AusCycling NSW MTB State Champs @ Nowra @ 12 Nov - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes the M7 category victory
AusCycling NSW MTB State Champs @ Nowra @ 12 Nov - Eric Dole
West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Anthony Lowes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) takes 3rd in the Masters A category. Congratulations to Pilu Racing on their new 2023 team kit pictured above
West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Anthony Lowes
West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was promoted to B grade and sampled the West Head “hurt box”
Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was all smiles on the B grade start line. A grade & C grade were super motivated but B grade just wasn’t “in the zone” and A grade easily took the win.
Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - with the strong easterly blowing it was all right gutter down the Heffron Park finishing straight. Rolly (left) was sitting comfortably in the B grade echelon
Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - Rolly climbing the Mur de Heffron climb before A grade caught B grade & put B grade to the sword
Southern Cross Criterium @ 6 Nov - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well in B grade
Belgium CycloCross Report from Mike Lawson (BiciSport) will be featured in next weeks BiciSport News.
Darren Benson has been a great asset to the BiciSport racing team in recent years and has returned to live in the south of France. Safe travels Darren, we’ll miss you.
BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - “ …. what do you think ? …. No Frank. Which way to coffee ? … “
BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - Melissa Budd … We are going no where Frank … that’s a wrap.
BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - Frank Signor giving it the “I am pretty sick of this, my lovely Pinarello is now getting dirty … “
NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPS ANNOUNCED FOR SINGLETON ON 26 NOVEMBER
AusCycling NSW announced this flood delayed promotion on 21 October.
In previous years BiciSport has taken anything up to 6-8 teams to this weekend. However, due to the late notification this comprehensive weekend is not possible & overnight accommodation cannot be provided.
If you wish to nominate for a BiciSport team please contact Mike O’Reilly asap on 0417 403 244
RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK
15 Nov
Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
19 Nov
Tamworth Track Open
20 Nov
Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)
Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)
BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES
Tues 15 Nov
Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee
Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am
Thurs 17 Nov
Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee
Sat 19 Nov
Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am
The Gent 6 Day starts soon on the 166m per lap t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent … there is nothing like it - great Belgian beer, loud music, happy fans, a crowded moshpit in the centre of the track and if anybody notices an exciting bike race.
The Gent 6 Day … where fans can get up close
Solo Superia Pro Team (Belgium) - 1961-66
Sponsors were Solo (margarine), Superia (Belgian bikes), groupsets were a mixture with Italian Universal (brakes) & Campagnolo the rest of the groupset. Several riders used Campy handlebar gear levers (very fashionable at the time).
The Solo Superia team were called the “Red Guard” - the first team to develop the fashionable “sprint train” concept that is what we see today in most professional races.
The Solo Superia team ran from 1961 and Rik Van Looy (pictured above) had just left the Faema team after a string of mega victories including the World Road Championship. Van Looy won a staggering 379 races including Flanders, San Remo, Lombardy, Roubaix, Wevelgem, Paris Brussells, Tour of Spain (18 stages), Giro (12 stages) and France (7 stages). Van Looy was maybe just past his very best in the Solo years but Rik still won the Paris Roubaix classic in 1965. Rik Van Looy was King of the Classics.
Other team members were on an upward trajectory including Patrick Sercu & Eddy Merckx. Merckx in particular sat uncomfortably with Van Looy as a team mate (Merckx on the way up was a poor fit with Van Looy on the way down the team hierachy). A special mention for Ward Sels who was a class act and Ward won 35 races - twice Belgian National Champion, won the Tour of Flanders, Tour de France stages (won 7) and wore the Tour de France Yellow jersey at the 1964 Tour.
Solo Superia Pro Team - a youthful Patrick Sercu (left) & Eddy Merckx
Solo Superia Pro Team - Eddy Merckx (left), Rik Van Looy (centre) and Ward Sels. Note that all riders have gear changers on the end of the handelbars.
Solo Superia Pro Team - Ward Sels was one tough Flandrien wearing the Belgian National Champions jersey at the Tour de France
A good picture of what handlebar gear changers looked like
Solo Superia Pro Team - Rik Van Looy (note the Solo rider on the left has front chest pockets with buttons)
Rik Van Looy doing what he did best at Solo Superia - winning a bunch gallop
Solo Superia at the Tour de France presentation with Rik Van Looy in the Belgian National Champions jersey (far right)
