13th August Newsletter
This incredible summer just keeps giving, another perfect weekend in store with lower temperatures forecast.
New Kit - Try on Samples and how to order. Wednesday 19th August 7 pm British Legion, Oxted.
We are finally there with the new kit and sorry it has taken so long. The rep from Bioracer will be at the British Legion Oxted on Wednesday evening. He will have samples to try on to ensure sizing is correct and will take us through the process of ordering on line. Please indicate on Spond if you intend to attend. Thanks.
TT Reports
Horne TT Tuesday 4th. Russell reports - A brisk SW wind didn't bother MYLES DAVIDSON who was the fastest rider out of 16 overall and top Oxted rider again unadjusted and age adjusted (and he was held up by farm traffic!) Karen Cleverly made her debut Horne TT with 31.18 adjusted, just ahead of Peter Carpenter. Martin Harris was quicker than me, I'm ahead on AAT but Martin was on a road bike so he's the star!
Big thanks to Richard Powell for marshalling again and to Graham Cox being 'pusher off' at the start line!! Thanks of course to EGCC for running the event.
Horne TT Tues 11th - Russell reports - another warm and lovely evening, 13 riders, 6 from Oxted, ages ranging from 37 to 81! Peter Carpenter battled on to get under 38 minutes and a determined Malcolm Paterson clocked 32.29. I was off my best at 28.11. Richard Bushell was on great form with 27.54. Ian Luxford was fifth overall with 26.54 and our fastest rider was Josh Guest with 24.01 for 2nd place. East Grinstead's Marek Siwicki was first again with 22.28. Raw and age adjusted numbers below, in Age adjusted order.
The final Horne TT - Tuesday 18th 6.45pm, don't be late! Who fancies the Red Barn for a beer afterwards?
Race Report
Josh’s view from the peloton
Surrey League 3rd category 53 miles Road Race-Norwood Hill circuit Sunday 2nd August.
In 2025 I came 4th in the same event, so I was aiming to improve on that result. Several small breaks went in the opening laps, but were neutralised due to traffic and the speed limits, which the riders can exceed but not the race convoy!
My race strategy was set back with three laps to go when I lost a full water bottle after hitting a pothole. Could I survive with the dregs in my remaining bottle with the temperature over 27° and climbing?
While I was contemplating my options the decisive break of seven riders escaped and was never caught. Attempts to organise a chase were thwarted because most riders were happy to sit in the peloton and enjoy the ride. But this was a race and after two riders made a doomed attempt to bridge to the break I made my move a couple of miles from the finish.
Cheered on by Austen, who was marshalling on the final corner, and wanting to avoid a sprint for a minor placing, I attacked taking two other riders with me. We worked well together but couldn’t snap the elastic to the peloton and I rolled in safely with the bunch.
So a good outing, I finished in the bunch, but not the result I had hoped for. Although it’s always a thrill to be part of a bunch gobbling up over 50 miles in 2 hours at an average speed of 25.5mph.
If anyone has any questions or wants to know more about road racing, feel free to reach out to me or to our road race secretary, Austen.
Josh Guest
Austen reflects on the Tour de France
Le Tour 2026: Austen’s Reflections
Wildfires and the World Cup provided the backdrop to this year’s Tour, impacting spectators, stage lengths and press interest.
But none of that detracted from the fact that Pogačar joined the pantheon of riders who have won the Tour five times: Merckx, Anquetil, Hinault and Indurain. Armstrong, stripped of his seven Tour victories, believes Pogačar is in a different league to him and regards him as road cycling’s GOAT. That view was largely based on the manner of Pogačar’s fifth victory and his one day 'Monument' victories.
A Barcelona Grand Départ meant that the Pyrenees featured in the first week. As a result, the race was effectively over, bar accidents, after Stage 6, when Pogačar attacked on the Col du Tourmalet. From then on, we were left to focus on the other jerseys and the other two steps on the podium.
Pogačar set the fastest-ever time up Alpe d’Huez on his way to his fifth stage win. He could have won three more stages, but instead opted to become a super-domestique in the service of Del Toro. He seemed happy that six minutes was enough to keep the improving Evenepoel in second place.
Accidents, as ever, played a key role in the Tour. The jeopardy element of road racing is what makes it such an exciting and usually unpredictable sport. Two GC riders broke their collarbones, including Pogačar’s main rival, Vingegaard.
There were many other crashes, including one rider crashing into the rear window of a car which had braked suddenly to avoid a spectator. Sepp Kuss crashed twice, ultimately helping to hand a stage victory to Carapaz.
Two other performances deserve highlighting. A fourth-place finish for Seixas at just 19 years old was impressive, as was Evenepoel’s second place overall. Evenepoel, already a Grand Tour winner, seems to have mastered climbing without blowing up. However, the Belgian wonderkid could still learn a lot from Pogačar when it comes to team leadership.
And then to Paris for the final stage.
The sight of the world champion leading three former world champions in a breakaway was something to behold. It got even better when, on the last lap, Mathieu van der Poel lit up the race with his attack on the final ascent of the Montmartre climb. He went on to win the stage by a bike throw at the line, making it one of the greatest race finishes in one of the most predictable Tours.
Ride Reports
Saturday 1st Matt’s T3 I was joined by Louise, Martyn, Mark D, Colin, Jason, Michelle and Kim for a ride to the Dragonfly cafe in Speldhurst, we rode really well together for a large group on a fairly lumpy route with 800m of climbing. Thanks everyone for a great club ride, hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. 42 miles @ 14.6mph
Wednesday 5th Norman’s Midweeker this weather is not good for our gardens, but great to take advantage of for cycling and nine of us did just that namely John, Steve, Casey, Suzanne, Pinsara, Andy E, Mark, Michaela and myself to The Archive at Copthorne via Tandridge Lane, Tilburstow Hill Road and Horne. The cafe was full of cyclists and nice drinks and cakes went down a treat. Back via Outwood, Tilburstow, Enterdent, Church Lane and Barrow Green Road with a few lumps thrown in to knacker the legs🤪🚴. Norman
Pete’s Saturday T4 Saturday's T4 to Ryarsh proved popular, with Pete, 2 Paul's, Austen, Andrew, Rob, Dave, Jason, Frank, Ian and Katy joining the fun. We split into 2 groups for the busier roads through Otford, before the groups came together on the climb up Old Terry's Lodge Road. We had one more climb up from Stansted before descending off the North Downs to the lovely Nuttery cafe at Ryarsh. The route home was through some of Kent's prettiest roads around Comp and Plaxtol. Different fitness levels started to show on the way home, but the average speed was somewhere above 15mph over 54 miles, with well over 1000m of climbing.
Matt’s T3 Six of us this week, Louise, Colin, Kim, Michelle, Terry and myself tried something a bit different. We got an early train from Oxted to Uckfield, then cycled through quiet country lanes and the scenic Pevensey levels to Pevensey Bay, afterwards we rode to a nearby cafe then back to Uckfield and home. Fantastic group to ride with on a perfect summers day, what's not to love !?
Thanks everyone for a great day out, 47 miles @ 14.7mph with 1600 ft climbing.
Martin’s Sunday T5 Richard Powell and Martin Harris rode a Leisurely T5 over to Penshurst via Turners Hill. I love that section from Sharpthorne to Penshurst, you can really dig in. Intentionally not as fast as last week, but even so the first half was a sprightly 18mph. Much slower through the heat on the way back.
The cafe was populated by cyclists that looked a lot faster than us, so we sloped off hoping they would not notice us leave. 🙂
We also stopped to admire a wartime ambulance parked at Edenbridge. Stopped! Yea I know!
Norman’s Midweeker this Wednesday was one of those days that wasn’t as perfect as we hoped. Starting with three road closures of the Pilgrims Way which I had identified on Tuesday with a dry run of the route to Castle Farm. So I took the decision to start earlier from The Hub due the extreme heat with a pick up at Westerham. So Pinsara, Jon, Janette, Peter, Caroline, Suzanne and me see off along Limpsfield and A25 to pick up Casey, Mark, Andy and Tony at Westerham. I led off to Sundridge with the first group and Tony led the remainder 5 minutes later. Left at Sundridge we picked up Pilgrims way and stopped further to repair Pin's puncture. As one group we sailed on passed the first obstacle of a mobile home being loaded onto a trailer at a busy junction! Further on we were missing a few riders.
" where is Caroline" me says. "Oh she attending a crash"😳😳😳😳. Well done Caroline for stopping and assisting an injured passenger in a vehicle involved after which, she turned back to the Hub. Top lady club person🚴😄We arrived at Castle Farm with Colin joining us for a wonderful break. Special thanks to Suzanne for splashing out on the cakes and coffees.
So a depleted group set off back home lead by Tony who took us passed Hosey Common and down IDE Hill and round through Four Elms. Thanks to all for what was an eventful but great ride.
Have a great weekend
Richard