Held over 3 laps of Silverstone’s full 3.7 mile Grand Prix circuit, this popular local team event has categories for men, women, mixed, juniors and vets, comprising a total of 90 teams. For the first time Banbury Star CC entered three teams, two men’s and this time an all-women’s team. Each team comprises nine riders, with their overall time calculated on the fifth team member who crosses the finishing line. Good teamwork, communication and the ability to keep a regular pace, with each rider taking their turn at the front, is an essential ingredient for a good team time.
Whilst Silverstone is relatively flat and as smooth as a billiard table, a fresh headwind on several sections of its somewhat exposed nature made for a tough TT. The Stars Men’s A team finished with a time of 24.07, with the B team finishing on 26.12. The women’s team, which contained a few first timers, plus mother and daughter Jane and Katie Holton, set a time of 32.46 and all managed to cross the line together, something both men’s teams didn’t quite manage.
The overall winners were the Velo Elite Racing Team, from Ringstead, Northamptonshire, with a time of 21.13, just 15 seconds off the 2014 record.