Eastern Cyclo-Cross League - Round 3.
27th September 2008

Senior Event - David Nichols 3rd.
Junior Event - David Nichols 1st, Tom Castle 4th.
Youth Event - Daniel Young 1st.
BC Report and pictures

Bike Blenheim Event.
28th September 2008

20K Time Trial - Tom Yeatman 4th overall ( and 1st Junior)
BC Report and pictures

National Junior Circuit TT Championship.
7th September 2008

Mrs.Jo Perrett writes:

Joe Perrett Wins National Jersey at British Time Trial Championships.

There were rain soaked fields, raging rivers and a flooded road on part of the Gloucestershire U101 Time Trial circuit which was the location for the British Circuit Time Trial Championships this weekend. The Gloucester Road CC efficiently arranged an alternative route and put on a marvellous event ably assisted by the Staunton Village W.I. - the catering was amazing!

Joe, amongst a field of other top Junior riders, gained his revenge over the two Guernsey riders - James McLaughlin and Daniel Arblaster - who beat him with outstanding rides in the earlier National 10 event. He won with 40 seconds to spare, clocking a time of 30 minutes 32 seconds over the technical hilly 14 mile course at an average speed of 29.476 MPH. The time was actually fast enough to have gained a bronze medal in the Espoirs event! Speaking of which, Alex Dowsett was the winner and Andrew Griffiths was the silver medallist.

This seems a good time to make some observations about these National medallists ...
they are all Essex boys!
all have been or are proud wearers of the Glendene club kit ...
and last but by no means least all have received valuable support from Bob Downs and specialist Time Trial coaching from Steve China.

Alex Dowsett who is soon to represent Great Britain in the U23 World Time Trial Championships rode a supremely fast time, the only ride all day to average over 30 MPH.

There were other Glendene riders who were riding on Sunday. Tom Yeatman who narrowly missed a podium place in the National 25, was still recovering from illness and was 9th. Youth rider Jim Lewis finished a creditable 16th but his main event is the GHS Time Trial final which is coming up next weekend.

Colin Mannakee writes:

In an amazing weekend for top Essex Cycling Team Glendene/Bike Trax, 17-year-old Joe Perrett from Ilford won the British Junior Circuit Time Trial Championship in rain-soaked Gloucestershire at over 29mph, an average speed faster than all the riders in the Men's Senior Championship which followed!

The only competitors to ride faster than Joe on Sunday were his former Glendene teammates who are now established in the under 23 Espoirs category and based abroad, Alex Dowsett (in Italy) and Andrew Griffiths (in Belgium). Alex, from Cock Clarks, is putting the finishing touches to his preparation for the World U23 Championship in Italy where he will represent Great Britain alongside another former Glendene junior star, Russell Hampton from Pitsea. Alex was formidable on Sunday, averaging just under 31mph to clock an outstanding 29 minutes 9 seconds for the 15 miles distance and exactly one minute quicker than Andrew, himself a double UK National Champion. Such is the strength of Essex riders in the current Team GB!

Joe's time of 30 minutes 32 seconds was 40 seconds too good for James McLaughlin and 70 seconds faster than Daniel Arblaster, both of whom live in Guernsey, Channel Islands. It was sweet revenge for Joe since these two rivals had pipped him for the National 10 mile Championship earlier this year!

Teammates Tom Yeatman (30-13) and Jim Lewis (34-44) were also highly placed in 9th and 17th positions.

London Criterium Championship.
6th September 2008.

Colin Mannakee writes:

Closer to home at the new Redbridge Cycle Circuit (Hog Hill) on Saturday, the current Glendene/Bike Trax junior team (Joe Perrett apart) dominated their race in the first London Criterium Championship Meeting for several years.

In appalling wet and windy conditions, 15-year-old Josh Edmondson broke away from the start and built a 20 second lead which he held for 25 minutes, until elder brother Nathan came across with teammates Joel Davison and David Bagdan and two riders from rival teams. This proved to be the winning move although with a late charge from the back group some 40 seconds in arrears teammate David Nichols made the junction alone with five minutes remaining, after a splendid 15 minute solo chase which had the enthusiastic crowd on their feet, cheering him on. It was the ride of the day.

Up the steep finishing hill for the final time, Edmondson appeared to have the race won until Peter Dibben (Team GWR) edged ahead, only for Nichols to surge past both of them in the final metre.

It was David's seventh win of the year! Nathan finished 3rd, Joshua 4th, Joel 6th and Dave Bagdan 7th, a tremendous Glendene result.