News & Features

NEWLY-crowned National 10-Mile Champions Richard Bussell and Hayley Simmonds (both AeroCoach) are heading to East Yorkshire on Sunday in search of another fast 10-mile time when they ride the Team Swift event on the V718 at South Cave. But having already lowered the women’s solo national competition record over that distance this season, this time Simmonds is gunning for the team competition record too.

Fellow AeroCoach riders Lydia Gurley and Victoria Smith – with whom she teamed up to win the National Championship team title last weekend – will also ride the event as they target the nine-year-old record. Currently belonging to the Science in Sport trio of Wendy Houvenaghel, Lesley Walking and Helen Carter, the mark they will need to beat is 1:03.25. 

As well as two-time national champion Bussell, the Team Swift promotion has attracted National Championship runner-up James Gullen (Pedal Heaven), who set a PB on the same course back in March when he clocked 17.51 in the City RC event. After that ride – which was just six seconds short of the men’s competition record – Gullen said that conditions were not ideal and he could’ve got more out of the course. Time will tell, and much depends on the weather. 

Other top names riding the Team Swift 10 are Stephen Irwin (North Lancs RC), Scott Burns and Keith Murray (both drag2zero), Gullen’s team-mate at Pedal Heaven Jacob Tipper and Nick English, who also rides for AeroCoach.

In South Wales, Pembrokeshire Velo stage three events in two days, with a 10-mile time trial and a hill-climb on Sunday, followed by a 15-mile time trial on Bank Holiday Monday.

Southdown Velo are having a 25-mile event on the P901 course near Walberton in Sussex, where James Copeland (Fareham Wheelers) looks to be among the fastest entrants.

And the Bossard Wheelers 10 on Saturday has attracted a full field to Aylesbury, where Keith Lea (Paceline RT) is last man off. He will be hoping to emulate his winning ways in the Sussex CA 30 and Reading CC 50 last month, as well as the Team Axion 25 back in June.

There is also a big entry for the Victoria CC 10.2 in Essex on Saturday, where there are events for solos, tandems, two-up and three-up. First riders are off at 7.31am from near Wendens Ambo.

Bank Holiday Monday sees seven events taking place.

In Norfolk, VC Norwich hold a 10-mile time trial on the B10/3b near Morley. Fifth in the National Championships last weekend as well as being part of the winning team, Lloyd Chapman (Pedal Heaven) looks to be the strongest rider on paper there in a full field of 120 riders.