May Segment of the Month Results
We ventured out towards Longwood last month, to enjoy the smell of garlic as we toiled our way along May’s segment. Jon Hall was the fastest open rider, beating Niclas Olley into second, but there was nothing to separate the two in third place, Aaron Barry and Jon Dudley. It turns out Jon D is much faster when he doesn’t have to slow down for a tractor.
The v50+ podium was similar: Two Jons on the top two steps, with a Tim sneaking into third.
Again, special mention to the Scarponi lads. Good to see some U16s entering the fray. Can we get a few more to give them some competition?
Things haven’t settled down properly in the GC competition, but at the moment, Tim Cooke has the lead over Niclas Olley and Jon Hall in the open competition. Tim reverses last month’s positions in the v50+ GC: he takes the top step, over Jon H and then Jon D.
It was quiet in the women’s competition last month: Jen Dawson was the only female rider, so she of course heads the standings both for the month and the overall GC.
Full results are viewable here - and full rules (plus a list of all this year's segments) here
In June we go to Kingsworthy, to ride Down Farm Lane. There’s already been some early action here, with several group rides taking advantage of the early good weather. While you ride, can you work out which local pro used to be a barista near here and in which local café? (Clue: he’s been rather successful recently in a World Tour event, even wearing the virtual leader’s jersey at one point).
Tim
April Segment of the Month Results
Local pro cyclist, Red Walters received an unfamiliar email from Strava last month, courtesy of Sotonia’s Segment of the Month competition. Somebody took his KoM!
In a stunning effort, Niclas Olley was faster than Red’s time on the April segment, to Farley Mount. Niclas sneaked in one second ahead of our local pro, and deservedly won the month’s competition. Trailing feebly behind were Tim Cooke and Ed Slot to fill out the male podium. Chapeau, Niclas.
Jen Dawson continued where she left off last year, and resumed her dominance in the female competition, recording the fastest time and beating Sarah Needle to top spot.
In the v50+ “old codgers” competition, Tim Cooke was fastest, and shares the podium with Jon Hall and Paul Macken.
It’s great to have two U16 riders in the competition too: welcome Lorenzo and Giulio Scarponi. Can we rustle up any more youth riders to give them a ride for their money?
May segment
The May segment takes us near Winchester, out near the Milburys pub. If you love the smell of garlic, then you’ll love this gentle 3 km slope. The arched trees either side always make me think of hobbit country. Beautiful. Please take care though. We hear that there is some gravel at the bottom of the road as you turn in from Belmore Lane.
Longwood part 2 https://www.strava.com/segments/4031638
It’s never too late to join the competition. Full rules are viewable here.
And full league tables are viewable here.
Tim
Segment Of The Month Competition 2025
Segment of the Month is back! This year's competition will run from April to November, using a similar format to last year.
There will be a male and female GC competition, and two sub-categories: across the 8 month competition, there will be 4 flatter segments contributing to the Rouleur competition, and 4 hilly segments contributing to the KQOM competition. There is also an age based category for all riders 50 years up.
First segment is in Farley Mount, https://www.strava.com/segments/14053001, a 3.5 km climb that starts shallow, gets steep and then goes shallow. Can you steal Red Walters' KoM crown?
Full competition rules are available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X9qj0sm8PzXs28y-PRitkUHC4vuXSIUQmwf9Vjs8PeI/edit?usp=sharing
Please remember to let us know if you intend to play your joker for April, or if you want to enter the v50+ category through an email to info@sotonia.co.uk
Tim
Sotonia Social 2024 Review
This weekend saw us get together for a fun filled afternoon and evening to celebrate our 2024 champions and of course compete for the spoils in The Big Quiz. With over a hundred participants from our youth and adults section joining together to collect silverware, it sure was a busy evening.
Our very own Martin Olney talked about his recent unsupported off-road LEJOG adventures, bringing his fully loaded stead for everyone to imagine how mind bogglingly epic it would be to haul it over those massive climbs. Thanks again Martin.
This years coveted Sotonian of the year award going to a well deserved Claire Johnson for her efforts in relaunching the club rides.
The quiz was tightly contested with a fair amount of banter between (and only a mild amount of cheating?) from our most senior team members and the bar staff, with the eventual spoils going to the Cross is Boss team - well done!
A massive thanks go out to everyone that came and has helped, Jez for the advertising, Mark Allen and Eve Finlayson for sorting the youth awards, My wife Natalie and Daughter Emma helping to sort the food and room out on the day, and thanks once again for Martin’s inspiring talk.
Jason.
Interclub Elimination Race TrainingPeaks Virtual
Interclub Elimination Race on TrainingPeaks Virtual. 7pm, Tuesday 7 January.
In recent years, we've organised various virtual events on Zwift for local clubs, including handicap races up the Alpe du Zwift, chase races and team time trials. This year, we're hosting an elimination race on TrainingPeaks Virtual. TPV is like Zwift, but better in many ways, and less good in others. It's free until March, when it will be bundled into the price of TrainingPeaks premium. So this is a great chance to try it out. If you join the Sotonia club on TPV, you can ride in Sotonia branded kit in-game.
The elimination race is likely to last about 40 minutes for the winner and will be held on a flat velodrome. After 5 sighting laps, two riders will be eliminated each alternate lap (starting on lap 6; the sprints will come every 70 to 80 seconds) if they are the last two to cross the start/finish banner.
Field size is set to 30, although if we have more riders who sign up, we can expand the field, and increase the number of riders who are eliminated each time. If this happens, I'll post an update here.
Because the race is intended for BC South riders, you will need to use the special access link here.
See you there!
Wessex CX League, Round 5, Southampton
It was time for Sotonia's home round on Sunday for round 5 of the Wessex CX league at Southampton Sports Centre with 400 riders signed up and eager to tackle a slightly tweaked course from previous editions that featured rider "favourite" - The Bank of Doom and a whole bunch more corners!
Sotonia riders excelled in many of the day's races - in the U8s Leighton Riley was building a repertoire of celebrations after a second win with Annie Forsyth and Flo Boustred, 2nd and 3rd in the girls race. In the U10s, Ella Greenhalgh was on the podium with Theo Plumb second in the boys. Rita Howbrook finished 5th in the U12s and Eve Carline showed impressive skills on the 'Bank of Doom' in her U14 girls win.
Race of the day went to the U16 boys with Tom Allen locked in a 3-way battle for the whole race that came down to a bike throw in the sprint that he also won, with Tom Wilks 5th.
Not to be outdone, our junior men proved up to the task, Niclas Olley winning with George Connell 4th.
Next up the v40 open race and another strong ride by Andy Gardiner to win, Tom Budden (4th) and Pete Boustred (5th) also on the podium for Sotonia.
Emma Harrison was 5th in the Junior women's race, Gemma Wilks 3rd v40 female. Finally, club coaches Jon Hall and Phil Connell duked it out in the v50 open race, Jon narrowly taking the final podium spot with more clubmate duels no doubt to come this season!
As always, these events could not happen without the hard work of organisers Jez and Tom, with so many others also giving their time to help transport kit, set up, marshal and take down the course at the end of a long day. Big thanks to all involved in creating such a successful event!
September Segment Of The Month results
The return of autumn may have put off a few riders (along with the start of cross season), which meant that only 15 riders braved the Airfield East segment.
In the women’s competition, Jen Dawson claimed her second win of the season, beating Debbie Hallett into second place, and series leader Sophie Sellars into third. Just three points separate Sophie and Jen now, going into the last month.
Jeremy Hubbard continued his superb time trialling form to claim top spot, by a clear 30 seconds. Paul Macken came in second, with Sam Cooper claiming the final podium place. Jeremy now has a clear lead in the overall, but things are tight between Paul Macken and Will Weynberg for second place in the overall, with just 3 points separating them. The rest of the leader board was re-organised a bit, with some notably strong performances from Greg Sanger and Martin Nobbs.
Both competitions, though, will be shaken up a bit by the final points selection, with each rider being able to discard their lowest points tally for the final GC.
There were no entries in either the male or female U16 sections.
Our final segment of the month is a hard one to pace. “Keep going until it stops hurting” is a perfectly named segment on which to end the competition. Just outside of Winchester, there’s a steep first section and then a false flat to the end at 2.2 km.
Don’t forget to play your joker in this, the final month of the competition. Just let us know by the end of 3 October.
Good luck!
Full results are viewable here
Tim
August Segment Of The Month results
Last month sent Sotonians up a long climb in the New Forest. Sophie Sellars continued her 100% winner’s record in the female competition, with Jen Dawson hard on her heels. These two dominate the overall competition too, with Debbie Hallett not far behind.
Once again Will Weynberg came out on top in the men’s competition, recording the 3rd fastest all time climb up the segment; James Gilfillan was close behind, with the segment’s 7th overall fastest. Jeremy Hubbard continued his strong form to claim third place. In the overall, Will is in first place, with Jeremy Hubbard in second. Paul Macken takes the third spot, showing that wily experience still counts for a lot.
Tom Allen continued his 100% record in the U16s male; he's also the only entrant, but I doubt anyone can beat him...? No U16s female entrants, sadly.
September is one for the rouleurs. Once again, we send competitors out to the New Forest, this time to Airfield East. You’ll need to watch the weather forecast for this. It can be brutal if you find yourself plugging into a headwind for 4 km on the top of the Forest. (P.S, if you’re a tri-rider, please let us know if we need to discount any attempts done in a group!).
Full results are viewable here.
Wessex CX League, Round 1, Clanfield
Cross is back! Some very uncross-like conditions at Clanfield for round 1 of the Wessex CX league this weekend hosted by Solent Pirates. It was hot and hilly for a tough early season test and a big turnout from team Sotonia.
Impressive podium finishes for James Sutton in the U12s, Matilda Wilks and Eve Carline in the u14s, Tom Wilks and Tom Allen in the U16s, Niclas Olley in the Open Juniors, Gemma Wilks in the v40 Women and finally, a win for Andy Gardiner in the Open V40 race!
Great riding everyone.
Photos: Pitchside Paul
June Segment Of The Month results
Well, you may or may not be able to rely on England at the Euros, but you can rely on our segment of the month delivering.
In June, 22 Sotonians pulled themselves up the steep Loosehanger climb. Fastest overall was James Gilfillian, a new entrant to the competition, followed by last season’s overall competition winner, Andy Gardiner and then Will Weynberg.
Nothing could separate Jen Dawson and Sophie Sellars though, who shared the top step in the female competition, with Debbie Hallett taking third place.
Izzy Hall sat this month out, so there was no U16 female rider. Tom Allen was the sole U16 male rider, with a superb time that also placed him 7th in the open men’s competition.
It’s early in the season to read too much into the GC, but once again it looks like a competition between Jen and Sophie for the female top spot; 3 points separate those two. Will Weynberg heads the men’s competition by two points from Ed Slot.
Full results are viewable at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JK7LTq2wZX9MLy-DbK_JTsKVcCPXsXvpFgRB2cAEMec/edit?usp=sharing
Next month is a return to the rouleur competition. Choose a day when you get a westerly wind to blow you along the King Somborne Flat, and you’ll fly down this 5.5 km almost pan flat segment. https://www.strava.com/segments/5672925
And if you want to play your joker, let us know by the end of the third day of the month. Full rules of the completion are available at https://docs.google.com/document/d/16wxgkBCLWIyCIM9Ne3VOcBkP8jy1lXe3fKleM4EH02w/edit?usp=sharing