The Rake Hill Climb

Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products) took victory by a single second in the Lancashire Road Club event on Ramsbottom Rake, while Frances Owen (Wahoo Le Col) was a clear victor in the women’s category.

Nichols, aged 33, recorded a winning time of two minutes and 24 seconds on the classic climb of 875 metres long.

Just a single second behind was team-mate Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products).

The Rake is short and steep climbing through the Lancashire town of Ramsbottom at various gradient with a maximum of 22%.

Competitors were greeted by perfect conditions and Nichols, from Sheffield, recorded his eight open hill climb win of the season.

Wynne-Cattanach won two open hill climbs last month but had to settle for second this time out by the slenderest of margins.

Completing the overall podium was Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) who stopped the clock in 2-31.

Fastest junior rider was Maxwell Hereward (360cycling) whose time of 2-34 was good enough for joint fourth overall.

“I don’t think I’m ever happy with my time, I wanted to get under 2-20 so not quite that but it was okay,” said Nichols.

“I had a bit of a disaster before the event as my battery cover fell off my power meter so I didn’t have any power data in front of me which was quite disconcerting and a runner got in the way.

“Having to ride by feel was a bit of a shock to the system. The key thing with a course like that is not getting too carried away at the start so it’s better having a number in front of you.

“The crowds are the thing that stands apart on these sorts of events. I did Monsal and went down to London for the Bec CC event last weekend.

“The thing that’s really nice with the Rake more so than the others is that in the town you get people who aren’t cyclists watching which is a bit unusual.”

In the women’s event Owen posted a winning time of three minutes and 14 seconds which was 25 seconds clear of her nearest opponent.

The 31-year-old, who finished fourth in last year’s National Hill Climb Championship, was riding her second open event of the season after finishing runner-up on Monsal earlier this month.

Finishing second in 3-39 was quickest veteran woman Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods), while Ruth Dunstan (Kendal Cycle Club) took third (3-51).

“It was a beautiful day, it was in perfect conditions,” said Owen. “I’d never ridden the climb before and my first time riding up was during the race. It was nice and steep in places.

“I’ve done a bit of everything this year; a few road races, triathlons, duathlons, I’ve mixed it up a bit. You can’t not love the hill climbs as it’s such an amazing atmosphere and you want to carry on supporting those kind of races. Even if I’m just showing up to take part, it’s still nice.

“It’s been a short season, but I’m looking forward to the National Championship. The longer climbs are much more suited to me than today’s distance. There’s no pressure and I’ll just give it all and see how it goes.”

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

* A gallery of images from this event is available here

Results:

Men:
1 Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products)           2.24
2 Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products)     2.25
3 Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance)           2.31
=4 Maxwell Hereward (360cycling)   2.34.0
=4 Ross Howcroft-Jones (High North Performance)  2.34.0
6 David Fellow (Solihull CC) 2.34.2
Junior: Maxwell Hereward (360cycling)        2.34.0
 

Women:
1 Frances Owen (Wahoo Le Col)       3.14
2 Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods)           3.39
3 Ruth Dunstan (Kendal Cycle Club) 3.51
4 Alice Larkin (Glossop Kinder Velo Cycling Club) 4.00
5 Holly Carter (Manchester Wheelers)           4.10
6 Joanna Cebrat (360cycling) 4.15
Veteran: Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods)            3.39