Once again a contingent of C C C members competed in the Plouay week-end which starts with a cyclosportive on the Friday & ends with the Grand Prix West France on the Sunday. In addition to those two events there was a track meeting on the Friday evening & on the Saturday a Men's Elite under 23 race followed by a World Cup Women's Series race which for the second year running was won by GBR rider Emma Pooley, the current British Road Race Champion. Emma is pictured here (left) with JCA Youth Academy rider Sabine Minchington Gilley.

In spite of Friday being a working day over 3000 riders lined up for the Cyclosportive with nine riders from the C C C. As usual various distances were on offer & it was John Derrien first home in the 153km event in 4.19. 00.In the second longest distance of 105km Kevin Gilley was the fastest in 3.19.30 but Carole Knight was only 3 minutes behind & was second fastest lady in her class.Our only rider in the 81km event was Malcolm Armes who rode on his heavy steel bike complete with mudguards & did his surgeon proud by giving his new ankle a real work out.However the ride of the day went to John du Feu who ignored the fact he has had stroke & a hip replacement & rode the 105km event in 3.25.00. Inspirational.

Just to make sure the C C C was representeded in all diciplines on offer Lyn Minchington Gilley & her daughter Sabine rode the mountain bike event. Lyn was impressed with her daughters bike handling but does she know she has a head start with a mother who has twice been world masters track champion & record holder.

From a high profile event to low key event on the Sunday morning where it was a case of no signing on, no numbers & no times given several C C C members joined 40 Frenchmen for a ride that just got faster as time when on. Two motor cyclist were the only marshalls & how it all ended nobody was sure but a good ride was had by all. There is nothing like riding a bike in Brittany.

Results: 153km Event

Report by Torty Hubert, photographs by Kevin Gilley