A Chat With League Winner Andy Rivett

This year’s Wessex Cycle Racing League was won by VC St Raphael rider Andy Rivett, but the season long win came down to a sprint finish on the last race in which Andy took the overall honours by less than the width of a tyre. Andy had started the season on the DHC team but when that was forced to close, Andy was taken in by Mick Waite’s long established club team.

Andy has been prominent on the local road scene for many years and he said of that time int he season “I needed a quality team and VC St Raphael is the best around”. The team has some class riders to push him on and he also has his “guru” Mike Anderson to keep him honest, along with team boss Mick who puts his heart and soul into the sport year after year.

Andy lives in Bishopstoke (Southampton), a place where he has now firmly set his roots. “I love it around here with it being central to everything I need”. There is plenty of good riding here, the New Forest is not far away and it’s only a short hop to London.” Andy works in Basingstoke as an Occupational Therapist, and travelling to work is a 55 mile commute which Andy use’s for training. The time on the bike is used well and is not just a slog to and from work.

Andy can regularly be found training in the New Forest with friends and training partners Jules and Julia (current men’s and women’s BBAR champions). “They push me on a bit, although as a roadie, I like to turn the screw a bit as we climb, although they certainly give me pay back on the flatter roads“.

Although Andy calls himself a roadie and revels in the big hilly events, he can also turn his hand to most disciplines’ within the sport. Andy is also an accomplished track rider and does enjoy Time trials. Andy’s showed his versatility by winning the National University Team Time Trial championship and more recently winning the RAAM 4 man team (Race across America).

Turning his attention to this season, Andy said the Wessex League is a “real boom to local cycling” and said that the work that Don and Mark (Standhaft) do is “EPIC”. “They have real passion for the sport and during times when organisers are pushing more towards circuit races, it’s great to see ‘Road ‘ racing being given a real push.”

Andy had a steady Wessex League picking up points at several events but the real push came towards the end of season. After winning a stage of the Tour of Dorset and finishing fourth overall, he went on to win the Autumn Road race and finished the season strong with a 4th and 5th in the last two races. Andy was pushed all the way to the title by his good friend Rowland Tilly from the Ride team. Before the last race, the Sotonia Heath race in the New Forest, the two riders even found time to embark on a little ‘wresting match’ before the action started.

The eventual overall win was taken on a very windy event where Andy only needed to finish ahead of Rowland to take the title. Andy set off fast from the gun hoping he’d (Rowland) would miss the break but to no avail as the pair finished together on the line after a super big sprint. The organisers had a difficult task of splitting them on the line and although the decision was awarded to Andy, it took the race organisers, the rest of the day to analyse the photos on the finish line to be 100% sure.

Now the season has finished, Andy has bigger things to look forward to as he and his wife Kim are expecting their first child, “the most exciting prospect ahead” he says. Andy will be racing next season but with the new arrival, not as much. He does promise however that he will be back to “hurt a few legs” but for now, Andy is looking forward a good rest, a ‘couple’ of beers and a change to his diet (eating cake).

Andy’s team manager Mick Waite added “Andy has had a superb season with some good results, including winning the season long W.C.R.L. overall. We were fortunate, despite other offers, to get Andy back in the team mid-season. As well as being a 1st category road rider, Andy rides some time trials, especially hilly ones; this fits in well with the team. Having achieved 14th in the National Team Rankings and 1st in British Cycling South Regional Rankings, in 2010, the team is looking forward to 2011 and Andy will be very much part of the team” says Mick.

Photo and interview Graham Robins