Archives 1995

Yeovil’s season off to a good start

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs road race team opened their seasons campaign in South Devon riding the Springtime Pursuit at Chudleigh Knighton.
Riders 'in the 35 mile handicap race started according to ability with groups for women, juniors, veterans and the three senior categories.
The elite first cats began nine minutes down on the scratch racers who were fast with a pack of three breaking clear and holding a 30 second lead over a chasing group of about 30 riders.
Yeovil’s Chris Absolom started in the second cat group and won the bunch sprint for sixth place. His team-mate Nick Armstrong won the first veteran award crossing the line in 14th. Martin Bailey finished off the pace in 20th.
A full season lies ahead for Yeovil cyclists and the club will be staging six open races this year starting on 2 April with a double bill of road racing in the Pittards and Ham Hill Trophy.
The 80 mile John Andrew Memorial race is on 16 July with an open 25 mile time trial and two ten mile races also being held.
The popular Thursday evening time trial series runs from 20 April to 24 August while circuit racing is at Merryfield airfield on Tuesdays from April to September.
For the less energetic club runs depart Yeovils old station car park on Sundays at 9.05am

2nd March 1995

Brooks sets a new record

CLIVE Brooks won the Chippenham and District Wheelers hilly time trial in record time, clocking 59.14 on Sunday.
It was the first time a deer had beaten the hour on the demanding 27 mile twisting lane circuit and he was 3.44 faster than surprlse runner-up unseeded Nigel Winter.
Yeovil’s road team tackled the Primera Sport Handicap at Barnsfield Heath near Ringwood.
Nick Armstrong was the first to go in the veterans and despite being baulked by a slower rider on the last lap he finished ninth.
In form Mike Loader was promoted to the race event for third cats, firsts and seconds where he joined teammate Chris Absolom. As rain fell Absolom crashed as a rival locked his
wheels and slid into him. Loader was close behind the incident and touched a pedal corning too fast. He managed to stay upright but his rear tyre punctured as he finished eighth.

16th March 1995

Winning start for Clive

TIME trial expert Clive Brooks started his season winning the St Budeaux 25 clocking 52-18 to finish more than five minutes ahead of his rivals on Sunday.
The Marston Magna star has won the South Devon event three years running.
Brooks is concentrating on shorter distance events this year with the National 10 and 25 mile championships his main goals, but he may ride a 50 or two.
Yeovil Cycling Clubs roadmen were at Barnsfield Heath near Ringwood for the first of a four race series in the Primera Sport Handicap.
The Somerset men started in the first group with three more groups chasing at short intervals. With points for the first three over the line in each of the 13 three mile laps the pace was fast and furious.
Yeovils newest recruit Mike Loader was soon in action winning one sprint and coming third in another. Veteran Nick Armstrong and Martin Bailey were now to the fore.
Brian Taylor of Bournemouth Arrow took the honours with Armstrong, 23rd, Loader, 25th, and Bailey 30th. Loader had his first race for 17 years, having competed as a junior with Poole Wheelers.

9th March 1995

Olympian Dighton pipped by Clive

CLIVE Brooks, of Yeovil Cycling Club, won the Sotonia 10 clocking 20.09 at Thruxton to finish 27 seconds faster than former Olympian Gary Dighton on Saturday.
On his first outing of the season, Stoke-sub-Hamdons Alan Brimecombe of VC Camelot recorded 23.12 while Ansford veteran Jim Bartlett was pleased with his 25.44.
The following day Brooks partnered Team Zoyland veteran Dave Barnes in the Weston Wheelers 10 mile team time trial.
Despite being an ill matched pair, with Brooks too fast for his partner, they clocked the fastest time 21.47, three seconds better than the Plymouth Corinthians team of Lyons and Dinham.
Chris Absolom is doing well as Yeovil club riders concentrate on road racing and he was placed eighth in a good field in the 54 mile circuit of the Mendips at Bishop Sutton.
Nick Armstrong and Mike Loader both rode well in the third Primera Sport Handicap at Bamsfield Heath. The leading veteran was again Armstrong, and Loader scored one third place in a lap sprint. He launched a lone effort to bridge the gap to the winning breakaway group on the last lap and came 14th with Armstrong on his wheel.

23 March 1995

Clive rides poorly but wins easily

DESPITE feeling he had ridden poorly, VC Camelot racer Clive Brooks won the Yeovil 10 by a large 1 minute.15 second margin on Sunday, clocking 20.50.
Douglas Northcott won his section with 22.55 as riders battled against cold morning conditions. Mendip CCs I Hounsell recorded 23.53 and won the best improvement award.
VC Camelot might have been team winners but a for mechanical failure on Danny Ellery’s bike.
Chard Wheelers had the best turnout of local clubs with Rod Antell the fastest on 22.37.
Brooks and Northcott had been in action on Saturday on the Bridgwater flats. Brooks won the Wellington Wheelers 10 in a course and event record time of 20.14.
Northcott, Yeovils top junior won the Southern Area English Schools 10 mile championship with 22.51. VC Camelot’s Blackwell recorded a personal best 26.17 in the Wellington event.
Nick Armstrong of Yeovil had a good weekend in Veterans League events. He was fifth in the hilly 3 mile Great Whitley race near Stourport on Saturday while winning the 50-54 age group in a fast 45 mile event at Thruxton the next day.
Not so lucky was Yeovil’s Chris Absolom in the senior race at the same meeting on the motor race track.
In a 70 rider mass sprint finish he was placed fifth or sixth by most observers. But when he checked the results the judges had not put him in the top ten. He has lodged an appeal.

13 April 1995

Mahon a fraction away from the Pittard Trophy

YEOVIL rider Patrick Mahon came within a tries breadth of winning the Pittard Trophy road race in an exciting mass finish on Sunday.
The fast pace throughout the 43 mile race made breakaways difficult and resulted in a 40 rider bunch sprint finish with the judges only able to place the first SIX.
Winning by the narrowest of margins was Phil Powley of IPM Racing ahead of Mahon and Kirby CCs Steve Duckers was third. Yeovil club riders Mike Loader, Andy Tearle and Martin
Bailey were in the bunch.
Even faster was the senior 58 mile Ham Hill Trophy event with an average speed of more than 26mph.
But a breakaway did succeed and a group of eight riders formed at the head of the race. In the closing miles Lee Davis of newly formed Team Energy attacked having his breakaway companions for dead to power in 37 seconds ahead.
Runner-up was Darren Hardy of VC St Raphael ahead of Team Total Fitnesss Dave Rutty.
Yeovil road racer Nick Armstrong rode the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists 40 mile Verwood race finishing fourth overall and second in the 50-54 age group.
Armstrong had led the chase of two breakaway riders and left the chasers on the last hill, but Taunton’s Pete Sandy went with him and pipped him on the line.
VC Camelot Clive Brooks continued his domination of the time trial scene winning the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 42k hilly event, recording 56.23.
The race started in Wimborne and there was a prize for the fastest over the first mile to Badbury Rings and Brooks added that £7.50 to his £100 first prize.
This was the first of five time trials with other events over distances of 100, 50, 25 and 10 km. A series with awards totalling £500 for riders gaining most points overall and is part of the Bournemouth clubs 60th anniversary celebrations.
Yeovil club members will be busy this weekend as those not riding will be helping with their 10 mile open time trial on Sunday morning.
First of the 70 riders will start at 7.30am at Camel Hill on the A303 riding via Podimore roundabout to Ilchester and retracing to finish before Camel Cross. Brooks starts favourite.

April 1995

Wroot third in bunched finish

ON his first outing of the season Yeovil Cycling Clubs Stuart Wroot collected four road race points in the Poole Wheelers 50k Holton Heath event.
Wroot took third place in the bunch sprint and Martin Bailey finished off the pace in 15th.
Clive Brooks, the VC Camelot racer, scored a significant victory in the Mid Oxon 25 at Botley, recording 52.39 to win by nine seconds in a high class field.
Brooks was racing his new bike for the first time and his riding position was imperfect with further improvements possible.
Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong rode a good race and was involved in the attacking moves in the special veterans event at Somer Valleys Castle Coombe races. Armstrong came 11th as 40 riders contested the sprint.
In the afternoon three Yeovil juniors rode their event. Patrick Mahon of Team Total Fitness was best placed in eighth, but Douglas Northcott impressed with a solo breakaway attempt and Andrew Tearle finished strongly..
The Yeovil club are staging their Pittards and Ham Hill Trophy races on Sunday morning. Both events have full fields of 60 riders plus ten reserves.
The course is the usual route through Yeovil, Mudford, Queen Camel, Bridgehampton, Yeovilton, Ilchester and back to Yeovil. The juniors ride three laps and the seniors four.
This year the start will be at Ilchester (10 and 10.45am) and the finish is outside RNAS Yeovilton 12.30 to 1pm).
Coppits Hill will be a good viewing place for spectators.
The Senior Ham Hill Trophy has 24 first category riders including former national champion Simon Bray and local star Chris Absolom.
Pittards are again sponsoring their trophy race, where Yeovil’s Wroot and Bailey and backed by Mike Loader, Andy Tearle and Paul Croome.

30th March 1995

Holiday Double for Camelot’s Brooks

CLIVE Brooks recorded two more victories over the Easter weekend. His first success was in the Bournemouth Arrow 10 at Ferndown where he clocked 20.32.
VC Camelot club Alan Brimecombe recorded 23.10. and Stoke-sub-Hamdon’s Catherine' Fraser 27.04.
A Winning margin of three minutes saw Brooks clock 52.27 in winning the Plymouth Corinthians 25.
Again finishing well was Brimecombe on 59.13, Yeovils Nick Armstrong on 1.03.Q1. And Ansfords Jim Bartlett 1.09.08
Large groups of riders tested Yeovil Clubs road team at Castle Combe in the Chippenham circuit races Stuart Wroot had to wait until the next day to collect points on his licence but this time it was a track event. He was pleased with his first performance on the track this season in the Portsmouth Open meeting at Mountbatten Centre
His best placing was fourth in the five mile scratch race behind national kilo champion Rob Hayes. Wroot is the only local man riding the track and his nearest venue is at Southampton.
Midweek action sees Yeovil time trials tonight at Podimore starting at 7pm

20th April 1995

Brooks warms up for national

CLIVE Brooks scored two convincing victories as his form improves for the National 25 Championship on 4 June.
The Yeovil-based rider clocked up 51.47 minutes to finish 90 seconds ahead of the rest of the field in the Andover Wheelers 25.
Yeovils Douglas Northcott recorded a personal best of 59.02 to win the junior section and Nick Young also smashed his best time with 1.00.40.
Chard Wheelers riders were led home by Rod Antell 56.44, Rob Ayres 59.40, Joe Wenglorz 1.00.20 and Andy Lawrence 1.4.20.
Brooks averaged 25mph when he clocked 1.3.43 and gained his second triumph of the weekend in a 27 mile hilly event hosted by Westbury Wheelers.
Nick Armstrong missed out on a top ten place when he rode a League of Veteran Racing Cyclists race over 49 miles at the Thruxton circuit.

18th May 1995

CYCLING. Clive Brooks completed his preparations for next weeks National 10 mile Championship at Coventry by winning the Heron two stage time trial in Devon.
Brooks clocked 20.50 to win the ten mile Ashburton event and completed a comfortable double in a 25 mile Chudleigh contest recording 53.33.

4th May 1995

Brooks takes 50 miles in his stride

IT was double the distance and double the winning margin for Clive Brooks as he won his first 50-mile race of the season.
The VC Camelot racer, who is winning 25 events at will, clocked 1.50.02 to finish eight minutes ahead of runner-up Gary Fouracre (Mendip CC) 1.58.13 in the Bristol South CC event on Sunday.
Linda Blackwell was Camelot’s first winner of the weekend recording 27.22 to win the Weston Wheelers 10 ladies event on a cold and windy Bridgwater flats course.
Stuart Wroot was Yeovil’s fastest competitor during Saturdays mens race on 24.12 ahead of Nick Young 24.14 and Martin Bailey 24.53. John Saunders clocked 24.28 and on his first outing this year Bill Dycer came home in 25.47.
Nick Armstrong came ninth in his latest veterans league event near Hereford to give him fourth place in the 50 to 54 age group.
Douglas Northcott triumphed in 24.18 to win a midweek ten mile time trial on the new Blackford to Sparkford course with Chris Absolom 24.26 and Alan Hayter 24.34 behind.

25th May 1995

Mahons late burst wins it

SOMERTON’S Douglas Nor thcott showed strongly in the English Schools Southern Area Championship over 15s race at Merryfield Airfield.
But Patrick Mahon of Yeovil won in great style attacking in the last half mile. Northcott finished sixth.
Mahon completed a double wining the BCF junior event, beating Bournemouths Paul Whitfield in a sprint finish.
Mike Loader rode the third category senior race and although he and Chards Andy Lawrence led a chasing pack they were unable to make an impression on the leaders.
Only a dozen riders signed on for the first, second and third category open race with Chris Absolom and Martin Bailey finishing seventh and eighth
respectively. Taunton’s Greg Sandy won.
Mendip CC rider Gary Fouracre won a Thursday evening ten mile time trial on the A303 in 22.33 ahead of Northcott 23.04. The chasing pack
included Rob Ayres and Absolom.
Jane Nutkin of South Petherton is riding well in mountain bike events and was 14th in the second Southern Area MTB series race at Brentwood, Essex.

27th April 1995

Unlucky 13th for Brooks in National 25

A NIGHTMARE day for Clive Brooks saw the prolific time trial winner finished a disappointing 13th in the National 25 Championship near Chester.
Things started to go wrong on Brooks big day when travelling partner Dave Barnes was unable to go.
New travel plans meant Brooks leaving home at 3am for a four hour journey for his 8.10am start on the Chester to Wrexham road course.
A leg injury requiring anti-biotics also started to trouble the VC Camelot racer as he found the course unsuited to his big geared style.
He clocked 55.18 behind winner Richard Prebble who recorded 52.03.
Brooks was hopeful of a medal after setting a course record 50.38 time in a Mid Devon RC event at Buckfastleigh three days before.
Yeovil’s Chris Absolom finished seventh in a tough, Western Division Championship road race based on a Wellington to Tiverton circuit.
Veteran VC Camelot rider John Saunders broke the hour for the first time this year clocking 59.51 in the Reading CC 25 at Aldermaston on Saturday.

8th June 1995

Brooks is class act

THE only rider to top 30mph, Castle Cary's Clive Brooks was in a class of his own cloclking a rapid 19.55 to win the Crabwood CC ten mile time trial.
He finished 40 seconds ahead of runner-up Brian Taylor.
However, it was Yeovil’s Stuart Wroot who produced the ride of the day as he improved his best time by 44 seconds to record 22.23.
Wroot’s teammates Nick Young 22.57 and Martin Bailey also set personal bests. .
In the veterans event good times were recorded by the Camelot trio of Alan Brimecombe 22.40, John Saunders 22.42 and Bill Dycer 23.18.
Brooks was in unbeatable form again on Monday clocking 20.49 to win the Poole Wheelers 10.
Brimecombe finished on 23.09 ahead of Douglas Northcott 23.21 and Saunders 23.51.
Chris Absolom has qualified as one of road racings elite first category licence holders after gaining enough points when coming eighth in the 7 mile South Brent event in Devon on Sunday.

1st June 1995

Clive’s well clear

LAST man off CliveBrooks sped around in 53.29 to win the Weston Wheelers 25 by more than three minutes from Mendips Dave Russell 56.55.
Yeovil’s Nick Young clocked 1.3.30 with teammate Terry White unable to find form finishing on 1.7.11. Jim Bartlet' clocked a creditable 1.8.01I
Midweek action at Merryfield saw the first and second category scratch group fail to catch the big third category group in a fast 25 mile training event.
Two Yeovil teams rode the annual Haywain Trophy four- up team time trial with the A-squad of Chris Absolom, Alan Hayter, Martin' Bailey and Douglas Northcott finishing three minutes down on winners Team Zoyland who clocked 45.40 over the hilly 21 miles. `
Northcott did the lion's share of pace making before falling back on the last hill as the time counts on the third rider over the line.
The B team of Terry White, Neil Boxall, Chris Fendt and Mark Johnson ran of luck, dropping Johnson early on and then Fendt punctured at 15 miles.
With only three riders left they had to wait for him to change tubes and continued to finish last.
Roadmap Nick Armstrong rode the LVRC Preshaw Road race, a 42 mile event near Winchester. His repeated efforts to breakaway on the hills took their toll and he had nothing left in the finishing sprint and come eighth.

22nd June 1995

Brooks bounces back

THREE wins in a week saw Clive Brooks return to winning ways as he set a course record 52.24 in winning on the Poole Wheelers new Bere Regis
to Bakers Arms course.
Returning to his roots at the Frome and District Wheelers 10, the club where he started time trialing more than 20-years-ago, he won easily in 20.22.
Yeovil rider Douglas Northcott rode well to clock 22.28 followed by teammates Martin Bailey 24.15 and veteran Terry White 24.59. VC Camelot racer Bill Dycer recorded 23.40.
Victory number three for Brooks came on Sunday in the Clevedon 50 run on the Axbridge to Bridgwater road. He clocked 1.50.48. He was seven minutes faster than runner-up Nice Winter. Ansford veteran Jim Bartlett clocks 2.20.23 and Linda Blackwell recorded 2.27.45.
Yeovil clubs Thursday evening two-up team 10 was won by roadmen Chris Absolom and Nick Armstrong in 22.57 from partnerships Mark Johnson and Martin Bailey 23.42, and Dave Notley and Mike Tetley 26.16.
Stuart Wroot came 23rd in a 78 man field for a short time trial stage as Yeovil road team rode the VC Taunton two stage event at Merryfield, on
Sunday. Wroot did too much work chasing breakaway moves and tired to lose contact in the closing laps of the events second stage, a 60 mile road race.
Armstrong and Bailey finished in the main bunch. Their time trial times placed them 29th and 33rd respectively.
Absolom was 13th in the Chequers road race which is a 63 mile competition at Lytchett Matravers, but colleague Mike Loader found the distance and hills tough.

15th June 1995

Armstrongs the top man

VETERAN roadman Nick Armstrong of Yeovil Cycling Club was in fine form for the Shadow of the Malvern’s, a 50-mile road race promoted by the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists near Tewkesbury on Sunday.
Armstrong rode aggressively throughout the first two of the three laps, trying to break away with the strongest of the 40-man field. When it became clear that all the attacks were being chased down he settled in a good position near the front of the leading group on the last lap.
As the pace increased in the last mile he moved up and at the 200 yard flag he sprinted into the lead to cross the line ahead of a 20-strong bunch. As well as the overall, he won his 50-55 age class and one of his travelling companions, George Bartlett from VC Taunton, won the Over 60s event.
Other local roadmen chose the Minehead Gala race on Sunday afternoon. The speed was just too much for the Yeovil riders in the 35 kilo third category race with Martin Bailey never getting out of the main bunch after the start. Stuart Wroot did not get on terms either. The same fate awaited Chris Absolom in the 50 kg main event which was won by continental-based Jeremy Hunt.
Clive Brooks was again dominant in the time trials, winning the St Budeaux 25 in Devon on Thursday by over two minutes, recording 51.12. VC Camelot teammate Bill Dycer clocked 1-0-34 and veteran Jim Bartlett (Frome & District) 1-7-53.
Wroot on the Yeovil10 the same evening, riding a fixed wheel track bike to clock 24-01 from Terry White 25-81, Chris Fendt 25-23, Dave Walters 25-25 and Dave Notley 26-15.
Postmen Martin Bailey and Mark Johnson were at the Post Office 25 mile championship heat on the Bridgwater Flats where Bailey clocked 1-1-51 and Johnson retired at 14 miles.
On Saturday, Brooks was in action near Oxford in the Clarence Wheelers invitation 25. He had a satisfying victory over a very good class field, docking 51-17 in told, windy conditions.
Road works on the A303 caused the Vegetarian C & AC 50 mile time trial to be moved to a circuit based on Sparkford-Wincanton-Cary which was covered three times.
Exeters Alex McGrath was fastest on the hard circuit, recording 2-5-33 from Weston’s Mike Potter 2-6-24 and Wellington,s Andrew Winterbottom 2-7- 09.
Ansford veteran Bartlett clocked 2-23-21 and the single lady rider, veteran Janet Wilson from Bath, 2- 50-29.

29th June 1995

Club cyclists on road to success

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs road racers aquitted themselves well on Sunday in two different events.
Chris Absolom rode into seventh place in the daunting Tour of Cranbourne Chase which included an ascent of Zig Zag hill and twice up the one-in-six Spread eagle climb as a good class field of 60 riders competed.
A group of 12 went clear early on but only half the riders remained for Bournemouth Arrows Roland Tilley went on the attack and finished within three minutes of the leaders.
The 100km High Summer Road Race on Merryfield Airfield was in contrast completely flat but very fast. Yeovil’s team of Stuart Wroot, Martin Bailey and Nick Armstrong were all involved in launching and chasing attacks.
Wroot maintained his place at the head of the 70-strong field and came fourth in a tight finish - less than a bikes length behind the winner. The 14 points he collected brings his total to 21, nine short of a second category licence.
Yeovil’s Thursday evening ten- mile trial was won by Absolom in a new course record time of 23.24.
Andy Tearle made a good comeback after a'spell in hospital recording 24.32 to beat Douglas Northcott by six seconds.
Other notable rides were Dave Walters who clocked 24.56 and new member Steve Webb who recorded 24.56 in his first time trial.
The road works on the Ilchester bypass are complete and time trial events will start at Podimore again.
Yeovil are staging their open 25 next Sunday morning with the first rider starting at 7.30am and the favourite is Clive Brooks.

6th July 1995

Clive clocks up four-minute lead to win

CLIVE Brooks clocked 53.25 to win -the Yeovil 25 by more than four minutes on Sunday, Chard racer Rod Antell was third in 57.54. Linda Blackwell was the fastest lady on 1.09.57.
Leading local riders were Stuart Wroot (1.01.00), Nick Young (1.03.13), Alan Brimecombe (1.01.21) and Andy Millward (1.05.04).
Chard Wheelers racers finishing were Alex Rolfe (1.05.15), John Trout (1.07.18) and Andy Lawrence (1.08.37).
Martin Bailey won a Thursday evening 25 time trial in 1.01.32 followed by Chris Absolom who punctured a wheel but finished in 1.03.48 and Nick Young 1.04.48.
Chard pair Lawrence and Trout clocked 58.48 on their tandem.
Linda Blackwell recorded a personal best 25.36 in the Clevedon and District 10 at Axbridge on Friday while teammate Pat Ellery clocked 30.10 and Wroot 23.28 in the mens event.
Nick Armstrong led up the final hill in he sprint for second place but faded to come fifth in a veteran road race series event at the Severn Stoke race in Worcester.

13th July 1995

Bailey loses contact near the end

YEOVIL’S lone entry Martin Bailey rode up Coppits Hill six times as he covered 88 miles to finish his longest ever race.
Bailey lost contact with the main pack of riders on the last climb of Yeovil’s John Andrews Memorial road race.
Gloucester City rider Andrew Jarvis was a convincing winner from Matt Winstone (West Riparian RC) and his teammate Paul Crossley third.
Douglas Northcott has qualified for the National Schools ten mile championship national final after coming second in the area heat clocking 23.47. Andrew Tearle recorded 25.25.
Clive Brooks recorded 52.33 in windy conditions to win the Hantspol CC 25 near Andover on Saturday.
Fourth place was Nick Armstrongs reward for racing 35 miles in the veteran league series event at the North Bristol road race.
Mendips Gary Fouracre beat 22 rivals to win a Yeovil club evening time trial followed by Northcott 22.54 and Chris Absolom 23.03

20th July 1995

Brooks fades in Jubilee trial

HALF way leader Clive Brooks led by more than a minute but slipped to third place in the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 100 mile time trial.
The Marston Magna man clocked 3.54.54 on Sunday behind winner Glen Longland 3.50.26.
Brooks leads Longland by three points in the five time trial series after winning the first event with 50, 25 and ten mile time trials to go.
Chard rider Rod Antell came eighth in a maximum field of 120 competitors in the Somer Valley 25 on the Bridgwater Flats course on Sunday. He recorded 57.03 ahead of teammates Dave Bidgood 1.03.36, Robin Ayres 1.03.50 and Alex Rolfe 1.07.25.
VC Camelot rider Alan Brimecombe clocked 59.05 while in the ladies event teammate Linda Blackwell was third For the second week running
Mendips Gary Fouracre won the Yeovil Thursday10, clocking 21.32, followed by Chris Absolom 22.15 and Douglas Northcott 22.41.
The event included the Yeovil club handicap trophy which was won by Dave Walters in a personal best 24.00. A 2.30 allowance gave him a time of 21.30.

27th July 1995

Brooks back to his impresslve best

MARSTON Magna’s Clive Brooks is back in form with two emphatic wins last week.
On Thursday he clocked 20.19 to win the St Bureaux 10 at Buckfastleigh from Wellingtons Pete Shelley (21.09). A sub 20 minute ride looked to be possible in the closing mile but the finish was slightly uphill and proved very hard. Ansford veteran Jim Bartlett recorded 25.46.
On Sunday morning the Exe Valley road was very wet for the Barnstaple Imperial Wheelers 25 and Brooks was riding with great care on the twisting course until he realised that Shelley was only ten seconds in arrears at the halfway stage. The time check spurred him into action and he extended his lead to 1 min 11 secs at the finish, clocking 54.22.
The rain had washed plenty of grit on to the road but fortune smiled on him as he punctured just as he crossed the line.
VC Camelot took the team award with Brooks teammates Alan Brimecombe timed at 1-00-02 and Danny Ellery 1-01-26. Yeovils Chris Absolom recorded 1-00-02 and Stoke-sub-Hamdon’s Cath Fraser 1-11-26.
Yeovil’s Thursday 25 mile time trial enjoyed good conditions with personal bests for club riders. Absolom was fastest, clocking 57-21 from Chard Wheeler Joe Wenglorz (57-55) and Yeovil junior Douglas Northcott a personal best 58-08). 'Visiting Welshman John Williams was fourth in 1-00-03 with another Yeovil junior Andy Tearle fifth in a personal best time of 1- 00-11. Martin Bailey was the third to beat his previous best. VC Camelot’s Linda Blackwell was fastest lady with 1-07-35.
Yeovil’s Stuart Wroot is the only local man riding the track and he has been showing steady improvement. Last week, at Manchester he entered the Kilometer Time Trial in the National Championship. He recorded 1 min 14.4 seconds, a near three second personal best but just short of the 1-12 qualifying time for the finals.

3rd August 1995

Grueling race for the roadmen

YEOVIL Cycling Clubs top madman Chris Absolom acquitted himself well in Sundays Frank Spry Memorial race at Bridestowe near Okehampton.
The gruelling 81 event attracted 40 of the regions best roadmen and they soon lived up to their reputations with an eight man group going clear in the first few miles. The race did not come together again until the last ten miles, but three riders attacked again and at the finish Wellingtons Jamie Fabrizio outwitted the Team Zoyland pair of Matt Watch and Greg Sandy to take the honours.
Absolom was well up, taking sixth place as the field broke up in the closing miles.
Yeovil’s third category roadmen went to Dorset or the Holton Heath races. Stuart Wroot was seventh, just out of the points after being at the front the main bunch for most of the 50 kilos. Team mates Martin Bailey and Mike Loader finished in the main bunch, as did Chards Andy Lawrence.
Nick Armstrong rode the Enville two day stage race for veterans. Finishing in seventh place in Saturdays 46 mile road race, he moved up to sixth overall after Sunday comings short three mile hilly time trial.
In Sundays 61 mile road stage, Armstrong realised he would not take any time out of the leading five but successfully defended his sixth place by marking the rider in seventh.
Time trial expert Clive Brooks had mixed fortunes last weekend. Sundays Hemel Hempstead 10 at Milton Keynes promised a fast time on a super course but the VC Camelot rider punctured at the halfway mark. The conditions were not ideal but winner Richard Bradley clocked 19.13, showing the potential of the course.
On Sunday, Brooks was impressed by national champion Richard Prebble in the Clarence Wheelers Invitation 25 near Oxford. Brooks was placed equal second with Kevin Neary (Leo RC), clocking 51.23, while Prebble rode the fastest 25 of the year recording 48.33. -
Thursday evenings 10-miler was won by Gary Fouracre (Mendip CC) who clocked 21.48 on an evening when most riders found the going quite hard Yeovil’s Absolom was second in 22.32.

17th August 1995

PB’s galore as cyclist revel in the sunshine

LOCAL time triallists are revelling in the warm, calm conditions with personal bests at every event.
The National Junior 25 Championship on Saturday at Ranby in Nottinghamshire attracted 54 of the countries fastest young riders. Somertons Douglas Northcott represented Yeovil CC and excelled with a three minute personal best, recording 55.02. He was 13th overall and third fastest 16-year-old.
The same evening near Andover, in the Salisbury RC 25 VC Camelots Clive Brooks clocked 51.34 to win by over a minute with other local riders also performing well. Chris Absolom clocked 56.23 and team mate Nick Young improved nearly three minutes to go under the hour for the first time, recording 58.49.
Martin Bailey' got close to his best with 1.01.10 but a late start meant it could not count. Camelot’s Bill Dycer clocked 56.36 and John Saunders 1.00.49. Ansfords Jim Bartlett was timed at 1.06.00.
On Sunday morning, just 12 hours later, Brooks was in action again on the A31 Avon Forest - Roundhouse course in Bournemouth Jubilees 25. Despite feeling a little jaded through a sleepless night with a teething baby daughter, and rising at 5 am, he still managed a minute margin.
Recording 53.19 he beat professional Glen Longland and increased his lead in the Bournemouth clubs five event series. The other VC Camelot riders were Alan Brimecombe (58.39), Danny Ellery (58.58) and Linda Blackwell, a personal best 1.06.53.
Yeovil club had roadmen competing at both ends of the sport last week. On Thursday junior Andy Tearle rode the Bovey Tracey Carnival race. The 35 mile event has an hour on a flat course before switching to a tight finishing circuit with a 1 in 5 hill to be climbed five times. Tearle finished a creditable 18th from 70 starters.
At the other end of the scale, veteran Nick Armstrong rode the Great Milton road race at .Oxford for riders over 50. Some of these riders still hold first.
category licences so the pace is far from sedate. When three riders broke away, the remainder of the 40-man field contested a sprint for fourth place and Armstrong took sixth

10th August 1995

Doug nearly struck gold

A FULL field of 120 riders, finalists from their area heats, lined up at Monks Heath near Manchester last Saturday evening for the George Herbert Stancer Memorial 10 mile National juvenile time trial championship. Somerton rider Douglas Northcott, Yeovil clubs junior champion, rode into sixth place just 44seconds away from the gold.
On Sunday VC Camelot rider Clive Brooks won the Severn Roads Club 50 on the A38 north of Bristol. It was the last time the course will be used as traffic lights are being installed.

7th September 1995

The heat didn’t slow Clive

TIME trials were the main activity for local racing cyclists last week but the hot weather made them tough going.
Clive Brooks (V.C Camelot) was in good form for the Bournemouth Jubilee 50 on Sunday on a course from St Lenards to Bere Regis, Blandford and back. He recorded a rapid 1.48.01. (over 27 mph) to beat Southampton Pro Longland by nearly two minutes.
Brooks now has an 11 point lead in the Bournemouth clubs tive race series taking three first places and a third. The final event is a ten miler next month.
The Wellington Wheelers 25 on the Bridgwater flats was a popular event on the same morning. V.C. Camelot’s Alan Brimecombe was the fastest of the local doers clocking 59.23 with team mates Danny Ellery 1.00.16. John Saunders 1.02.46. and Linda Blackwell 1.07.24. Yeovil club times were Nick Young 1.01.43. Martin Bailey 1.02.47. and Douglas Northcott 1.02.48.
Yeovil’s evening time trials finish this Thursday and as the light is failing, the start is at 6.45pm. . Last weeks 10 mile was won by Mendips Dave Russell with 21.12. from . John Williams (cc.Abergavenny) 22.12.
Junior Northcott (Yeovil C.C) was third with 23.15. and in fourth place was Darren Edmonds (Yeovil C.C) recording a personal best 23.15. in only his fourth event. Camelot’s Linda Blackwell was fastest lady clocking
25.28.

24th August 1995

Northcott and Brooks taste weekend success

YEOVIL’S Douglas Northcott stepped up 24 division last Sunday to ride in the National Junior 10 mile Championships at Milton Keynes and also recorded a personal best time of 21.21. He was placed 17th in the 102 man field but was second fastest 16 year old and had great satisfaction of beating two riders who finished in front of him in last weeks juvenile championships.
VC Camelot"s Clive Brooks was another rider on top form recording a tremendous 19.30 personal best to win the Bournemouth Jubilee 10 at Thruxton on Saturday. ,
The victory clinched the Bournemouth clubs 60th Anniversary commemorative series four wins and a second place gave him the £200 first prize.
Yeovil’s Nick Young also recorded a personal best with 22.23 and Stuart Wroot clocked 22.39. VC Camelots Alan Brimecombe 21.57 and John Saunders 22.38 rode well in the veterans event and Stoke-sub-Hamdon’s Cath Fraser recorded 25.15 in the ladies race.
Yeovil’s Neil Armstrong chose the Luton Arrow north of London on Saturday. The event was restricted to riders not having beaten one hour two minutes in the last three seasons. The conditions were far from ideal with an unhelpful cross wind but Armstrong was pleased to clock a personal best 1.01.17 for sixth place from 78 starters.
Three Yeovil clubmen took part "in the Bournemouth Triathlon on Sunday as a relay team. Alan Hayter got them off to a good start in the 1500 metre sea swim and Chris Absolom carried it on in the 40 mile cycle session to handover to Nick Evans who ran the final 10 kilo leg finishing over a minute ahead of solo competitor, professional Richard Hobson. They were disappointed to find they were the only team entry so it was difficult to judge their performance.

14th September 1995

Brooks back - at the double

CLIVE Brooks returned to the Thruxton courses for a second week running to score a double in the Andover Wheelers Weyhill Weekend.
In Saturday afternoons 10 mile race the VC Camelot star was the only rider to beat 30mph, clocking 19.56. Yeovil clubs Douglas Northcott was second in the junior event recording 21.45. Alan Brimecombe 22.16 and
John Saunders 22.56 were Camelot’s veteran riders while Yeovil’s Steve Webb clocked a personal best 24.40.
Sunday mornings 25 mile event was another easy win for Brooks, he clocked 55 minutes exactly to beat Fareham’s Rowan Horner by one minute 20seconds.
Yeovil veteran roadman Nick Armstrong continued his successful run in veterans league races with a fifth place in the 44 mile Wyre Forest event near Worcester.
Yeovil clubs last open event of the season is a 10 mile time trial next Saturday on the A303 based Podimore to Ash Flyover and back course. Some 94 riders compete for overall, veteran, ladies and junior prizes. First man is off at 16.00 and scratch man Brooks is last man away at 17.40.

21st September 1995

Brooks sparkles again

CLIVE Brooks was in sparkling form last Saturday winning the Yeovil 10 in a course record time of 20.10 but he was challenged by VC Ventas Chris Ball who clocked 20.18.
Wellington Wheeler Andrew Winterbottom took third place with 21.29.
Conditions were good for the 94 entrants and the event was very well .supported by local riders. VC Camelots Linda Blackwell was fastest lady recording 25.43 and veterans Alan Brimecombe - 22.28 and
John Saunders - 23.33 backing up Brooks gave them the team prize, Brimecombe was also second fastest veteran losing out by three seconds to Westbury’s Marc Hinton.
Yeovil’s Douglas Northcott shared the junior prize with Bath rider Chester Hill, they both clocked 22.40. Chris Absolom was Yeovil’s fastest with 22.11.
Rod Antell led the Chard Wheelers clocking 22.07. Brooks found the conditions a lot different on Sunday morning in the Heron Road Club 25 at Chudleigh, it was wet and very windy.
Recording 54.51 he beat Wellingtons Pete Shelley by two minutes 20 seconds while travelling companion John Saunders had to be content with 1.04.07s

28th September 1995

Brooks rides with the stars

THE North Road Cycling Club who organised the very first trial on public roads 100 years ago on October 5 1895, bought together British champions past and present to race over a course as possible to
the original, based on Shefford in Bedfordshire last Sunday.
VC Camelots Clive Brooks was one of the 100 invited riders, a veritable who’s who of British time trial led by the great Beryl Burton former world champion and Les West a world silver medalist.
Brooks was pleased with his ride, he clocked 1.51.35 but most of all enjoyed the atmosphere of such a wonderful event. The winner was Coalville Wheeler Geoff Platts who recorded 1.49.35. That first 50 was won by Gordon Minus in a time of 2.54.26

Pilgrimage
Last weekend was also the annual pilgrimage to Normandy for the classic team time trial the Duo Normand. Only two local riders rode this year, Yeovil’s Nick Armstrong from West Camel who was partnered by VC
Taunton’s George Bartlett and Keinton Mandeville’s Joe Wenglorz from Chard Wheelers. Joes club mate failed to get his passport in time so the organisers paired him with another Brit who had lost his partner. Although they had not ridden together before they clocked 1.25.26 on the tough 52 kilo course for sixth place in the veteran class.
Armstrong and Bartlett were seventh, recording 1.27.49 - a sterling performance as they had to endure heavy rain and their combined ages are 110 compared to the sixth placed teams 86.
Closer to home the Yeovil club held its Hill Climb Championship at High Ham. ' First category roadmap Chris Absolom showed his class recording 3.08 with Darren Edmonds second with 3.28 and Chris Fendt third.

5 October 1995

Brooks bows out on winning note

CLWE Brooks, VC Camelot’s time trial star from Marston Magna finished his season with a win in the North Bucks Road Club 10 at Milton Keynes last Saturday.
Brooks was hoping for a good day on the really fast A5 based course as his form suggested a sub 19 minute ride was on the cards. It was not to be, the conditions were appalling with high winds and driving rain, but he contented himself with his 41st victory this year out of 46 starts. He recorded 20.17 to beat National junior champion at 10 miles Mattew Bottrill (Coalville Wheelers) by just three seconds.
Camelot veteran John Saunders.teamed up with Yeovil CCs Chris Absolom in the Wessex Veterans Two Up team time trial were one has to be over 50 and is paced by a younger rider.
The weather was completely different on Sunday morning and the pair recorded 57.38 on the 25 mile Bere Regis - Upton Bypass course to take second place in the composite team section.

12 October 1995

WHEELY HAPPY: Yeovil Cycling Clubs trophy winners pictured at their award presentations
From the left Andrew Tearle, David Walters, Douglas Northcott, Chris Absolom, Michael Loader, Nick Armstrong and Neil Boxall
Picture by Paul Attwell.