As we look back through the pages of sporting history many of the key moments take the form of great sporting duels: Foreman and Ali, Borg and McEnroe, Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy. If we are lucky such an event may occur once in a decade, maybe even only once in a generation. Last night a new page was written, not played out in the steamy heat of Zaire neither on the mown lawns of SW19 but in the quiet leafy lanes of West Sussex.
Two Goliaths of the cycling world met, to go wheel to wheel to decide the 2011 Portsmouth DA CTC Hill Climb and Freewheel challenge. In reality these Titans were only interested in the latter, the former merely a warm-up for the main event. The media had billed this as a grudge match; bad blood had festered during the 12 months since the last event when the title was wrested from the grip of Hummerstone by the first time contender: Stott. Infact some say that it was a hollow contest last year as Hummerstone was unavailable to defend his trophy and that Stott had not really proved his worth.
Both camps claimed that the recent weeks had a seen an escalating pyschological war waged via SMS and online forums in an attempt to win the pre-ride mind games. Hummerstone, in a gesture of Entente Cordiale, invited Stott to take tea and French Fancies with him before the ride. Stott accepted the hospitality but remained suspicious that this might be a publicity stunt or that the cake maybe be contaminated with banned substances.
As the pair lined up for the start line it was evident that both had undertaken different training regimes. Stott, under the wing of his trainer Whitehead, had been on a strict bean sprout, alphalpha and Senokot diet. Hummerstone however, under the supervision of the Otter Brewery, had chosen the Full English, Cream Tea and Ambrosia approach. For the Freewheel challenge the feeling was that Stott may have got his preparation all wrong.
A neutral hill had been chosen to give no advantage to either camp, more technical than last years with an early enlongated S bend on the steeper section and a varying road surface to really test their skills. The organisers had really pulled out all the stops, probably with an eye on the 2012 Olympics where this event will be an exhibition sport.
And so with the last of the evening showers moving over the Downs and the sun casting long shadows across the fields of barley the nervous chatter and banter subsided and the small party of Pacers, Scouts and Trainers took their places. Protocol dictated that the defending champion should go first with Hummerstone coming last behind the Path Finders. Cranks were tied with regulation green twine and verfied by the scrutineers. The chalk line was drawn.
Stott made an unsteady start but regained his balance and composure opting for the bottom bracket foot position pioneered by the East German teams during the 1970's. A dab of the brakes on the first bend, and a bold sweep on the second he chose a clear line on the straight , he kept low and flat, though lost speed on the soft surface at the Fork. His foot was down, the string was unbroken and the line was drawn ....could it be enough? One by one the field descended and still Stott maintained his place at the front. there was only one left to come. All focus was on the Fork. Shouts went up, riders scattered and Hummerstone appeared, fast, smooth and confident it all looked to be lost for Stott. Was it a hole, was it a gust of wind or a last minute loss of nerve but Hummerstone seemed to slow rapidly and despite every sinew in his body willing his bike forward his foot went down less than two bike lengths from Stott. The Champion was undefeated, the contender thwarted for another year. Congratulations we made and commisorations were offered and the entourage made ready to leave but in that lane in the fading light and chilling air the sweet emotion of victory and the bitter taste of defeat combined and cancelled leaving only the fellowship of comrade wheelmen.
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| The field gathers |
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| The contender |
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| last minute verification of the rules |
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| the defending champion plays mind-games until the last moment! |
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| looks like Hummerstone has it in the bag |
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| Defeat is a bitter pill. |
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| the disappointment can not be disguised. |
