Hounslow and District Wheelers Open 25

 

Chris Lovibond

 

Results of the Hounslow and District Wheelers Open on 25 20th July 2014

 

It is sometimes said that time trialling is not ‘proper’ racing because the competitors are not really competing against each other and are more interested in their own time than the result of the event. This view can seem more plausible when there is a runaway winner who records a time many minutes faster than his nearest rivals.

 

No one could make this accusation about the outcome of last Sunday’s Hounslow Open 25 where the leading three riders finished on the same minute, and the twelfth placed finisher was only 3 minutes 41 seconds down on the winner.
 
Pete Tadros is a rider with the knack of winning, and he put this skill to good use in this event by finishing in 51 minutes 16 seconds which gave him the modest but clear margin of 26 seconds over second placed Stephen Walkling who did 51.42. Steve Williamson was third with 51.57.
 
This could be said to be a typical Tadros result: he’s fast, but he’s not threatening the competition record (not at this moment, anyway). However, he’s so often fastest on the day.
 

 
When asked how many time trials he has won this year he replied “I’m not sure, around twenty, I think”.
 
It’s interesting to note that he does not follow the current conventions of the sport: he was almost the only rider in the event who was not wearing a streamlined helmet said to be worth 3 seconds per mile. This was just the most obvious difference, for while the current fashion is for measurement of everything capable of being put into numbers (power meters, wind tunnels, etc), Pete Tadros does not even have a watch on his bike. “I am a science teacher, I work with measuring instruments all the week, I don’t want to bring them into what I do for pleasure at the weekend.”
 
There was one number he did know: the size of his single fixed gear, in inches – 108, another difference from all the other contenders. However he did say that he had brought a geared bike with him and had only decided at the last minute which to use, as usual just on the basis of ‘gut feeling’.
 
How to explain his high success rate? “Lucky genes and a fair amount of riding”. Apparently ‘a fair amount’ means 150 to 200 miles a week. A few more riders like Pete would make the sport less predictable and more exciting.

 

 
Lesley Walkling’s victory in the Ladies’ Section was not especially predictable, although she has already scored a number of second places this year and her fast time of 57.12 was not only her best of the season, but also gave her the Veterans’ Standard prize. Since her husband Stephen, who had taken the second fastest overall, also took the second prize on Vets’ Standard, the Walkling name seemed to be scattered all over the prizes section of the result board.
 
The Hounslow, so often team winners in their own promotions, had to give way to Kingston Wheelers who took the team prize with fast rides from Phil Ember (53.44), Andrew Snook (54.57) and Paul Clarkson (57.45). The Hounslow did get three riders under the hour, led by Nic Stagg (55.32), Stuart Hewlins (57.29) and Andrew Caldwell (59.49). Nic was disappointed with his performance, but it almost certainly reflected the aftermath of his excellent 270 mile twelve hour ridden last month, so a return to form can be expected before the season’s end. Stuart and Andy are both on a course of rapid improvement, so it seems likely that the promoting club will not be denied team prizes for long.
 

 
The event was promoted by Bruce McMichael, with his usual efficiency. It took place on the Farnham – Alton course and attracted 117 entrants.
 
Result:
 
1. Peter Tadros (In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT) 51minutes 16 seconds
2. Stephen Walkling (VC St. Raphael) 51.42
3. Steve Williamson (VC Godalming and Haslemere) 51.57
4. Tim Cartwright (Newbury Road Club) 52.19
5. Andy Langdown (Hampshire RC) 52.40
6. Phil Ember (Kingston Whrs) 53.44

 
Hounslow and District Wheelers