The Drum-Up

The Lake APR is a classic of the Scottish early season. Organised by the Glasgow Nightingale Club, which was founded in 1925,
it is popular amongst serious racers.

It is run over two laps of the Lake of Menteith course, a loop that is used for several other local races. The surface is stubborn along the section that heads north alongside the lake, and with a generally square lap there are bound to be side winds and head winds, which may offer tactical opportunities for breakaways.

However, attacking your group is not always the best idea- the APR (Aussie Pursuit Race) format offers something for everyone, with vets and newer racers setting off first in an attempt to stay clear of the fast men. There is no excuse for sitting in as each of the six groups will be attempting to catch the group in front and/or avoid being caught by the chasers behind. Working with your rivals is a necessary evil in a race like this.

The start sheet shows no big names from teams like Rapha, Kinesis, Endura or Wheelbase, who sometimes enter Scottish races. This year it’s all hardcore amateur racers, with classic Scottish clubs such as Glasgow Wheelers, Hawick CC and Deeside Thistle represented.

It’s the first race of the season for Stirling Bike Club’s Rob Wilkins, who starts in the scratch group surrounded by riders from local rivals Falkirk BC. Rob is looking to clock up more wins following a highly successful season last year. With an uphill finish into Balfron, it is a course that could suit Rob.

This year the most interesting development is the Lake APR Feminine- a womens-only field of 30 riders, contesting the same course over 1 lap. Three women’s groups will leave after the men’s scratch group. Riders to watch include Stirling BC’s Jane Barr, who is on the Scottish Cycling Commonwealth development team and Braveheart-supported rider Eileen Roe.

Links
Lake APR Start sheet on Braveheart cycling forums
Glasgow Nightingale Cycling Club website
Gale Events on twitter

Race sponsors
NVT Group ICT solutions
Sapphire information security
Solidrock Cycles, Glasgow

Steve McCaw in time trialling action

An image of former Scottish 25-mile and 50-mile champion Steve McCaw, who I wrote about recently, in time trialling action.

Image by Alan Martin / David Martin.

The Scottish Power Renewables / Scottish Cycling Sup6r Six is Scotland’s premier road race series. The first event at Gifford is keenly awaited by all the roadies who have been training hard over the winter and are keen to test their mettle.

The A race is for Elite to 3rd category racers, but I am more interested in the B race, which is a field comprising 4th Cat, Junior 4, V50, V60 and women. The 40 mile course is run over four roughly 8-mile laps around a circuit between Haddington and Gifford. The first KOM prime comes on lap 1, which will test the fields climbing legs and may see a break forming. Sprint primes on laps 2 and 4 will be contested by the fast men if they can prevent any escapees from staying away. The climbers have another KOM to go for on lap 3. The finish is 600m out of Gifford – there is somewhat of chicane as you come downhill into the village, before a left turn out of town leads the riders to the final straight. Being in the right place at these corners will be crucial.

The first thing that stands out on the start sheet is nearly 20 entrants from Edinburgh Racing Club. Presumably many of these are new racers (they’re largely not names I recognise) but if ERC have any organisation and team tactics it will be a difficult race for the rest.

Graham Barclay of Team Leslie Bikeshop-Right Move Windows may be in the V50 category but is potentially as strong as anyone in the field. He won last year’s bunch sprint finish with a well-executed lead-out from his teammates.

I have only part of a season under my belt so don’t know all the names. Please leave comments to give a mention to your own favourites/teammates for this race.

Gary Cross of Falkirk BC was in bold mood on a recent reliability ride: “I have one thing on my mind for Gifford- top ten”. There are a number of riders from the Glasgow Nightingale, with a sprinkling of other well-known clubs also represented such as the Glasgow Couriers, Glasgow Wheelers and Sandy Wallace Cycles.

Junior Jack Barrett of Stirling Bike Club has been going well over the winter, riding with scratch groups reliabilities. Jordan Stokes seems to be the only other junior listed, but riding with Pedal Power RT will surely have given him good preparation. Jack Mclaren (if it’s who I think it is) is a stong rider from Falkirk BC, who may be a junior but is not listed as such.

Veteran Alan Hay, a former winner of the overall series in the Vets category is back after a quiet 2009, riding for Rock and Road this year.

Gifford RR course