normand two-man team time trial.
The event attracted 340 team entries from all over Europe, but in the daylight available, the organisers were able to cope with a maximum of 268 couples.
The first riders started at 9 am and teams were spaced at 11/2 minute intervals until 4,48 pm. Conditions varied throughout the day, ranging from calm to blustery rain.
Teams were divided into various classes, professionals, first category seniors, veterans, juniors and tandems, the riders in each class starting at similar times and so riding in the
same conditions.
The Yeovil pair rode at around midday in squally rain which made the twisty, undulating course difficult to ride. They were able to catch and pass three of the teams which started before them, and rode into second place in the veteran class, which was won by a French pair.
The 52-kilometre course record held by French professionals Thierry Marie and former world number one' Charly Mottet was beaten by the overall winners Manouylov and Vaslitchenko, who recently won gold medals in the Russian world championship team.
The Sigma professional team of Francis Moreau and Laurent Pillon were second overall, 1 1/2 minutes behind the Russians.
The Yeovil pair found the event a lot different to the traditional English time trial which are very low-key events. The starting ramp, crowds of spectators and a following car for each team made for an exciting race.

4th October 1990

ACKLAND IN TOP GEAR

YEOVIL Cycle Clubs top junior, Lee Ackland, has taken just two weeks to regain his form after his non-cycling family holiday.
In the 21-mile Merryfield event on Tuesday, he outsprinted Tauntons Shaun Foweraker to win from a 20-man bunch. Mick Benkinsop (fourth) and Nick Armstrong (sixth) were the other placed local riders.
Thursdays 10-mile time trial was very hard, with riders fighting a strong wind on the outward leg. Most' were between 30 seconds to a minute slower than the previous weeks event.
Ackland came out on top clocking 23.31 while veteran Danny Ellery was only one second in arrears.
It was interesting to note that Ellery, Yeovil’s rider to overcome the conditions, recording exactly the same time as last week. Gareth Evans was third in 24.13, Steve Paul, fourth (24.58) and John Saunders fifth (25.02). Nigel Letheren and junior Martin Hendrick tied for sixth, both clocking 25.24.
Veteran road racer, Nick Armstrong, travelled to Morden in Surrey on Saturday to take part in in a 65-mile event titled the Older Mans Road Race. The race was open to cyclists
over 35, unlike the usual veteran events, which is for the over 40s. The hills were to small to separate the race, and a bunch of over 30 riders contested the finishing sprint. Armstrong was credited with the same time as the winner Paul Lipscombe, but just outside the placings.

23 August 1990

Stu's bad home trip

EVENING cycle sport is now drawing to a close as autumn approaches - but the Merryfield circuit, on the traffic-free airfield, will continue for a few more weeks.
On Tuesday evening 28 riders from the Yeovil and Taunton areas contested a fast 21-mile event on the airfield with VC Taunton’s Shaun Foweraker successful.
Somerset RCs veteran, Brian Sandy, was second in a close finish while Steve Paul (Heron) and Yeovil’s Gareth Evans were third and fourth.
Thursdays 10-mile time trial was the last of the season and the twenty two competitors enjoyed good conditions.
Ken Vale, a visitor from Wellington, riding for Heron, was fastest, recording 21.57 minutes. Yeovil junior Lee Ackland was runner-up with a personal best 21.59m.
There were also personal bests for visiting riders Paul (Heron, 22.37m), Ray Pickersgill (Wellington Wheelers, 24.08m), Andy Mitchell (Mendip, 24.44m) and Andrew Newbury of Yeovil (25.00m).
Yeovil CC time trialist Stuart Wroot return to his home town of Scunthorpe with club mates Pat and Danny Ellery to ride his old clubs 10-mile event on Sunday. The long trip was not too successful, however, as on an exposed course with a strong cross-wind, all three were well outside their best.
Veteran Danny recorded 24.00m and Wroot 25.05m while Pat did not figure in the ladies fringes with 31.09m.
There was some consolation for the Ellerys, though, with their daughter, Georgina Giddings, second lady home in 28.09m and son-in-law Geoff third overall
(22.32m). They both ride for Zenith.
A Yeovil team rode the Castle Coombe races on Sunday afternoon. In the 50K senior event, which was rode at over 26mph, the Yeovil trio of Driver, Armstrong and
Evans were unplaced but given the same time as winner Tom Cann of CC Abergavenny.
In the shorter juvenile event, Pat Mahon rode well to finish sixth.

30 August 1990

Yeovil’s cyclists out of luck

SUNDAY mornings Sotonia 25 mile time trial, termed a Middle Markers race and restricted to riders who had not beaten 1 hour 2 minutes, gives the slower rider a change to ride the faster courses and improve their times. Staged on the fast Ringwood-Bournemouth course where most events are open to the fast 120, it was over subscribed and entries closed with the slowest rider at 1-6-30.
The winner Steve Payne of the Tooting BC improved nearly five minutes recording 57.31 but the Yeovil CC riders were out of luck.
Geoff Faddy broke a spoke in his rear wheel before the start and rode most of the race with the rim rubbing on the brake blocks. He struggled to clock 1.9.29.
Nigel Lethern started in the last half of the field and the rising north wind ruled out a fast time and he clocked 1.4.28 half a minute outside his seasons best.
Veteran Dave Drive; combined a short holiday with a ride in the British Cycling Federations over 50s road race championship at Wentworth in South Yorkshire.
The holiday proved to be more enjoyable than the race which had four stiff climbs on each of the ten six mile laps.
Driver retired on the seventh lap, losing heart in a negative race and struggling on the hills, but regretted his decision when he realised there were only 18 of the 60 starters left in contention.

11 October 1990

Cyclists facing torture

A WARM and sunny autumn day in the Quantock Hills seemed more suited to leisurely touring than cycle racing but 33 riders faced a stiff test last Sunday. The Taunton Vale Cycle Racing Association hill climb day was a two stage event based on Bishops Lydeard. The mornings climb of Cothelstone Hill was a tortuous ascent of 1,000 feet, just over three miles long, with the steepest parts one in five.
After the competitors and spectators had enjoyed a buffet lunch the action moved to Buncumbe Hill which was not such a severe test, just over a half mile and one in six at the steepest.
Wellington Wheeler, Malcolm Steer, was fastest on both hills clocking 11.35 on Cothelstone and 4.12 on Buncumbe, taking the overall and senior sections.
Fastest Yeovil rider Gareth Evans (11.32 and 4.59) was fourth in the seniors. Chris Davies was second in the under 16 section (14.58 and 5.32) and Nick Armstrong took third in the veterans class (13.49 and 5.15).
Yeovils top veteran Dave Driver lost his chance of good placing when he missed a gear change on the steep section of Cothelstone, stopped and fell over before he could release his toestraps. He finished sixth in his class (15.51 and 5.15).
Chris Fendt riding his first competitive event the season finished eight senior (15.31 and 5.36) and Garry Mitchener was seventh veteran (17.22 and (6.44).
Yeovil juniors Lee Ackland and Gareth Davies rode their first open 25 time trial at Swindon on Sunday in the hard windy conditions they did well to record times of 1.01.40 and 1.05.10.

19 October 1990

Sowerby’s the Champ

JONATHON Sowerby, a junior rider from Buckland Newton is Yeovil Cycling Clubs new hill climb champion.
Jonathon does most of his cycling in Yorkshire where he is studying A-levels at a Scarborough school and was home for the half-term break.
Thirteen members entered the event staged on 'the 1,250 yard climb of High Ham after riding with the club. run from Yeovil on Sunday morning. Sowerbys time of 3.14 was well ahead of second placed Gareth Evans (3.30).
Veterans Dave Driver (8.35) and Nick Armstrong (3.40) were third and fourth and junior Matt Wardle (3.42) fifth. Fastest juvenile was Chris Davies with 3.54 in sixth place.
Danny Ellery surprised some riders, recording 4.25 on a tricycle for 10th spot.
Another trike fan Steve Oxbrow from Mudford was pleased with his outing to the Savernake Velo tricycle 10 near Swindon. Steve clocked 29.31, a 26-year personal best on a day when most were join much slower than usual. The event was won by former national record holder Dave Pitt in 24.08
Junior road racers Lee Ackland and Gareth Davies finished their season with the Bovington Road Race last Sunday but were out of luck. Ackland punctured and Davies was unplaced in the main bunch.

25 October 1990

ABOVE: Some of the trophy Winners at Yeovil Cycling Clubs annual presentations luncheon are pictured with club president Ivy Andrews (left) and chairman Wilf Perry (right). Dave Driver won six of the 15 trophies, while Lee Ackland won three and Nick Armstrong , two.

6th December 1990

That's pedal power

Cyclist Dave Driver has scooped SIX off the nine annual awards of Yeovil Cycling Club.. Loading him up with his haul are club president, Ivy Andrews and chairman Wilf Perry.

October 1990

Cycling season will be hectic

YEOVIL Cycling Club is looking forward to a full season with their most ambitious programme of events for some years lined up.
Four road races and a day of circuit racing for the massed start enthusiasts and two 10-mile and a 25-mile event for the time triallists.
The usual series of club Thursday evening time trials will this year include for 25-mile, three 15-mile, and 12 10-mile events.
The Merryiield Airfield training events will be staged on Tuesday evenings with the Taunton Vale Cycle Racing Association.
The season started early for club riders Nick Armstrong and Chris Fendt, who rode the first of the Springtime Pursuits at Bovey Tracey last Saturday. In the road pursuits, race riders are started in ability groups with the juniors away first followed by third category seniors, of which there were three groups. Then the second category riders started with first category competitors beginning five minutes behind the juniors. Fendt started in the first group of third category riders, one minute behind the juniors, while the more experienced veteran Armstrong was in the last group of thirds and a further minute behind.
Fendt found the race too hot when his group were caught in the first half of the 2 miles but Armstrong remained with the main group which just failed to catch the five fastest juniors.
They were led home by Mid-Devons Jeremy Hunt. Arstrong was placed 15th in the 60-man field.

21 February 1991

Armstrong so unlucky

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs early-season road race campaigners, Nick Armstrong and Chris Fendt, suffered mixed fortunes in the second of the Springtime Pursuit series at Bovey Tracey last Saturday.
Fendt showed a great improvement on the previous weeks event, holding the pace of his group for much longer and finishing strongly in a small bunch just behind the main field.
Armstrong, however, was not so fortunate. Suffering from a cold, he had managed to remain with his fast-moving group which swept up the three groups in front of them by the halfway mark.
Only the second category riders caught them, the first category again failing to make contact.
As the main field entered the last mile, a rider fell attesting to avoid a big hole and, in the tightly-packed bunch, there was no escape for Armstrong, who crashed heavily. He was able to remount, though, and continued to the finish.
The race was won by time trial star Paul Vincent, from Barnstable but riding for the Polytechnic CC.
Clive Brooks, the local time trial expert, started his season with a fifth place in a 10-mile event in Devon, clocking 23.49. Last Sunday, he rode the classic early-season Circuit of Poole Harbour time trial, recording 69 minutes to take sixth place behind runaway winner, international Glen Longland of Southampton. He clocked 66 mins.

28th February 1991

Tiring Ackland comes second

YEOVIL junior road race cycling champion Lee Ac land opened his season with a fine ride, taking second place in the tough Piddle Hinton Road Race on Sunday.
Each of the three 15 mile laps included climbs of Giants Head and Ridge Hill, which combined with the wind and rain soon split the 60-strong field.
Ackland led over most of the climbs and when two riders gained a minute lead and the depleted bunch seemed loath to chase, he took off on his own in pursuit.
The two riders were soon caught and Ackland went into the lead.
Wembley Road Clubs Richard Bruce joined Ackland in the last two miles. Bruce attacked the now tiring Yeovil rider on the last small climb to the finish and won by 17 seconds with
the bunch now reduced to seven riders close behind.
Yeovils other riders did not fare so well with Gareth Davies puncturing at the half-way mark. Martin Hendrick, riding in his first race, found the furious face in the first miles a little too
hot but to his credit continued and finished the course.
Yeovil riders were also in action at Castle Coombe in Wiltshire in racing on the famous motor circuit

14 March 1991

Moment of Triumph

YEOVIL cyclist Steve Paul was this week celebrating his first ever road race victory. His moment of glory came in the final Springtime Pursuit at Bovey Tracey in South Devon.
Paul, riding for the Heron Road Club, started in the third category group half a minute down on the junior category. He was the main animator in the group along with another Yeovil rider, Neil Boxall, who rides for the Mid- Devon Road Club. The juniors were soon caught and Paul found himself opening gaps on the small climbs.
On the fifth of the eight four-mile laps, he attacked on the hill and moved into the lead with the chasers not working well until they were found by the faster first and second category groups.
Although Paul was by now feeling the effects of his solo effort, he stuck admirably to his task and crossed the finishing line 15 seconds up on the main bunch.
Boxall, meanwhile, was paying for his early efforts and fell back on the last lap to finish just behind the main field.
Castle Cary’s Clive Brooks is still trying to find his time trial form this season.

Caught
In the 14 years and under 15 kilos event Yeovil’s Pat Mahon rode into fourth place while 13-year-old Steven Green from Somer ton was another rider in his first circuit race to be caught out by the fast starting pace and finished 15th.
Chris Fendt rode the 50 kilos senior event but finished well down on the main field in a fast race on the wind swept circuit.
The weekend time trial programme saw Castle Cary’s Clive Brooks scoring his first win of the year in the St Budeaux 25 at Buckfastleigh in Devon on Saturday clocking an excellent 56-27.
At Ringwood on Sunday Brooks rode with Polytechnic CC team mate John Emmery in the Antelope Race Team 2 Up 25 and they recorded 57-55 for second place behind the promoting clubs Longland and Stroud who clocked 54-47.
On Sunday he rode the Severn Road Club two-man team event just north of Bristol. His Polytechnic CC colleague, Bath rider John Emery, had just recovered from a virus but the pair
recorded 1.01.01s for fifth place. Clubmates Pritchard and Bailey won in 55.59m.

7 March 1991

Pittards back cyclists

YEOVIL Cycling Club are pleased to announce that Pittards have renewed their longstanding relationship with the club, after a break of seven years, and have agreed to support the
Pittards road race for 1991 and to donate some leather cycling goods for prizes. These will be manufactured using Pittards WR100 performance leather which has been specially
designed for the sports sector.
The race which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year was founded by club president Ivy Andrews and sponsored by Mr Douglas Pittard in 1961. The race will be run on the usual
course from Lyde Road to Sherborne across to Mudford and back into Yeovil - a 12 mile circuit which will be completed four times.
The race is on Sunday, 24 March with race HQ at Bucklers Mead School. There are two races on the day for BCF members, the Pittards Race is for third category and juniors (start
time 10.45 am), whilst the Ham Hill event on the same course (six laps) is for seniors (start time 10 am).

14 March 1991

Ackland a home winner

CLIVE Brooks from Castle Cary was the only local racing cyclist in action last Sunday. He competed in a rain-soaked Weston-super-Mare Wheelers Hilly 22 time trial, near Bristol
In what is considered a specialist event, Brooks did well to take second place, clocking 1-2-24. Winner was Gloucester Citys Ed Morris (1-1-28).
Next Sunday there is strong local interest in Yeovil Cycling Clubs popular road races.
For the first time in many years the promoting club fields a five man team in the Pittard Trophy 48-mile junior event.
Yeovil also have a potential winner in team leader Lee Ackland, who is supported by club hill climb champion Jonathan Sowerby, Gareth Davies, Martin Hendrick and third category senior Chris Fendt.
In the 60-mile Ham Hill Trophy event, two ex-Yeovil members who now work in the London area return home to race on local roads. Keir O’Donnell from West Chinnock, who how rides for VC Londres, is one of six first category riders in the 60-strong field, and Somertons Richard Cheetham, now with VC Meudon, is a third category. Yeovil-based Steve Paul rides in the eight man Heron Road Club team.
The races, on the Yeovil-Sherborne-Mudford-Yeovil circuit, start at 10 am and 10.45, finishing between 12.30 and 1 pm in Lyde Road, near the junction with Runnymead Road.
Babylon Hill is a good vantage point during the races, and the "king of the hills” competition will be staged here in both events. The first four riders over the top in each lap are awarded points.

21 March 1991

JEREMY HUNT of Totnes, who won Yeovil Cycling Clubs Pittard Road Race for juniors on Sunday, collects his trophy from Emma Pittard, who represented the sponsors. Also pictured is Pittard Garnars Sales and Marketing Director, Mike Redwood. The winnerof the Seniors race was Phillip Barker from Fleet.

28 March 1991

Ackland's sorry end

HOPES of a local victory in Yeovil Cycling Clubs Pittard Trophy road race disappeared when cramp struck Lee Ackland inside the last mile.
ACKLAND was Yeovils only survivor in the leading group after the tough 48 miles in which punctures and fatigue had taken their toll.
Chris Fendt was Yeovils other finisher.
The winner, Mid-Devon Road Clubs Jeremy Hunt was one of the pre-race favourites, named the previous week as Junior Cyclist of the Month for February in a national competition. Rob Lyne riding for the Western Division team was King of the Hills.
The 60 mile Ham Hill Trophy senior race was an evenly matched event with early attacks gaining no more than a few seconds.
The pace and the tough course gradually wore down the 60-man field to 30 riders and on the last lap eight of the strongest went clear.
At the finish, West London rider Phillip Barker sprinted home well clear of Bristols Steve Thomas and Plymouths Andy Shaw.
The only local rider to finish was Steve Paul riding for Heron Road Club who was placed 19th. Somerton’s Richard Cheetham punctured on the second lap.
The King of the Hill award went to Kevin Squib of Heron RC.
Yeovil’s time trial enthusiasts opened their season at the Avon and Somerset Police 10 on the Bridgwater Flats course. Dave Driver was Yeovil’s best placed with 23:52 followed by Stuart Wroot in 25:08. New member Bill Dycer rode well in his first event, recording 25:16. Clive Brooks took second place, clocking 22:02 behind the Polytechnic CC teammate Paul Vincent who was home in a rapid 21:38. Castle Cary veteran Jim Bartlett, who rides for Frome and District, clocked 26:37.

8 March 1991

Brooks slips to fourth

THE cold north wind on Good Friday, and some rough roads, kept cycle time trial times well below average locally.
The Western Time Trial Association 25 near Chippenham attracted an entry of 118, including presently unsponsored professional road racer Ben Luckwell from Bristol, using
the event as part of his training schedule.
Luckwells time of 57.38 was only second fastest to Bristol south rider Andy Griffiths winning 57.31.
Best local was last years winner Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) who only managed fourth place, clocking 58.54.
Yeovil CCs riders were lead by Dave Driver with 1-3-06, Gareth Evans 1-4-12 and Billy Dycer, riding his first 25, beat a lot of established riders in 1-6-26.
Stuart Wroot clocked 1-7-10 and Chris Fendt 1-9-46.
Five more Yeovil riders chose the Bournemouth Arrow 10 on the old Ringwood-Christchurch road but conditions were just as bad.
Antelope Race Teams Jeremy Shorts winning time of 22.16 was very good on the narrow twisting course.
Yeovil’s best was junior Lee Ackland clocking 23.05, followed by veteran Danny Ellery with 24.50 and junior Gareth Davies 25.16. Lady veteran Pat Ellery did a good ride recording
29.52, only slipping back half as much as the others on last years rides. Juvenile Chris Davies found that rugby training is not the best way to prepare for time trialing, clocking 30.14, seven minutes outside his best.

Veterans
The Somerset Veterans Road Race at Merryfield was also dominated by the wind, by now a strong south western sweeping across like the exposed airfield.
Once riders were out of the shelter of the main bunch it became very difficult for attackers or those struggling at the rear of the field as Yeovil’s Tony White found to his cost. White was
taking shelter in the slipstream of some riders but found they had fallen be hind and could not bridge the resulting gap.
Yeovils other representatives were doing well at the other end of the field. Nick Armstrong was in a good looking breakaway for some time and Dave Driver was strong in chasing some of the other attacks.
With 45 of 52 miles covered only about a dozen riders were in contention and Chris Worsfold and Dave Barnes who had ridden a quiet race still then, gambling on the early attacks failing and leaving the chasing to others, now took their chance and moved clear.
Tauntons Bob Maslem and reigning national veteran champion Graham Moore of Bristol RC set off in pursuit but were unable to close the gap and the experienced Worsfold took
first place from Team Zoyland’s Barnes. Maslem beat Moore for third spot.

4 April 1991

Tough for cyclists

THE English Schools Cycling Association staged their Southern Area Championship at Merryfield on Saturday. And, thanks to the Mendip CC, there were also supporting events for juniors and seniors.
The gale force winds and rain in the later events caused problems for officials and riders alike on the course, near Ilton.
The officials and judges shelter blew down and one unlucky rider was thrown off the road as competitors were affected by gusting crosswinds.
Lee Ackland, riding for Yeovil College in the ESCA time trial championship, finished second, 80 seconds behind Devons Graham Boewell.
In the open junior circuit ram, shortened to 20 miles because of the appalling conditions, Ackland, now in a Yeovil jersey, won in fine style.
Yeovils Jonathan Sowerby had punctured but Gareth Davies remained at the head of affairs in the main field, policing all attempts to catch Ackland.
At the finish, though, Ackland had a 30-second lead and Davies was narrowly beaten into third place by Cardiffs Carwyn Knott.
The 50km third category senior event started at a furious page as riders tried to get a good position to negotiate the hard section up the main runway.
After a while, a group of eight, including local riders Gareth Evans (Yeovil) and Steve Paul (Heron), formed at the front.
In the final dash for the line, Rob Tutt and Phil Tubes, both from Hants club GS Europa, were first and second with Dave Barnes (Team Zoyland) third.
Paul came fifth while Evans trailed in a further the places behind. Yeovil veteran Dave Driver was the best of the rest in ninth spot; Nick Armstrong was 17th and Andy Newbury, riding his first open road race, was 38th out of 50.
Paul recovered enough on Sunday to take another fifth place, this time in the Heron RC hilly 32-mile time trial at Ide in South Devon. He helped the promoting club win the team award
trophy too.
Castle Cary’s Clive Brooks, meanwhile, enjoyed a good weekend in time trials, winning the Trowbridge 10 on Saturday with 23.14m. He then came second in the Southampton Wheelers 25 at Ringwood, recording 55.36m, just 18 seconds down on Antelope Race Teams inform Jeremy Short.
This Saturday, Yeovil CC promote their open 10-mile time trial, starting at Camel Hill on the A303 at 2 pm. Seventy five riders have entered, including Raleigh profession Pauline Strong, holder of the ladies Lands End to John O’Groats record.

11 April 1991

It’s Brooks by 35 seconds

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs Saturday afternoon 10- mile time trial was a great success with 70 riders facing the timekeepers. Although the weather was warm and dry, a strong headwind on the return leg kept times down.
Local ace Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) mastered the conditions to record 21-43 (over 27 mph). This was 35 seconds faster than the next man.
Only one second separated second and third with super schoolboy Andrew Mummery VC St Raphael) clocking 22- 18 to edge in front of Wellington rider Ken Vale (Team Zoyland)- Mummery also led the Portsmouth-based VC St Raphael to the team award, backed up by Gerry Bowditch (22-31) and ex-Yeovil junior Paul Hellis (25-15).
Yeovil CCs best were veterans Dave Driver (23-37) and Tony White (23-56), while Bill Dycer was one of the few riders to record personal bests, clocking 24-
57, and Gareth Davies was second junior in 24-48.
Team Raleighs Pauline Strong was fastest lady with 25-50.
Brooks was in action again on Sunday morning in the Clevedon & District 25 at Axbridge, clocking 57 minutes and taking second place to Polytechnic team-
mate John Pritchards excellent 55-minute ride.
In the tandem event, Yeovil’s husband and wife team of Danny and Pat Ellery were second fastest mixed team, recording 1-4- 04.
Yeovil’s Dave Driver turned to road racing on Sunday and rode the 71 mile John Cowling Memoriad Race at Verwood. The event is for over 50s, and Driver came 12th in a field full of ex-professionals and internationals.
In the 50 mile supporting event for third category seniors and juniors, Yeovil junior Lee Ackland was seventh and Jonathan Sowerby finished in the main
bunch.

18th April 1991

Brooks is busy

CLIVE Brooks of Yeovil Cycling Club had a busy Saturday. He raced at Ringwood in the morning, coming second in a 25 mile time trial, and then won the Bristol South '10 in the afternoon; Brooks, riding for Polytechnic CC, was first man off at Ringwood at 7 am. He clocked 55.48 to take second place to Antelope Race Teams Jeremy Short (54.46).
Brooks returned home to Castle Cary for a quick lunch and then went on to Axbridge for for the Bristol event in the afternoon. Here he clocked 22.16 in far from easy conditions.
Another Castle Cary rider, Yeovil CCs Bill Dycer, recorded 25.32.
TWO Yeovil riders chose the Plymouth Corinthians 25 at Buckfastleigh for their first attempt at the distance this year.
Veteran Dave Driver recorded 58:56 for sixth place overall and fastest veteran, while Gareth Evans was close behind in 10th spot clocking 1:0:26. Winner was Gloucester City’s Ed Morris with 57:32.
Sundays time trials were both 25s. The Bournemouth Arrow event on the Ringwood course was a repeat performance by Short who won in 54:46 and the only local rider was Mosterton
veteran Frank Duerden who is a bit short on training miles this year and clocked 1:4:49.

Tricycle
The other 25 was very different, the Tricycle Associations race on the Gloucester Road at Thornbury which attracted three wheeled specialists from a wide area. Yeovil CC veteran Danny Ellery was placed third in 1:11:33. Winner was Bill Goodall of the South Bucks RC who went round in 1:8:58. Conditions were very hard with a strong north-west wind and even some snow flurries. Only the first three riders managed to beat 20mph.
The weather was a lot better at Poole Park for an afternoon of juvenile circuit racing. Yeovils Patrick Mahon rode in three events. In the under-14 points race he was placed fourth.
Points are awarded at the finish line on the third, sixth and ninth laps and at the finish after 12 laps. An under-14s circuit race of 20 minutes plus five laps, about eight miles, brought
him a third prize and then he moved up a class and rode the under-16 event over a similar distance and went one better with second place.
Yeovil CC evening time trial series started last Thursday in rather unkind conditions with the north-west wind still blowing and keeping times well down. Fastest was Dave Driver
home in 24:34 followed by Gareth Evans 26:17, Chris Frost 26:43, Stuart Wroot 28:02, Pat Mahon 28:06 with Bridport rider Nigel Letheren sixth in 28:19.

Veterans ride well in Wales

YEOVILS veteran time trial cyclists are getting into top gear as the season moves into full swing. A 200-mile round trip on Saturday to ride the veteran time trials association 25-mile event on the Abergavenny to Raglan road was well rewarded. Tony White clocked 58.05m and Dave Driver 58.18m, giving them third and fifth places overall and second and third in the age standard awards.
The Thursday evening 10-mile time trial on local roads was won by Steve Paul (Heron RC) with a time of 22.21 with White (22.51) and Driver (22.58) again second and third. Junior Lee Ackland (23.22) was fourth and Mark Johnson (23.43) fifth. Gareth Evans recorded 24.09 for sixth and another veteran, John Saunders, on his first ride of the season, was next on 24.12.
Two riders recorded personal bests, juvenile Steve Green improved by nearly two minutes to clock 27.52 and Chris Fendt over half a minute to 25.11.
The Tuesday evening circuit race training trials, meanwhile, got off to a good start with 40 riders from Chard, Taunton, Wellington and Yeovil. ' The calm conditions on the flat airfield circuit made it fast but relatively easy for the bunch and no attack gained more than four seconds.
First across the line after the 21 miles was VC Tauntons Andy Bartlett with Somerset RC veteran Pete Sandy second and Dave Barnes of Team Zoyland, another veteran, third.
Heron RCs Steve Paul was fourth and Yeovil’s best was Nick Armstrong a two places further behind.
Paul and Armstrong rode the 50-mile Swans Nest road race near Exeter on Sunday. Based on 20 laps on a 2.5 mile circuit with a stiff climb, the 60-strong field we reduced to around half that number at the finish. Paul finished in the main bunch but Armstrong lost contact on the final lap. Bristol RC rider Steve Thomas was the winner.
Yeovil CC were represented with a three-man team in the 70km Bovington road race in Dorset. Veteran Driver was the only member to finish in a very good class field after figuring in some early attacking moves. Stuart Wroot and Andy Newbury retired after losing contact with the main field.

2 May 1991

Cyclists enjoy a busy time

YEOVIL cyclists enjoyed a full programme over the holiday weekend. On Saturday afternoon Pat Mahon was Yeovil CCs rider in the Severn Schools Boys stage race at Bristols Hengrove Park. Mahon started well, with fourth place in the first event, but failed to score in the following points and handicap races.
Hengrove was, again, the venue on Monday for the Bristol RC circuit races. Both Yeovil riders were placed, Gareth Davies taking fifth in the junior event (16- 18 years) and younger
brother Chris sixth in the under-16 event.
The senior riders concentrated on time trials, starting with Sundays West Veterans 25 at Kingston Langley in Wiltshire. Danny Ellery clocked 1-2-02 for fourth place, Frank Duerden recorded 1-5-46 and Yeovil’s lady racer, Pat Ellery, 1-15-43. Winner was Polytechnic CC rider Ray Donnington with 59-30.
On Monday three riders entered the Hampshire Road Club 25 which was actually staged in West Sussex a required them to leave Yeovil at 4 am! Given starting times in the latter half of the field (the first rider was off at 6.01 am), because of the travelling distance, they found the rising wind favoured the early starters.
Dave Driver was the fastest of the trio, clocking 1-3-18, exactly five minutes slower than he had done seven days prior. Gareth Evans recorded 1-4-06 and Stuart Wroot slumped to 1-8-21. Polytechnic again provided the winner, this time Rob Thorne with 57-61.
Midweek club racing, meanwhile, was quite eventful. Tuesdays Merryfield training event was very hard with the strong winds and constant attacks breaking up the 40-strong field. In the final laps, eight riders moved clear with a chasing group of twelve at 20 seconds and the rest nowhere. Yeovil’s Lee Ackland was first in a tight finish from CS Purbecks Spencer Wilson
and Greg Sandy from Somerset RC.
Clive Brooks of Polytechnic rode his first Yeovil evening event of the year and came out on top, even beating a tandem. Brooks clocked 23.15 and Chard Wheeler Rex Facey
23.22 was third. Geoff Faddy and Gareth Evans clocked 22.09 on the tandem while Bill Dycer (24.53) improved four seconds when everybody else went back.
Fifteen-year-old Paul Rockett rode well, recording 27.50 in his first time trial.
Next Tuesday Yeovil CC are promoting as 40-mile road race for over 40 veterans. Starting and finishing outside RNAS Yeovilton, the course is Ilchester-Coppits Hill-Combe Street Lane-
Mudford-Camel-Yeovilton to be covered four times.

Veterans ride well

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs first veterans only promotion, a 60-mile event for riders over 40, attracted nationwide entries.
The event - called the Oldsters Road Race -- brought riders from as far afield as Warwickshire, Kent and Cornwall.
Tauntons Bob Maslen, riding for Heron RC, attacked at the end of the first of four laps, which took riders from Yeovilton to Northover, Ilchester, Coppits Hill, Coombe Street Lane, Mudford, Camel, Bridgehampton and back to Yeovilton. In a fine solo effort, he stayed clear for exactly one lap. His lead was never more than 40 seconds and he took the first hill fringe just after the Coppits Hill climb. The breakaway was later to earn him the most aggressive rider award.
The second lap featured a dangerous looking four-man break which included former Tour de France rider Derek Green, Pete Sandy of Taunton and Team Zoylands Dave Barnes.
The bunch soon realised the danger and Yeovil’s team were in the forefront of the chase, which brought them back to the main field.
At the end of the first lap, Hardly Athletic CC rider Glynn Parfrey moved clear and was quickly joined by Heron's Dave Gunn. Those two worked together,
although Gunn seemed to do the longer turns at the front.
Their teammates were doing a good job of blocking the chasers by joining in the line and upsetting their rhythm - so the lead grew to 30 seconds.
The bunch was closing fast in the last few miles but the leading pair still had 10 seconds in hand before Parfrey swept past Gunn to take the checkered flag.
Parfreys colleague, Green, took the bunch sprint for third and Sandy, the oldest competitor at 61, was a creditable fourth. Fifth was Tom Woolard of VC St Raphael and Bristol RCs Terry Gradidge sixth.
Yeovil’s Tony White, Nick Armstrong and Dave Driver were close in 10th, 11th and 12th respectively. In the age category awards, Armstrong took the 45-49 group prize and Driver the 50-54 one.
The event ran smoothly with excellent police assistance and radio links between lead and following vehicles and with course marshals.
Local time trial enthusiasts rode the Bournemouth& District Ladies CA 25-mile event at Ringwood. Fastest was Danny Ellery, who took a wrong turn at a
flyover and went off course, a mistake that cost him a sub-hour ride. He recorded 1-0-15s.
John Saunders was next with 1-1-32, Mark Johnson clocked 1-2-16 and Pat Ellery 1-12-20. Yeovil-based Navy rider Chris Absolom rode well to clock 1-0-22.
Winner was Bristol Souths Andy Griffiths with 54-38.
Tuesday evening was rather wet but 27 riders turned out at Merryfield and enjoyed a good, fast workout.
Thursdays time trial was a 15-mile event, a distance which used to be popular in the past but not used very often now. It does, however, provide a useful step to the 25 from the 10-mile event, especially for new riders.
Clive Brooks was fastest, clocking 33.33 (26.8 mph), followed by veteran Driver in 35.59 and Steve Paul third on 36.30.

16th May 1991

White’s 25 is best yet

YEOVIL Cycling Club veteran Tony White recorded the clubs fastest 25 of the season in the Abertillery and District event at Usk in Gwent last Saturday.
His time of 57.46 gave him ninth place behind winner Derek Rogers of the promoting club. Rogers is well known for his unorthodox style, spurning the use of gears and riding a very
high single fixed wheel. It was to good effect this time he recorded 54.51- Gareth Evans was pleased with his 59.55, beating Dave Driver by two seconds and Stuart Wroot clocked
1-3-27, his best of the year.
Another Yeovil veteran, John Saunders, rode the Wessex 25 at Andover, and clocked 1-2-02 for 11th place in a 100-rider race. Winner was Manchester Wheeler John Woodburn in 57.56.
The midweek competition started with Tuesdays Merryfield circuit event which was ridden at over 26 mph. First over the line after the 21 miles was Somerset RC’s Greg Sandy
followed by Steve Chattel (VC Taunton) and Mike Curtis (Somerset RC).
Thursdays time trial was a two-up team event over 10 miles. Yeovil’s Gareth Evans and Mark Johnson were fastest recording 22.40.
Just two seconds slower were Heron RC rider Steve Paul paired with French visitor Jean Le Foll, riding his first British time trial.
In third place was Stuart Woot and juvenile Chris Davies with 23.59.

23rd May 1991

Best ever for Clive

THE Blue Riband of cycle time trialling, the 25 mile championship, came to the west country on Sunday - and local enthusiasts enjoyed a great contest.
Castle Cary’s Clive Brooks of Polytechnic was the only local rider to qualify as one of the 120 fastest 25 milers in the county.
The competition took place on a course based on the A38 north of Bristol. It was won in record time by Manchester Wheeler Chris Boardman, who clocked 49.15 to become the
first rider to beat 30 mph in the championship. Boardman was such an easy winner that the runner-up trailed in three minutes behind him.
Brooks, meanwhile, was pleased with his 54.16 and eleventh place, his best ever finish in this event.
Yeovil club members Danny and Pat Ellery watched their son-in-law Geoff Giddings, of Coventry Olympic, record 53.38 to take sixth place.
Veterans
Yeovil CC veteran time triallists John Saunders and Frank Duerden chose to ride rather than spectate, travelling to Ringwood for the Wessex 50. There they clocked 2.5.38
and 2.9.24 respectively. Chard Wheeler Rex Facey recorded a personal best of 1.58.09 in the event, which was won by Raleigh professional Ian Commish, with a fast 1.45.57.
The Malvern Hills veterans road race on Saturday was described by Yeovil’s and Nick Armstrong as the hardest we have ever ridden. The 70 mile event had over 1,000 feet of climbing on each of the four laps and the severity of the course caused many retirements. Some of the leading riders in the veterans championship series and Driver were forced to pull out before the finish. Armstrong had the misfortune of a puncture but continued to finish 35 minutes down on winner John Watchman of ABC Centreville.
The midweek evening club events were well supported with 40 riders on Tuesday at Merryfield for the circuit training event. Somerset RC’s Greg Sandy was always on the attack and
succeeded in the closing stages, breaking clear and crossing the line at the head of a four-man group.
Thursdays time trial was spoilt by a fault in the watch used for timing the event. This was unfortunate as it meant a few riders thought they had ridden personal beats when in fact they had not.
This Sunday Yeovil CC promotes its annual John Andrews Memorial road race over 90 miles, six laps around Sparkford, Wincanton and Castle Cary. The event has attracted a
full field of 60 plus reserves of which 18 are first category riders, including last years winner, Bournemouth’s Andy Mitchens. The main local hope is East Chinnock’s Kier O’Donnell, who rides for VC Londres.

.. find it so tough

YEOVIL veteran cycle racers Dave Driver and Nick Armstrong rode the Bournemouth Olympic 'Veterans Marathon’ road race on Sunday.
The event was part of the season long national veterans championship series and attracted top riders from all over the country. A full field of 60 riders started the 74-mile race,
consisting of two 32-mile laps around Wimborne and Blandford and a ten-mile finishing circuit near the former.
Antelope RT rider Alan Dawson attacked right from the start and was out on his own for 30 miles before he was caught. The decisive move came at about the 50-mile mark when
Yorkshire rider Phil Marrows of Batley CC took a small lead and was joined by Londoner Dave Worsfold and another Yorkshire rider, Brian Sumter. The trio Worked well together and at the finish they crossed the line in that same order with 54 seconds in hand over the chasing pack.
The Yeovil men had once again figured in the hard chase but could not get in the frame at the finish. They were placed equal ninth in the main bunch, which the pace over the final
miles had reduced to only 20 riders.
Two of Yeovil’s time triallists, Gareth Evans and Mark Johnson, rode in the Barnstaple Wheelers 25-mile two-up team event on the Exeter to Barnstaple road on Monday.
Johnson found the twisting, undulating course and the constant gear changing difficult and they were disappointed with their time of 1-01-06, four minutes down on the winners and in
11th spot.
The Tuesday evening Merryfield circuit training event was again run off at over 26 mph with riders entering into the spirit of things and attacking at will. Yeovil’s French visitor,
Jen Le Foll, made a good solo effort in the closing stages of the 21~mile event but was caught with a mile to go. Somerset RC’s Greg Sandy was first with Spencer Wilson (CS Purbeck) and Steve Chattel (VC Taunton) close behind.
Yeovil’s time trial on Thursday evening used their new 25-mile course for the first time. The course makes good use of the recent improvements on the A303. Starting in the Podimore
Road, just off the roundabout, riders use the Ilchester bypass and the near dual carriageway to Cartgate. They then turned left and proceded to the first roundabout at the end of the airfield and then retrace to Cartgate, circle the roundabout, then ride back to Podimore. The weather was kind for the first race, warm and only a light breeze for the first 17 riders.
Chris Absolom, riding for the Royal Navy, was fastest with 58.34 with Yeovil veteran Driver on 58.56. Guest rider Le Foll was third with 59.10 and Johnson fourth with 59.40.
Fastest junior was James Mak, clocking 1.3.59 in his first race for over a year.
Yeovil cyclist Patrick Mahon, meanwhile, is included in the England South squad which rides in a prestigious forthcoming international' event. Patrick, a pupil at Westfield, is part of a five-strong team selected by father Kevin for the Youth Cycling International at Milton Keynes in July. And, as the four boys and one girl were in training this week during half~term holidays, Kevin predicted they could be among the medals. We have some very strong riders and I anticipate carrying off a couple of prizes, he said.
England South are one of nineteen teams who will be attending the three-day event, from 28 to 25 July, which has produced some well-known names. Stephen Roche, who won
the Tour de France four years ago, competed at Milton Keynes in 1977 and other top internationals have also ridden there.
Kevin’s side was selected from a list of 20 he was given by English Schools CA South of England rep Walter Rixon, who lives in Ilchester. Apart from his son, it includes Kevin Smith
(Bournemouth), James Taylor (Bristol), Nick Frost (Bath) and Rachael Target (Salisbury). Kevin appealed for any potential sponsors to contact him on Yeovil 32222. "Cycling is a very expensive sport, he revealed. "Sponsorship would be very welcome.

Nick gets first victory

YEOVIL veteran cyclist Nick Armstrong celebrated his first win since his return to the sport in the Wyre Forest road race last Saturday. The event was one of the Staffhire age related
series of veterans races and was staged on a hilly eleven mile circuit which was covered three times.
The hilly nature of the course suited Armstrong and half way round the first circuit he attacked on one of the climbs to test the strength of his group and found he had a small lead.
He was unsure at first whether to press home his advantage but was climbing strongly and went all out for the solo victory.
At the finish he was over a minute up on the next man in his 45-49 year section.
Dave Driver was Yeovil’s other representative, riding in the over-49 section. He had the misfortune of unshipping his chain on a bumpy part of the first lap and had to dismount to clear
it. But he still finished third in a sprint finish.
Competitors in Yeovil CCs John Andrews Memorial road race on Sunday had to contend with strong winds and heavy showers during the gruelling 90 miles. The distance did not deter riders from attacking early and the first lap was the fastest with a three-man break which lasted 20 miles.
The wind assisted stretch on the A303 between Sparkford and Wincanton caused the field to split into groups. They usually reformed on the climb from Wincanton to Castle Cary.
By the fourth of the six laps the winning break had been formed with 12 riders in the leading group.
At the finish of the old A303 east of Sparkford the leading group was down to eight men and only winds separated the first three.
Best local rider was Herons Steve Paul. He was 17th out of the 60 riders.
The time triallists had a quiet weekend but Yeovil’s John Saunders took seventh place overall and was first veteran on standard with 24.58 in Wellington Wheelers 10 mile event on
Sunday. Yeovil’s Bill Dycer clocked 25.21 and the event was won by Cardiff Ajax’s Lawrence Bond in 23.34.
Last Thursdays 10 mile time trial enjoyed good conditions and six personal bests were recorded. Tony White was fastest with 22.09, setting a new club veteran age standard
record. Pat Ellery clocked her best time for some while with 27.11, also setting a new record for lady veterans.
Juniors James Mak (23.54), Pat Mahon (24.36) and Paul Rockett (26.13) rode personal bests, as did senior Andy Pugsley (26.41) and junior Steve Green (27.33)

13th June 1991

Suffering Cyclists

LOCAL cycling is suffering in the unseasonal weather with small fields and slow times.
At the Merryfield circuit event only 17 riders braved the wind and rain in a very hard session. Thursday evening was dry but the strong winds made Yeovil’s 25 very hard and most riders were over two minutes slower that in last month event. .
Heron RCA Steve Paul was fastest; recording 1--B--46, but N Winter, a visitor from Somer Valley CC, was only a second slower after going off course. He was riding the course for the first time in preparation for the open event on 29 June.
Veteran John Saunders was the fastest Yeovil club rider in third place with 1-~5--14, and Chard Wheelers comeback rider Mark Antell was fourth in 1-6-39.
Weston Wheelers 25 on the Bridgwater Flats on Saturday was also affected by the winds and the Yeovil riders were all well down on their usual times. Saunders was again the best,
clocking 1-3–05, with veteran Dave Driver recording 1--3-36 and Stuart Wroot 1-6–05. The event was won by Clevedon & District junior Ken Stewart with 57-28.
It was some consolation on Sunday morning when 12 riders on the club run escaped the showers and enjoyed a good 50 mile ride out to Kings Sedge Moor and back across the
Poldens.

20th June 1991

The going’s so tough

THE weather was still dominating local cycle sport last week. On Tuesday the Dursley RC 25 at Thornbury was a really hard event with high winds slowing competitors. Yeovil pair
Gareth Evans (1-2-24) and Mark Johnson (1-2- 38) were surprised to be placed sixth and seventh with times of that order.
The wind was not quite so strong for Thursdays Yeovil club event, a 15 mile two~up team time trial, and two teams averaged over 26 mph. Steve Paul and Nick Armstrong were fastest, clocking 34-19, with Dave Driver and John Saunders close behind in 34-84. Gareth Evans and Stuart Wroot were third in 35-18, and juniors James Mak and Andrew
Pinder fourth with 36-52.
On Saturday a circuit race meeting in Bristol included the Western Division BCF juvenile championship. Yeovils representative Patrick Mahon rode well, getting into a four man break
which proved to be the decisive move. Pat did a lions share of the pacemaking in the break but was placed fourth after a disputed finish in which he was forced over the grass. The judges ruled there was no foul.
Nick Frost from Bath was the winner with Bristols James Taylor and Clevedon’s Rod Stevens second and third.
In the third category seniors event Yeovil’s Andy Newbury was 16th.
The high winds returned on Sunday and veteran Saunders struggled to record 2-7-37 in the Wessex Veterans 50 at Ringwood, but was still placed seventh.
Three members made the long trip -to Sussex to ride a circuit event at Goodwood. The event was cut from 50 miles to 30 because of the rain and wind.
Evans made several lone attacks but he could not make headway in the strong winds and was reeled in each time. He and Driver were unplaced in a mass finish. Wroot had a wasted journey when his freewheel failed early in the race.
This Saturday the Yeovil club promote an open 25 on their new A 303-based course. It starts and finishes in the Podimore area and first of the 116 entry will be away at 3pm.

27th June 1991

Brooks is best on the road

LOCAL time trial cycling specialist Clive Brooks scored a convincing win in the Yeovil CC open 25 mile race last Saturday. Brooks, riding for the Polytechnic CC recorded a
brilliant 54.58 on a day when the strong westerly wind made the first half of the race difficult. Especially hard was the leg from Cartgate to the Petherton roundabout.
Ken Vale of Team Zoyland was second, clocking 57.04, with Salisbury RCA Les Paxton third in 57.18.Ian Wallace, Brooks team-mate, was fourth with 57.34.
But, with only two riders, Polytechnic left the team award open for Chard Wheelers to score their first win for some time.

Success
They were led to success by Rex Fahey (57.45), Dave Pitman (59.51) and Mark Antell (1.3.04). Fastest junior was S Barnes (Dursley RC) with 59.20 and top juvenile was Exeter Wheelers H Fairgrieve with a creditable 1.0.10. Miss M Watson (Severn RC) was quickest lady in 1.8.38.
Heron RCA Harvey Alford smashed the standard time for a 64-year-old to take the veterans award.

Massive
He clocked 1.2.05 -- a massive 16 minutes and 50 seconds inside the standard veterans time. (1.5.25) and John Darby a personal best 1.10.52.
Last Thursdays Yeovil Club 10-mile time trial provided a few surprises when four riders clocked personal best times in what were not ideal conditions. Fastest was Chard
Wheeler Rex Fahey, improving by 46 seconds and recording 22.14. Club colleague Dave Pitman (28.21) was second with Yeovil veteran Dave Driver third (28.43).
Yeovil trio Chris Fendt (24.54) and juniors Paul Rockett (25.50) and Andrew Pinder (25.56) also secured best times.
All those who achieved personals were using the recently introduced Tri Bars, which give a more streamlined riding position.

4th July 1991

Brook’s best year ever

TWO cyclists from Castle Cary figured in the New Forest 50-mile time trial on Sunday. And it was Clive Brooks, an air frame fitter at Westland, who fought off the challenge of a 120-strong field to win his 17th race of the season.
Brooks is experiencing his best ever cycling year, and puts it down to just enjoying the competition. The Polytechnic rider was a worthy winner, clocking 1- 50-42, nearly two minutes
ahead of former Lands End to John O’Groats record holder John Woodburn.
Yeovil’s Bill Dycer recorded a personal best of 2- 7-42, taking second place in the best improvement class. Veteran John Saunders, also of Yeovil, clocked 2-7-13, well outside his best.
Another local winner, making his mark in time trialling, was Chard Wheeler Rex Facey, who won the Exeter 50 on the same morning. His time of 2-00-36 was good on the narrow, twisting Devon roads on a far from easy day.
Sundays Merryfield training event was a relatively quiet race with no attacking moves making any headway. The average speed was slightly lower than usual - but was still under the hour for the 25 miles. The wind assisted finish favoured the big geared veterans and, although senior Dave Coward won the second week running, veterans filled the next four places.
Dave Barnes of Team Zoyland was followed by Pete Sandy (Somerset RC), George Bartlett (VC Taunton) and Yeovils Garry Mitchener.
Thursdays time trial was a '25 and attracted 14 riders. It was a hard evening with a stiff south westerly breeze which slowed riders by about a minute. Yeovil veteran Dave
Driver was fastest with 1-00- 35 with Saunders only ten seconds slower. Gareth Evans was third with 1-01- 29. The only personal best of the evening was recorded by Neil Boxall (Mid-Devon RC) with 1-01-44 for fourth place.
Junior Paul Rockett (1-10- 19) a senior Andy Pugsley (1- 10-23) were riding their first time trial.
This coming Sunday Yeovil Cycling Club are promoting a day of circuit racing on the Sparkford Musuem Track (10 am start). There are school age events and a full programme
of junior and senior races in the afternoon.

Picture: CLIVE Brooks - 17 victories so far with the prospect of a few more yet to come.

18th July 1991

Cyclist Coward back to his best

LOCAL cycle sport enthusiasts enjoyed a week of varied competition starting with the circuit race training event at Merryfield on Tuesday.
Over 40 riders turned out for a hard fought event with frequent attacks stretching the field.
After 25 miles, it was comeback rider Dave Coward (Team Zoyland), who seems to be regaining his old form, who won.
Two days later the Taunton Vale CRA held its annual four-up team time trial on the A88 near Wellington. Fourteen teams contested the event and a composite team from Heron RC and
Team Zoyland were fastest, covering 20 miles in just over 48 minutes. Wellington Wheelers, Chard Wheelers and Somerset Road Club filled the next three places, and Yeovil
teams were fifth and sixth.
The combination of veterans Dave Driver and Nick Armstrong, along with senior Steve Paul and junior Gareth Davies, clocked 50.04.

Dropped
Paul and Driver did most of the pacemaking and Davies was dropped before the halfway mark after starting too fast. Yeovil’s second team of seniors Mark Johnson, Gareth Evans and Stuart Wroot with junior Lee Ackland finished in 50.11, the hills causing them problems.
Yeovil’s club time trial on the same evening still managed to attract 18 riders, with John Saunders winning the 10-mile event with 23.37m. Chris Foot clocked 24.07 for second and Alan
Brimacombe, a former top time triallist with Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers now with Devon club CS Dynamo, recorded 24.15, his best for several years.
Junior Andrew Pinder returned a personal best for the second week running, improving by over a minute to 24.52. Juvenile Steve Green also improved by 25 seconds, recording 27.18.
On Sunday Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) was a runaway winner in the Redstock 25 on the Bridgewater Flats, recording 54.30. Yeovil CC’s Bill Dycer recorded his second personal
beet in three days, clocking 1.05.5.

11th July 1991

Keep it in the family

YEOVIL cyclist Pat Ellery recorded a personal best time of 26.218 in the Western Woman’s CA 10-mile event near Swindon. Husband Danny, riding a fixed wheel machine in the following veterans invitation race, clocked 23-11s to complete a fine time trial double.
Chards Dave Pitman won the same evenings Merryfield circuit training event, breaking away in the closing stages of a fast 25-mile race. He just held off the main bunch, led home by
Tauntons Greg Sandy.
Thursdays Yeovil Club 10-mile event was won by another Chard Wheeler on a windy evening. Mark Antell scored his first win since returning to the roads this season, recording 23-51s.
Yeovil pair Dave Driver and Mark Johnson both clocked 24-15s for equal second.

Record
Polytechnics Clive Brooks, from Castle Cary, won his 18th race of the season, the Bridgwater Flats and the Clevedon 10, with 21-23s. Driver broke the club veteran record with a time of 22-01 in Saturdays Swindon RC 10-mile ride. But he was forced to take second place behind Welsh wizard John Pritchard, who broke the course record with 19-18s.
Another Yeovil veteran record fell later the same day, to Tony White in the West London CA 25 at Didcot in Oxon. He clocked 56-56s to set a new age standard of plus 14- 43s -- and on his 51st birthday too!
Travelling companion Mark Johnson returned a creditable time of 58-37, his best for four years.
That man Brooks was in triumphant form again on Sunday, winning back on the Bridgwater course in the Somer Valley 25, clocking 54- 52. Rex Fancy, of Chard, recorded a personal best 56-44s for second place, leading the Wheelers to the team prize. He was backed up by Pitman (58-56s) and Antell (59-12s).
Yeovil’s Saunders clocked 1-01-41s and Bill Dycer 1-1- 41.
The new circuit racing formation at the Sparkford Motor Museum track went off very well with 100 cyclists from Under-11s to first category seniors and veterans.

Pat crashes

PATRICK Mahon, Yeovil’s big hope in the English Schools cycling races at Sparkford, suffered an untimely end to his under-15 race - he crashed on the one lap time trial when a
tyre rolled off. The British Cycling Federation events in the afternoon were longer with 17 laps for juveniles (under-16) and 50 laps for juniors and seniors.
Andrew Mummery (VC St Raphael) won the juvenile race, Andrew Appleby (Corinium) the junior, and Spencer Wilson (CS Purbeck) the 3rd category senior event. St Raphaels Ian Rees won the senior race for all categories.

25th July 1991

Brooks best again
Cary’s Clive just great

LOCAL cycling star Clive Brooks, a Westland air frame fitter from Castle Cary, can perform well at any distance. He started his campaign with a winning 21-minute ride in the St
Budeaux 10 mile event near Plymouth. And on Sunday he recorded an excellent 3-48-15s for second place in the Bournemouth Jubilee 100-mile marathon race.
He was only beaten by Southampton’s former multi event champion Glen Longland (Antelope RC) who clocked 3-43-21s.
The course was based on Wimborne and riders travelled through the New Forest to Cadnam in the east, back to Bere Regis in the west, before returning to Wimborne.
Yeovil’s John Saunders was the fastest veteran at St Budeaux, clocking 23-38s besom choosing to compete in Sundays Mendip 25 instead of Bournemouth.

Veteran
He returned 1-00-32s, his best this year, and fellow Yeovil veteran Danny Ellery clocked 1-1-17s. Ellery’s son-in-law, Coventry Olympics Geoff Giddings, won with 55-42s.
Four local cyclists rode the CC Weymouth’s Lloyd Coward Memorial road race at Portland, meanwhile. Heron SC’s Steve Paul attacked in the closing laps of the 50KM race and, as he was caught, the winning run was made.
Two CS Purbeck riders broke clear with junior Dave Rand triumphant in the sprint finish. Another Purbeck rider, Spencer Wilson, lead the trailing pack home. Paul was 13th with Nick Armstrong of Yeovil 16th.
Yeovil juniors Gareth Davies and Jonathon Sowerby have still to regain their form after exams and holidays, failing to finish. The evening club events were not well supported, bad
weather the culprit at Merryfield keeping the entry down to 27.
And just 10 riders took to the road for the weekly 10- mile time trial. The circuit event was dominated by Tauntons Dave Coward and Greg Sandy. They attacked from the start and stayed clear for a long spell, winning in that order. Armstrong finished a creditable fifth, his best placing this summer.
Dave Driver won the time trial with 28-22s, just six seconds ahead of Wellington Wheeler R Pickersgill. Gareth Evans of Yeovil was third at nine seconds with Mid-Devon rider Neil
Boxall fourth on 35. Personal beets were recorded by Dave Notley (26-32) and juvenile Steve Green (27-03).

1st August 1991

Records Galore

YEOVIL veteran time triallist John Saunders turned in a recordbreaking ride in the Poole Wheelers 10 mile event. His personal best time of 21:34s set a new age standard record of
plus 6:258 and was only seven seconds off the Senior record. Twelve of the 23 riders at the following days Yeovil 10 mile trial gained personal bests. But Saunders could not
reproduce his previous evening"s ride, finishing one second slower than winner Dave Driver (22:13s). Mark Antell, of Chard Wheelers, was third with 22:15s.
Conditions for the cyclists were perfect -- what they call 'a float evening. Most dramatic improvement came from Sparkford rider Dave Notley. Riding a low profile machine with tri-bars for the first time he clocked 23:45s, over two minutes better than his previous best time.
Other personals amongst the senior ranks were Gareth Evans (22:22s) in fifth place and Bill Dycer (22:56s) in eighth Veterans Driver, Saunders and Tony White between them clocked up a new aggregate club veteran record but not for long.
On Saturday the trio rode the Swindon 10 mile and improved still further. Saunders was the fastest with 21:52s and, with personals from Driver (21:59s) and White (22:03s), they set
a new senior team record and a veteran age standard record of plus 17.251, Clive Brooks, meanwhile continued his domination of local time trials with a win in the Wellington Wheelers 25 at Axbridge on Sunday in a time of 55:13s. Fastest Yeovil rider was Danny Ellery (59:28) while Saunders continued his good spell with his first sub-hour ride of the season 59:39s. Evans was next with 1:2:01s but a disappointed Dycer trailed in on 1:2:01s.
Lady rider Pat Ellery was stung in the mouth by a wasp in the closing miles but finished in 1:10:49s.
Veteran Driver took a break from time trialling to ride a 77 mile road race on Sunday, The Farnham Autumn race was part of the veterans national championship series and the 55 strong field included all the top riders. Driver finished well up in the first half but felt afterwards he still had a lot left so could have finished even higher.

22nd August 1991

Driver runs into cow trouble

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs veteran time trialist Dave Driver rode well in the Weston Wheelers 50 on Sunday.
The course is not one of the fastest, based on Axbridge and the A38, but with excursions off onto the narrow roads to Mark. Driver encountered a herd of cows just before the Mark
turn which meant he had to pass through them twice. His time of 2-5-14 gave him fifth place overall and fastest veteran. Weston Wheeler Mike Potter was the winner with 2-0-48.
In the Bournemouth Jubilee 25 at Ringwood on the same morning another Yeovil veteran, John Saunders, narrowly missed a sub-hour ride when he clocked 1-0-02 while Bill Dycer was a minute outside his best, returning 1-1-40.
Local star Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) travelled to Didcot to ride the Westerly RC 100-mile event. He took third place with a time of 3-56-05. The midweek racing was
well supported with 48 riders at Merryfield circuit on Tuesday. The pace was high, over 26 mph, with no attacking moves making any headway. VC Taunton’s Shaun Foweraker, who has been racing in France for five months, took first place from Greg Sandy (Somerset RC) and Simon Pearce (Weston Wheelers).
Thursday evenings 15-mile time trial was won by Brooks who clocked a rapid 32.04. Yeovil’s Driver was second (34-31) and Danny Ellery third (34:46). The younger riders turned
in some good times with junior Jonathan Sowerby fifth with 35.48 and juvenile
Chris Davies seventh, clocking 36.02. Twenty-two riders competed and their speeds were between Brooks 28 mph and lady veteran Pat Ellery’s 21.8mph.

15th August 1991

Saunders best yet

YEOVIL veteran time triallist John Saunders turned in a recordbreaking ride in the Poole Wheelers 10 mile event. His personal best time of 21:34s set a new age standard record of
plus 6:258 and was only seven seconds off the Senior record.
Twelve of the 23 riders at the following days Yeovil 10 mile trial gained personal bests. But Saunders could not reproduce his previous evening"s ride, finishing one second slower than winner Dave Driver (22:13s). Mark Antell, of Chard Wheelers, was third with 22:15s.
Conditions for the cyclists were perfect -- what they call 'a float evening. Most dramatic improvement came from Sparkford rider Dave Notley. Riding a low profile machine with tri-bars for the first time he clocked 23:45s, over two minutes better than his previous best time.
Other personals amongst the senior ranks were Gareth Evans (22:22s) in fifth place and Bill Dycer (22:56s) in eighth Veterans Driver, Saunders and Tony White between them clocked up a new aggregate club veteran record but not for long.
On Saturday the trio rode the Swindon 10 mile and improved still further. Saunders was the fastest with 21:52s and, with personals from Driver (21:59s) and White (22:03s), they set
a new senior team record and a veteran age standard record of plus 17.251.
Clive Brooks, meanwhile continued his domination of local time trials with a win in the Wellington Wheelers 25 at Axbridge on Sunday in a time of 55:13s,
Fastest Yeovil rider was Danny Ellery (59:28) while Saunders continued his good spell with his first sub-hour ride of the season - 59:39s. Evans was next with 1:2:01s but a disappointed Dycer trailed in on 1'2:01s.
Lady rider Pat Ellery was stung in the mouth by a wasp in the closing miles but finished in 1:10;49s.
Veteran Driver took a break from time trialling to ride a 77 mile road race on Sunday, The Farnham Autumn race was part of the veterans national championship series and the 55 strong field included all the top riders.
Driver finished well up in the first half but felt afterwards he still had a lot left so could have finished even higher.

22nd August 1991

Gareth makes a mark

YEOVIL Cyclin Clubs top junior, Gareth Davies, is rapidly making his mark in Westcountry circuit racing with his fast finishing sprint.
At Hengrove Park in Bristol on Tuesday Davies rode three events in the under-18 category, finishing third, second and then winning the handicap race, riding from the scratch group.
Younger brother Chris also took a third place in the under-16 race.
On Saturday afternoon Gareth won again on Devons Dunkswell airfield circuit. Races under 50k only carry half points for license upgrading with three for a first place. Davies
acquired nine points last week which will count towards his second category licence when he joins the senior ranks next year.
At the same meeting, veteran Nick Armstrong was in the leading group and finished ninth in the senior race and Patrick Mahon was second in the juvenile event.
The veteran time trial team turned its attention to club 25 mile team records this week. Riding in the South Wales veteran 25 on the Usk - Monmouth road all three recorded personal bests.

Record
Tony White was the fastest, clocking 56.29, followed by John Saunders (56.59) and Dave Driver (57.19). Their aggregate time is a new senior record, beating the 1981 time of
1.21 and an age standard record of plus 44.10.
Saunders set a new individual veteran standard record of plus 15.12 and Whites time is the fastest by a Yeovil rider this year and gave him fifth place overall in the race.
Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) won Yeovil’s Thursday evening 10mile time trial, clocking 21:35, well ahead of second placed Chard Wheeler Mark Antell (22.20) and Yeovil veteran
Saunders with 23.07. Junior Jonathan Sowerby took fourth place with a personal best of 23.88 and juvenile Chris Davies was only three seconds slower in fifth spot. Twentyeight riders made this race the best supported so far this year, with next weeks the last one as the light is now failing.

29th August 1991

Evans Above! Gareth fastest

YEOVIL Cycling Club’s time trialists are travelling far afield in their search for fast courses but this weeks trip to Bodley near Oxford was not very successful.
The 25 mile competition record of 48:07 had been set on the course in June so hopes were high. Of the six riders who left Yeovil Saturday morning, two had traffic problems
and arrived late at the start; one punctured after only 200 yards and the three remaining found conditions far from ideal and were nearly two minutes slower than usual.
Gareth Evans was fastest, clocking 58:08, followed by Dave Driver with 58:59 and John Saunders (59:30). The winner was former champion John Pritchard (Polytechnic CC) who returned 50:52.
Driver and Evans were in action the following day at Castle Coombe in the Western Division circuit championship. Riding in the senior event they were always at the front of the
field but missed the one vital breakaway in the closing miles of the 40 mile race in which the riders averaged 27 mph.

Juniors

In the junior race Yeovil riders were again prominent with Gareth Davies taking one of the special sprint lap prizes and Jonathan Sowerby trying a lone breakaway; Both were later
forced to chase down a breakaway with other riders offering little help. Their efforts tired then and blunted their finishing speed but Davies still managed seventh place.
Chris Davies finished well up in the first 10 in the juvenile event.
The mid-week club events went well with Yeovil riders winning both events.
Tuesdays Merryfield circuit event was won junior rider Sowerby who broke away with Heron Road Club’s Andre Blacker with two laps of the 21 mile event remaining and just
held off the main field, led home by Andrew Bartlett (VC Taunton) in third place and Yeovil’s Pat Mahon in fourth. Some 43 riders started and the average speed was 26 mph.
Thursdays 10 mile time trial was the last of this seasons evening series and the best supported with 29 riders.
Yeovil veteran Tony White won with a personal best time of 21:30. Driver clocked 22:01 for second and Chards Mark Antell was third in 22:17. Conditions were good and
there were persons for Sowerby (22:24), Stuart Wroot (23:03), Nigel Letheren (28:20), Nick Armstrong (23:51), Chris Fendt (24:00) and event organiser Andy Pugsley (25:25).
Pat Ellery set a new veteran ladies record for the Yeovil club, clocking 25:49;
On Sunday morning 63 riders met in Yeovil for the sixth annual Somdor Hilly 100km cycle tourist event. These events are not races but are certainly a test of stamina.

5th September 1991

Driver clocks record

YEOVIL veteran time triallist Dave Driver recorded a personal best in the Gordano Valley 100. His 4-27-31s time was an improvement of 1.20s and gave him the fastest veteran
award and seventh fastest overall.
The event was based on the A38 north of Bristol and attracted an entry of 54 riders with Aylesbury CCs Simon Howes winning in 4-3 47s.
Six Yeovil riders contested the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10 on the Wareham-Dorchester road at Owermoigne on Saturday. Best performances came from Gareth Evans (23-31s) and junior Gareth Davies who, riding his new low- profile machine for the first time, clocked 23-34s. Stuart Wroot recorded 25- 53s, Andy Millward 25-01, Dave Notley 25-20 and juvenile Steven Green 27-30. CS Purbeck rider Mark Foden was the winner, clocking 22-09s.
Nick Armstrong was the only Yeovil road racer in action on Sunday. He rode the Abergavenny RC 60 mile race and was placed equal 10th in the same time as winner C Rudall of
the promoting club.
Thursday evenings Merryfield circuit events will end next week as the light is fading fast and the recent one was shortened to 16 miles. Somerset RC’s Greg Sandy came through the bunch to win from Weston Wheelers Mark Gibbs and Simon Pierce.

12th September 1991

Cary man stakes a claim

CASTLE Cary’s cycling star Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) staked his claim to a high placing in time trialings premier competition, the British Best All-rounder championship, in Sundays Southampton Wheelers 50.
Brooks, currently fifth in the championship which is based on a riders best 50, 100 mile and 12-hour times, recorded a personal best 1-46--13 which was an improvement of 47 seconds over his best this year. His time was good enough to give him second place in the event behind Southamptons Glen Longland (Antelope RT) who clocked 1--43-51 to extend his lead in the championship.
Longland last won the championship in ’86 and Brooks best placing was ninth in ’89.
The Yeovil CC riders rode well, with veterans Dave Driver and John Saunders clocking 1--59--36 and 1-59--57, and Gareth Evans recording a personal best 2-1-39.
Veteran roadman Nick Armstrong rode the Kingwood Road Race on the same day and found it tough going. The 54-mile race for 60 third category riders included nearly 3,000 feet of climbing in the Cotswolds and Armstrong finished 30th, four minutes down on winner Dave Coward (Team Zoyland).
The final Merryfield Circuit event was one of the fastest of the year at 27 mph, which meant there were few attacking moves. Tauntons Shaun Foweraker was first, Yeovil’s Gareth Davies second and Coward third.
This Saturday, Yeovil Cycling Club promotes an open 10 mile time trial on the Camel Cross - Podimore - Ilchester course. There is a full field of 120, with first man off at 4 pm. Clive Brooks is the favourite, and there is a tenner on offer to anyone who beats his course record of 20-49.

19th September 1991

The French Connection

YEOVIL Cycling Club veterans Dave Driver and Nick Armstrong came fourth in class when they travelled to Marigny in Northern France to ride in the Duo Normand international team trial over 52km.
Teams started at 90-second intervals, and the local men delighted their French service car driver by overtaking six teams who started ahead of them.
Driver and Armstrong knocked four minutes off last years time. They finished in 1-21-40 compared with the winners 1--17-13.
Yeovil’s third category senior pair of Steve Paul and Stuart Wroot clocked 1--24-30 for 31st place in class. Wroot found the hills rather daunting while the lighter Paul revelled in them.
Taunton Vale Cycle Racing Association held their annual two-stage hill climb in the Quantocks on Sunday.
Wellington Wheeler Pete Shelley won with an aggregate time of 16- 01 and Yeovil rider Neil Boxall was second with 17-29. In third place was Chards Mike Penrose. He is better known as a marathon runner but it giving cycling a try with some success and clocked 17-56.
Yeovil’s Paul Rocket was second junior, clocking 20-30, and Steve Green was second juvenile in 22- 23.
Dave Drive rode his last event of the year on the same day near Oxford. The Veteran Time Trial Association 25 was allowed a
double field of 240 riders, all over 40. The winner was former national champion John Pritchard in 51-45.
Driver managed 57-35, only 16 second outside his best.
Clive Brooks, the top local time trial star, finished fifth in the British Best All-rounder championship with an aggregate speed of
25.7 mph for 50,100 miles and 12 hour raced. He improved on all distances this year and his almost half a mile an hour faster than his previous best performance in 1989 when he was ninth.

Picture: DAVE DRIVER -Yeovils best rider this year

10th October 1991

Brooks best again

CLIVE Brooks, the Polytechnic cycling star, shaved eight seconds off his own course record to win Saturdays Yeovil club 10 mile time trial in 20.41m.
Second placed Adrian Rowley, from Gloucester City (20.44m) and Herons Andrew McLean, who was third in 20.48m, were both also inside the old record.
Mid-Devons Graham Boswell was the fastest junior and fourth in 21.45m while Dursley’s S Barnes was fifth (21.52m).
Polytechnic's Ian Wallace was quickest veteran, tying for sixth place with the best of the ten Channel Island riders, A Godden (Caesarean) , in 21.57m.
Plymouth Corinthians J Grafton (23.23m) was the best juvenile while Jane Parsons of Wellington was the fastest lady, clocking 25.40m.
Heron took the team award with McLean, A Cloud and local rider Steve Paul.
Yeovil’s best riders 'were Dave Driver (22.38m), John Saunders (23.04m), Andy Millward (23.32m) and Bill Dycer (23.37m).
Brooks was still on top form on Sunday, winning the Andover Wheelers 25 mile event. He clocked an excellent 53.13m, over a minute clear of his nearest rival. '
Veteran Saunders proved to be Yeovil’s star, clocking 58.27m with Driver close behind on 58 34m.

26th September 1991

Wroot problem

YEOVIL cyclists Andy Millward and Stuart Wroot competed in the massively popular Swindon RC 10 mile time trial on Sunday.
The race, termed a middle markers event, was open to any rider who had not beaten 23 minutes for the distance.
The course, on the Stratton bypass, is one of the fastest in the country given the right conditions and the event was over subscribed by 160 riders.
The dull, misty morning was not that fast, however, Wroot only clocking 23.16m and Millward 23.28m. An American won in 21.02m.
A Grand Prix des Gentleman is a race where a veteran (over 40) is paced by a younger rider and are popular end of season events. One such race is the Christopher GP, a 25-mile time trial at Ringwood where, last Sunday, Clive Brooks paced another Castle Cary rider, Jim Bartlett.
Bartlett, a very fit 59-year-old, creditable 58.08m time, over five minutes better than his best for this year.
The Yeovil club hill climb championship will be staged next Sunday morning at 10.30 am on High Ham Hill. Jonathon Sowerby will be defending his title.

17th October 1991

Wroot loss is a gain

STUART Wroot surprised everyone on the slopes of High Ham on Sunday when he won the Yeovil Cycling Club’s hill climb championship.
Wroot was not rated as a climber but he had been spurred on by his poor performance on the hills in the recent French time trial - and decided to lose some weight! ' He arrived at the hill on Sunday half a stone lighter and, by choosing higher gears than most on the wind-assisted course, flew up in three minutes and 15 seconds.
Chris Fendt was second, three seconds adrift, and junior Paul Rockett third with three minutes and 22 seconds.
Veteran Dave Driver clocked 3.30 and Gareth Evans, last years runner-up, was suffering the effects of a cold and slipped to fifth position with 3.32.
Andy Johnson was sixth recording 3.35 in his first competitive event. Steve Green was fastest juvenile, improving 42 seconds on last year to clock 4.05.
Also riding in his first event was thirteen-year- old Andrew Tearle, who recorded 5.20. At the other end of thescale, Mid Devon RC’s guest rider Neil Boxall, an established hill climber, turned in the best morning time, 3.15.
The seasons time trials came to an end with the Poole Wheeler 25 mile event, rearranged after being initially called off last month. Sunday comings cold breeze on the A35- based course kept the times down. Only Clive Brooks (Polytechnic CC) mastered the conditions, recording 56.13. Brooks was over three minutes ahead of Bournemouth’s Mike Tarrant, the only other rider under the hour mark. Yeovil’s Bill Dycer clocked 1.05.07, well below his best.

24 October 1991

YEOVIL Cycling Club members who received trophies at their presentation luncheon, pictured with president Ivy Andrews. From left: Stuart Wroot, Dave Driver,
Tony White, Patrick Mahon, Steven Green, Wild Perry (club chairman) and Nick Armstrong.

19th Dec 1991