The final East Devon Evening Ten of 2024 took place on an overcast evening out on the Honiton Club Course this evening, with the cool damp air preventing the times that might have been expected of a night when the wind didn’t appear to be much in evidence -however, riders afterwards reported that there were some unexpected and unwelcome contrary breezes on certain parts of the course.
Running out winner again was the flying roadman George Kimber (Spirit), whose 21:35 was 50 seconds slower than his best time for the course this year, an indication of conditions. Exeter Wheeler Tristan Kelsall-Spurr and Aidan King of FTP joined forces and did a two-up, and hoped that they might thus be able to challenge the time that would be set by Kimber, but alas no, they fell short by 24 seconds at 21.59. Joe Rosser of Cycle Sanctuary completed the virtual podium at 24.20.
Afterwards we assembled at the Otter Inn where further prizes were awarded for various category winners in the series, and especially thanks to Exeter Brewery for their donation of packs of their lovely beers as prizes to the series senior road bike winner Aidan King of FTP and series senior TT bike winner James Greenaway (who indeed was tp of the league overall as well). James says of his top spot:
“I was quite literally never expecting this one, to take a win over the course of the evening 10 series is still a strange concept for me that it hasn’t sunken in yet. These races are an amazing chance for me to get to see friends, club mates and riders who inspire me to compete and also, whether it being the seasoned pro or the person taking their first attempt at racing on bicycle everyone should and is welcome.
The last few years have been physically and mentally tough as in 2021 I had a major accident cycling without a helmet in which I was put into a coma and questions asked if I would see another sunrise, by December of the same year I was back on two wheels racing near Ermington, being told after breaking my arm in February 2023 that I wouldn’t be cycling till the new year and that same year I took part in (admittedly poorly) at CTT National Circuit Championships and the same year I got the call to say at 32 years old I needed to have a pacemaker and out of my sheer determination to compete again the second I was given the all clear I went to Ermington and took a podium finish at City Cycle Couriers race.
I’m unbelievably fortunate for all the support I’ve had leading up to this season’s win from members of the EWCC team as well as The Bike Shed (Greg, Simon, Bill to name but a few), Tribe Cycle Solutions (Tony Arnell), Cranbrook CC and City Cycle Couriers (Rob Scott, Ian Scott, and Andy Parno). But most importantly my parents (Jan Greenaway and Andrew Greenaway) who have supported me nonstop and unquestionably with competing at races, and as many of you will know my Mum is constant support at races who goes out of her way to help whether she can both for me and other riders.
Just to explain my pacemaker for those that are curious, I have a lifelong undiagnosed heart condition in which I have a slow heartrate. But occasionally my heart can and will just stop for short gaps (a couple seconds) without any kind of reason. And this is where my pacemaker comes in to restart my heart into a normal rhyme again. I have spoken with British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials who have both given me the all clear to keep competing.”
An end-of-series thanks go to all those of you who have ridden, we hope you have enjoyed the races and hope to see you next year.
Thanks on behalf of all those who have ridden go to all the helpers, timekeepers, marshalls etc, from all four of the organising clubs (Exeter Wheelers, CS Dynamo, Cranbrook CC and Sid Valley CC) who have ensured that the series took place, in particular thanks to Mike Rose for being the main man when it comes to the series taking place again this year.
Any of you who have ridden one of the tens for a club other than those mentioned in the paragraph above, please hassle your club committee to step forward and join the ranks of the organising clubs next year.
Meanwhile, for those of us who like the phenomena that are club evening tens, there are others in the area that continue in to August and even beyond – the final Okehampton Wheelers evening ten on the arduous old A30 course starting at Bridestowe takes place Tuesday 30th of August (see Okehampton CC Facebook for details), and North Devon Velo CC’s evening tens on a kinder course at Bishop’s Tawton continue throughout next month and possibly into early September – registration via https://www.webscorer.com/124003?pg=register (registration closes two days before each race). Across the border in west Somerset Wellington Wheelers have further evening tens on the 1st, 15th and 29th of August, registration via https://www.webscorer.com/wellingtonwheelers?pg=register.
Results from tonight 25th July East Devon Evening Ten:
| 1 | George Kimber | Spirit | M | snr | road | 21.35 |
| 2 | Tristan Kellsall-Spurr | Exeter Whs. CC | M | snr 2-up | road | 21.59 |
| & Aidan King | FTP | M | snr 2-up | road | 21.59 | |
| 3 | Joe Rosser | Cycle Sanctuary | M | A | road | 24.20 |
| 4 | Aaron Lawrence | Exeter Whs. CC | M | snr | road | 24.50 |
| 5 | Scott Davies | 1st Chard Whs. CC | M | B | road | 24.59 |
| 6 | Finlay Webb | Exeter Whs. CC | M | Espoir | TT | 25.04 |
| 7 | James Greenaway | Exeter Whs. CC | M | snr | road | 25.34 |
| 8 | Simon Brown | CS Dynamo | M | E | TT | 27.33 |
| 9 | Andrew Haydon | guest | M | D | road | 28.17 |
| 10 | David Thomas | Cycle Sanctuary | M | A | road | 28.32 |
| 11 | John King | Exeter Whs. CC | M | B | road | 28.35 |
| 12 | John Baker | Exeter Whs. CC | M | D | road | 29.48 |
| 13 | David Fleming | Exeter Whs. CC | M | G | TT | 30.15 |
| 14 | Richard Crosby | guest | M | D | road | 31.51 |
Veteran’s categories: A = 40-44, B= 45-49, D = 55-59, E = 60-64, G = 70-74