News & Features

All the main challengers for overall glory in the Sigma Sports Classic Time Trial Series are down to ride the third round of the series on Good Friday, when Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles host 22- and 33-mile events.

Starting from Longnor in Staffordshire, riders will use an 11-mile hilly circuit which takes them up to Flash Bar and then south down the A53 Leek Road before heading east again to complete one lap of a triangular course.

The men and espoirs complete three circuits for a 33-mile distance, while all other categories will tackle two laps.

Reigning National 10-Mile Champion John Archibald is the last rider off. With a personal best time over 25 miles of 44-41 Archibald - the third fastest man of all time over that distance – will surely feature on the podium somewhere.

Round two winner Phil Williams (Liverpool Phoenix CC) will be off two minutes before him, while round one winner Adam Wild (GS Metro) – who won the Bishop Auckland CC mountain time trial last weekend and is no stranger to hilly courses such as these – is off before Williams.

In the women’s two-lap event Joscelin Lowden (The Independent Pedaler) is the last rider off. She will be looking to show some of the form which saw her win round two a fortnight earlier, as well as place second in the opening round of the national road race series the East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix last weekend.

Before her, round one winner and overall series leader Kelly Murphy (Storey Racing) is down to ride, while Paralympic ace and former national series winner Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) also rides.

In the junior event round one winner Fabien Large (NOPINZ) rides, while round two winner Arthur Boulton missed round three.

Twice the national series winner, David Murphy (Liverpool Mercury Dolan CC) is down to ride in the paracyclists category at Longnor, while round two winner Nick Fairfield (City RC Hull) also rides.

Elsewhere, Worcester St Johns CC stage a hilly 25-mile time trial on Saturday near Cookhill, while the Brighton Mitre CC hilly 10 in West Sussex on Saturday has attracted multiple national champion Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach). The club also stage a 25-mile event on Easter Monday where Simmonds is down to ride.

A full field of 120 riders will tackle the Sleaford Wheelers charity 10-mile event just south of the Lincolnshire town on Saturday, while Gloucester City CC are staging a 25-mile starting near Maisemore on Saturday, a round of the Western TTA hardriders series.

And in East Yorkshire there are some fast riders down to take part in the City RC Hull 10 on Good Friday, including Philip Graves (NOPINZ) and John Brearley (Squadra RT).

Also on Good Friday is the Great Yarmouth CC 10 near Wortwell in Norfolk. As well as a good field of men, more than 30 females are down to ride too.

Former 50-mile competition record holder Paul Hart (Southend Wheelers) is last man off in the Crawley Wheelers sporting 41.6-mile event on Friday which starts and finishes near Handcross.

Others down to ride include Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC), Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers) and Pat Wright (Paceline RT).

Full startsheets from these and other events are available on the CTT website. Remember to keep checking back to the CTT website over the weekend for reports and results.

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