VTTA North Lancs and Lakes Group 25

Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC) was the only rider to break the 53-minute mark as he battled to the open victory at the VTTA (North Lancs & Lakes) 25, while Deborah Moss (Springfield Financial Racing Team) was the quickest woman.

Cold conditions of around five degrees Celsius greeted riders for the Sunday morning event and hampered times.

The L2524 saw riders start outside Levens in Cumbria before completing two laps of an out and back course along the A590 to the turn at Lindale.

Unlike the fast 10-mile event which uses the same course, at the end of the first lap riders had to climb back up the slope start to the turn back at Levens.

Riders only had to tackle the climb back to the top turn once as the finish came before the road went upwards on the second lap.

Bideau, aged 53, posted a winning time of 52 minutes and 51 seconds to claim his first open victory of the season.

David Thompson (Rock to Roll CC) led the battle for second stopping the clock in 53-27, while John Bardsley (360cycling) finished third (54-15).

“It was a very unpleasant ordeal rather than a pleasure,” said Bideau. “It was dry but extremely cold and a bit too windy for fast times.

“The five degrees temperature meant that it wasn’t too comfortable in a skinsuit. It’s always nice to get the win, but personally it was far from my best for that course due to the conditions.”

In the women’s event veteran rider Moss was the only rider to beat the hour benchmark stopping the clock in 59 minutes and 45 seconds.

The 53-year-old, from Wrightington, also won the North Lancashire Road Club 10 and Southport Cycling Club 15-mile events and took her third open victory for 2024 on this occasion.

Rachel Brown (Brother UK - Team OnForm) led the battle behind taking second in 1-01-01, while Theresa Taylor (Springfield Financial Racing Team) finished third (1-08-39).          

“It was freezing and horribly hard,” said Moss. “It’s not a bad course but was just so cold, my legs don’t work properly when it’s cold.

“It’s a pretty flat course except for the long climb to the turn which isn’t steep. It’s always nice to win but it was really hard.”

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Results:

Open:

1. Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC)           52.51
2. David Thompson (Rock to Roll CC)          53.27
3. John Bardsley (360cycling)            54.15
4. Andrew Whiteside (Springfield Financial Racing Team)   54.47
5. Scott Burns (Manchester Bicycle Club)     55.22
6. Ian Cox (Fogarty’s Insurance Tri Team)     56.00
7. Paul Braithwaite (Pendle Forest CC)         56.04
8. Sean Sanders (ADDFORM Vive Le Velo) 56.11
9. Ste Bolton (Giant-Kendal-Sidas.uk)           56.23
10. Matt Stell (Springfield Financial Racing Team)   56.24

Women:
1. Deborah Moss (Springfield Financial Racing Team)         59.45
2. Rachel Brown (Brother UK - Team OnForm)        1:01.01
3. Theresa Taylor (Springfield Financial Racing Team)         1:08.39
4. Sue Cheetham (North Lancashire Road Club)       1:08.43