Come along to race or watch, and support our local Hull Thursday RC riders Nigel Whiteley – 2nd cat, Ermin Huremovic – 4th cat, and Lee Coulson – 3rd cat.
RIDER: Ermin Huremovic
DATE: 27.06.2024
EVENT: Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 2024 Event 5
POSITION: Mid pack
IMAGE: N/A
REPORT: Anti-clockwise direction with a SW wind.
Biggest field with 40+ riders. Constant attacks but nothing stuck making it very surge-y. Didn’t initiate a single chase or attack myself throughout. The winning attack came with 6 laps to go. I tried to bridge at 3 laps to go only to run out of legs 10m away and hung on with the pack for the final two laps.
RIDER: Ermin Huremovic
DATE: 13.06.2024
EVENT: Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 2024 Event 4
POSITION: 8th
IMAGE: N/A
REPORT: Anti-clockwise direction with a NE wind. The track was damp due to light showers and the 30 plus riders were cagey for the first few laps. When a prime lap was announced, one of the Clifton CC riders asked me what the flag meant. The first 25 minutes flew by and featured numerous attacks that never stuck and keeping myself to the front for the cleanest lines round the corners.
Another attack went I spun up my legs to catch only for them to sit up and then I decided to keep going as I caught up and then came 2-3 laps with me on my own getting at most a quarter of a lap gap. The cross head wind on the finishing straight was leg sapping! Eventually I was caught and tried to recover but the 6 lap board quickly came and a group of 3 riders broke free. One rider tried to bridge and I attempted to hold the wheel and, in error, I decided to let off because he didn’t seem to be closing the gap because he did eventually make it across.
The sprint was chaotic but I did place 8th putting me at 1 point off Cat 3!
16th May Cliff Pratt Deca Community Crits 2024 Event 2 Addform/VLV
Ermin Huremovic – 2nd place
Racing in an anti-clockwise direction with a NE wind, over 30 riders took part in the evening’s racing starting with a neutralised lap. A prime lap came very early on and after that attacks were provided by the same riders. Ermin kept himself near the front and was jumping onto the chasers but a rhythm could never be established within the breakaways to maintain a gap over the field. Around the 25 minute mark Ermin’s calves and heartrate needed a bit of rest so drifting back, which lasted all of 2-3 laps until seeing a worrying gap behind 10 or so riders, prompting the decision to burn a match to bridge across. As the 6 lap board went up another attack went off the front. This was left to dangle until they were caught with 3 laps to go. The last 2 laps were a bit of a haze for Ermin who remembered sprinting to close a gap on the penultimate lap and then finding himself second wheel behind a City Road Club rider on the first two corners of the final lap. At the third corner I heard someone shout “INSIDE” and Ermin shifted leaving some space for a Cliff Pratt rider which put me in third wheel for the last corner. Being much easier to corner at speed with fewer riders Ermin could start pedalling out of the corner earlier and took the shorter left side of the track somewhat shielded from the wind by the other two riders. Having burnt those last matches on the penultimate lap Ermin had to dig deep, but having more speed than the City Road Club rider, with a throw at the line he nabbed a great second place finish!
What an achievement well done Ermin, deserved points in the bag!
Another on the day achievement was James Bray’s first criterium race
Despite having competed for almost 15 years, the realms of crit racing was still very new to James. Having some draft legal duathon races coming up, round 2 of the Cliff Pratt criterium series would work well going on his race schedule.
James had little idea what to expect but have watched many of the Tour Series crits on TV and being able to ride out with Ermin who got 2nd place in the race, the opportunity to ask loads of questions helped put his mind at ease and allay the inevitable anxiety.
Not really knowing what to expect when he got there, James felt there was a bit of a TT vibe to it at the sign on, which helped calm his nerves being familiar territory for him as an experienced multisport athlete. Having paid his entry fee and signed on James was able to get on the track and start familiarising himself doing several laps and feeling like he had an idea of the circuit.
Riders were then summoned to the start line before the claxon sounded. The first lap was neutralized, which helped James get used to doing a lab with the bunch, though once they turned the final bend before the start line, the pace slowly started ramping up, and James started sliding back, which was where he pretty much stayed for the whole 40-mins.
James’ biggest learning points where that it was not as nervy as expected, and ‘wow those boys, and girl, can get round corners at speed!’
This was James’ biggest limitation, cornering as speed, and there were many times he lost about 5 bike lengths and had to put an effort in to get back on to the back of the pelaton.
Regardless he loved it and was still buzzing the next day, and is really keen to give more a go and develop my bike craft.
Saturday 20th April by Nigel Whitely. 3 of 3 Spring series open track racing.
Ennerdale Masters 6th place
“In easily the worst conditions I’ve ridden in round Ennerdale, cold temperatures, wind & heavy rain, I managed to stay upright on the very slippery track & took a decent, although freezing cold, 6th place in the Masters race, coming home in the chase group to the solo winner.”
Ennerdale Nat B E123 13th place
After thawing out, I tried to find some spare dry kit & rolled up to the E123 race, just surviving was my aim & I was the final finisher in 13th, the legs giving up with 3 laps to go, at least some points to take home, along with hyperthermia!
Nigel Whitely in action in the E123 race. Picture courtesy of Ermin Huremovic
Thankfully it was dry on the track & not wanting to get caught out I attacked from the gun with two others. We were caught by the bunch after a few laps, but I went again & helped force a split in the bunch with six riders, including me, out front. The front six worked well together & eventually lapped the rest of the field. At that point the cooperation at the front broke down & multiple attacks went away, but were eventually brought back. Going into the last lap I attacked early (way too early!) but couldn’t get away & had to settle for 6th place.
Ennerdale E123 – With tired legs I raced the E123 National B crit an hour later. It was rapid from the off & eventually fresher riders forced a number of splits in the bunch. I made it round but had nothing left for the sprint for the very minor places.
Ermin Huremovic race report April 13th Cat 3/4 race
This was my first race of the year and the intention was to see what I was capable of seeing as I’d learnt a lot tactic wise last year. As soon as the previous race ended droplets of rain started to fall and added to those pre-race nerves because I can’t recall ever racing Ennerdale in the wet, nevertheless, I took a second-row start position.
Ermin Huremovic in action at Ennerdale. Picture courtesy of Nigel Whiteley
The whistle blew, and by the time I clipped in my left foot I’d gone from second-row to second from last! Once back in the middle of the pack, the first attacks started from a select group of individuals who would go on to attack through-out the rest of the race. After they had tried and failed, a lone rider went and established a quarter of a lap gap. 5-6 laps later, another rider began a solitary chase. The group appetite for chasing wasn’t the biggest, but, after some infighting with insults exchanged the two riders were brought back and the speed immediately relaxed. More unfruitful attacks were made and as the lap boards counted down to 2, a sneaky attack from a Tactic rider got through. I say sneaky because this rider hadn’t been on the front for any of the race. This last attack was brought back as the speed ramped up in the final lap. Sprinting started before the last 180 corner and I tried not to lose position as we rounded the corner. After a leg emptying second sprint and a bike throw, I secured 10th position.
6th April – Nigel Whiteley 9th place 1,2,3 cat race – no report.
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30th May HTRC
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13th June Cliff Pratt Racing
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27th June Wilson Wheels
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11th July Orion/Out of town
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25th July City Road Club
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8th Aug VC Beverley
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29th Aug WTTE
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(Lee Coulson htrc road & track sec) Inbetween weeks. I am pleased that clubs are happy to promote the inbetween weeks again for 2024, hopefully we can have 7 rounds which will be:
9th May HTRC
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23rd May Squadra
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6th June PRC
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20th June Wilson Wls/VCB
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4th July Cliff Pratt
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1st Aug City Road Club
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15th Aug Addform/VLV (TBC)
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