Page 76 - Mercian Eagle 2016

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Cyprus Cycling Challenge 2016 WO2 Lamonby
During the middle of May, 3 members of
4 MERCIAN (WO2 Jason Lamonby, WO2 Simon Tolley and Pte David Kersahw) took part in the 20th annual running of the 2016 Cyprus Cycling Challenge (CCC16)
The challenge is run over 4 days and the aim is to enable individuals to complete an arduous and challenging road cycling route that covers over 500km and incorporate a total in excess of 5000m , demonstrating physical and mental robustness, team work, and esprit de corps.
To ensure that all members of the team were ready, from early November, each member spent many hours training either on the WATT bikes in their respective Army Reserve Centre or braved the wet and cold weather on the British roads, getting the necessary miles into their legs. So it made a great change to finally arrive in Cyprus to glorious sunshine and temperatures in the high 20’s. To ensure acclimatization, we arrived a few days before the start to carry out a number of 70-80km familiarization rides before the event and to get acclimatized to the heat.
DAY 1
Day one started at Ayia Nikolias (home of the Joint Services Signals Unit or JSSU) and was to finish at Episkopi Garrison. Total distance for the day was 146km which
was conducted mainly as a peloton, but with 2 free rides (in which WO2 Lamonby won the first 25Km sprint) where the riders could stretch their legs and race against the stronger members of the other 49 riders taking part.
DAY 2
Day 2 was a 110Km
ride from Episkopi
Garrison to Polis; the
terrain was much more
mountainous than day
1, with the hardest
ascent coming at the
end of the day up
Derusiah heights, (over
600m), but never the
less this had its sprint
phases to test the better riders. Although the team held their own in the sprints,
it was decided that day 3 was the most demanding day and that conserving some energy would be the best strategy.
DAY 3
Polis to Troodos. 100Km; this was the start of the big climb up mount Trodos; the ride ascended some 3000M during the day. The fifirst 27km, the peloton follows the coastal
to get to the summit first. The fastest time was just over 4hrs and the slowest 9hrs!! The majority of the climb the riders spend alone, with the support of motor bike riders to see and make sure all the riders were safe. Unlike the previous 2 years in which the author has taken part, the weather
for the ascent of Trodos was constant sunshine which made
he
e d
d di
...day 3 was the most demanding day and that conserving some energy would be the best strategy.
a nice change to the continuous downpours of previous years, but made it a more arduous task. A well done to Pte Kershaw for becoming the first Mercian up the mountain with a credible top 10 finish
is
st
ta
DAY 4
165Km from Troodos to Aya Nik. There is no doubt that this is a substantial distance and is a personnel achievement just to complete. Hydration was key to the success in finishing, as the temperature soared
into the high 20’s. The Peloton was lucky enough to transit through the UN Buffer zone and have a group photo in front of the now derelict Nicosia Airport terminal. Again
road, the remainder of th ride and each rider gave t
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Peloton peddling towards the base of Trodos
WO2’s Simon Tolley and Jason Lamonby enjoying an Ice cream
WO2 Simon Tolley, Pte David Kershaw, WO2 Jason Lamonby
Pte David Kershaw, UN Buffer zone Nicosia Airport
THE MERCIAN EAGLE