Biggest news of the weekend?
Spilak wins overall in Suisse – and the Russian team takes the GC at ZLM too with Goncalves; Dillier wins the Route du Sud for BMC or Cav shows form in Slovenia to get the Dimension Data management team off the Valliums?
‘None of the above.’
Adam Duggleby’s (Vive le Velo) 3:16:51 to break the British 100 mile time trial record on the e2/100, Newmarket course is the ride which has tongues wagging on this side of the Channel and North Sea.
The previous record was Charles Taylor’s (South Pennine Road Club) 3:21:31 set in 2015.
Danny Grieves’ (GS Metro) 3:20:27 will also go down as a record holder, the man from Mick Bradshaw’s club having finished minutes prior to Duggleby.
Peter Harrison (AS Test Team) 3:18:58 was also inside the old mark; as was the man we interviewed two years ago when we all thought he’d nabbed the record with his 3:18:54, reigning BBAR Richard Bideau – until the course was re-measured and found to be ‘short’ by 0.2 miles.
Remarkably, the Pendle Forest rider came home in exactly the same time as his disallowed record of two years ago – 3:18:54.
But neither Harrison or Bideau’s names will go down in the record books as they both finished after Duggleby.
We caught up with Bideau two days after his ride; but first, we thought we’d list the progress of the ‘100’ record from the legendary Ray Booty’s first sub four hour ride in 1956 with 3:58:28 to where we are now.
- 1969. The first man to dip under 3:50 was shaven headed BBAR, ‘Ant’ Taylor with 3:46:37.
- 1981. The 3:40 barrier fell to the man who dominated British time trialling through the 80’s – Ian Cammish, 3:38:39.
- 1996. And super versatile Andy Wilkinson took us into the 20’s with 3:27:39.
- 2007. Duggleby now has the mark set 30 minutes faster than Taylor, who’s record was on the books when I began cycling in 1970.
The exact same time but again, no record, Richard – how were your other numbers?
“Incredible – I could scarcely believe it; my watts were also very similar to the last time, within two or three.
“But I wasn’t at my best on the day, I started a 12 hour last week but had to climb off with back pains after eight hours – I could still feel that in my legs on Sunday.”
How were you denied the record this time?
“Field placing; I was last man so Duggleby and the Metro guy, Grieves who finished before him with a 3:20 go down as record breakers, but I finished after both of them.”
Losing that first 3:18 must have hurt, two years ago?
“I was disappointed, yes, but it didn’t affect me too badly.
“There were a few measures carried out on the course and they agreed on 99.8 miles which tallies with my own data – on that basis my time for the ‘100’, adjusted and unofficially was 3:19:22 but it obviously didn’t count.
“The worst thing was that the loss of that time cost me the 2015 BBAR – but I made amends and took the title last year.”
Were you taking time checks on Duggleby?
“I had expected to be beaten by him, he put eight minutes into me in the Anfield ‘100’ three weeks ago and so I didn’t have checks on him, no – it wouldn’t have helped.
“I just go out and ride as fast as possible; I ride on power, it’s useful early when it’s easy to over-cook things but I’ve become much more reliant on riding on ‘feel’ – especially in the final phase of the race.”
What about the course?
“It’s almost entirely dual carriageway near Newmarket, the A11 and A14, you ride three 33.3 mile laps.
“The first lap gives you a good indication of how you’re going – but it does mean you end up passing an awful lot of other competitors.”
I believe it was a very warm day?
“I was last man off at 06:15 when it was around 18 degrees, I didn’t notice the heat until the last 15 miles when I started to bake.
“It was 30 degrees by then with very little breeze.
“I don’t like bottles so I ride with a Camelbak bladder down the front of my skinsuit, I have a specially adapted base layer to accommodate it.
“I had 2.5 litres in it and drank the lot!”
Still on the Trek?
“Yes, I’ve made a few small modifications but still ride my 65 x 11 to 28 set up, I like a low cadence.
“I ride Vittoria Speed tyres; they have very low rolling resistance but good puncture resistance too.”
How did you recover from your effort?
“I went walking with my girlfriend in The Dales – we climbed Ingleborough (second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales at 723 metres, ed.)
“It was nice to have a day off the bike – then tonight (Tuesday) it was 55 miles with the club chain gang; we don’t go crazy but it’s too fast for social chat.”
Can we ask about your other personal bests, how have they improved since last time we spoke?
“My ‘10’ is still an 18:35 – but it’s a distance I rarely ride, my training isn’t suited to it but I may go up to Hull and the V718 course at the end of the season.
“I’ve shaved my ‘25’ down to 47:47 from 47:45 but made real progress with my ‘50’ – 1:38:39 down to 1:35:22.
“That was last year on an ‘e’ course; the record is 1:34:43 by Matt Bottrill in 2014 – my friend, Steve Irwin beat me by six seconds that day so we have second and third fastest 50 mile times, ever.
“I did 309 miles in the Stockton ‘12’ in 2015 but ‘only’ 305 miles last year; I knew what I had to do to win the BBAR – top 300 miles and that was enough.
“The year before I went very deep and it took me about a month to recover, I didn’t want to do that again.
“But my 305 miles got me the BBAR and an invite to ‘Champions’ Night’ where I made a little speech – that was a nice experience.”
The ‘100’ Championship must be a target?
“No, I don’t like the course; it’s on the same roads as the Newbury ‘12’ – some of the surfaces of which are really appalling.
“And besides, it’s a long way from my home in Burnley.”
What’s still ‘to do’ in 2017?
“My next goal is a fast ‘50’ and I’ll be riding another 12 hour – which happens to be the National, so that’s a challenge.
“Then, as I said earlier, I’d like to go for some fast ‘10’ times at the end of the year – and there’s a local ‘100’ I’m looking forward to riding.”
With thanks to Richard for his time and patience, we’ll be keep an eye out for him in the National ’12’.
