This evening saw the third annual ‘Women Only’ evening ten put on by Exeter Wheelers, on the Honiton ‘Club Course’.

Our first event of this type, back in 2024 saw 10 or so riders compete but not so many in subsequent events, including this evening. We will however persevere and perhaps next season run the women only event later in the season when evening ten attendances have gained some momentum. 

Above – Clare Pentecost of CS Dynamo

Clare Pentecost of CS Dynamo said of this evening’s event ‘It’s good to have women only events, it’s not that it is intimidating riding in the same time trial as the men, but it is nice if it’s an all-female time trial, there’s less of a difference in abilities, and a feeling camaraderie amongst we female riders that comes from such events is also to be valued’

Prize-winning Clare being presented with two bottles of fine ale by evening ten helper and EWCC committee member Pete B, beer courtesy of Exeter Brewery, to whom our thanks go.

Next week’s evening ten is our ‘Open event’, which was to have been held on the Smeatharpe course, but the dangerous state of the road surface in that area has necessitated a move to the ‘Club (Fenny Bridges) course’. First rider off next Wednesday evening will be Stuart Pollard of EWCC, at 19.01. Stuart was kind enough to come out to Honiton this evening to help with the marshalling – thanks go to him plus Mike Rose, Phil Harris, Mike Rose, Ann Owen and Pete Bishop for ensuring that the event took place. We seriously need more members to consider helping at club events.

15 year old Michael Mason-Sanders, who has been impressing in his first year as an Exeter Wheeler in early season  races rode his first ten mile time trial in the EWCC Evening Ten this evening 13^th of May, and recorded a highly promising 26 minutes 50 seconds on a road bike, on what was a very cold and very slow night. If he sticks at it, he is going to be going a whole lot faster as his body adjusts to the discipline of time trialling and as he grows stronger with age.

Michael Mason-Sanders heading for the finish line.

The evening gave all riders and officials something to look forward to – warmer evenings as the weeks go by, and fuller fields. It was very very cold and the wind was 70% strong headwind. The only plus was that the rain held off. Predictably, attendance was low, with only six riders braving the chilly weather and slow conditions, all of whom knew that they would not be getting within a country mile of a PB ….

Michael Mason-Sanders wasn’t the only teenager rider competing, there were also Lennox Turner and Harry McMahon, 18 and 19 years old and back again after their TT debuts last week in the evening ten, whilst the other three riders competing tonight were of the veteran variety, all in their 50’s or 60’s.

Fastest on the night was Lubos Obornik with a very impressive-on-the-night 23:14.

Thank you Mike Rose, Phil Harris, Ann Owen and Pete Bishop for turning out to make the event happen, and also to Jane Mason and Marc Sanders who donned high-vis at very short notice as we didn’t have enough marshalls for one of the turns. If you are reading this as an Exeter Wheelers PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come and help at events as we are DESPERATE for people to serve as marshalls at our evening tens. We really don’t want to have to cancel events at short notice, which is likely to happen if we don’t get volunteers stepping forward to help.

Full results are:

Next Wednesday’s East Devon Evening Ten is our annual WOMENS’ ONLY EVENT.

The East Devon Evening Ten series on the Honiton ‘Fenny Bridges’ course got under way this week, with the first race organised by Exeter Wheelers. This year EWCC’s main man on the TT front, Mike Rose, has recruited a couple of senior citizen apprentices to help him run the events this year, and the three of them were out on the course in plenty of time getting the signage in place. 

The signs are good !

Twelve riders signed up on an overcast and slightly chilly evening, but at least the wind was only minimal.

Jimmy Richards of Pure Endurance was fastest on the night, on his road bike. Jimmy’s TT bike is broken after he was driven into by a car in the Four Firs Hilly – “Yeah, I still trying to get the insurance sorted” said Jimmy, but it was good to see him back in action after his scary experience at the Four Firs – “Thanks, yes, I’m okay, I was a bit groggy the day after the accident, it shook me up, but yeah, I feel okay, thankfully“. Jimmy’s winning time was 24:38.

Runner-up was Rich Babbage, of EWCC, who is back racing again after a couple of years away due to some health issues, and also due to the demands of becoming a dad again. He will be pleased with his excellent time of 24:50.

Another Wheeler took third place, this being Stu Pollard, on a road bike, with 25:09.

Above – Stu Pollard being a cheeky chappy as he swooshes past the marshall at the second turn.

A couple of younger riders made their time trialling debuts on the night – Lennox Turner, 18, finished with a time of 27:55 whilst his friend Harry McMahon, aged 19, recorded a creditable 26:20 despite having buried himself in a triathlon last weekend.

A mention also goes to Chard Wheeler John Hutchins, who previous to this evening had not ridden a time trial for 37 years, when he was a member of the St Budeaux CC club of Plymouth. John nearly got round on ‘evens’, missing it by a single second with 30.01, but not bad after a near-40 gap, and this was on a cyclo-cross bike, with the biggest rear sprocker the size of a small dustbin lid.

Full results:

Thanks go to Mike Rose, Ann Owens, Phil Harris, Pete Bishop and Ken Evans for their time and energy in organising and running the event, and the club would also like to say special thanks to Mike’s partner Sally, who has now stepped back from her ‘evening ten’ duties after many years of devoted service, bless you Sally.

The next race in the series is next Wednesday, May 13th. 

The evening ten on the 20th of May is our ‘Women Only’ event, so if you are a female, come along ! and if you are a male then tell your mum, your wife, your aunt, your sister, and the lollipop lady at your local school all about the joys of evening tens, and encourage them to enter.