Stevenage cyclists have a real spring in their step

The Stevenage Spring Rides offer an amazing opportunity to try cycling in a group. The prologue is this evening’s (13 May) first Friday Fling of 2016 with a ride from the green in the old town to Ayot St Lawrence, with a break in the Brocket Arms.

Tomorrow there is a Saturday Starter afternoon ride to Codicote from Fairlands Valley Park at 2pm. This will be a relaxed ride at a sociable pace with a radio link between the leader and ‘sweeper’ so no-one gets left behind, and an inevitable break for tea and cakes! Riders should expect to cycle about 16 miles and all with roadworthy bikes are welcome, although under-16s need to bring a responsible adult.

Stevenage, a Cycling UK member group, have a choice of three rides this Sunday (15 May), offering different start times for a wide range of abilities. The first two are from Old Stevenage – a two-hour, early-riser spin at 8am and a 9.30am ‘A’ ride to Wendover at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, for which people will need to be fairly fit. The third Sunday option is a more gentle 2pm ride from Costello’s Café to Hitchin Lavender.

Rides will then be held every evening from Monday to Friday. All start from the green in the old town to, respectively, Gosmore, Letchworth, Tewin, Halls Green and Cottered.

The final weekend includes a Saturday Starter to Watton at Stone from Fairlands Valley Park at 2pm and, on Sunday, a moderate ride to Hare Street and a more challenging trip to Wrest Park – both setting off from the old town at 9.30am.

Stevenage CTC are also delighted to have been asked to participate in the ‘This Girl In Herts Can’ events from Monday 6 June to Sunday the 12th, and there will be a huge range of cycling activities during Bike Week (11-19 June) – including the Stevenage Circular 50-mile challenge ride on the 12th.

For the first time in many years, Lauren Higham is not leading the juniors in Stevenage’s ‘Blazing Saddles’ competition. She is one point behind Robert Dixon, who has 11, and ties with Chloe Markham.  Zoe Nuttall is fourth with eight.

In the men’s category Jim Brown has jumped from sixth to third on 55 points while Penny Schenkel, a new member in 2016, has improved from fourth to third in the women’s contest and is on 29. But Dave Hall and Jill Borcherds still have large leads in the top spots. Dave has a 30-point buffer (97 to 67) in the men’s event ahead of past winner Alan Baxter and Jill, who is also third overall, leads by 25 (59 to 34) in the women’s category.