Extraordinary Weekend
‘Extra-ordinary ( Beyond what is ordinary, usual or commonplace) is the definition in the Oxford Dictionary.
Extraordinary is the only way to describe what the weekend was for BSCC. A Saturday like no other with members achieving outstanding results in races and others getting on the club ride to observe the start of Stage 6 of the Women’s Tour of Britain and first Queen of the Mountain climb at Butchers Hill near Great Tew. A Super Saturday of our own.
Club rides happen every Saturday and Sunday, this Saturday was special as the clubs’ Ride Secretary, John Tustain once again planned and organised a brilliant ride to Chipping Norton for the start and then onto see the QOM at Great Tew and then onto the Barford for the coffee and cake break.
Chipping Norton was handed over to cycling for Saturday, with the start of the Women’s race scheduled for 11AM, there was a small invasion of BSCC members on the ride and others who had got over to ‘ Chippy’ . Everywhere we looked in the marketplace you could see the blue and yellow tops of our members, leading one member of the public to say ‘ they must be a big club’ with all these members. A highlight for the start of the race was 2 of our junior members Poppy Kisley and Bella Boyles were part of the lead out ride, which went out 15 mins before the start of the race. They and Jorgi Gillet had been presented with new kit from Alex Tebbs from Kalas,which was also signed by track star Katie Archibald.
The club can be very proud of these young racers and of all the other members who out in great numbers and put on quite a show in Chipping Norton and Great Tew and showed that we are Banbury Star ‘Cyclists’ club that enjoy all formats of pedal power for anyone.
Racing News.
National Bowl Midweek Youth Race
This special weekend for the club really started on Wednesday evening with juniors taking part at Milton Keynes Bowl in Race 1 of the National Bowl Midweek Youth races,the race is part of a series with the winners being the Youth A B C D E Girl and Boy who have collected the most points by the end of the last race. The race is run with everybody going together and once again our juniors showed good racing skills and all achieved good results. With Jorgi Gillet winning the U10 girls,Henry Boyles came in 4th place and 5th overall in the U10 boys. Poppy Kisley was 1st , followed closely by Bella Boyles in 2nd place in the U16 Girls and Sam Martin coming 2nd in the U14 boys.
King and Queen of the Bowl series
Thursday saw Stuart Quick going once again in the King and Queen of the Bowl series at Milton Keynes, a 45 minute Criterium Race + 5 laps. Plotted his way around, knowing the circuit a bit better and came in 3rd place on the night.
Sam Martin, challenged himself in a hill climb at Ditcham Park,on Saturday. Hosted by Solent Pirates Youth and is the British National Schools Association event. Sam topped the podium in the U13 race with a winning time of 0.08.14. Any hill climb is tough so Sam can be very proud. 
TOUR OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE – Cycling Festival Road Race and TT
On Saturday and Sunday two of our racing members had outstanding results in the Tour of Cambridgeshire cycling festival races.
Naomi De Pennington won the Women’s Race 67, which is what it says a 67 mile road race, on a lumpier course than you would anticipate from one of the country’s flatter areas. The race is part of the UCI’s Grand Fondo Series and Naomi’s first place achieved in a time of 3.01.16 see her qualify for the UCI Grand Fondo finals which will be held in Trentino, Italy in September.
On Saturday our highly talented TT rider Josh Newbould saw him on the podium at the UCI Grand Fondo series, TT taking 3rd place with a time of 35.14 over the nearly 17 mile course on again not a completely flat course, starting out of Peterborough an out and back course, through the village of Folksworth. Josh’s excellent time saw him also qualify for the Grand Fondo Finals in Trentino, Italy.
Winchester Sontonia Summer Criterium
Meanwhile elsewhere the junior went again at Winchester at the Sontonia Summer Criterium held at South Winchester Park & Ride site in 2022 promoted by Sotonia CC. The circuit is good for anybody new to racing with only three turns (one of which is slightly technical) and two long straights. Bella Boyles and Poppy Kisley going once again and finished 2nd and 4th respectively in the Youth A Girls Under 16 race. Well done to these brilliant young competitors.
Aerocoach Midlands Champs 15TT Women
Heidi Yates flew the flag for BSCC in this event, a 15 mile time trial. On a course which is a loop in quiet single carriageway roads. Which starts with a steady uphill from the start at Welland near Malvern and then goes onto a rolling course to the finish not far from Upton on Severn. Heidi put in a brilliant performance and finished 2nd and won a Midlands Champ Jersey.