Sunday 8th July 2018: 110 miles with 19,000 ft of climbing. Toughest one day cycling event in Europe and it felt like it after nearly 10 hours in the saddle (~ 12 hrs overall).  Congratulations to the Oxted team who completed the event, Andrew Telfer, Austen Reid, David Hodge, Duncan Green, Lori Monks, Noah Faiers, Rich Heath and Will Codd. Commiserations to David Tyler who suffered problems with his wheels and had to withdraw from the event made worse by the fact that he was the instigator and organiser of our trip. I know he will be back! Rob Moir. Here are some of my photos…

​Sunday the 8th of October was magical on Yorks Hill and White Lane.​ It’s a fabulous cycling tradition, which normal mortals would perhaps struggle to understand. Young and old turn out, to compete or watch the spectacle of extraordinary men and women, boys and girls, give the year a final blast of their absolute, utter best.

It was also special because Chris Filewood, whose season was interrupted with news of his diabetes in August, made a stunning comeback. He made a promise to conquer the problem and enter both the Cat and the Bec, and he did both today in style! This is the stuff of legends! Bravo Chris! We are in awe of your drive and spirit! Incidentally, Chris was 18 last month and is no longer a junior, though for some arcane reason, CTT are a bit slow acknowledging this.

Three groups left Nero’s for the jaunt along Pilgrim’s Way on a beautiful, bright and unusually warm autumn morning and it was fabulous to see our T1 team led by Duncan and Amanda, make a special effort to ride out to support our climbers. Arriving at Yorks Hill there was the usual buzz of excitement, masses of spectators, competitors warming up…and the riders crossing the finish line, some in obvious and alarming pain!

Mikey Weavers of EGCC helps pin Chris’s number on…

First up for us was CHRIS HEWITT and he was flying through the screaming, cheering crowds. He was going so fast he was a blur. I took a better camera to the BEC in the afternoon…

Now to get an idea of the speed – and noise of the crowds – watch this very brief video of Chris Filewood blasting up the hill…

https://youtu.be/2teZCM5jphk

Nick Martin of EGCC gave it all he had and collapsed just after the finish, this isn’t uncommon! I checked he was alive (just) before taking the photo!

​Next was Rich Heath but I think his wife took a better shot than me!

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And finally Chris Filewood again, look at this for sheer effort!

 

 

 

AND NOW A VERY SPECIAL TREAT…Austen, doing this very same hill climb, in 1986!!

 

 

We’re waiting for the full and final results of today’s magnificent efforts but of course the minutes are seconds are, pardon the pun, secondary – it’s the taking part that matters! 

 

And NEXT YEAR  a lot more Oxted riders are going to do just that. And any who can’t will need a doctor’s note to be excused from supporting!

 

Onwards and upwards,

Russell

A perfect evening for a Surrey League Handicap race on Horne/Newchapel circuit and after nine blisteringly fast laps, Oxted’s Chris Filewood won a clear second place. Working well together were also Tim Whitehead, Jack Dennison, Chris Hewitt and Noah Faiers.

TWENTY TWO Oxted CC members jetted off to Majorca for five days for our annual training camp and cycling holiday, staying in a superb hotel in Alcudia.  Once again, SunVelo provided superb bikes and great ride leaders. We were split most days into four groups, riding also with members of other cycling clubs. The roads and routes were fabulous and the weather was perfect. We didn’t want to come home! We will be organising more continental trips in the future, watch this space.

A glimpse of one of the rides: https://www.relive.cc/view/936327550

ELEVEN OXTED RIDERS battled it out in the Kentish Killer sportive today, a tough event with huge hills. 526 riders finished the 70 mile route, 243 finished the 45 mile route. The KK is one of the best organised sportives in the south with a great HQ at Brands Hatch motor racing circuit. Here’s a ‘Relive’ graphic of the route LINK.  And a few of us relaxing afterwards…

Jane and Amanda, riding ‘Doreen the Dawes’ tandem led an enjoyable social T1 group today comprising Pat, Frank, Neil and Toby, aiming for cuppa at Chiddingstone tea rooms. ‘A lovely route, through Old Oxted to Hurstgreen and Staffhurst Wood, then Edenbridge and then our destination, the pretty Tulip Tree tea rooms’

We had four groups riding on Sunday, a ‘T1’ social ride of 25 miles, a ‘T2’ group of 35 miles, a fast ‘T3/4’ group doing 40 miles and a T5 race training group of 60 miles. Here’s a glimpse of the T4 ride: CLICK HERE

And a quick stop for a photo…