Shaftesbury CC 25, 07/06/14

[Jon H]

Up to the E2/25 (Newmarket, A14 & A11) course yesterday afternoon for this middlemarkers event (slower than 58:00 in the last three seasons). Luckily all the thunderstorms blew through leaving a warm dry afternoon, albeit a bit breezy.

Headwind on the way out made it hard work; about 34:30 to the turn which is just about at 12.5 miles. Somewhat quicker coming back to finish in 1:03:37. Not quite what I was aiming for - I was hoping to be closer to the hour than that. Twice in the event I had to back off to avoid drafting traffic; on the way out a huge slow moving crane lorry overtook me at about 35 mph, and on the way back a horse lorry pulled out of a layby and accelerated away really slowly.

Still, first dual-carriageway 25 of the year done, next one is down on the A3 next Sunday.

[Andrew G]

I heard it was windy on the E2 on Saturday. Congratulations on being a gentleman though and avoiding a draft chest, plenty I can think of would have been chasing them to tuck in and claim they had a good fast ride.