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CAPTAIN PERRY IN COMMAND, JUST! AND NUMBER TWO FOR SIMMONDS
Its a case of as you were with both defending champions retaining the titles they won in 2015, Ryan Perry (Langdale Lightweights RT) winning with a Championship record 46-31 and Hayley Simmonds (Aero Coach) clocking 54-57 to add yet another championship to her growing list of honours.
But it was a close run thing for serving Army Captain Perry with only three seconds between him and runner up Richard Bussell (Aero Coach RT) at the finish after Bussell had been leading by 22 seconds at 15 miles. Bussell finished with a 46-34, which also beat Michael Hutchinson's 2012 championship record 47-01. Repeating his 2015 performance Kieran Davies (drag2zero) took the final podium position with a 47-47.
TEAM RECORD GOES
It wasn't just the individual championship record that went, John Dewy, 48-42, Matthew Smith, 48-51, and Jonathan Parker, 49-08, took the Championship Team record with a combined time of 2-26-41 for Team Bottrill.
WOMEN KICK OF THE ACTION
The women got the weekend off at Sawtry, Cambridgshire in the the South East Midlands District Council of Cycling Time Trials promotion on Saturday,afternoon on a very hot and sunny day on the old A1 course. The first under the hour effort came from Jackie Field (CC Ashwell), a 59-53, and that stood the test of time until Elizabeth-Jane Harris (Podium Ambition Pro Cycling powered by Club La Santa) bettered that by two seconds outside two minutes with a 57-55. Harris had a slightly longer reign at the top of the result board. It was her team mate Claire Rose who overtook her with a 57-03 who in turn had to give best to Anna Turvey (Tyneside Vagabonds CC), home with a 58-31.
It just remained for British Time Trial Champion Simmonds to finish. After her inside 50 minute `25` of the previous week there was litte chance of her being beaten and so it proved, a 54-57 good enough for top spot. So that was it Simmonds, Turvey and Rose on the podium. Rose had the added pleasure of leading Podium Ambition Pro Cycling powered by Club La Santa to team honours backed by Elizabeth-Jane Harris and Sarah Storey , fifth with a 57-55,for a total 2-53-12.
SIMMONDS SPOT ON
After checking the course Simmmonds knew it was never going to be `fast`. "A 55 or long 54" seemed to be on the cards. "The roads were dead and slow," she said. But her pre-race estimate was spot on.
SURPRISE FOR TURVEY
Anna Turvey was "really surprised to come second. I've been very tired recently, I've had about eight weeks on the trot of driving to events a long way from where I live," Turvey said. "I might have a bit of a rest before the 10-mile championship. Today there was a fair amount of traffic, I got held up a bit at some of the roundabouts, but I don't think that made a lot of difference to my time," Turvey added. Second place is a repeat of her 2013 position in the Championship where Simmonds finished fourth.
ROAD GIRL ROSE
Claire Rose, along with her Podium Ambition's team mates has been very active on the road racing scene in criteriums and stage races these last months. "I've done a big block of road events, I think they have done me good," Rose said. She misses the `10` Championship and this coming weekend she travels away with her team to ride the Women's Three-day Tour of Norway.
Rounding out the top six was Emily Cox (Bedfordshire Road RT) with a 58-21. Emily (Robertson before her marriage to Ashley Cox) was third in the 2014 title race when Simmonds was second.
COLBOURNE BEST GIRL
While the Junior's event result has still to be ratified we can tell you that Cycling Time Trials Scholarship rider Henrietta Colbourne (Team Ford Ecoboost) followed up her Junior Competition Record `10` by taking the girl's 25-mile Championship with a 1-00-29.
STELLA MEN'S FIELD
Sunday was as equally as sunny and warm on the A11 based Men's Championship course, but there was a lot more wind about and that made for a tough finish to the East District Council promoted event at Snetterton.
With a stella field containing virtually all of our time trialling stars we pick up following the fortunes of those getting inside 50 minutes and the first to do so was Jack English (Guernsey Velo Club) with a 49-45 followed by Pedal Heaven's Lloyd Chapman's 49-08.
IMPROVING FENNELL
It was some while before that was improved and it was Ashley Cox (CC Luton) with a 48-48 who did it. A quickly improving Christopher Fennell (Thanet RC), Espoirs Champion for the last two years in the RTTC Time Trials Series, who upped the stakes with his 48-29. Former Hill Climb Champion Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan Cycles) was the first inside 48 minutes, 47-56.
It was Bussell who shifted Clinton with his 46-34 and then Kieron Davies slotted in behind Bussell with a 47-47 leaving Perry to finish and claim victory with that 46-31.
PERRY COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
"When I was told I was 22 seconds down on Richard (Bussell) I thought that was it, I'd never make that up," Perry said. But make it up he did over the tough head-wind finishing miles. When someone said you've won I couldn't believe it. It was fast going out and there was a lot of traffic about but really hard coming back. I think I lost time on the roundabouts they slow me a lot," Perry said. "I'm pretty chuffed with that to be honest, the 100, 50 and 25. It shows hard work pays off. But if I had been beaten by a couple of seconds I wouldn't have minded if it was Richard (Bussell)."
Next stop is the National 10-mile Championship which he hopes to add to the 25, 50 and 100-mile Championships to join a short list of riders who have managed that in the same season.
ARMY TO THANK
Perry, a boy entrant to the Army, was put through University by the Army where he obtained his Degree in Engineering and then went on to officer training at Sandhurst. Service followed abroad until a posting to Catterick. "I had been away from home for eight years so it was good to get nearer my home," Perry said.
"I've been lucky to have the backing and full support of the Army to take part in cycle racing and to have the help of Langdale Lightweights. I'd like to step up a level to get with one of our pro teams. In the meantime I'm concentrating on that `10`" Perry said.
"I was still six seconds up on Perry with 10 miles to go. In to that head wind I tried to get as aerodynamic as I could, pulling my head in to my shoulders and pushing on," Bussell said. "Perry obviously was stronger in to the wind."
Third as he was in 2015, Kieran Davies explained he had nearly been a DNS. "I've been a bit run down this last week and on Wednesday I nearly pulled out. But in the end I decided to make the effort and I'm glad I did,"Davies said. "We have a new baby and I've had a few sleepless nights. So by next year I'll be getting more sleep and going better," Davies laughed.