National Hill Climb Champion Bithja Jones (Pankhurst Cycles) will turn her hand to time trialling this weekend at the opening round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series.

The 42-year-old from Reading will be competing in the road bike category in the Wessex Road Club event over 24 miles.

Starting at Wimborne Minster, riders head out on the B3078 before climbing on a link road over to the A354 towards Blandford Forum onto the rolling B3082 to the finish at Wimborne Minster.

Jones will face competition from Louisa Cooper (Bournemouth Jubilee Wh) amongst others in the road bike category.

In the women’s time trial event veteran Sally Turner (trainSharp) starts last but will face under-23 rider Lucy Gadd (Storey Racing) along with Joanna Blackburn (High North Performance).

The men’s field for the opening round includes Thomas Day (Elevate Home Solutions Soenens) start as scratch rider and take on the Primera-Teamjobs pairing of Samuel Wadsley and Jordan Giles.

Veteran Dave Dent (GS Stella) opens his season starting as scratch man in the road bike event but will take on Richard Porter, of the host club, and Giles Greening (Tri UK) who is an unknown quantity having not raced since 2018.

Leon Wright (Race Hub) heads a stellar field of veterans looking for a win after finishing second and third in the series last year.

Paul Pardoe (Peterborough CC) won the Eastern Counties CA 10 last weekend in 20-03 and is also targeting the series this season.

The paracyclists category sees David Murphy (Liverpool Mercury CC) start last after winning four rounds last season taking on Simon Richardson (TORQ Performance).

Finlay Tarling (Flanders Color Galloo Team) finished third in the juniors National Closed Circuit Championships last season and goes in the junior boy’s event while Abbey Thompson (Stonham Barns Park – SYRT) takes on Sophie Heighton (Ferryhill Wheelers) in the girls’ event.

Elsewhere, professional rider Zeb Kyffin (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) heads a quality field in the Paceline RT sporting 15.8 near Dorking.

Kyffin won two out of four events last season and was part of the second placed team at the National Team Time Trial Championship.

Veteran Paul Burton (Paceline RT) won the Redhill CC 18 last month and will provide tough competition alongside team-mate Pat Wright.

Competition could also come in the form of the experienced heads of Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC) and Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers).

Flora Perkins (VC de Londres) begins her open time trial season in the women’s event and will take on veteran Teresa Goddard (Kingston Wheelers CC).

Over a more traditional 10 miles a strong field is set to battle in the Coalville Wheelers 10 on Saturday.

Michael Gill (Saint Piran) has the honour of starting scratch man after finishing fourth in the National 10-mile Championship last year.

After winning eight open time trial last season Oliver Peckover (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) is set to provide a tough challenge along with Ollie Hucks (Saint Piran).

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.