AYR Roads/Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club, pride themselves in catering for all types of cycling.

The club’s foundation was in touring, before entering the racing scene, in which Ayr Roads has had major successes in national and international honours and has continued to do so in recent years.

Today the Roads club continues the touring tradition, albeit in a different format, with Cycle Sportives now firm favourites with club members. Sportives offer both seasoned roadmen and newcomers a challenge that can be as gruelling or straightforward as they wish.

Ayr Roads members have competed in many of these events both in the UK and in France, with two members heading for the Mont Ventoux Gran Fondo next month. A truly epic challenge.

Nearer to home; recent weeks have seen a number of clubmen competing in these events, which can be ridden either on a competitive basis or purely for the love of cycling. Those in the competitive category are awarded with prizes for the fastest finishers, whilst the non competitive riders are awarded with a medal aka marathon finishers.

On Sunday, the Roads club fielded four riders in the Etape de Caledonia.

This event is the UK’s leading closed road sportive, with riders experiencing the thrill of riding in completely closed roads of Perthshire.

The 85 mile route started and finished at Pitlochry and took in the rolling hills and forest-lined roads around Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel before the ascent of Schiehallion returning by Aberfeldy to the finish.

The Roads team consisted of Andy Conway, John Gemmell, Stewart McCallum with his father Bobby.

Meanwhile, the club’s men o’ miles were active during the week both in the west of Scotland and in the Peak District. Ed Clifton and Scott Knox recorded nearly three hundred miles over a four day tour of the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District, taking in the climbs of Snake Pass, the Cat and Fiddle and Winnats Pass with a total ascent of 28,000 feet. Ayr Roads and Fullarton Wheelers also joined up for the Three Ferry route.

From Wemyss Bay the route took them by the Cowal Peninsula, taking in the picturesque highland scenery around Loch Eck, Loch Fyne, by the second ferry at Colintraive and return from Rothesay to Wemyss Bay. In glorious weather, a distance of eighty miles was recorded. Another pair log up over eighty mile run over north Ayrshire Roads around the Largs area.

Sunday saw another group of clubmen take in a circuit of southern byways by Carrick Roads to Pinmore and then by Lendalfoot and by the coast road home.

On Thursday night at the club’s confined 10-mile Time Trial, the timekeeper took a bit of stick, when his prediction of a fine night for personal bests went wrong. The wind direction changed during the day, which resulted in slower times that originally predicted . Nonetheless, a fine ride by Mark Warters resulted in an under twenty two minute ride, with Mark recording 21.55. Other times were: Calum MacDonald 22.44; Alex McAllister 23.33; Craig Allison 23.57; Harry Brawley 24.13

Tom G-Hill 24.21; John McKie 24.31; Duncan McArthur 24.37; Ross Milvenan 25.11; John Gemmell 26.24; Aileen Fisher 26.28; Robert Kelly 26.40; Toni McIntosh 26.55; Archie Arthur 27.30

All club members were delighted to see Toni McIntosh’s return. Since suffering a bad crash last year, Toni had not ridden in any club confined event.

Over the next few weeks the Roads club will have a full agenda, with the club's league event taking place on Thursday night, followed by the Tour of the Ayrshire Alps on June 2.