News & Features

THE country’s top middle-distance time trialists will meet again this weekend with the National 50 Championship honours up for grabs.

After winning the National 25 Championships last weekend John Archibald (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and Joss Lowden (Drops Cycling) will be hoping to add to their trophy cabinet once again over the longer distance.

Archibald will start scratch man and will have the target of minute-man Adam Wild (GS Metro) who has already clinched the National 100 and 12-hour crowns this season.

Wild will have local knowledge on his side on the M50 out and back course north of Newcastle upon Tyne between Cramlington and Amble on the A189 and then A1068.

The course has a sting in the tail with a climb past the finish starting with 15 miles to go before looping back down and climbing back up for the actual finish.

A strong field of 130 men will be challenging for honours with National 10 Champion Dan Bigham (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and National 100 Mile silver medallist Jason Bouttell (Team Vision Racing- Silverhook) amongst the challengers.

Defending champion Marcin Bialoblocki is absent but 2019 silver medallist Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) will be in action.

Simon Wilson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will be hoping for veteran honours again.

Defending National 50 Champion Emma Lewis (The Independent Pedaler-Nopinz) was a non-start in last week’s 25 along with Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach), but both could challenge Lowden in the women’s event.

The Independent Pedaler-Nopinz duo of Emily Meakin and Alex Clay could also challenge for the coveted title.

Erica Booth (Lancashire RC) and Tina Reid (ROTOR Race Team) are amongst those that will battle for veteran category honours.

The VTTA National 25 Championship takes place on Saturday with a full field of 120 riders down to start on the out and back A25/34 course near Nottingham.

Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) starts as scratch rider in the men’s while Angela Carpenter (…A3crg) will be one to watch in the women’s event.

The Sussex CA hill climb begins the weekend’s action on the classic Steyning Bostal climb which is 1.5 kilometres in length with a maximum gradient of 20% and average of 8%.

A 54-rider field are set to battle it out with scratch man being veteran Richard Cartland (HuntBikeWheels.com) while Katie Simmonds (URTD) is last woman off in the women’s category.

Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix) will be looking for his first victory of the season in the Chippenham & District Wheelers HC on Bowden Hill Lacock but will face stiff opposition from early starter Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team).

In the women’s category Jessica Rhodes-Jones (AeroCoach) is a late starter.

With nine wins to his name this season unbeaten Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) will be one to watch in the Cestria CC on Perth Bank starting on the outskirts of Lanchester.

Also in top form is scratch rider Hannah Farran (Team Boompods) who will be looking to add another women’s victory to her collection.

The Rossendale Road Club event on Crown Point sees a strong women’s field headed by Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK) who goes off second rider.

She faces tough opposition from Frances Owen (Wrexham RC) and veteran Gemma Hobson (URDT) amongst others, while Jude Taylor (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT) will be favourite in the men’s event.

Under-23 rider Cameron Biddle (Vredestein Basso) is another man in form and goes off as last man in the Solihull CC event on Winwood Heath Road.

Competition will come in the form of last season’s National Hill Climb Championships bronze medallist Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) on his maiden hill climb outing of the season.

In the women’s event Gabriella Homer (Team Boompods) takes part in her first open hill climb in preparation for next week’s National Closed Circuit Championship.

National Hill Climb Champion Ed Laverack (VAMos.CC) will be looking for a third victory of the season in the Severn RC event on the Hinton Hill Climb over the 0.9-kilometre course with an average gradient of 10% and maximum of 13.5%.

A strong field sees Josh Coyne (Bpm Coaching), Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix CC) and Jonathan Morris (AeroCoach) amongst those battling it out.

Bexy Dew (Army Cycling) will have to see off the challenge of Louise Hart (Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling) in the women’s event.

Last season’s National 12 hour Champion Andy Jackson (AeroCoach) starts in Sunday’s Stockton Wheelers event on Tan Hill.

John Bowman (Muckle Cycling Club) will amongst those also competing for victory while under-23 rider Hannah Bayes (Liv AWOL) will be targeting the women’s victory.

The Norwich ABC 10 takes place on Saturday afternoon on the out and back B10/43 course to Bungay and back.

Former triathlete Travis Bramley (Plymouth Corinthians CC) will be looking for a third victory of the season but he will face the challenge of the experienced Paul Jay (Drag2Zero).

The women’s field start proceedings and will be headed by Amy Marks (Team LDN) with junior Isabella Johnson (Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling) amongst her competitors.

A field of 120 riders are down to ride the Kingston Phoenix RC 10 on the out and back G10/42 course near Dorking.

Christopher McNamara (Nunn-Sigma Sport-London RT) is looking for his fourth victory of the season and starts as last man.

Once again he will face opposition from brother Simon McNamara (HuntBikeWheels.com) and under-23 Josh Copley (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/B Trainsharp).

In the women’s event Becca Drake (BellaVelo CC) will have some stiff opposition.

After finishing a second and third so far this season Simon Alexander (Richardsons Trek RT) will look to go one better in the API-Metrow 10.

Under-23 Timothy Torrie (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/b) will provide tough competition while Louise Robinson (Essex Roads CC) goes in the women’s event.

With three wins from three rides this season Steve Lampier (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will be hoping to continue his unbeaten run in the Team Tor 2000 10.

Conrad Moss (Primera-Teamjobs) will start last man while Natalie Grinczer (CAMS-Tifosi) goes in the women’s event.

Drake also goes in Sunday’s VTTA-London & Home Counties Group 25 on the H25/4 course while Matthew Wakefield (Tooting BC) goes off as last man.

The Southdown Velo event the Goodwood Classic Hill Time Trial also takes place on Sunday with a time trial and road bike event over 28 miles.

Simon McNamara will test himself over the sporting course and will face the challenge of under-23 rider Sam Clark (trainSharp), while Kirsty McSeveney (…A3crg) is amongst the women’s field.

The road bike category sees an equally as strong field with Christopher McNamara starting as last man while Caitlin Peters (Torelli) is amongst the women’s field.

The Norwich ABC 25 will see riders competing on the B25/50 out and back course to Bungay and sees Steve Dickens (Ride Harder) start last ahead of women’s rider Lara Thomas (Stowmarket & District CC).

Finally, the Chippenham & District Wheelers 10 completes the weekend’s racing on the U41 course near Cricklade.

Arthur Franklin (FTP Fulfil The Potential Racing) starts last man while under-23 Lauren Booth (Chippenham & District Wheelers) is amongst the women’s field.

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