Looking back over a fantastic season of riding, racing and socials

While many of us will continue to cycle over the autumn and winter, for some it’s time to retreat inside for a winter of spinning, turbos or our new yoga sessions. So it’s a great opportunity to look back on a fantastic summer season of Condor riding, racing and socialising, and who better to take us through it than former president Ollie. I’ve put this together from Ollie’s ‘top 10 highlights’ at the AGM – you can see the slides here in all their multimedia glory.

Back in November we linked up with the Oxford Brookes Cycle Club and it’s been great to welcome some regular Brookes faces to our regular weekly rides this season. Even if it has meant many of us being ridden ragged by some incredibly strong riders! For the club it anchors us further in our local East Oxford community.

It’s not only been about the riding this year. Thanks to social secretary Sam Elliot we’ve had some great nights out, Joe Perks has become a regular haunt (and the hardiest of us have spent a few epic nights in Hilos too). It’s brought a whole new dimension to the club: you now get to see what people look like without helmets and lycra! And 20 Condors took the riding and socialising to the Brecon Beacons again in late September with beautiful early autumn days and some tough climbing.

Last winter the club introduced spinning sessions, led by Michael Devaney. And this year the indoor training has expanded to include a new series of yoga classes led by Becci Curtis.

This September saw the second Bike Oxford, not only great for Oxford cycling, but a great platform for the club. Thanks are due to the many Condors who helped get the event set up. It was followed swiftly by the annual Hill Climb Championships, which draw 36 riders – from the serious climbers to several in fancy dress –  and raised £280 for Helen and Douglas House. Once again, huge thanks to all the Condors who helped put the event on, and to Jo for our brilliant new series of Condor artwork.

It’s been a great season for racing, under the captaincy of Jonny Revis. Our fourth year at Silverstone saw us take four teams to race in the annual 9-up team time trial, including our first all-women’s team.  After several months of training, 36 riders took to the track on a beautiful summer evening, and a gaggle (or is it a flock?) of Condors shouted themselves hoarse from Condors Corner. 2015 also saw the second year of the Oxfordshire Road Race League – a series of races co-founded by the Condors and which we had an impressive showing. Michael Devaney took the men’s trophy, Laura Cee was second in the women’s, and the women won overall. It was great to see so much pink and black on show. Several Condors also had their first crack at racing this year, and will no doubt be back for more next year, and there was a great supporters crew at each race. Condors also raced across the region most weekends, and Laura went on to take 1st place in the South East Women’s Time Trial Series 25 mile event. In recent weeks the cyclo-cross season has started with Andy and Aron competing. We also had a series of club time trials this season, organised expertly by Cathy and Brett with many helpers on the day. The August TT saw 35 Condors pin a number on their back and take on the Stadhampton circuit and it has been great to see so many keen to have a go.

Condors.cc, this website, has had a complete overhaul, and is not only smarter and pinker, but will make it much easier for members to join, renew, and book events.

Ride leadership is the backbone of the club, and this year we’ve welcomed many more new ride leaders, with several ride leader training sessions organised to help new leaders build confidence to take groups out during the week. 

Our membership has really grown this year – hitting 138. But the year’s top story has to be the incredible growth in women’s cycling, thanks to the fantastic work of some committed Condors. Thanks to Cheryl’s Summer Sessions, we now have 58 women, more than double what we had last season, a new women’s committee. Perhaps most importantly of all, we’ve remained the welcoming and friendly club that we want to be above all.

Ollie Jaques, President 2014-15