Market Harborough is at the hub of the Welland Valley Cycling Club. Members travel in from all over the surrounding towns and villages like the spokes of a wheel, with a core of riders based in Harborough itself. In recognition of this and the fact that the town is part of the clubs identity, we have included the towns logo, based upon the old grammar school, on the design of our new club strip, along with the club's logo. Nestled between the shires of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, the club benefits from many routes in and around the gentle picturesque valley formed by the River Welland and from which it gets its name. in 2006 we achieved Sport England Clubmark status for our Go-Ride activities.
Chairman's Welcome
As Chairman of the Welland Valley CC. I would like to offer you my personal welcome to our web site. I hope you find it enlightening, interesting and encouraging to the extent that you may consider cycling as a means to increase your health and fitness and in so doing enhance your life. I have the honour to chair a committee of dedicated people who, through regular meetings, represent each and every club member, new or established. We endeavour to ensure all get the most out of being part of what is in effect, 'their' club.
George Barnett
Welland Valley CC would like to think that it catered for all types of cyclist and all manner of cycling disciplines. Members range from the very serious to the very casual. The majority of members compete in club Time Trials; events whereby the slower rider starts, followed 1 minute later by the next fastest, finishing with the superhuman! All riders set themselves personal goals, be it to beat their previous weeks time or personal best, or to not be beaten by their nearest rival or, to get home without being overtaken at all. A variety of courses and events encourage interest and increase participation throughout the season, as well as testing the skill of the rider. The club Time Trial season starts with a couple of hilly rides of around 14 miles that warrant the title 'Hard Rides'. These are followed by the 8.5 mile series before progressing onto the 10 mile courses with the last month of events being held on the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground which is a closed circuit aerodrome. In amongst these separate competitions there is the Club Championship; a series of 9 rides.
Club Championship events range from the 2mile to 25 miles and are spread throughout the year with 6 out of the 10 events counting towards a riders final points tally. There is also an active programme of Road Racing that is supported by the club. Within a road race, riders set off at the same time and compete around a course to be the first past the post. Road Racing is a style of riding that needs quite a bit of planning and skill on the bike. We regularly assist in the organisation and running of such events and often have riders represent the club within the field. Similar races take place off-road that complement the active mountain bike scene run by the local club 'Cats MBC. Within the Welland Valley CC there is also an active Cyclo-Cross contingent. Cyclo-Cross being cross-country on a bike. We are privileged to have within the club, Vic Barnett, a former over 50's World Champion at Cyclo-Cross.
Outside of the competitions there is also an active riding for fun scene. All season, club runs venture into the Welland Valley and surrounding area for a Sunday morning ride that sets off at about 9:30am from the Square within the town. There is an increasing band of members who ferry or fly across to France to see a stage or two of the Tour de France and then attempt some of the mountain stages used by the professionals. All events are open to any rider; male/female, young/old, fit/unfit and on any type of machine you care to ride, with the exception of Road Racing whereby a licence has to be applied for and restrictions on cycles apply.
Market Harborough is at the hub of the Welland Valley Cycling Club. Members travel in from all over the surrounding towns and villages like the spokes of a wheel, with a core of riders based in Harborough itself. In recognition of this and the fact that the town is part of the clubs identity, we have included the towns logo, based upon the old grammar school, on the design of our new club strip, along with the club's logo. Nestled between the shires of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, the club benefits from many routes in and around the gentle picturesque valley formed by the River Welland and from which it gets its name. in 2006 we achieved Sport England Clubmark status for our Go-Ride activities.
Chairman's Welcome
As Chairman of the Welland Valley CC. I would like to offer you my personal welcome to our web site. I hope you find it enlightening, interesting and encouraging to the extent that you may consider cycling as a means to increase your health and fitness and in so doing enhance your life. I have the honour to chair a committee of dedicated people who, through regular meetings, represent each and every club member, new or established. We endeavour to ensure all get the most out of being part of what is in effect, 'their' club.
George Barnett
Welland Valley CC would like to think that it catered for all types of cyclist and all manner of cycling disciplines. Members range from the very serious to the very casual. The majority of members compete in club Time Trials; events whereby the slower rider starts, followed 1 minute later by the next fastest, finishing with the superhuman! All riders set themselves personal goals, be it to beat their previous weeks time or personal best, or to not be beaten by their nearest rival or, to get home without being overtaken at all. A variety of courses and events encourage interest and increase participation throughout the season, as well as testing the skill of the rider. The club Time Trial season starts with a couple of hilly rides of around 14 miles that warrant the title 'Hard Rides'. These are followed by the 8.5 mile series before progressing onto the 10 mile courses with the last month of events being held on the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground which is a closed circuit aerodrome. In amongst these separate competitions there is the Club Championship; a series of 9 rides.
Club Championship events range from the 2mile to 25 miles and are spread throughout the year with 6 out of the 10 events counting towards a riders final points tally. There is also an active programme of Road Racing that is supported by the club. Within a road race, riders set off at the same time and compete around a course to be the first past the post. Road Racing is a style of riding that needs quite a bit of planning and skill on the bike. We regularly assist in the organisation and running of such events and often have riders represent the club within the field. Similar races take place off-road that complement the active mountain bike scene run by the local club 'Cats MBC. Within the Welland Valley CC there is also an active Cyclo-Cross contingent. Cyclo-Cross being cross-country on a bike. We are privileged to have within the club, Vic Barnett, a former over 50's World Champion at Cyclo-Cross.
Outside of the competitions there is also an active riding for fun scene. All season, club runs venture into the Welland Valley and surrounding area for a Sunday morning ride that sets off at about 9:30am from the Square within the town. There is an increasing band of members who ferry or fly across to France to see a stage or two of the Tour de France and then attempt some of the mountain stages used by the professionals. All events are open to any rider; male/female, young/old, fit/unfit and on any type of machine you care to ride, with the exception of Road Racing whereby a licence has to be applied for and restrictions on cycles apply.