Dolman cycles to first place in New Year's Day '10' (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Dolman cycles to first place in New Year's Day '10'

OF the 14 hardy souls that turned out on New Year's Day to participate in Corinium CC's ten-mile time trial, a dozen were club members.

Mike Dolman proved the fastest of them all with an impressive 27 minutes 19 seconds ride.

Only 13 seconds adrift in second came Derek Mitchell (27.32) while occupy third place, despite circling the far island twice, was 15-year-old Rory Pike (27.51) with the last of the sub-28min rides.

Gareth Hughes was the best of the rest with 28.39. Other placings: Allan Norwood 29.37, Roger Osborne 29.45, Terry Brown back in the saddle with 31.04, Cliff Dutton (dressed as Father Christmas) 31.17, Ian Hamilton 33.35, Andrew Tolman 34.14, Mark Foyn and young son Alex aboard their duo-bike 37.03.

Finally, and going even quicker than she did the previous year, was Jenny Norwood with 41.33.

A huge thank-you goes to all those who ventured out to marshal and provide tea and cakes at the end. It was a great turn-out, despite the appalling weather conditions.

Of the six riders to start the first Sunday run of the new year, only Cliff Dutton rode any sort of distance to the start.

And having ridden a dozen miles and already taken a tumble due to the thick ice covering some sections of untreated lanes, his advice to try and stay on major roads was heeded.

Joining the A419 at the Burford roundabout, the group took the unusual route along the dual carriageway to the island beyond the South Cerney airfield and down the old A419 to the end of the Spine Road.

Passing over the new bypass, they proceeded into Latton, turning left at the far side of the village on their way to Kempsford.

Within a few yards of this left turn, lay the first obstacle of the day in the form of fairly deep and expansive floodwater that stretched full width of the road.

Vehicles that had previously passed through had carried the water along the road where it had frozen into thick sheet of ice some 50 yards long.

Four of the group made the trip across, but Derek Mitchell and Mike Dolman decided to retrace their steps and progress to Fairford via Down Ampney.

The four riders on their way to Kempsford had no option but to take a steady pace as the road was littered with patches of ice where the floodwater had leached out of the fields.

Once away from Kempsford and on the way to Whelford, the conditions improved slightly and the route to The Bull at Fairford was a little less fraught.

Hot coffee and a chance to sit by a roaring fire soon revived frozen fingers and toes as Derek and Mike stepped through the front door to rejoin the group.

Once again, football was to be a factor in the decision for some riders to return home early and the group then lost Gareth Hughes and Derek Mitchell.

A circuitous route towards Hatherop proved how right Cliff had been in trying to avoid the lanes.

For the trip through Macaroni Woods was nothing short of treacherous with great fingers of frost and ice stretching across roads where the long shadows cast by the trees had stopped the sun from doing it's work.

At the Black Cat Caf at Lechlade, Peter Holden cast a concerned look back along the road towards Cirencester as he had been hoping to meet Barbara there.

He need not have worried as Barbara had stayed on the main A417 to arrive safely minutes later.

Having been fed and watered, the gang emerged back into the sunlight and Neil Mattingly and Peter headed the way towards Southrop and Eastleach.

The descent from Hatherop to Coln St Aldwyn's was taken with extreme caution with the now familiar pockets of frost still laying in wait to catch the unwary.

As the group set off towards Bibury, Cliff peeled off and headed back to Northleach.

Once at Bibury, the group decided to stay with the comparative safety of the main road back to Cirencester having covered a difficult 40 miles.