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Gentlemen's Hill Climb: 30.03.11
This morning saw the inaugural Gentlemen's Hill Climb here on Mallorca. Five teams gathered at the Rapha Cycle Club for this unsanctioned, no-holds-barred team time trial over a course climbing a little over 350m in 5km.
There were no rollers on which to warm up, no iPods to calm their fears. Even the ex-pros and hardened racers had a slightly apprehensive look on their faces and there was early talk of cutting the climb short, and finishing instead after the first few ramps.
Fortunately bravado overcame nerves and so after a short briefing, the purposely-uneven teams went off at 30 second intervals to push, pull and cheat their way up the climb to the top, with the clock stopping only once the last man crossed the line.
It might have been a time trial, the legs might have been burning, but as with all Gentlemen's riding the onus was very much on camaraderie.
The winning team 'The Caledonian' (Scottish triathletes..!) crossed the line in 19:12, despite an uphill crash and not one single case of hanging onto the race commissaire's car. Their time goes straight to the top of the leader board and we hope will be beaten quickly by teams far more dishonest than themselves.
Notable mentions go to Nadav Kander and Ben Ingham who, despite being photographers, made it all the way to the top unscathed. Alex Ceselli, on the other hand, had to be dragged up by his team-mates Rupert RT and G. Kemp. The shame.
The Rapha Gentlemen's Hill Climb takes place every Wednesday morning at 11am. Meeting point is the Cycle Club Mallorca in Port de Pollensa.
Follow @RaphaCycleClub on Twitter.
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Comments
Paul Martin
31st March 2011 04:12pm
Looks like fun, wish I'd stayed an extra couple of weeks…If you guys look hard enough you'll find a lean Mallorcan in a pink t-shirt who'll tell you sub-7 is a respectable time up that hill. He could be bluffing though.
Stefan Rohner
31st March 2011 06:43pm
;))
Nicholas Miles
31st March 2011 09:50pm
well done gents, i had some fun (i think) on that hill last week with a tastey mallorcan tailwind.. nice article .. bravo 'the caledonian'
Gem Atkinson
1st April 2011 03:02pm
Well done to the scottish contingent - now we know that 32 min ascent of Sa Calobra was no fluke! Hat to all for undertaking the climb, and shame on skinny- Alex ;)
Gem