We ran the first BMCR event since lockdown yesterday – a road bike Time Trial on a sporting 16 mile course in Worcestershire – and tested out the BMCR Covid precautions.

As the organiser, it’s not really up to me to say how successful or enjoyable the event was, but the extensive comments on the BMCR FaceBook page should give some idea.

We had a field of 49, which was good as it meant that we didn’t strain the parking capacity or the space at the HQ. We had a one-way system through the village hall and separate entrance and exit doors. Signing-on was in the hall but with riders queuing sensibly, disposable numbers and minimum contact. Refreshments were served outside at the back of the hall, where there’s a patio area with well-spaced benches. There was no result board, but our resident IT expert sent out results by email in 3 batches to all riders during the course of the event, which was very well received (‘I can never read them on the results board anyway’).

Riders said they felt much more Covid-secure than in the supermarket or pub, and the good weather (fine but not too hot) encouraged riders to linger and chat afterwards (sensibly distanced) and catch up with friends not seen since last season.

The format of a time trial with solo rides but team awards seemed to go down well, and I think encouraged riders to persuade their club/team-mates to enter.

We have 2 more road bike TTs, that I know of, in the planning stage, one near Solihull and the other in Derbyshire.  If this feedback reassures you about the safety and logistics of putting on a race in current circumstances, please speak to me or your Regional Events Co-ordinator and we’ll be happy to support you.

Mike Amery

National Events Co-ordinator  mikeamery58@gmail.com

We’ve been asked by a Cambridge veteran racing cyclist and BMCR member Jose Vicente Garcia to circulate a questionnaire which he is using to gauge interest in a Social Enterprise business to sell high quality cycling kit for clubs and individuals. The purpose of the enterprise is both to ‘encourage people into cycling to enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle’ and to raise money for charities ‘to help researchers develop new medicines or support cancer patient advocacy groups’.

The link to the questionnaire is

https://forms.gle/hESLNzRJgFGRLGjE9

The questionnaire is anonymous and does NOT collect any personal and confidential information.

Many thanks to Newbury Velo who have taken on the BMCR National Time Trial Championships (originally scheduled for April). The event will take place on Sunday 18th October starting at 9 am, and will be sponsored by Novy. It will use a sporting 17 mile course based at Upper Bucklebury RG7 6QH. Entries open on 23 August via RiderHQ at https://www.riderhq.com/events/p/2wmtsr79/f/bmcr-national-time-trial-championship-sponsored-by-novy

Unfortunately the Hill Climb Championships, due to take place on 20 September, have been another casualty of Covid 19. Although time trials are now possible, the logistics and number of helpers required for a combined BMCR and CTT event with additional Covid precautions have made it impossible to go ahead. We hope the event will run again in 2021.

Entries close on Wed 29th at midnight for the BMCR Welland road bike Time Trial on Sunday 9th August. It’s on the 16 mile Welland road race circuit in Worcestershire, with prizes for teams of 3 (min combined age 150 years) – see details on this page.

We have about 40 entries so far, but there’s room for a few more at this first BMCR event since lockdown. Not quite as sociable as normal BMCR events, but there will still be tea and cakes!

Entry via RiderHQ, enquiries to Mike Amery mikeamery58@gmail.com