Shutt VR & The LVRC – Milton Keynes – 4th August ’10

For a few weeks now I have been wanting to go and watch one of the LVRC races held regularly at the Milton Keynes Bowl. I only attended my first ever cycle race at the start of this year, The Roy Thame Cup, but have been to a couple more and combined with hoovering up as much TV racing as I have been able, I have become quite a fan of the sport. I thought it was time to see what the veterans could do and maybe meet a few of the local guys…

I arrived a little late and just as the peloton sprinted round the first corner a couple of laps in, right past me walking round the edge of the circuit. They had gone off at a frenetic pace and one of them had already attacked and built a small lead. The result was a blistering couple of laps of the 1.1km circuit as the pack closed him down. Any thoughts about a slower pace of racing were instantly banished as they lapped in a what seemed like a blur. However, when the peloton was back together they slowed significantly and spent the next 20 minutes or so at what looked to me, as a virgin racer, like the sort of pace I might be able to hang onto at the back of the bunch. There were a handful of casualties who had quickly been spat out the back, but they continued to lap all evening by themselves, valiantly going the distance despite the regular lapping being handed out…

There were only a couple of spectators other than myself, and these turned out to be either friends or relatives of those flogging themselves round the Bowl. It was quieter than I had expected and not the informal club gathering I thought I’d find. Still, the vocal (‘I’m not racing tonight…’) commissaire made up for the lack of spectators with his unique form of encouragement to the leading bunch and chasing groups! A break of 6 developed about 20 mins from the end and they built a significant gap over the bunch. We took bets on whether they’d stay away and for a while I worried I’d lose, as the main bunch began to slowly close them down, but with about 50 mins gone it was clear the fight was gone from the chasers (along with their energy it seemed) and the breakaway working well together built an unassailable lead. Only question was who’d win the sprint now! It was decided that now was the time to give the A/B group the 5 lap signal and as the new face I was given the honour of ringing the bell for the last lap (which was pretty cool – team car AND bell ringing in the 2 races!).

I managed to do the job properly and we settled in to see who crested the hill and sprinted to the line first. In the end it was no contest, as the guy I had been told would be the likely winner when I arrived (an ex-Commonwealth somethingorother) was a good distance ahead on the uphill sprint and easily won. Bit more of a fight for the rest of the podium places and then it was a swarm of riders arriving, either to finish or to go on to do the last 3 laps for the other age groups.

Personally I thought it harsh to make the oldest riders do the extra 3 laps over the 40-50 age group, but that just seemed the normal way of doing it?

Afterwards there was much back-slapping and I could hear the start of the many racing stories, with snippets of ‘they werent following my wheel when I tried to close them down’ and ‘we had enough strength to chase them’ as I walked back to the car. I went to see what it was all about and perhaps meet a few local guys but went away planning exactly how I can get my speed up so next season I can join them and do my best to hang onto the wheel of the 60 year old racers lapping the Bowl at a ridiculous rate. Bring it on!

Damon

Pictures ©Damon Largent

Tags: League of Veteran Racing Cyclists, Shutt Rides, Team Rides