by Mark Chick. Indulge me for a moment, if you will.   I’m writing this when I should have been packing for a trip to Oudenaarde, Belgium. That I’m not going (it’s a long story) and going to miss what promised to be a very special weekend is painful. We would have been riding We Ride Flanders (the Tour of Flanders Sportive), followed on Sunday by the electric atmosphere of catching the pro men and women four times on the iconic cobbles of the Oude Kwaremont, as an entire nation stops for De Ronde.   I suspect you won’t need much convincing how good this sounds. Great as it would have been, it’s not quite the best weekend on the cycling calendar.   That honour is reserved for the Cyclo-Cross World Championships. Seven rainbow jerseys are awarded in just over two days in the most passionate sporting circumstances.   I am organising another of the now somewhat traditional trips to the Cyclo-Cross World Championships in January 2025 to Liévin, France. This will be the eighth trip I’ve arranged and some of you have been before. If you might like to join us, I’ve provided some short information below. Rather than fill up the newsletter with additional detail, see the link at the end for the rest. New for this trip is that the transport picks-up on the doorstep in Cheltenham 😊                                                                                     Dates: Friday 31st January - Monday 3rd February 2025   Itinerary / included: ·         Friday 31st January 2025: coach departs from Cheltenham around 05.00 (time will be confirmed nearer the time). Travels along A417 & A419, M4, M25, M26, M20 with agreed pick-ups along the way. Take the train from Folkestone through the Channel Tunnel. Continue our journey on the coach to Lille. Spend three nights on a bed and breakfast basis at the Mercure Lille Centre Grand-Place Hotel. ·         Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February: coach travel from the hotel to the race and back. ·         Monday 3rd February: a more relaxed start before starting the journey home. Drive to Calais for the return train crossing from Calais to Folkestone. A hypermarket stop in Dunkerque should be possible but will depend on our progress. Continue the return journey back to Cheltenham, dropping off at the same pick-up points as the outward journey. Expecting to arrive in Cheltenham late afternoon/early evening.   Hotel: https://all.accor.com/hotel/0802/index.en.shtml Event website: https://www.lievin2025.com/en/home/   Prices cover costs and nothing more. How much per person for this three-night itinerary depends on the final number of passengers going on the trip, as follows:   Minimum 35 persons £422 Minimum 40 persons £392 Minimum 45 persons £377 Minimum 50 persons £357 Minimum 55 persons £347 Minimum 60 persons £337   Single room supplement is £165.   As at the end of March, I already have 20 people booked and based on experience, I expect a full coach and usually end up turning people away.   Bookings require a £50 deposit per person. Balances fall due in October.   Would be great to have some C&CCC clubmates along for the fun. It’s not exclusive to club members. Friends are welcome. Any questions, please ask.   More details and how to book here: https://1drv.ms/b/s!Alnxw4xWFxv3mIoEF0oRYuW5t_F4Kg?e=Z9WVac   Kind regards, Mark Chick, CyclingEvent@outlook.com

Might be of interest? The chance to join @Pottsy and Jonny Max!

Time to get your entries in!! Cheltenham & County CC Cat 2/3/4 Road Races, 14th July 2024- SEPARATE WOMEN'S AND OPEN RACES https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/298173/Cheltenham-and-County-Road-Races Both races form part of both The Cotswold Cycle Racing League and the Oxfordshire Road Race League. Thanks to new Race Captain @Niel Dunnage for his first year running our races.    Cheltenham & County Cycling Club are keen to make cycling and racing equal for both men and women. Once again, we're holding 2 road races, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. The morning race is Cat 2/3/4 Open inc Juniors, 61.5 miles, and the afternoon race is Cat 2/3/4 Female inc Juniors, 43 miles. Same prize money in both races. The race will be on the Redmarley circuit, a great rolling open course with a challenging finish up Hollybush Hill. Closed junctions by Accredited Marshals and the awesome National Escort Group motorcyclists make for a safer race experience. Get your entries in asap!! We're particularly keen to see a full field for the Women's race, encourage more riders into racing and in turn encourage more clubs to promote Women-only races! THE 2021 EDITION WAS 3 TIMES OVERSUBSCRIBED - ENTER NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE! (photo courtesy of Rich Treen, C&CCC Road Race Aug 2021)

An fyi from Doug Gale - a TT record attempt on Tuesday...

This might be of interest to anybody not racing our club RR which is the day after. James Varnish has forwarded it to Tim Sluman asking for it to be offered to our club members. Unfortunately no ebike category 😁😁

Rich Smith has asked for this invitation to be extended to members - no ticket required, no entry fee

Donations still coming in, now our total inc' Wheatsheaf/Youngs donation totals £1945 plus £216 gift aid, so £2161.48 - thanks everybody for their donations! Still chance to add to the total and take it to £2500 - donate here ---> www.justgiving.com/lesley-jeanes

PAYDAY Social !!! This Saturday you’re invited to join fellow cyclists/friends for drinks & a natter. If you’re at a loose end meet in The Strand, High Street, Cheltenham. 7.00pm All very casual & a chance to chat/catch up…..Enjoy!

Course change due to planned road works! The Cheltenham & County Cat 3/4 Road Races will now be held on the Redmarley/Staunton circuit, 31st July 2022 - SEPARATE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S RACES -https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/259627/Cheltenham--County-Cycling-Club---Road-Race-2022&source=website-ems - Mens race is now 50% full. Hoping to get a viable field for the Women's only race, please enter asap so that we can plan with certainty!!! Cheltenham & County Cycling Club have been keen to make cycling and racing equal for both men and women. This year, we're holding 2 road races, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. The morning race is Cat 3/4 Male inc Juniors, 5.5 laps/ 52 miles, and the afternoon race is Cat 3/4 Female inc Juniors, 4.5 laps/43 miles. Same prize money in both races. The race will be on the Redmarley circuit, a great one for novices as well as practised racers. A 9.5 mile lap of fast rolling roads, and a finish on Hollybush. Closed junctions by Accredited Marshals and the awesome National Escort Group motorcyclists make for a safer race experience. Please get your entries in asap, we're particularly keen to see a full field for the Women's race, encourage more riders into racing and in turn encourage more clubs to promote Women-only races! LAST YEAR'S RACE WAS 3 TIMES OVERSUBSCRIBED - ENTER NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE! (photo courtesy of Richard Treen, C&CCC Road Race Aug 2021)https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/259627/Cheltenham--County-Cycling-Club---Road-Race-2022&source=website-ems - Mens race is now 50% full. Hoping to get a viable field for the Women's only race, please enter asap so that we can plan with certainty!!! Cheltenham & County Cycling Club have been keen to make cycling and racing equal for both men and women. This year, we're holding 2 road races, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. The morning race is Cat 3/4 Male inc Juniors, 5.5 laps/ 52 miles, and the afternoon race is Cat 3/4 Female inc Juniors, 4.5 laps/43 miles. Same prize money in both races. The race will be on the Redmarley circuit, a great one for novices as well as practised racers. A 9.5 mile lap of great roads, and a finish on Hollybush. Closed junctions by Accredited Marshals and the awesome National Escort Group motorcyclists make for a safer race experience. Please get your entries in asap, we're particularly keen to see a full field for the Women's race, encourage more riders into racing and in turn encourage more clubs to promote Women-only races! LAST YEAR'S RACE WAS 3 TIMES OVERSUBSCRIBED - ENTER NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE! (photo courtesy of Richard Treen, C&CCC Road Race Aug 2021)