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All roads lead to Sheffield on Sunday as competitors and fans head towards Pea Royd Lane for the RTTC National Hill-Climb Championships, the last of this season’s Championships. No less than 300, Men, Women and Juniors face the 0.76-kilometre climb with its near 16% gradient encouraged in their efforts by the vociferous spectators spread over the ascent no doubt.
Nearly all of the 2017 Champions are present ready to defend their hard won titles. The Men’s entry is head by last year’s podium trio Dan Evans (ASSOS Equipe UK), Adam Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling) and Kieran Savage (Cycling Sheffield-Giant). With most of this season’s hill-climb winners including Joe Clarke (Cycling Sheffield Giant), Calum Brown (Team B38/Underpin Racing), Andrew Feather (BCR Racing), Leon Wright (Race Hub) and Ed Laverack (JLT Condor) present, don’t be surprised if someone upsets the apple cart. The event has even tempted 2015 Champion Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) out of retirement who could also spring a surprise.
With 2017 Champion Joscelin Lowden (Lewes Wanderers) not riding runner-up Mary Wilkinson (Yorkshire RC) looks to move up, but she faces most of the women who have featured in this season’s results including Fiona Burnie (GS Metro), Emilie Verroken (Maxx RT), Jessica Evans (ASSOS Equipe UK), Joanne Jago (Performance Cycles CC), Vicki Gill (Drag2Zero) and we cannot not forget ace roadwoman Nicola Juniper (Team Echelon), to mention just a few.
Both of the 2017 top Juniors are back George Kimber (Team PB Performance) and Corinne Side (The Racing Chance Foundation) but again we could be in for some surprises.
2017 team winners, The Racing Chance Foundation and Team B38/Underpin Racing field strong teams in defence of their respective titles.
First rider is off at 11.00.30 with the first 120 riders following on at 30-second intervals and the remaining 180 at one minute intervals, Evans last away at 15.00.
Event headquarters are at Trek Bicycles Sheffield, Unit B12, Joseph Hayward House , Fox Valley Way, Stocksbridge,S36 2AB.
Course records are 2.20.2 (Men) and 3.00.1 (Women).
Prize presentations will be by Matt Clinton, 2008 Champion, author Paul Jones and Mark Dransfield.
Words by David Taylor
CTT Publicity officer