Fontwell Gallop

Simon McNamara picked up a third win of the season with victory at the Southdown Velo Fontwell Gallop 10-mile time trial on Saturday morning.

Riding for Sigma Sport, McNamara lived up to his pre-race billing as Spindata favourite and even beating his predicted time of 19-33 by six seconds to lead the field in 19-27.

Coming in second was a3crg’s Howard Bailey in 19-56, 17 seconds faster than predicted, while a time of 20-08 helped Nick Allen (Team TMC) to secure the final spot on the podium.

After opening his 2024 campaign with a victory at the Southern Counties CU Oakwood Hill Weekend 10-mile time trial, McNamara then took three successive runners-up finishes at the Velo Club St Raphael Pain On Portsdown 16.5-mile time trial and then the Brighton Mitre CC Hilly 27.3-mile time trial on April 4 and VTTA 10-mile time trial on May 20.

McNamara then won at East Sussex CA 10-mile time trial on May 4 before two further second places and a third to make an encouraging start to the campaign.

“I was happy with the ride,” said McNamara. “I’ve been feeling a little flat on the bike the last couple of weeks so it was nice to have some good sensations in the legs.

“We got away with the weather on the morning as it was forecast to be heavy rain, as it was it stayed dry and was actually a pretty fast morning.

“The return leg is the toughest section on this course so I tried to keep a lid on the power on the way out and then use what I had on the drags on the way back which seemed to work out pretty well for me.

“It was a course PB for me and was 14 seconds away from my brother’s [Chris McNamara] course record. Hopefully a good place to kick on with my season.”

In the road bike category, Tom Brindle, riding for the promoting club, was the quickest of the field in 23-39, for 16th placing overall.

This event, run on course P901/10, starts just west of Fontwell and heads west on Arundel Road to the A255 roundabout, where riders turn north to begin a loop through Westhampnett and back east along Arundel Road to then trace the outbound leg back to finish just west of the start line.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.

Results:

Open:

1. Simon McNamara (Sigma Sport-Cannondale)       19.27

2. Howard Bailey (a3crg)        19.56

3. Nik Allen (Team TMC)      20.08

4. Larry Witshire (Chichester City Riders)     20.29

5. Steven Hughes (Thames Turbo Triathlon Club)     20.33

6. Malcolm Cox (Velo Club St Raphael)        20.50

7. Tom Houghton (Team TMC)          21.12

8. Simon Berogna (Velo Club St Raphael)     22.14

9. Chris Lord (Brighton Excelsior CC)          22.16

10. Richard Bradley (3C Cycle Club) 22.16

Road bikes: Tom Bridle (Southdown Velo)    23.29