PTW

May the Fourth be with you!

We're on the back road this week for the first of our two back road 10's this season but you Rock and Fountain addicts can get extra pain on the 15's in June and July. This particular event gives you a chance to practice for next Saturday's Open 10 and we have a guest rider this Thursday who is doing just that. So give young Carys Jeffreys from Bynea a big welcome as she has a trial run ahead of the National Youth Championship 10.

Anyhoo, meet up at the Neath Canal Car Park in Resolven for signing on from about 18.15hrs to 18.45hrs and an approximate 19.00hrs start over by Rheola Pond.


R10/23 ‘BACK ROAD’ COURSE DESCRIPTION

R10/23 START on the B4242 Old Vale of Neath Road at the entrance to F.E. Chick just north-east of Rheola Pond. Proceed south-west on the B4242 to Resolven junction. Continue south-west on the B4242 passing through Abergarwed village and Ynysarwed village to the ‘Rock and Fountain’ hill, climb and get into a lovely bit of oxygen debt and continue to TURN with care at the break in the dual-carriageway opposite the Groundhog factory at Ynysgerwen, SA10 8HH (5.0 miles).

Descend the hill and retrace the route smashing it north-eastwards along the B4242 through Ynysarwed village and Abergarwed village. Continue north-eastwards through Resolven junction and then really wind it up passing Rheola Pond to sprint FINISH directly opposite the start.

Your target is a course PB and getting ahead of the rider who was in front of you last week

PORT TALBOT WHEELERS – CLUB EVENT 04/05/17 – COURSE: R10/23

Pos RIDER CLUB/TEAM TIME POINTS
1 LUKE DIX JIF 22:55
2 CHRIS JONES RBW 23:13
3 ROD HICKS PTW 23:19 20pts
4 DEAN WARE MCC 24:55
5 DEAN JOHNSTON PTW 25:22 19pts
6 OWAIN ROBERTS PTW 25:30 18pts
7 LEWIS DONOVAN BIKE DOC 25:46
8 NEIL MEREDITH ABERCYNON 26:51
9 JEFFREY REES ACME 27:11
10 MARK PROSSER MCC 27:16
11 TONY HOWELL PTW 27:18 17pts
12 GARETH HILL ABERCYNON 27:39
13 BRAD DAVIES BYNEA 27:48
14 ROBERT LUCAS PTW 27:53 16pts
15 HOLLIE LABUNSKY PTW 27:57 15pts
16 MORGAN LEY PTW 28:21 14pts
17 CARYS JEFFREYS BYNEA 30:00
18 PAUL NAYSMITH PTW 30:53 13pts
19 JOHN THOMAS PTW 31:33 12pts
20 WENDY LACEY PTW 32:36 11pts

A cool, windy night on the back road but some cracking times!

Morgan Ley was first off and was lucky to get back after his front hub split from a spoke hole halfway across the hub shell something I've not actually seen before. Our guest rider from the Bynea, Carys Jeffreys, did a '30' dead to leave herself a nice target for Saturday when she rides it for real in the GHS. A warm afternoon, knowledge of the course and the adrenaline of competition should see her get a short '29' or even a long '28'.

Wendy, John and Paul toiled away on a course on which they are not really suited (very few are) allowing Hollie to overtake all three and get back with a sub-28 ride. We had good rides from all three of our latest second-claim members with Lewis Donovan setting the early pace with a time only eclipsed by our seeded riders.

Dean Johnston and Owain had a good scrap for fifth with Dean Ware securing fourth but substantially behind our two '23' minute rides by Chris Jones (no, not that one) and Rod Hicks (man of the match IMHO) leaving a slightly stressed-out Luke Dix to take the win with a cracking 22.55 after some tyre pressure problems just before the start. Well done Luke!

Thanks to Dai, Nigel and Will for the support on the night.

Oh, and the midgies are back!