Guildford Town Centre Crit: Heat, Cobbles, and Full Gas Racing

Every July the the Guildford Town Centre Races bring bike racing to the heart of the town, on an exciting course with a tough cobbled finish. With KJCC representing across the youth races and three Wheelers in the Local Heroes, it made for a fun evening of racing and spectating. Monty Knight reports back…

Guildford is notoriously one of the hardest, fastest, and loudest crits on the South East, and this year’s edition certainly didn’t disappoint, providing its usual mix of music, spectators, and great vibes! I arrived a few hours ahead of my race to warm up, soak in the atmosphere, and cheer on the Kingston Juniors from the top of the High Street while trying (and largely failing) to stay cool in the middle of South England’s latest 35°C heatwaves.

As the junior races wrapped up, it was time to head to the start line. The Guildford circuit is a short, sharp, technical circuit where starting position is everything. Unfortunately for me, the rest of the 70-rider field had the exact same thought. The three Wheelers on the start line, myself, Nick, and Harry, managed to stake out spots in the middle of the pack.

It was full gas from the gun. A blistering early pace strung the field out on lap one, and it wasn’t long before riders were getting spat off the back. Splits formed almost immediately as people struggled to hold wheels over Guildford’s infamous cobbled high street.

After the first few laps the three Wheelers settled into separate groups. Our only interaction over the next half-hour consisted of brief, gasping words of encouragement as we passed each other heading opposite directions at the top of the High Street. The cheers of support from the Wheelers spectating along the start/finish straight provided a much-needed lifeline, helping eke out a few extra watts when our heart rates were on the limit and we were all hanging on by our fingernails.

Mercifully, before we knew it the lap board flashed up counting down from three to go. With no chance of bridging to the front group, I crossed the line for a mid-pack 24th finish, with Harry and Nick rolling in close behind.

While we didn’t walk away with a podium, it was another fantastic, high-energy event with brilliant supporters and impeccable vibes (as always). Whilst the racing was brutal, overall it was a great night out and one I would strongly encourage any Wheelers to come and race or spectate next year!

Big thanks for Charlotteville Cycling Club for hosting another great edition.

All photos by Mark James.