Port Talbot Wh 2-up '25' 11/3/12

  As is now usual, Team Grumpy prepared intensively for the 48h prior to this event: a preparation which entails consumption of takeaway curry and Belgian beer.  We woke on the morning of the event feeling surprisingly chipper considering the quantity of preparation, and were somewhat disappointed to see thick fog blanketing southern Wales.  Fortunately the weather lifted, leaving clear sunny conditions with a light but rising wind. Team Grumpy performed pretty much as we expected: a good showing of 2-up technique with our overall speed hampered by inadequate training (illness and injury most recently).  That being said, we kept up a pretty good pace over the first half of the event, which is held on a section of dual carriageway, and really only found the second half, which is on an older road with a pretty damaged road surface and quite a bit of climbing a bit challenging - it was here that we found the defects in our preparation exposed. We crossed the line in 1:01:25, fairly respectable we thought - until we saw the winners did a long 53!  Our ride was enlivened by a puncture while warming up (Robert) and an unshipped chain at about 18 miles (Gerry), but was otherwise uneventful.
1 K DAVIES & R PAYNE BYNEA CC PORTH & DISTRICT 00:53:42
2 J LEWIS & H PRICE PORT TALBOT WHS 00:55:10
3 W BEVAN & J PILE ROSS ON WYE CC VC SEVALE 00:56:39
4 J ASPEL & N CRAIG FORZA CC 00:56:53
5 R HICKS & C WALLACE PORT TALBOT WHS MERTHYR CC 00:58:09
6 B PHILLIPS & M PHILLIPS BYNEA CC 00:58:55
7 C JONES & K JONES M & D / KINETICA 00:59:05
8 R AICHELER & J PRITCHARD CASTLE BIKES PORT TALBOT WHS 00:59:56
9 G GILES & I REES PONTYPOOL RCC 01:00:09
10 S BENT & A MEAR LUDLOW CC 01:00:18
11 C MATTHEWS & R WHITE FORZA CC 01:00:27
12 J FRANKLIN & D GOUGH SWANSEA WHS 01:00:49
13 M PORTLOCK & M WILLIAMS VC L’ESCARGOT 01:01:11
14 G ORAM & R SAUNDERS BYNEA CC NORTH BUCKS RC 01:01:25