News & Features

The start of September brings about the hill climb season with some of the top names going head-to-head this weekend.

Reigning National Champion Ed Laverack (VAMos.CC) will get his campaign underway at the Somerset RC event on the picturesque Cockercombe course

The steady climb which is one mile in length will see him come up against Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) who start as last man.

Former National Champion Adam Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling) will start as scratch rider at the end of an 88-rider field in Sunday’s Ilkeston CC event up Holly Lane.

At just 1.1 kilometres in length the hill climb has an average gradient of 14 per cent and maxes out at 28 per cent.

Kenway won the same event last season by 28 seconds but he will face competition in the form of Kirk Vickers (Holohan Coaching Racing Team) amongst others.

The women’s event will see National Hill Climb Championships bronze medallist Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK) feature.

She will face competition from former professional cyclo-cross rider Nikki Brammeier (Ilkeston CC).

Up in Northumberland the North Tyneside Riders hill climb sees riders compete over the longer and shallower Winters Gibbet.

The 3.7-kilometre hill has a maximum gradient of 10 per cent and average of 10 per cent.

Scratch man Patrick Clark (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) will be looking for an open victory which has eluded him since 2017.

Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC) could threaten for the victory after winning the Macclesfield Wheelers event last year on Tegg’s Nose Hill Climb last year.

Meanwhile, in other events a field of 120 riders are down on the start sheet for the Scottish classic event The Tour of the Campsies.

Organised by Glasgow Wheelers the 25-mile hilly time trial takes in the classic climb of Crow Road and has several technical sections.

After finishing second in the Drighlington BC 25 last weekend Chris Smart (GTR-Return to Life) will be eyeing victory and goes off as last man.

Amongst his contenders in a strong field is junior rider Oscar Onley (Spokes Race Team) who finished in impressive third in the Blaydon CC 23 last month.

Over the more traditional 10-mile distance 180 riders are down to ride Saturday’s Utag RT 10 on the P881 course in Surrey.

Alexander Royle (Manchester Bicycle Club) will be looking to repeat his win from last weekend but will have to fend off the challenge from brothers Christopher and Simon McNamara.

Christopher McNamara also goes off as last man in the Southern Counties CU 25 on Sunday and could complete a weekend double.

Meanwhile Royle will be looking to complete the same goal going off last man in the Stowmarket & District CC 10.

Down in Devon veteran Conrad Moss (Primera-Teamjobs) goes off as scratch man in the Plymouth Corinthians 10.

Taking place on the out and back S4/10 under-23 rider Joshua Clark (Royal Navy & Royal Marines CA) could prove competition for the win.

The Glorious Goodwood Circuit hosts another event this weekend with riders completing five laps of the course making up 11.8 miles.

Elsewhere, after finishing second in the National 100 and sixth in last weekend’s National 10, Jason Bouttell (Team Vision Racing- Silverhook) returns to local action when he starts as last man in the ECCA 25 outside Chelmsford.

Junior rider Joshua Giddings (HMT Hospitals Giant CT) will be looking to continue his impressive season in the Ratae RC 10 in Leicestershire.

However, he will have to see off the experience of scratch rider Matthew Bottrill (Team Bottrill) amongst others.

Riders will compete over 29.5 miles in the Maidenhead & District CC event which completes a loop around the rolling Chiltern Hills before climbing to the finish.

In the Banbury Star 10 promising under-23 riders George Mills-Keeling (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and Jamieson Blain (Bikestrong-KTM) will battle it out with them starting a minute apart.

Finally, Adam Duggleby (Almerico Vive Le Velo) starts as scratch rider in the Seacroft Wheelers 10 on Sunday afternoon on the out and back V511 course.