Manchester Pro Spotting

bobmcstuff
bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
edited August 2016 in Pro race
When I lived in Aberdeen, if you saw someone in full pro kit they were 99.9% likely to be FPKWs. However in Manchester I get the feeling this % is a bit lower, given the national cycling centre etc etc.. I am aware this is probably incredibly passé for a lot of you, but I'm really enjoying trying to figure out who I'm seeing. It's quite nice to share the roads with these people.

Yesterday I passed (as in they were coming the opposite way, I'm sure they would have overtaken me if we had been going the same way) a group of ~8 girls in GB kit, who gave a nice friendly wave. I ID'd 3 of them from Strava Flybys, one was Manon Lloyd (2014 European team pursuit and points race champion), one was Hayley Jones (2013 Junior Worlds Team Pursuit gold) and another was Crystal Lane (paralympian).

I don't really know much about the GB setup in Manchester in terms of the number of riders and the types of training they do, but I've seen a fair few lone riders in GB kit around as well.

Also saw 2 guys in NFTO kit in Didsbury a few weeks back (I wasn't riding at the time), now I know they could have been FPKWs but it seems highly unlikely that they would both pick NFTO and be riding matching bikes...

Comments

  • jscl
    jscl Posts: 1,015
    You definitely saw the girls, there's a bunch of younger ones up too such as Mel Lowther, Emily Kay and co.

    NFTO, possibly but there's quite a few people who ride in the NFTO Race Club kit which anyone can buy/join/wear. There's a few of 'em based up here, Bibby lives in the North.

    There's no shortage of people wearing pro kit around, you'll often get to see Stannard riding around esp around the peaks (esp around Errwood Reservoir area or the Cat & Fiddle).

    You'll often get to see quite a few of the coaches riding in too. Jan van Eijden commutes in by bike in most weathers, short guy with mahoosive legs doing around 300 rev per minute ;)

    Some of them certainly commute in alone or you'll see some of the track riders out on road rides if prescribed, it's not unusual. Shanaze has some road stuff at the moment, so she's out riding on her own quite a bit.

    You'll also see Lawless from JLT out riding quite a bit too.

    Then you'll see me riding everyday (when it's dry), but whilst I have a wardrobe of branded kit and certainly not a pro, I avoid wearing it. Give 'us a wave!
    Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/scalesjason - All posts are strictly my personal view.
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    Used to see Ian Bibby quite a lot out and about round the West Pennine Moors (think he's a Blackburn lad) and James Gullen rode our club 10 a few weeks back (I ride with Chorley CC)

    A couple of months ago I rode out through Macclesfield and did the Cat & Fiddle climb - passed one of the BC girls at the bottom, she destroyed me three quarters of the way up. Think it was Becky James as she was quite tall, but can't be sure. She gave me a friendly wave on the way back down (oh the shame of being beaten three quarters of the way up and still not making the summit by the time she passed me on her return :))

    Also had Brad go past me going down Sheephouse a year or so ago, but he was dressed in under the radar solid black - no pro kit in sight
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Wiggins did an evening 10 near to my office the other month: http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/08/olympian- ... l-5931413/

    I actually drove past this while it was happening as the motorway junction is on my way home, if I'd known Wiggins was there I'd have stopped to watch! I cycle up towards Eccleston sometimes as well, but have never seen him. Possibly he doesn't ride midweek evenings very much...
    JSCL wrote:

    NFTO, possibly but there's quite a few people who ride in the NFTO Race Club kit which anyone can buy/join/wear. There's a few of 'em based up here, Bibby lives in the North.

    Yep, it was just that there was 2 of them and they were both on identical bikes which I took to be team issue. And they looked pretty fast.
  • jscl
    jscl Posts: 1,015
    bobmcstuff wrote:

    Yep, it was just that there was 2 of them and they were both on identical bikes which I took to be team issue. And they looked pretty fast.

    I know two different groups of guys who ride around Mcr/Cheshire... one group don't look very young or fast and they all went in to TheBikeRooms and bought BC colourway Dogma's and they all ride together on their matching bikes.

    I also know a group of CEO's/Senior Partners etc who all ride on F8's in plain Rapha or team kit together.

    It is what it is. But the NFTO lads might have been out looking at the ToB finish at Tatton Park too. If they were on matching Felt's, then it would seem clear that they were for real :)
    Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/scalesjason - All posts are strictly my personal view.
  • tim000
    tim000 Posts: 718
    I see some out now and again in Cheshire . also see kristian house as he lives near me .
  • Prime586
    Prime586 Posts: 43
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Wiggins did an evening 10 near to my office the other month: http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/08/olympian- ... l-5931413/

    I actually drove past this while it was happening as the motorway junction is on my way home, if I'd known Wiggins was there I'd have stopped to watch! I cycle up towards Eccleston sometimes as well, but have never seen him. Possibly he doesn't ride midweek evenings very much...

    I sometimes ride through there before they start - I recall seeing someone wearing the BC kit in the tweet a couple of months ago riding up to the Bickerstaffe FC ground as I was heading back towards Kirkby, After reading that it was probably Sir Bradley.

    He has gatecrashed the D10/1 course a few times over the past few years. He rode it last year in the run up to his hour record, and flashed through the Tuesday evening TT on 25th of June 2013 as part of a recce ride for the Tour Of Britain opening TT around Knowsley. He also rode it in June 2006 (in full Cofidis TT kit) and set a time of 19.21
    race_2006-06-27_D10-1_1.jpg


    A few of the Manchester BC/Wiggins team have done it too over the last few years - Andy Tennant, Ed Clancy and Steven Burke have all been out there, posting low 20s/high 19s.

    I've seen Wiggins a couple of times near the Standish M6 junction on my way home from work as well (wearing the low-profile black kit mentioned above), presumably either heading out or home. it was outside the petrol station near there there were he got taken out by a van a few years ago.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    I dont suppose it counts Ive generally only seem them in Manchester when Ive been heading towards the velodrome anyway myself, always helps to think Im heading in the right direction :) but I did spend a night in Derby earlier in the year and came down to breakfast in the hotel and found at least half of the academy squad were staying over as well, so dont always assume they only stay around Manchester environs.
  • bradsbeard
    bradsbeard Posts: 210
    Seen Cav and Dowsett around Essex lanes a few times now.

    Once a few years back Cav was wearing British Cycling kit and of course I assumed it was a FPKW riding towards me. :oops:

    Edit: whoops Essex not exactly Manchester :lol:
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    awavey wrote:
    I dont suppose it counts Ive generally only seem them in Manchester when Ive been heading towards the velodrome anyway myself, always helps to think Im heading in the right direction :) but I did spend a night in Derby earlier in the year and came down to breakfast in the hotel and found at least half of the academy squad were staying over as well, so dont always assume they only stay around Manchester environs.
    Course it counts :)
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,163
    I'm currently 20m away from Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Let's hope they pull the curtains then!
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,163
    r0bh wrote:
    I'm currently 20m away from Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.

    He got a free ice cream for this bit of promotional work:

    https://twitter.com/mcukdeli/status/768045996681158656
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    r0bh wrote:
    r0bh wrote:
    I'm currently 20m away from Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.

    He got a free ice cream for this bit of promotional work:

    https://twitter.com/mcukdeli/status/768045996681158656
    I need to get over to Salford Quays by the looks of things!!
  • johnboy183
    johnboy183 Posts: 832
    r0bh wrote:
    I'm currently 20m away from Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.


    Miles or metres? :D
  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    johnboy183 wrote:
    r0bh wrote:
    I'm currently 20m away from Laura Trott and Jason Kenny.


    Miles or metres? :D

    Millimeters? 8-|
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    Prime586 wrote:
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Wiggins did an evening 10 near to my office the other month: http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/08/olympian- ... l-5931413/

    I actually drove past this while it was happening as the motorway junction is on my way home, if I'd known Wiggins was there I'd have stopped to watch! I cycle up towards Eccleston sometimes as well, but have never seen him. Possibly he doesn't ride midweek evenings very much...

    I sometimes ride through there before they start - I recall seeing someone wearing the BC kit in the tweet a couple of months ago riding up to the Bickerstaffe FC ground as I was heading back towards Kirkby, After reading that it was probably Sir Bradley.

    He has gatecrashed the D10/1 course a few times over the past few years. He rode it last year in the run up to his hour record, and flashed through the Tuesday evening TT on 25th of June 2013 as part of a recce ride for the Tour Of Britain opening TT around Knowsley. He also rode it in June 2006 (in full Cofidis TT kit) and set a time of 19.21
    race_2006-06-27_D10-1_1.jpg


    A few of the Manchester BC/Wiggins team have done it too over the last few years - Andy Tennant, Ed Clancy and Steven Burke have all been out there, posting low 20s/high 19s.

    I've seen Wiggins a couple of times near the Standish M6 junction on my way home from work as well (wearing the low-profile black kit mentioned above), presumably either heading out or home. it was outside the petrol station near there there were he got taken out by a van a few years ago.
    I sometimes do the D10/1 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, but missed Wiggins' run-out. Think it was a Tuesday, so Phoenix's night. Mate won a contest last year to ride with Ed Clancy - top bloke apparently, and Chris Lawless is a Wigan lad, but not seen him out and about (used to be a regular round the South Lancs/Cheshire lanes apparently)

    Incidentally, D10/1 is a pig of a course with a horrible lane/start finish. Would be much better to start it right at the top of the bypass near Windle Island, go all the way to the M58 rab and turn back - that's a perfect 10 miles with two small and one large rab and 500 metres before the East Lancs start & finish, but I guess the road didn't exist when the course was made.
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    I had a look at doing the D10/1, probably next year now though as I don't think there are many evening tens left (or there weren't when I looked on CTT last) and I'm not driving all the way up here on a Sunday.
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    Whist not in the same league as being Sir Brads minute man in the local 10, when I went to Pedal Precision at the Manchester Velodrome a couple of years ago Fran Millar held the door open for me as I wheeled my bike in (the auto doors were on the blink).
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • Prime586
    Prime586 Posts: 43
    zebulebu wrote:
    Incidentally, D10/1 is a pig of a course with a horrible lane/start finish. Would be much better to start it right at the top of the bypass near Windle Island, go all the way to the M58 rab and turn back - that's a perfect 10 miles with two small and one large rab and 500 metres before the East Lancs start & finish, but I guess the road didn't exist when the course was made.

    They have resurfaced some of the lanes around there recently using the spray-on tar and rolled chippings method which makes for very heavy riding. I don't know if they have done the lane that goes south from Bickerstaffe that is part of the course though.

    Regarding the route, the A570 was built in 2 phases, interrupted by WW2 - the centre section between the Pasture Lane junction and the railway bridge was built just before the war (and most of it was requisitioned for storing military vehicles and munitions coming in from the docks during it). The southern section to Windle Island and northern section from the Wheatsheaf/Elephant to what is now the M58 junction were completed just after the war and it was opened in 1950. I think the current D10/1 route dates from about that time, but having the start/finish up the lane at Bickerstaffe was probably because it forms part of the much older Bickerstaffe road race circuit.
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    Prime586 wrote:
    zebulebu wrote:
    Incidentally, D10/1 is a pig of a course with a horrible lane/start finish. Would be much better to start it right at the top of the bypass near Windle Island, go all the way to the M58 rab and turn back - that's a perfect 10 miles with two small and one large rab and 500 metres before the East Lancs start & finish, but I guess the road didn't exist when the course was made.

    They have resurfaced some of the lanes around there recently using the spray-on tar and rolled chippings method which makes for very heavy riding. I don't know if they have done the lane that goes south from Bickerstaffe that is part of the course though.

    Regarding the route, the A570 was built in 2 phases, interrupted by WW2 - the centre section between the Pasture Lane junction and the railway bridge was built just before the war (and most of it was requisitioned for storing military vehicles and munitions coming in from the docks during it). The southern section to Windle Island and northern section from the Wheatsheaf/Elephant to what is now the M58 junction were completed just after the war and it was opened in 1950. I think the current D10/1 route dates from about that time, but having the start/finish up the lane at Bickerstaffe was probably because it forms part of the much older Bickerstaffe road race circuit.
    Interesting - I figured it was a historical thing. TTing is so archaic in this country - even though it's probably made perfect sense for about 50 years to change it to use the bypass in it's entirety instead of the lane start/finish, it'll never be changed.

    They haven't done Intake Lane (the road south from Bickerstaffe) but have done the warm-up road between Bickerstaffe and Simonswood (Hall Lane). It was gravelled about two months ago and still horrendous last fortnight when I last rode it. Someone important in Lancashire has shares in an aggregate company - almost every road has had that poxy stuff chucked down on it by thick, bone idle navvies in the past three months.
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • tim000
    tim000 Posts: 718
    got overtaken by a sky rider coming in to goostrey today .full kit +bike. could have been a fanboy , but he was going bloody fast .
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,163
    I saw Ed Clancy in Glossop this morning
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Saw a woman in a GB skinsuit coming down Cat & Fiddle earlier. Haven't had chance to look at flybys yet though
  • Half a dozen all in one go today - Stannard, Blythe on front - 2 Wiggins - Dibbens and Doull ? and what looked like L Trott on the back? and one unidentified in shorts - nice little group ride checking out Tatton park
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    Oops