October Racing Summary

It’s been a funny old year. The last Sunday in September used to be the official end of the Championship season with only Hill Climbs and an occasional cyclo-cross event to come. Now there’s a whole gamut of mountain bike events, Enduro and Downhill and the emergence in great numbers of Cyclo-cross events.


2020 looked as if it had been written off and in many respects this is the case with no local or National Championships being awarded. Now that we’re into the “close” season and some of the Covid-19 restrictions being relaxed to allow properly organised events under current guidance to take place there’s been a flurry of competition.


The first weekend of October saw a number of our Youth members – and others – racing and getting on the podium. On Saturday 03 October in the National CX Trophy Series, Westmorland, Cumbria. Arabella Blackburn took convincing win in the U14 girls while Millie Thomson rode to 10th in the U16 Girls. Sunday 04 October saw a 3 stage Hill climb around Stow in the Borders. Ben Butler, one of our newer members, rode convincingly in all three stages, 4th fastest in 1st and 3rd and 2nd fastest in number 2. He took 4th place overall. Finally, the Youth B category – although extremely tough to call with so many great rides over the course of the day the organiser says that the ride of the day goes to the Youth B winner and 10th overall, Elliot Rowe (Deeside Thistle). Elliott was fastest in his category in each of the three stages and finished only 2 mins behind the overall
winner.


Also on Sunday Doon the Brae Events put on the Pitfichie Enduro. New club member Neil Pritchett won the Junior Boys with Joe Davidson (18th) and Kian Rokstad Dal (19th). In the Women’s event Eliza Barrie won the overall title as well as the Junior Girls. The Under 12s event saw 1st place go to Fraser Paterson with Finn Watts a close 2nd, 5th Aaron Considine, 7th Harrison Speak, 9th Torquil McIntosh and 11th Jay Anderson.

Interview With Pippa York

Pippa York

Pippa York

Cycling Journalist and former Professional Cyclist

Pippa, who was formerly Robert Millar, is the most successful Scottish Road Racing Pro cyclist of all time and was the first Briton to take a podium place at the Tour de France when he took the King of the Mountains award in the 1984 Tour. Fourth in the Tour de France, second in Giro d’Italia and twice second in the Vuelta this was no ordinary career.

Born and brought up in Glasgow, Robert was Scottish Junior Road Race Champion in 1976 and single-mindedly secured a pro contract before the days of lottery funding by building up some very impressive results over a short time. It is quite a story!

Pippa who announced the gender change in 2017 is now a journalist and commentator on the current professional scene and having competed against the likes of Bernard Hinault, Greg Lemond and Stephen Roche is in a unique position to give us a perceptive insight with characteristic humour.

Alan Campbell, Club President and chair from 1979 to 2010, has interviewed a number of high profile riders who have visited the club over the years, secured an interview with Pippa on Wednesday 19 August 2020.

Bradley Wiggins in his book, ‘Icons’, said “Philippa York is one of the UK’s most important riders of all time – the first Brit to win a major Tour classification and someone who massively raised the bar for British cycling.” And in the book ‘Break Away – the heroes and hell raisers that made road cycling’, the former professional is described as “one of the most gifted climbers the sport has ever known. In relation to her more recent presence in cycling columns the following attribute is ascribed to her ‘putting everything in perspective when it gets out of focus, bringing the brutal yet brilliant honesty of someone who has not given one thought to others’ opinions since first setting off in a pro race in 1980.”

Here, are two articles penned by Pippa:

https://journal.rouleur.cc/tour-de-france/

https://journal.rouleur.cc/one-armed-bandits/

Alan discussed with Pippa, her career as a top flight professional cyclist and as a cycling journalist.