April Update from RR Team Manager Jake
Having started the season so strongly in Feb and March, there could always be the concern that we had started the season too strongly. Had everyone peaked too soon?
Fortunately, I’m pleased to say that we have continued to build on our strong start, racking up a further 25 podiums since the start of April, including an utterly ridiculous ten over the May bank holiday weekend!
From the outset, we were keen to support more than just an E12 team with the necessary kit, advice and environment to succeed with the Ride Revolution Race Team. It’s been really pleasing to see both our Vets and 3rd cat teams also bringing through regular results. In fact, on the vets side coach Gav (Howell) is currently our most successful rider of the season, with 5 x wins, 2 x 2nd places and 1 x 3rd, surely earmarking him as the coach of choice on the BMCR scene. If you’re going to take advice, why not learn from the best?
On the E12 side, Clay Davies put in another strong month, showing himself to be the most consistent Nat B level rider on the circuit this season. Once BC have caught up with the results admin, it will show him at the top of the Elite national rankings by a fairly substantial margin – all done on a very strict 10 hrs a week training worked around a very stressful day job as a property professional. Clay has been a client of ours for over three years now and has continued to improve, showing what can be done around a full time day job. The team overall sits in in 4th place of the male focussed teams (we’re working on the female side we promise!), a fair distance ahead of a number of the British Cycling EDT teams.
To be in this position a third of the way into our first season is something we’re really proud of. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get us a start in the recent Cicle Classic, the Uk’s biggest one day race. As much as I respect and understand why this was the case, it felt like a wrong decision from the organiser, especially when looking at the strength of some of the teams selected above us. A similar trend has continued for the upcoming Lincoln GP, where we only have one rider with a guaranteed start. A further three make the reserves list, but given the relative lack of results of some EDT teams this season and the cost involved in becoming one, it seems a fairly flawed initiative by BC – a discussion for another time maybe…
Looking ahead to May, our race calendar continues to look busy. We see the return of regular MTB racing with the Leicester/Northants based FNSS series – the longest running MTB series in the world. Our E12 team has a solid program with at least 1 Nat B per weekend and midweek racing is in full swing, meaning plenty more chances for success. The vet calendar also offers up a couple of races, including a race at our spiritual home, the MK Bowl. Our small but perfectly formed TT team is also more active this month. Our 3rd cat team continues to plug away, with a number of riders getting very close to that illusive 2nd cat licence
Until next time
Jake
Team Manager and Head Coach