News & Features

THERE’S hill-climb action across the country once again this weekend, with Bute Wheelers staging various events on the Scottish island while at the other end of the country Mid-Devon CC are holding a climb on the Haytor course which will be used for this year’s National Championships.

The Serpentine Road in Rothesay is the venue for Bute Wheelers’ climb on Saturday, with the juniors going first and finishing halfway up, while the seniors must traverse the full snaking climb.

Among the riders tackling the climb are Sheffield-based Calum Brown (B38-Cycles in Motion) as well as Chris Smart and Douglas Watson (both GTR-Return to Life).

Then on Saturday afternoon Bute Wheelers will stage a two-up 20-mile time trial around the island, before Sunday’s 10-mile solo time trial near Port Bannatyne.

Calum Brown will return home in time to ride Sunday’s Team B38 hill-climb at Low Bradfield near Sheffield, where other riders tackling the Mill Lee Road climb include former national champion Adam Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling), and Hannah Larbalestier (Univ of Sheffield CC).

Further south in Devon, reigning national champion Andrew Feather (Champion System UK) rides the 1st Chard Wheelers climb of Chineway Road near Ottery St Mary on Sunday morning, as well as the Mid-Devon CC climb later the same day.

Among his rivals for the prize in the 1st Chard Wheelers climb are Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix CC), while the Mid-Devon CC climb on Sunday afternoon is on the 3.125-mile course to be used for the national championship on October 27.

2015 national hill-climb champion Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) tackles that event, while reigning national women’s champion Fiona Burnie (GS Metro) also rides.

Then Mid-Devon CC are holding a second hill-climb two hours later on the nearby Widdecombe climb, with much the same names on the startsheet.

James Hayward (Woolwich CC) is last man off in the Reading CC two-stage climbs of Flint and Streatley hills. The entry includes 12 females, with Rosamund Bradbury (Sigma Sports) and Katja Rietdorf (Born to Bike) makes to watch.

In Hampshire, Andover Wheelers are staging the Philippa York Hill-Climb event on the 1,300-metre Conholt Hill. Richard Cartland (South Downs Bikes) is last rider to go.

And in Wales the Clwb Beicio Egni climb of the 3.9-mile Nant Gwynant Pass has attracted former national champion Dan Evans and his wife Jessica (both ASSOS Equipe UK) as well as Rebecca Richardson (Brother.UK Fusion).

And the Halifax Imperial Wheelers climb from Luddenden to Mount Tabor on Saturday afternoon sees Andy Nichols, Kieran Wynne-Cattanach and Rick Bailey (all B38-Cycles in Motion) take part, while their team-mate Hannah Tweddell is one of six women to tackle the 0.9-mile event.

There are still some time trials taking place though, with the Leo RC 30 near Newmarket on Saturday having attracted a strong field which includes 132 solo riders and five tandems including Ian Greenstreet (AeroCoach) and Rachael Elliott (Newbury RC).

Among the solo riders to watch are Jason Bouttell (Team Vision Racing), Matthew Smith (Drag2zero), Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC), Jonathan Wears (CES Sport) and Alice Lethbridge (Drag2zero).

Kingston Phoenix Road Club are holding a 50-mile event near Bentley in Hampshire, while Verulam CC’s 25-mile event uses the Tempsford course in Bedfordshire.

Stretford Wheelers hold a 25-mile event at Goostrey in Cheshire which has attracted names like Emily Martin (Weaver Valley CC) as well as Darren Maironis (Transition 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.