News & Features

Marcin Bialoblocki (NOPINZ) took a huge chunk off the 25-mile national competition record with a new benchmark of 42 minutes and 58 seconds, while Zach Bridges (Ribble Cycles) clocked 47-27 to break the junior record and Alice Lethbridge (Drag2Zero) won the women’s event.

“Last year when I set the 43 minute time [that was subsequently disqualified] the conditions were much better,” said Bialoblocki. “I also got held up at one of the roundabouts this year and lost some time.

“But I’m happy especially with my power for the 43 minutes of effort, I’m very happy to set the time I did.”

Elsewhere, Chris Fennell and Bronwen Ewing were winners at the Bill Philbrook Memorial 25-mile time trial, staged by Wigmore CC in Kent on Sunday.

22-year-old Chris Fennell (The Independent Pedaler) clocked 50-20 to take a convincing win ahead of his brother Nicholas Fennell (Thanet RC) who was 2-24 behind.

And in the women’s event, veteran Bronwen Ewing (Rye and District Wheelers) clocked 1-00-08 to finish as fastest female by more than five minutes from Judith Hagger (COREtriathlon).

In Cheshire, Sarah Storey and Mark Turnbull were fastest female and male riders respectively as the Dukinfield CC staged the Brian Clayton Memorial near Goostrey on Saturday.

Storey, the 40-year-old who is the most successful female British Paralympian of all time with 14 gold medals, clocked 2-00-31 to finish 22nd overall in a field of 80 riders.

Her time was more than eight minutes ahead of second female Claire Harrison (Vision Racing) whose team-mate Molly Horsley-Frost was third in that category.

Turnbull (TORQ Performance) covered the J4/16 course in 1-46-01 to win by 1-56 from Rhyl CC’s Alex Jones, while Joe Beech (Ogmore Valley Wheelers) was third, another 1-11 behind Turnbull.

In Northumberland, Carl Donaldson led GS Metro to a one-two in the Derwentside CC 38.6-mile time trial near Allendale. He clocked 1-43-13 to win by 47 seconds from team-mate Adam Wild while another GS Metro rider, Fiona Burnie, was fastest female.

Dan Martin (University of Bath CC) and veteran Sarah Gunn (Minuteman CC) took the men’s and women’s victories in the Chippenham & District Wheelers 10 on the new U41 course.

And in Bedfordshire Luke Clarke (TMG Horizon Cycling Team) and veteran Zoe Adams (Hemel Hempstead CC) clinched victories in the Norlond TT Combine 10 at Lidlington.

The day before her PB performance in the Welsh Championships, National 12-hour champion Alice Lethbridge was victorious in the Lea Valley CC 10 at Six Mile Bottom, while Team Bottrill rider James Rix was fastest male.

Lethbridge clocked 19-40 to set a new personal best and tie for third spot in the all-time fastest 10-mile times. That gave her victory on the day by 2-22 from Team Bottrill’s Wendy Gooding.

42-year-old Rix clocked 18-08 to make it four consecutive victories, having won the VTTA East Anglia 25 last weekend as well as the East Sussex CA 10 and 25 the week before that.

Bank Holiday Monday action included the Kent Valley RC nine-mile climb to the summit of Shap, which was won by Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC) in 24-28, giving him the win by 56 seconds from David Powell (Horwich CC), while Katie Lukas (Beacon Wheelers) was fastest female.

And in the VC Baracchi 10 near Wortwell in Norfolk, Matthew Senter led Team Velovelocity to a clean sweep of the podium, with team-mates Ben Stancombe and Stuart Fairweather being second and third.

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

* See the individual event listings for more detailed reports on these and other time trials.