Elleker Individual Time Trial #1 – 7 December 2024

The second round of Albany Cycle Club’s summer time trial series shifted from the team format to individual battle against the clock on the 18.5km course; two laps of the Elleker circuit. If the team trial is the socialist version of the event, each member a fully-fledged Stakhanovite; the individual time trial is epitome of individualism and me first. To be a successful time trialist you have to have the high revving, raw power of an F1 race car combined with the old fashioned chugalug endurance of a diesel Landcruiser. And there’s only you in the driver’s seat.

Greeted with near perfect conditions, fourteen competitors tested themselves against the clock with some of the club big guns responding to the gauntlet thrown down by Colin Rose in last week’s race.

Newcomer Jacob Greenwood continued his great debut with the club by doing things the hard way on a gravel bike, averaging over 32kmh for the distance, only marginally slower than some far more seasoned competitors. His time set the standard for a day when half the field went under the thirty minute mark and there were some very fast times set.

Blyth Andrews rolled back the clock to be the first rider to set a sub-thirty minute time and from there the times dropped rapidly. Part time Denmark rider, Stuart Gee, dropped the time under 29 minutes. Michael Gardiner took a further minute out of that, completing the course in 27.48, an average of 39.9kmh. That, however, was only good enough for fourth. Vince Bascombe might have thought he was a chance for the top step of the podium with a brisk 42.3kmh average, but no, he had to settle for third.

Last week’s winner, Colin Rose, improved his time and averaged 43.1kmh, stopping the clock at 25.44, but once Brett dal Pozzo crossed the line, it was clear that impressive time wasn’t nearly good enough. Dal Pozzo completed the course in 24.51 at an incredible average speed of 44.7kmh, a minute clear of Rose in a brutal demonstration of sustained high wattage riding. The perfect combination of a Ferrari engine in a Landcruiser.

The final event in the season opening time trial series is next Saturday morning at Elleker, starting at 7am.

Many thanks, as always, to our volunteers who did the signage, marshalled the turn and timed the riders.