News & Features

TALENTED youngsters from across the country will battle it out this weekend in the National Youth Championship Final.

Taking place on an out and back course near Wickham in Hampshire some 85 riders aged under-17 will battle it out for honours, with the winners receiving a smart new champions jersey from Kalas (www.kalas.co.uk)

Joshua Tarling (Team Backstedt Bike Performance) will start as last boy off with a personal best time of 18-55 over 10 miles.

After winning the Junior National Closed Circuit Championships last season, Zoe Backstedt (Storey Racing) was expected to make her first open outing of the season in the girls category, but is a non-starter as she is in quarantine after riding the Watersley Ladies Tour in the Netherlands.

Honours and medals will also be at stake in the VTTA 10-mile National Championships which take place on the H10/3A course towards Newbury.

Senior rider Dean Robson (Velo Sport Jersey) starts as scratch man with two open 10 victories to his name this season.

After winning the title last season Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) returns looking to retain his crown but will have tough opposition from a stacked field of veterans hungry for victory.

Reigning women’s champion Angela Carpenter (a3crg) will also be looking to retain her title.

After completing double hill climb victories last weekend Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) and Bexy Dew (Army Cycling) could both go one better this weekend with three wins in two events as both are due to ride the Team Swindon Cycles and Cycling Club Basingstoke events.

Team Swindon’s event on Saturday sees two climbs on the same afternoon- the first over three miles and second 0.6 miles in length.

After being beaten twice by Feather last weekend reigning National Hill Climb Champion Ed Laverack (VAMos.cc) will start as scratch rider.

Both riders will also have the challenge of Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycling in Motion) and Josh Coyle (Bpm Coaching) amongst others.

Meanwhile, Dew will have to fend off the challenge of Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK).

The following day Dew will start in the middle of Drag2Zero team-mates Vicky Gill and Alice Lethbridge Sunday’s ‘no frills’ Basingstoke event.

Laverack is amongst those heading to the North East on Sunday for the GS Metro (Hedley on the Hill) event which was used for the National Championships in 2017.

The reigning National Hill Climb Champion will start as scratch rider on the 1.7-kilometre climb which has a maximum gradient of 12.6 per cent with the steepest section in the middle.

A host of 10-mile events take place across the weekend kicking off with the East Sussex CA 10 when Christopher McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) goes off last man looking for a third open victory of the season.

Road rider Gruffudd Lewis is the latest Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling rider to make his maiden appearance of the season in the Midlands VTTA 10.

Taking place along the A51 in Staffordshire Lewis will have competition in the form of Grant Bigham (VeloRunner RT) and under-23 rider Oliver Peckover (ActiveEdge Race Team P/B Cooper/BMW Inchape).

A field of 161 solo riders are due to battle it out in the ECCA 10 on the fast E2/10 course in Cambridge with entry preference to slower riders.

Adam Duggleby (Almerico Vive Le Velo) will once again be the man to beat in the Harrogate Nova 10.

Scratch man Duggleby will be looking for a second win of the season after taking the Seacroft Wheelers 10 last weekend.

After finishing sixth place in the National 10 on his last outing William Perrett (AeroLab Ward Wheelz) will be targeting victory when he goes off last man in the Norwich ABC 10.

However, he could be pushed on the out and back A143 course by the improving Timothy Torrie (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/B Trainsharp).

On his first outing since finishing second in the National 10 last month Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) starts as last man in the VTTA 25.

After winning on his first outing for two years a fortnight ago Steve Lampier (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will go head to head with Conrad Moss (Primera – Teamjobs) in the Giant Helston 25 in Cornwall.

Under-23 rider George Mills-Keeling (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will be looking for a fourth open victory of the season in the WCTTCA 25 between Whitchurch and Shrewsbury.

He could face a strong challenge from a Welsh contingent of riders with David James Williams (Velotik Racing Team) starting scratch man.

After winning last weekend over 25 miles long distance specialist Jason Bouttell (Team Vision Racing- Silverhook) will be the one to watch in the CTT Midlands District 50.

Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach) will be refining her form at a crack at the National 25, 50 and Closed Circuit Championships later this month when she competes in the Cambridge CC 25.

John Wingfield (Team Signum) will start as last man in a packed field consisting of 150 riders.

Also preparing for the National 25 in two weeks’ time is Brett Harwood (Team Bottrill) who gets his season underway at the Bourne Wheelers 18.2.

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