by David Brown

Hi Northern Vets members - just got the following off a cycling website.  Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin covered our Club Championship!  Apparently, the event is still in production, but here is the transcript. No doubt you will be able to buy the DVD soon.

Phil "Hello cycling fans, Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen here at the start of the Northern Veterans Club Championship and Secret Handicap.  Well Paul this is not our normal race to commentate on, is it?"

Paul "Indeed no Phil, its true that Northern Vets aren't the creme de la creme, but the Victorian countryside is quite pretty."

Phil "Our viewers might not know that you actually finished the Paris Roubaix, which is almost as hard as the Lancefield course."

Paul "Yes, that was the year I fell off thirty five times and was carried to end by the spectators in a sedan chair."

Phil "It was quite a sight, but there was no reason to rush into hell. As usual Paul has been with the riders to obtain pre race interviews ."

Paul "Yes Phil, even the riders that don't speak English such as Tomeke van Donagh and Ollie Kelly are always willing to talk to their many fans.  Naturally they were concerned about the course, the road surface has deteriated significantly and at least one of the potholes has swallowed up a local farmer and his tractor.  The wind also was mentioned by Tony Zanella, but he said that so long as Dick Purcell keeps off the beans it should be manageable."

Phil "Well that's remarkable.  With the A grade riders leading the way it should be a real rip-snorter up the Muur de Dons Road"

Paul "Yes I expect that a selection will be made at that point, but most likely the col d'Rocheford will be were the big boys come out to play."

Phil "I can only agree, but we can now move to the race proper.  Harry, a familiar figure to anyone in this part of the world has the twitchy riders under starters orders. I think the first race I called was won by Harry, that would have been maybe 1908." (Editor - its a bit hard to hear this audio and I may have got the year wrong).

Phil "The race will be a hard one for us to call today.  Without the helicopter vision, motorbikes, fixed camera's and the like, most of what we have to say will be just us two prattling on."

Paul "Well no real change for you then Phil."

Phil "Thanks for that, I think the race has started. With a mass start, you would think that some real pressure would be applied early on to break up the field."

Paul "Well it looks like they are glass cranking it.  The downhill from Lancefield is being treated like roll through the countryside.  I can't understand what they are playing at, it seems to be a crazy game just now."

Phil "Yes, nothing much happening now as the race dawdles its way up the Kyneton Road, hold on there is Chooka pointing out one of the trenches that have dug into the road."

Paul "I can see Phil Hollingsworth cuts a fine figure on the road."

Phil "Makes a fair wind break doesn't he."

Paul "Here we come to the little rise on Three Chain Road.  That's a nasty box of tricks that Paul l'Ogan has opened, he has attacked."

Phil "Look at them! They're like goldfish out there! But I see that cunning old man Tommy Gray has got onto the wheel with Speed and Hanlon after him."

Paul "That has set up the group now for the ride to the corner."

Phil "Yes its stretched the elastic and the Dons Road hill will break it for many."

Paul "Your right Phil, look at the big boys go up that hill, the rest are dropping away with legs like putty."

Phil "I am surprised that Ray Rhodes has dropped off the lead group. Do you think that two races in a weekend was a bit much for man of his elderly years?"

Paul "A chase group has formed by the Newham corner.  They can see the blue marshals car in front and it gives them heart. Gary Williams is pushing them on, he must really want to make the junction before Rocheford."

Phil "I think they can do it Paul, but it wont do them much good as the Col will break the group again"

Paul "I see Andrew Kennersey is making a charge for the most aggressive rider, a great effort but it will probably cost him a place.

Phil "Yes Andrew still has to mature into a road rider yet, that will come with age"

Phil "Further back groups are all over the road, the wind is causing havoc. I see Ian Flannery and Rob Thompson are back socialising with the Evelyn. Sue and Tracey."

Paul "That's very good of them but I doubt that the handicapper will be seeing it that way for Kernot next week! (Editors note I think that something is said about a 14 minute handicap would be a fair thing)."

Phil "I think I can see the Rizzo boys are still with the lead group.  That's is a pretty fair effort.  I am surprised if they don't ride B Grade from now on."

Paul "Yes I think that now we are in the second lap the final selection has been made.  Those that can are with the leaders and the rest are no where."

(Editor - Audio breaks up and it’s hard to say what happened from here on. Especially as the on field reporter had now been dropped off the pack and was in his own world of cycling pain.