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2006 saw plenty of London Phoenix team action – starting with the team cyclocross race in February. In April we took a trip to Belgium for the tour of flanders . Later in April around 14 phoenix members completed the seven day stage race of the Giro de Sardegna that included a team time trial (see photos above). In May a couple of members went to the Tour of Wessex three day stage race but the weather was so atrocious that they quit after day two. Several members went to France and Italy to compete in cyclosportifs including the Etape de Tour, San Remo, Nove Colli, Gran Fondo Dolomiti Stars, Mont Ventoux and the Ariegoise.

In mountainbiking, after marshalling the first Beastway race in the 2006 series, the phoenix team were ready to compete and we competed the Beastway series with four prizewinners and two podium places. Several phoenix teams and pairs took part in the Bristol BikeFest mountainbike 12 hour event in June, followed by the Saab Salomon Mountain Mayhem twenty four hour mtb event later that month. In July, we entered a men’s and a winning women’s team for the Bontrager2412 twenty four hour mtb team event.

Back on the road and our women’s team ended July winning the Surrey League 4-up Team Time Trial Championship, while our men’s team was beset by punctures. In September we enjoyed the Southern Sportive over the South Downs, with most completing the 150km between five and a half and 6 hours. Later that month two of our members went to complete the Three Peaks cyclocross race. We ended the mountainbiking year with the Merida marathon in Ruthin as preparation for the Roc D’Azur marathon and race in the south of France in October. The road year ended by riding a total of 230 miles between us on the Eastway Cycle circuit before it was closed for good.