Road Racing
Most traditional road races are held on open public roads, usually
supported by marshals and support vehicles.
Circuit racing takes place on closed roads or circuits and is
becoming more popular because there is no road traffic. The Hog Hill
circuit in Redbridge is the local one - a 1.9 km closed circuit with a
short but sharp challenging hill. The North Weald is a safe closed
circuit that uses the old airfield, an ideal flat racing circuit (as
shown in the photo above).
Time Trials
Time trialling is the simplest form of competitive racing - riding
against the clock. It is often called the 'race of truth' because the
result depends only on the effort of each rider without any form of
assistance. For fixed distance events, riders start one minute apart and
the clock ticks until the end of the course is reached. The most popular
distances are 10, 25, 30, 50 and 100 miles. Some riders enjoy the
endurance of long distance fixed time events lasting 12 or 24 hours. The
aim is to ride as far as possible in the time, the longest wins.
Beginning
in 2023, the CTT introduced a new road bike category for open time
trials. A standard road bike with drop handlebars only and no
aerodynamic enhancements such as disk wheels and tri-bars.
Racing Affiliations
- British Cycling (BC) is the national body representing all aspects of cycling, including road and track racing (but not most time trials). The Glendene Cycling Club is affiliated to BC.
- Cycling Time Trials (CTT) is the official national body for road time trials. The Glendene Cycling Club is affiliated to CTT.
- Eastern Counties Cycling Association (ECCA) co-ordinates time trial racing for member clubs in the Eastern Counties and hosts their own events. The Glendene Cycling Club is a member of ECCA.
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Club Racing Legends
Alex Dowsett
Alex became an international professional cyclist and rode for some
of the leading teams. His early days in cycling were marked by
remarkable success with the Glendene.
He joined the Glendene Cycling Club as a teenager and quickly rose through the ranks. Alex won the National Junior Road Race Series in 2005 and five other national titles in the same year.
This period set the stage for his future as a world-class competitor, laying a foundation of teamwork and discipline under the club's guidance. In 2006, he won the opening time trial at the Ster Van Zuid Limburg 3 Day International, a prestigious junior stage race in Belgium. His performances at Glendene Cycling Club then helped him to earn a spot on the Great Britain Olympic Development Programme (ODP).
Alex Dowsett rode for several professional cycling teams during his career, including:
He joined the Glendene Cycling Club as a teenager and quickly rose through the ranks. Alex won the National Junior Road Race Series in 2005 and five other national titles in the same year.
This period set the stage for his future as a world-class competitor, laying a foundation of teamwork and discipline under the club's guidance. In 2006, he won the opening time trial at the Ster Van Zuid Limburg 3 Day International, a prestigious junior stage race in Belgium. His performances at Glendene Cycling Club then helped him to earn a spot on the Great Britain Olympic Development Programme (ODP).
Alex Dowsett rode for several professional cycling teams during his career, including:
- Trek Livestrong U23 (2010)
- Sky Procycling (2011-2012)
- Movistar Team (2013-2015)
- Katusha–Alpecin (2018-2019)
- Israel Start-Up Nation (2020-2021)
Alex suffers from a severe form of haemophilia, a blood disorder.
As a professional cyclist, he is the only known athlete with this
condition to successfully break into elite, able-bodied sport. Alex
has said that he never let his haemophilia stop him from pursuing his
dreams.
In addition to his cycling career, Alex is also a co-founder of the
Little Bleeders charity, which provides support and resources
to families of children with haemophilia. He is a passionate advocate
for haemophilia awareness. Read more about Alex's story here:
Russell Hampton
Russell started his cycling career riding for the Glendene, firstly
as an amateur riding for the Glendene Racing Team and progressing
rapidly to become a professional. He was a close team mate of Alex
Dowsett and they shared many events on the road and on the track.
Russell went on to compete in top-level races and won numerous gold
medals in international competitions. He was also an outstanding time
trialist.
More recently he has been coaching and helping riders improve their
fitness and racing performance. His coaching skills have also been
used by British Cycling at the Lee Valley Velodrome. He is now a
representative for Bioracer, a leading custom cycling clothing
company.
Russell's National Championship kit.
Andrew Kerr
Andrew started his cycling career as a
member of the Glendene Cycling Club. In 2016 he won the Glendene
Silver Jubilee Trophy, the Club's Senior Road Racing Championship. He
quickly developed and showed outstanding talent in spite of suffering
from Type 1 Diabetes. His condition was diagnosed in 2002 and he was
determined not to let Diabetes get in his way. Andrew is a successful
cyclist and has competed in numerous road races and criterium events.
Andrew is a co-founder of Team Type One Style, a UK-based
sports team. The team was originally intended to be an elite cycling
team, but they expanded the team to be inclusive of all sports and
backgrounds. The team’s mission statement is to “Shift the Perception
of Type One Diabetes” through awareness and publicity on how to best
assist those with the condition.
Read more about Andrew's team - their aims, activities and plans
here:
Emily Robertson
2014 was an outstanding racing season for Emily. Racing for the
Glendene, one of her major achievements was breaking the club 10 mile
record for women. Emily smashed the previous record with an incredible
time of 20:52, an average speed of almost 29 miles per hour.
She earned the place of First Woman. The Time Trial Legends
national directory placed her as the ninth fastest woman of all time
in the country amongst professional riders.
Emily was in good company that day. The men's competition record was broken by Alex Dowsett then riding for the Movistar Professional Team (Alex also won the 2013 Giro d’Italia individual time trial).
Emily was in good company that day. The men's competition record was broken by Alex Dowsett then riding for the Movistar Professional Team (Alex also won the 2013 Giro d’Italia individual time trial).
In 2023 Emily was back in action breaking records, this time on a
road bike, and no longer riding for the Glendene. Emily found
success in 10, 25 and 50 mile time trials and was awarded a number of
prizes for First Woman and Course Record. The highlight was the ECCA
50, which she completed in 1:56:49 on a road bike, an
incredible achievement. To put this in perspective, club champion
Colin Mannakee holds the long standing senior record for 50 miles on a
road bike in a time of 1:58:16.
Emily pushes for equality in racing so that men and women have
the same opportunities and recognition.
Glendene Junior Team
The outstanding Glendene Junior Team from 2010.
Left to right are team members Conor Dunne, Al Murison, Jim Lewis, Tom Moses and Paul Young along with Team Manager Bob Downs.
Colin Mannakee
Colin became Essex Champion in
1966 and also formed part of the Essex Squad which swept to 5th
place in the National Team Pursuit Championship. Another milestone
was reached in 1969 when Colin became the first Glendene man to go
'inside two hours' for 50 miles, clocking a time of 1:58:16,
still a club record (and in the days when all riders were on a
standard road bike). In 1969, Colin went on to break the club record
for 100 miles in a time of 4:14:17 (see photo). This placed
him 14th in the National Championship, unbeaten in Glendene club
records. Building on this success, the same year Colin broke the
club 12 hour record, with an astonishing distance of 244.246
miles, averaging over 20 miles per hour.
In 1977 Colin, already the most prolific winner ever of Glendene club trophies, came out of racing retirement. He gained a further nine titles and finished in the placings (top 6) of 15 open road races. Colin bounced back again on his 48th birthday to win a Midlands road race. He went on to gain a bronze medal in the National Veterans Criterium Championship for his age group.
In 1977 Colin, already the most prolific winner ever of Glendene club trophies, came out of racing retirement. He gained a further nine titles and finished in the placings (top 6) of 15 open road races. Colin bounced back again on his 48th birthday to win a Midlands road race. He went on to gain a bronze medal in the National Veterans Criterium Championship for his age group.
A true champion.
Colin often
rides with the Glendene C Group on Saturdays.
Come and
join us!
The Early Days
Did you know that the Glendene Cycling Club was established over 100 years ago?
It was founded in the East End of London in 1921 by ten racing enthusiasts looking to set up a new competitive racing club. They met at the East Ham home of Mr E.J. Morgan, who was elected the club's first president. It was decided to call it the Glendene Cycling Club.The somewhat unusual name "Glendene" was chosen in memory of a successful touring holiday they had enjoyed in Scotland the previous year (1920).By 1924 the Glendene Cycling Club was described in Cycling
magazine as the nursery of budding speed men.
W B (Bill) Temme
ln 1925, W B (Bill) Temme startled the cycling world by
winning the North Road Memorial '50', an invitation event limited to
the best twelve 50-milers in the country. Bill won this Classic
again in 1926. The Glendene Cycling Club was established at the top.
Temme's prowess was legend; his great win in the Hovis 100 at Herne
Hill; his victory in the Bath Road 100 (The Blue Riband); his National
Competition records at 100 miles (4:44:48, including two punctures and
a bike-change). There followed a 30 mile record on a tandem with Bob
Harris (1:9:00).
Bill Temme represented England in the World Championship Road Races of 1925 and 1926. Apart from Bill, the Glendene had many prominent riders gaining records - Sarluis, Bailey and Drayton, and others. Bob Harris, also acknowledged as a contender for first-class honours, first appeared as a prize winner in 1928 and, while Bill Temme was hospitalised, Bob kept the Glendene Cycling Club name to the fore and in 1929 broke the ECRRA London to Cambridge and 100 mile road records. Bob continued winning until he lost an arm at work, but courageously, he came back to produce some great rides before his untimely death in 196I.
The photo above shows national champion Bill Temme of the Glendene Cycling Club posing on his racing bike along with his many trophies.
Bill Temme represented England in the World Championship Road Races of 1925 and 1926. Apart from Bill, the Glendene had many prominent riders gaining records - Sarluis, Bailey and Drayton, and others. Bob Harris, also acknowledged as a contender for first-class honours, first appeared as a prize winner in 1928 and, while Bill Temme was hospitalised, Bob kept the Glendene Cycling Club name to the fore and in 1929 broke the ECRRA London to Cambridge and 100 mile road records. Bob continued winning until he lost an arm at work, but courageously, he came back to produce some great rides before his untimely death in 196I.
The photo above shows national champion Bill Temme of the Glendene Cycling Club posing on his racing bike along with his many trophies.
