Sixteen riders enjoyed the Track Day at the Gosling Velodrome, Welwyn Garden City, after a wet early morning had caused the Welwyn Club’s booking that immediately preceeded ours to be cancelled. By the time we started at 11am the 500 metre tarmac surface had dried nicely and the weather got warmer through the session. 

The riders comprised regularly trackies Adrian Grimwood, Barry Denny, Jonny Sjolin together with Andrew Brown and his son Nick from the Welwyn Wheelers. Members renewing their track skills were Soren Sjolin, Viv and Jackie Smith, Richard Seggar, Stephen Hill and Nathan Colman with Josh Stuart making his debut on fixed, no brakes. Brian Aldiss also joined us on his hand-bike, and we were also joined by Sara Flatt from Eastern Region BC, young Tom Colvin from Essex Roads and Nick Brown’s brother Graham, making his track debut.

We followed a session plan that included instruction for the new and rusty riders, formal warm-ups riding in two lines around the track, followed by ‘chase downs’ and then moved on to 500 metre time trials, with the younger riders unsurprisingly coming out fastest. We progressed on through a ‘weaving’ session to develop skills and confidence, on to Team Sprints, three riders each doing a lap on the front each.

We then tested everyone’s ability in a ten lap Mock Race run on a block handicap basis with three groups starting at various points around the track, which worked very well and certainly got us all trying hard. As usual we finished up with an Italian Pursuit, with all sixteen of us divided into two teams of eight in pursuit style. This follows the same basis as the team sprint with the front rider of each group doing one lap on the front and then pulling

off.

Great fun was had by all including those organising and watching, namely Neville Pettitt, Geoff Byne, Polly Hill (taking photos), Peter Stephenson-Wall and Sue Seggar ~ but I must say I was disappointed that more members didn’t join us ~ perhaps next time.