Evening 10s Rd 8 and racing round-up
Round 8 of Lewes Wanderers’ series of 10-mile time trials took place in mild, but showery conditions on the evening of Monday 8th July. That could possibly explain why only five riders took to the start line and that was reduced to four before the time-keepers were even called to action when first rider due off Joe Benians discovered a loose bolt on his bike which he was unable to fix before his start slot.
He has been chipping away at his personal best all summer, but Alex Steer made little of the wet roads as he sliced a huge 52 seconds off his mark set only a week earlier as he recorded a superb time of 25 minutes and 16 seconds. He also claimed his first ever TT victory as well as fastest road bike into the bargain. It took a PB to win as Peter Baker recorded a fine 25:27 and Darren Haynes was only 15 seconds behind him in third. Graham Faultless took fourth with 27:19.
Paget Cohen by Bob Taylor
Peter was in action again on the warm, but hazy evening of Thursday 11th July. He was joined on the start line by clubmate Paget Cohen and eight others competing in an Eastbourne Rovers CC run time-trial on a hilly 7.2 mile course starting near Birling Gap, climbing to Beachy Head and looping back round through East Dean.
Peter claimed third in the “hill prime” from the start to Beachy Head with a time of 7 minutes and 31 seconds, with Paget fourth in 7:41. Come the finish the tables had been turned as Paget took the third step on the podium, and fastest of four on road bikes, with 21:47, seven seconds ahead of Peter in fourth.
On Sunday 14th July Peter Baker was among sixteen on the start line for the Southern Counties Cycling Union 100-mile time-trial. Following a 15-mile dash along the A272 west of Haywards Heath action then switched to four laps of a course utilising the A24, A283 and B2135. Peter’s excellent time of 4 hours 41 minutes and 52 seconds granted him 10th place.
The A24 was also the arena on the evening of Thursday 18th July when Richard Burchett (Crawley Wheelers) finished second from six in a Worthing Excelsior Don Lock 10-miler in a new personal best time of 21 minutes and 11 seconds.
On the same hot, still night Peter Baker was again joined by Paget Cohen as they tackled the latest Eastbourne Rovers CC time-trial. This was a tough 14.07-mile test from the Wartling Road, along the A259, up through Hooe to Ninfeild, returning via Boreham Street. Paget crossed the line 8 seconds outside of 40 minutes to place fourth overall and first of the five on road bikes. Peter’s time of 42:03 left him 9th from ten and fourth in the road bike category.
Peter returned to many of the roads he had covered in his 100-mile effort a week earlier, but fewer laps were required for the Sussex Cyclists’s Association 30-miler on 21st July. His time of 1 hour 16 minutes and 29 seconds placed him 7th of 13 competitors.
