Kent Velo Race Team

In 2016 we formed the Kent Velo Race Team.  This was in direct response to our older riders request for new kit.  Our friends at Velotec helped out by taking our existing club colours and designing us a new jersey.  Our initial four riders competed both regionally and nationally for the Kent Velo RT, it was a great year of new racing experiences including our first "team crash" at Redbridge.  Everyone survived and ended the year still wanting to race. Hannah was our first rider to move to another team, followed over the years by Toni, Ellen and Polly.  Although Hope never raced as KVRT she will be leaving the KVK to join Team JRC with her sister Ellen.  Hope has had a cracking year of racing in 2019, finished 10th in GC at the recent North West Youth Tour.

All our riders are still racing in 2019.  I'm keeping a few skinsuits though for when they decide to come back ;-) 

L-R Hannah (LIv Awol), Polly (Abellio SFA RT), Toni (Project 51), Josie (Racing in Belgium), Ellen (Team JRC)

2017 for the KVRT
This was a busy year for the team, with races in 3 different disciplines- Polly and Toni raced in the London Cyclocross league and we all raced in London Youth Track League over the winter before moving towards circuit racing for the spring and summer. 
One of the earlier circuit races of the season was the first of the National Youth Circuit Series race at Redbridge on the 26th March.  For Polly and I this was our first national race so I was a bit nervous before the start but the atmosphere was really friendly.  The circuit at Redbridge includes a big hill which was very challenging having to go up it so many times in the hour long race!  It was a great experience to be able to race in such a large field of girls.  Toni rode really well, staying with the bunch and Polly and I were both in smaller groups off the back.
Through the spring and summer all three of us rode at Spring in the Park at Cyclopark most Friday nights.  We also had a strong team of KVKs there and of course the VERY eager supporters who always supplied plenty of cake ;).  There were 10 races where we gained series points- Toni took the series win with Polly in 2nd and me in fourth.  
A definite highlight of the year was the South East regional circuit race champs as part of the Eastbourne Festival of Cycling.  This is always a great day out by the seaside with the opportunity to watch some interesting racing including people racing on penny farthings!  Ours was one of the last races and fortunately it was a sunny day which helped as it is quite a technical course on closed roads in the town.   We had a KVRT 1,2,3 in the U16 girls race which was an amazing feeling after a full weekend of racing… and we got a fish and chips at the seaside to recover post-race! 
Toni has now moved up to Juniors but Polly and I are looking forward to starting circuit racing again in 2018 including in the National Youth Circuit Series again.  We are also aiming to ride at the Regional Omniums on the track in the Spring.  Hope and Eloise are heading into their first year as U14s and may be looking to move up to KVRT in the spring.

South East Regional Champs - Clean Sweep :-)