Final for PMRacing

Action all the way

Heverlee & Outer - Belgium Trip

After a last minute decision to book the train and travel across to Belgium to race Sunday and Monday, I was pretty excited but nervous to be making the trip again.


Arriving at Heverlee, with plenty of time to get signed on and sorted. I was soon warming up, loads of riders, 250 starters on the tight start with plenty of corners, a main straight road and a cobbled climb. Finishing on a steep climb i was pretty nervous.


Rolling off the line it was carnage riders everywhere, crashes, pot holes, spectators traffic islands. Definitely a good adrenaline buzz.


The pace was high, a few attacks going but all came back on the first lap, then on start finish lap an attack went which I followed, through the tight twisty roads, soon to see we had a gap. the group of 15 of us worked hard doing through and off to gain a bigger gap.


After a lap or so the pace seemed to ease, and we were all tapping through. Maintaining our lead.


3laps to go the pace was easing, I had strong legs and didn't want a group of riders behind us to catch us so launched a few attacks on the cobbles and draggy climb.


2laps to go the pace was pushed on the finish climb which split our group, I rode across to the group and we soon pulled clear of the others. 


Feeling strong we soon entered the final lap, still feeling strong I fancied my chances. A few big efforts were made which I followed, not allowing anyone to escape.


Coming up to the finish we were still in one group, hitting the bottom of the finish climb the pace eased, Half way up I hit the front and went hard, around the last corner still in the lead, down a gear but it slipped 2, legs getting the better of me id messed the finish up, coming over the line in 4th place. Happy with my highest Belgium placing in a good few years, but gutted with my sprint and what may have been.


Off for some sleep and up ready to race at Outer.


Only 100 starters today, Only being the word as in the UK many races have a 80-100 rider max limit, in Belgium sometimes there are 3-400 riders.


Starting off the pace was stop start with a few draggy climbs, legs not feeling great, but I found myself in a break after 2 laps but got caught a lap later. Sitting in the bunch to save the legs we was cruising around, legs hurting from yesterday but manageable.


Gutted with 4 laps to go I hit a loose brick in the cobbles and punctured. 


Game over.

Happy with my weekend/weeks results I look forward to the Ed Taylor Memorial Race next weekend and then possibly back off to Belgium.

Welcome Performance Physiotherapy As New Sponsor...

Welcome Performance Physiotherapy to Billy Whenman Racing. New Sponsors for the season to keep me in tip top condition, with Chris Domoney providing my Massages.

Performance Physiotherapy is newly established and purpose built clinic in Maidstone Road, Rochester. We aim to provide expert, affordable health care for those in need. We specialise in sports injuries and looking after the well being of sports people. vice on nutrition, training, recovery, injury prevention and health. Our Physio's each have more than 10years of experience and have worked in professional sport, private practices throughout london and the south east and the NHS. Although we are a physiotherapy clinic we offer additional advice on nutrition, training, recovery, injury prevention and health. We are also lucky enough to have an excellent professional sports massage therapist on board, Chris Domoney, who offers sports massage, hot stone therapy and acupuncture. Our clients range from professional football players to weekend warriors and we are really excited to sponsor one the most exciting cycling prospects in the country, Billy Whenman.

So whether you have a long term problem, an injury that is preventing you from competing or are just looking for some expert guidance in a friendly, laid back environment, we are here to help you Perform Better

                                             www.performancephysiotherapy.co.uk

April 8th - 12th Toachim GP & Schepdaal & Cyclo Park

Toachim GP.


Having ridden this circuit once before and winning on the circuit I was looking forward to this race. 


Arriving at the race and getting sorted, the heavens opened up and the down pours began.


Determined to not miss the break, I made sure I was at the front for the action.


It soon became apparent that the circuit was fast rolling and no one was going to be able to get away. Bunch staying together until the last lap.


Up over the hill a group of 3 of us chipped away, but was hunted down by the bunch.


Onto the final climb attacks were launched from the bottom, but many popped and dropped back. I paced myself up as fast as I could, and crossed the line in 15th place.


Washing my bike and packing the car, I was soon En-Route to Folkestone to catch the Euro-Tunnel to race Monday.


Schepdaal - Belgium


Welcomed to the town by a neighbour whom I parked my car outside his house, to be told i can use his house to get ready & shower. "wouldnt get that in the UK" ..


Signing on and getting kitted up, My luck wasnt in, the rain came down in force.


Lined up with 150 other riders i was pretty excited, a lumpy course with 3 climbs i thought it would be great.


Furious pace from the off, averaging 18mph from start to finish.


Bunch kept splitting but coming back together.


Half way around the lap was a super fast 35mph down hill with a 90 degree left hand corner on, with pot holes and drain covers and excess water. Half way through the race going down the hill, I could here a loud scraping noise, looking over my shoulder I saw a rider coming down unclipped draging his feet on the floor as he didnt have any brakes left. Mid way around the corner WALLOP he had ploughed into the side of me. sending us both crashing over a hedge into a garden. Quick re mount back on to my bike and onto the road, I managed to jump onto the back end of the bunch.


The roads were covered in water and grit. 


A great race and great work out. I crossed the line in 43rd place, and can say I loved the race and the intensity oft he racing. Great Fun.


Cyclo Park 12th April.


Training in the morning, for 1 hour 30 to spin the legs after a long day the day before and traveling as it was my birthday.


Riding to the race i felt pretty good. Decided to run a 88mm carbon wheel in the rear and a 50mm in the front Courtesy of SL Carbon.


Signing on, and lined up, there was a few new faces this week. Starting off 2 minutes behind the 3rd cat race, I settled into the group and rolled through a few times. The pace was quite steady. the back side of the course was dead windy with a tail wind long straight finish. Perfect for the 88mm wheel ..


after 3 laps we was all still together, then the rain came down in force and the wind picked up. Entering the head wind side of the course, I hit the front hard and got throught the corners as fast as I could, getting a small gap. keeping the pressure on I went hard up the finish straight and as hard as I could into the head wind. 


Lap by lap my gap was getting bigger. Catching the 3rd cat race and going straight past and gaining a gap.


I held on to take the win, my 3rd win of the Season for PMR with a health Gap.


My train is now booked to go back to Belgium to race Sunday and Monday.

Cyclo Park 31-3-12 & 5-4-12 Two Victories in 1 Week..

After not being granted a entry to Sundays Tour Of the Dengie Marshes, Even though i am a previous winner, I opted for a hard weekend, Cyclo Park Saturday and Long ride Sunday.

I headed off Saturday Am to do a gentle ride to spin the legs after having a Massage the day before With Chris Domoney. 

Legs feeling good I got ready and rode to Cyclo Park to sign on ready to race. Upon arrival I  was suprised to see a good few riders there, including a few good teams. 

Lined up, the race got started and there was soon a group of 6 of us tapping along nicely, doing turns.

we stayed together for the 1st hour and 10minutes, until a few attacks were frown in. I played it cool and just followed the moves, saving my legs for near the end.

3 laps to go and we were all still together. 

Onto the final lap. the pace was stop start, I tried to get a gap but everyone was alert. 

Up the final drag and the pace was easing up so I launched my attack, and kept going, reaching the hair pin first, and attacking out I secured the victory.

My first win of the 2012 Season.

Sunday I had a nice long 5 hour ride in the sunshine..

Thursday night..

The first of the Thursday Night League.

Again riding in the morning, I rode to the race and got all warmed up ready to go.

A rider attacked straight from the gun, so I followed it, when the pace eased I attacked over the top to try make the race split. In doing so the 2 of us got a small gap, with the others working together to come back to us. I attacked a few times until we was clear. 

Working together we pulled a reasonable gap and kept it.

After following all the moves which were thrown at me I was feeling pretty strong. 

Onto the last lap, and I was stuck on the front, the other rider didn't want to do a turn, fair enough. I eased off a bit to save my legs and led us around to the finish. Up the final drag, I kicked real hard the same place as saturday. Having a little look back I had pulled a decent gap. Keeping it all the way to the line.

Win number 2 of the 2012 Season :D

A Big Thank You to all my Sponsors & Supporters who are helping me. Thank You

Hillingdon Saturday 24.3.12 & Wally Gimber 25.3.12

After making a late decision to go race at Hillingdon i set off to get some speed in my legs but to have a easy ride to save the legs for the Gimber the next day.

With alot of riders in the race, there was a lot of negative racing so it was stop start stop start, allowing a small group of 5 riders to go away whom stayed away.

The bunch tapped round at 24mph average, coming up to the last lap i positioned my self at the front for the bunch sprint. Getting a great lead out off a Guernsey Velo rider all the way to the 350m mark where i launched my sprint to take the bunch sprint for 6th.

Topped up on the carbs that night and set off to the Wally Gimber in Kent for sundays race. With a strong field entered it was going to be a tough 90 miles.

A early break chipped off the front to get 1minute gap, and the bunch rolled round at 1 minute gap for about 30miles, i then attacked on the climb to get away to be joined by 3 other riders. we worked together well to get 1 minute on the bunch but was still 45 seconds behind the break.

all came to a stop when the commissaries stopped the race to have a discussion with the riders to the re-start 15 minutes later set off at our time gaps.

My group stayed away for 40miles until we were caught on the last lap.

I sat in to try recover for the sprint at the end, after getting in a good position at the front come onto the final hill and i had nothing left. finishing in the main bunch. A good day in the saddle just one lap too many. 

                                                Next race is Cyclo Park on the 31st.