28/08/2026
VTTA (East Anglian Group) 10 - 22/8/2026
Matt Costall - 2nd road bike - 19:57
'Feels like a long time ago since we set ourselves the target of a sub-20-minute 10-mile time trial on the road bike. In fact, it was 21st April. Maybe it was a slightly alcohol-fuelled decision at the time, but what started as a target quickly became an obsession.
With no previous road bike TT experience, there was a steep learning curve. Every week we rode, we reviewed what worked, what didn't, and made a plan for the next attempt. If I'm honest, after two failed attempts on the notoriously fast F11 course, complete with its built-in cheat code, I'd already started thinking about next year.
Then Saturday 22nd arrived. Like every other event, there was nothing special in the warm-up. A quick chat with Mike before the start, reassuring me that this course suited me and to just go and get a PB.
That's exactly what I did.
Apparently, I went out a little too hard (sorry, George), but I hit the turn ahead of my 31 mph average target. All that was left was to hang on through the cross-headwind on the way back.
The stars must have aligned. As I shouted my number 50 yards from the finish, I knew it was going to be close.
Result: 19:57. New PB. Goal achieved. Cycling completed. Alcohol consumed.'
