Oxford University Cycling Club

Hilary 2009

Week 2 Newsletter

1.   CUPPERS date change

It turns out the MTB Varsity Match is on March 1 so we’ve moved cuppers down a week to March 8.   As I mentioned before we will be in need of marshals so don’t be shy! Please contact the racing secretary <racing.secretary@oucycling.co.uk> if you’re able to lend a hand.

2.   Racing Kit

Good news to report on the racing kit—all designs have been finalized and production has started, we’re looking to receive the order in the next three or four weeks. I’ll keep you all posted and we’ll have a kit social to distribute the goods once they arrive.

3.   Drivers Wanted!

More like drivers needed! Every year OUCC finds itself scrambling for drivers to help get the club and our equipment to races. We generally travel in style (i.e. minibus) and this requires a special driving course with the university, which doesn’t take long and is paid for by the club. We currently do not have enough drivers to get us to races in the spring, so if you are over 21 and want to really help out the club, please get in touch!

If you’re going to be around for the next few years, you’re keen to race the BUCS races, and you drive a red Volvo to races, you’d be a great candidate.

4.    Casual Kit

As I mentioned last week the casual kit order has arrived. If you’re still searching for your swag, email the kit sec <kit.secretary@oucycling.co.uk>.

5.    Stolen Bike

I’m sorry to report that an OUCC member had his house broken into while away doing fieldwork and his bike was stolen. It is a 2005 Bianchi Alucarbon Via Nirone, Tiagra, 2 brand new Continental tires; it has 2 bright metallic blue skewers and reflective stickers on the back fork. Please keep an eye out for it and if you happen to spot it or come across it on ebay, let me know and we’ll get the guy put away.

6.    Right to Play

From the Sports Fed:

Right to Play is an athlete-driven international humanitarian organisation which uses sport and play as a development tool for children in some of the most disadvantaged countries in the world, working with over 720,000 children in 24 countries. It aims to improve the lives of children affected by poverty, war and disease by translating the best practices of sport and play into opportunities to promote development, health and peace.

The Oxford University Sports Federation is now fully endorsing the Right to Play scheme. As a function of this association we are encouraging every person who is a member of any of our 81 sports clubs to pay £1 for their right to play sport. Similar events are being hosted by multiple other universities across the UK, and with 350,000 sport-playing students this has the potential to be the largest student fund-raising event ever seen in the UK. All of this money will fund programmes for disadvantaged children
around the world.

Right to Play UK are also looking for additional Student Ambassadors at Oxford to help with fundraising within the University. For more information please contact: beth.wild@sport.ox.ac.uk or visit the website: www.students4righttoplay.org.uk.

This is a great cause and I’ll be collecting £1 form anyone who wishes to donate at socials throughout the term; you are welcome to contribute more than a £1.

7.    Rides This Week

Saturday, OUCC Group Rides: 10AM at Trinity Gates (Fast Ride and Dev. Ride led by Nils)

Sunday, OCRC Group Ride: 9AM at Martyrs Memorial

Remember to dress appropriately and bring along food, water, a map, cell phone, spare tube, etc.

SUPPLEMENT

1. Cube Bikes Sponsorship

I'm pleased to announce that Cube bicycles is sponsoring OUCC for the 2009 season. Cube is supplying seven road bikes to OUCC for the racing season, which will be allocated to racers within OUCC on the basis of merit. The main factors taken into consideration are road racing category and experience in order to maximize Cube’s exposure and association with OUCC. Both male and female riders will be considered (however men should be category 2 or better to apply).

Riders who receive club bicycles will be expected to race as a team when possible (as coordinated by the racing secretary), and race a minimum number of races with the club/in club colours. Riders must insure their bicycle against theft.

OUCC is still in discussions with the sponsor on a deal for mountain bikes.

If you’d like to be considered for a sponsored bicycle, please fill out the following information and email it to me by Friday 30 January at 5pm.

Name:
Age:
Current Racing Category:
Racing Category at the end of 2008:
Sex:
Course:
Experience with OUCC:
Race Resume:

2. Beginners Road Race

On a related note, OUCC will be organizing a trip to take first-time racers to a beginner’s road race on 22 February. This is a great way to get into road racing as it’s a very safe circuit, closed to traffic. OUCC has had success with this trip in the past, and with an E/1/2/3 race in the afternoon you’ll have a chance to catch some slightly faster racing too--we should have a lot of the club out for this! Contact the racing secretary, <nils.gustafsson@seh.ox.ac.uk> , if you’d like to come along.

Week 1 Newsletter

1.   2009 Events

At the end of last term I gave you all an idea of what the univrsity race scene would look like. Here are some important dates to go along with those events and information on local racing for you all as well, all of which will be available on the website for reference as well.

a) Cuppers – This will be held on Sunday March 1 on the Stadhampton 10 course; we will need marshals!

b) BUCS and Varsity Match – These are OUCC’s target events for the season. Race entry fees will be reimbursed and transportation will be provided to these events, so keep these dates free and get ready to beat Cambridge!

BUCS Team Time Trial – Saturday 18 April

BUCS 25 Mile Time Trial & Varsity Match – Saturday 25 April at Cambridge

BUCS 10 Mile Time Trial – Saturday 02 May at Oxford

BUCS Road Race – Saturday 16 May at Loughborough

c) Circuit of the Cotswalds – Sunday 21 June at Oxford (This event is run by a former OUCC rider in memory of former OUCC rider Dave Ryan).   http://www.circuitofthecotswolds.org

d) Local Time Trial Calendar – http://www.oxfordcityrc.fsnet.co.uk/

2.   BC Licenses

A quick update on anyone who is waiting on a license—our affiliation was processed at the start of the year and I should be receiving them any day now. They will be mailed out to you upon arrival (unless you’d prefer to pick it up).

3.   Sports Federation Scholarships

The Sports Federation is now accepting applications for four scholarships, details to which can be found here:

http://www.sport.ox.ac.uk/sports-federation/scholarships

The deadline for the 2008/9 Scholarship Applications is Friday of 5th Week, Hilary Term - 20 February 2009.

4.    Casual Kit!

Good news, the casual kit has arrived and will be picked up at the end of the week! It should be sorted by the weekend, the Kit Secretary will send out an email with details on how to claim your swag.

5.    Components for Sale

From Anton:   I've got some 7800 series 10speed Dura Ace for sale
STIs - £160 (rrp. £290)
Front Mech - £40 (rrp.£55)
Rear Mech - £50 (rrp. £90)
Both mechs have had little use - not on my cervelo. Anton.blackie@nielsen.com for more details

From Me: I’ve still got some aero stuff for sale, new lower pricing (incase you missed the last message)!
Hed Standard Disc (700c tubular, shimano, carbon): £300 (retail £550, the new one is £800)
FSA/Vision TriMax Plus Aerobars (Integrated extensions/base bar/stem): £110 (retail £220)
Fizik Arione Tri Black/Silver: £40 (retail £80)
Zipp clip-on carbon Aerobars (brand new, w/ straight extensions): £140 (retail £225)

6.    Results

From Flavio last weekend:

OUCC road racing team started the season with 2 wins in two weekends both in Hog Hill , Seb Pancratz won sat 3 jan his first ever race (4th cat)winning a sprint on a break away between people, and today Sam Parker won his first race of the season (3/4cat) with a superb sprint uphill after riding very strongly with Henry Martin(7th) and at one point were in a break away together.

Flavio and Dexter came 1-2 in their training crit this weekend as well.

Well done guys!

7.    Rides This Week

Saturday, OUCC Group Ride: 10AM at Trinity Gates (Dev. Ride Leader TBA)

Sunday, OCRC Group Ride: 9AM at Martyrs Memorial

Remember to dress appropriately and bring along food, water, a map, cell phone, spare tube, etc.

Michaelmas 2008

Week 5 Newsletter

1.   Kit Order

Please find an order form for on-the-bike kit on our website, www.oucycling.co.uk—Stephen (Treasurer) must receive your form BY NOVEMBER 17, next Monday, or you will miss out on the order. We will have the order by the end of January and plan to distribute it at a kit social at the beginning of Hillary Term. Remember, the more the club buys the cheaper it is, so if you buy loads of stuff we get price breaks. So don’t be shy!

2.   Casual Kit

This year Dark Blue is endorsing Canterbury of New Zealand as the official kit supplier of Oxford University sports. As orders will now be processed through Elmer’s Cotton, turn-around is supposedly only 3-4 weeks! In a fleeting effort to try to get this order sorted before the end of term, the due date will be NOVEMBER 21, the end of next week; an order form is attached—Please have your order to Hannah Smith at LMH by that date! Examples of DB kit can be found on the website, and you can drop by Elmer’s to have a look at the unembroidered stuff for sizing. For logo embroidery on the form, fill in what you’d like embroidered under the logo (e.g. your name). I’m not sure Elmer’s will do this but we’ve had personalized embroidery in the past so we’ll try. Realistically we probably won’t have this stuff until Hillary, but on the upside, we’ll have it at the start of Hillary!

3.   Membership

You can only buy kit if you are a member of OUCC. If you wish to join OUCC for the 2008-2009 year, please fill out an entry form and pidge it, with a check, to our Treasurer Stephen Hill at Queens College. Membership forms can be found online at www.oucycling.co.uk.

Membership with OUCC also includes access to the Oxford Cycle Works workshop, a discount on High 5 Sports Nutrition Products, a 10% discount at chainreactioncycles.com, a 10% discount at The Mission Mexican Grill (across from the Oxford Union), subsidized BUCS race fees, and transport to BUCS races.

4.   Emergency First Aid Courses

Places are still available for the Emergency First Aid Courses provided by the University First Aid Unit on the 13th and 24th of November from 6.00-9.00pm, and cost £12.50/person. Anyone interested should contact Richard Dodsworth, email: richard.dodsworth@sport.ox.ac.uk. OUCC will reimburse the fee for anyone attending these courses; just let me know you’re going.

5.   Sports Fed Ball

There are still a few spots open for the 6th Annual Sports Federation Ball will be held on 27 November, at The Oxford Centre (333 Banbury Road). Tickets cost £40, which includes a plush 3 course meal, champagne reception, awards ceremony, free ‘gift box’, disco, free entry into the after-party at The Bridge, and multiple guest speakers from the Beijing Olympics. Please email either (beth.wild@sport.ox.ac.uk) or Hannah Milton (hannah.milton@sport.ox.ac.uk) to reserve your tickets, and pidge cheques (with a note of your name, college and team) to us in the Sports Fed office at The University Sports Complex, Iffley Road, for £40 made payable to OUSD.

This should be a fun night so come along!

6.   Rides This Week

Saturday, OUCC Group Rides: 10AM at Trinity Gates—Fast Ride and Development Ride.
(Sophie is leading the dev ride this week)
Sunday, OCRC Group Ride: 9AM at Martyrs Memorial.

If you haven’t already, please have a look at <http://www.oucycling.co.uk/rr-events.htm>. Jonathan has posted a schedule of development rides this term as well as some really useful tips and suggestions for group ride etiquette and preparation. If you’re new to group riding (or even if you’re not), please have a look at this page and make sure you’re prepared to ride with OUCC throughout the season.

Week 4 Newsletter

1.   Kit Order

OUCC is currently putting together our order for racing kit—this is on-the-bike stuff. We’re endorsing Voler, an American company, for our clothing, and I can attest to their quality having raced in their kit for a few years. Kit order form can be found on the main OUCC webpage. Stephen (Treasurer) must receive your form BY NOVEMBER 17 or you will miss out on the order. OUCC will buy very few extras so don’t count on that for your kit down the road. We will have the order by the end of January and plan to distribute it at a kit social at the beginning of Hillary Term.

A disclaimer about pricing—the final prices will very a bit due to the exchange rate. But more importantly, the more the club buys the cheaper it is, so if we buy loads of stuff we get price breaks. So don’t be shy!

2.   Membership

You can only buy kit if you are a member of OUCC. If you wish to join OUCC for the 2008-2009 year, please fill out an entry form and pidge it, with a check, to our Treasurer Stephen Hill at Queens College. Membership forms can be found online at www.oucycling.co.uk.

Membership with OUCC also includes access to the Oxford Cycle Works workshop, a discount on High 5 Sports Nutrition Products, a 10% discount at chainreactioncycles.com, a 10% discount at The Mission Mexican Grill (across from the Oxford Union), subsidized BUCS race fees, and transport to BUCS races.

3.   Sports Fed Ball

There are still a few spots open for the 6th Annual Sports Federation Ball will be held on 27 November, at The Oxford Centre (333 Banbury Road). Tickets cost £40, which includes a plush 3 course meal, champagne reception, awards ceremony, free ‘gift box’, disco, free entry into the after-party at The Bridge, and multiple guest speakers from the Beijing Olympics. Please email either (beth.wild@sport.ox.ac.uk) or Hannah Milton (hannah.milton@sport.ox.ac.uk) to reserve your tickets, and pidge cheques (with a note of your name, college and team) to us in the Sports Fed office at The University Sports Complex, Iffley Road, for £40 made payable to OUSD.

This should be a fun night so come along!

4.   Rides This Week

Saturday, OUCC Group Rides: 10AM at Trinity Gates—Fast Ride and Development Ride.
(The dev ride will lead by Nils and myself)
Sunday, OCRC Group Ride: 9AM at Martyrs Memorial.

Please have a look at http://www.oucycling.co.uk/rr-events.htm. Jonathan has posted a schedule of development rides this term as well as some *really useful* tips and suggestions for group ride etiquette and preparation. If you’re new to group riding (or even if you’re not), please have a look at this page and make sure you’re prepared to ride with OUCC throughout the season.