The Border Cycling Association 2-Up Team Time Trial in March is, for most riders, their first event of the year. It's that event when you team up with a partner and stick your toe in the water to test your fitness.
From the moment you entered the HQ at Froyle on Sunday, took a whiff of the embrocation being liberally applied, viewed the excellent array of cakes being unwrapped at the serving hatch, you knew it was the start of another busy racing season.
The event, as ever, was superbly organised by Alton Cycling Club. Riders raced over a 20-mile course in teams of two between Farnham and Chawton, starting and finishing at Froyle. They faced a headwind once they got to the Wrecclesham roundabout – the leg down to Chawton would test the winter training.
The more experienced teams did short turns on the front, nipping back for shelter behind their partner.
Jack Brown of the Northover's Vets Team, again riding with Tom Cox, was in buoyant mood, having beaten his team leader, Alan Dawson, the previous day at Swallowfield by 17 seconds.
The veteran pairing were able to draw on their long experience of racing together. The 65-year-old Brown hung on to Cox's wheel, not expending too much energy in the face of the wind, to come third overall in 46mins 45 secs – not bad for the oldest team in the event.
However, they were passed by the winning pair of Mahoney and Wright and, Brown said afterwards, he felt he was standing still, they looked so smooth. The Team Clean-Freshstart duo won the event in 42-59, followed by Portsmouth End riders Steve Walkling and Simon Berogna.
Clive Brown and Paul McReynolds of the promoting club rode together for the first time and recorded a promising 49-37. McReynolds will be concentrating on road racing this year after finishing top veteran in the Surrey League last year and sixth overall in the season-long campaign at the Goodwood Circuit.
Taking time off as team mechanic for the very successful Liphook Cycles Racing Team, Nigel Hamm paced the other Alton CC rider, Carole Bather (obviously a good customer) and they finished in 56 minutes as the fastest mixed pair.
Dave McLellan, event organiser, presented the prizes and thanked the catering crew and marshals.
l Farnham Road Club entered three teams in the Border CA 2-up time trial. Paul Charman and John Essex dropped back from their previous times to finish in 51-49.
Jim Parker and Nigel Bicknell (the latter had not attempted a race of this type before) finished in 56-36. Rob Clark and Rob Pennell, who crossed the line in 53-38, had stopped for several minutes, having been witnesses to and helped out at a traffic accident which did not involve either them or any of the other riders.