News & Features

For the third consecutive week the country’s top time trialists will go head-to-head in search of national honours, this time at the National Closed Circuit Championship.

Five laps of the Thruxton Motor Racing Circuit in Hampshire will decide the title winners with 417 riders set to compete across the age categories.

With a total distance of 11.7 miles to complete reigning men’s champion Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) is set to go off last man after missing last weekend’s National 50.

Last year Fennell clocked a winning time of 21 minutes and 47 seconds around Thruxton to win by 40 seconds.

National 10 champion Dan Bigham (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will start 30 seconds ahead of Fennell and also missed last week’s 50 championship.

However, they will both have to see off the challenge of National 25 Champion John Archibald (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) who suffered a mechanical after crashing out of last weekend’s 50.

The women’s event is set to see another showdown between National 10 and 50 champion Emily Meakin (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) and National 25 Champion Joss Lowden (Drops Cycling).

Lowden crashed out of last weekend’s 50 while the pairing were locked in battle with Meakin taking the honours.

This weekend Lowden will start as scratch rider as defending champion clocking a winning time of 24-22 last season.

However, both will have to see off the challenge of surprise package Katie Archibald (Dooleys RT) with the Great Britain track cycling team member taking on her first open time trial of the season.

Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach) and Emma Lewis (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) both missed the National 50 and 25 Championships but could both mount a title challenge.

After recording a 18-32 on his road bike in the Chronos RT 10 in July Charlie Bailey (Lee Valley Youth CC goes off as scratch rider in the junior boys’ category.

Starting 30 seconds before Bailey will be National Youth Champion and National 10 bronze medallist Joshua Tarling (Team Backstedt Bike Performance).

Scratch rider in the junior girls’ event is Eva Callinan (Liv Awol) who finished fourth in the National 10 and 25.

With just two weeks until the National Hill Climb Championships a host of events are taking place this weekend as riders look to refine their form.

A full field of 150 riders are due to start the weekend by competing for victory in the University of Bristol CC event on the Belmont hill climb.

The 1.4-kilometre climb takes place on closed roads on the outskirts of Bristol rising at a steady average gradient at seven per cent with the steepest sections of 10 per cent at the bottom and top.

With a 100 per cent record out of 10 events this season Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) starts as last man.

He will again meet Cameron Biddle (Vredestein Basso) with the under-23 taking two victories over in the past two weeks but falling three times to Feather earlier in the season.

Other competition could come in the form of Thomas Arkell (East London Velo), Josh Coyne (Bpm Coaching), Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix CC) and George Kimber (Spirit Tifosi RT) in the stacked field.

Bexy Dew (Army Cycling) has also been on form this hill climb season and will be favourite and last rider off in the women’s category.

She will face a host of competition including local rider Kate MacTear (Bristol South Cycling Club).

Alice Lethbridge (Torelli) will be refining her form in the Brighton Mitre CC double event starting in the morning on Steyning Bostal.

Starting in Steyning, the climb is one-mile long and after a steady start includes a downhill section before kicking up a steep 16 per cent to the finish.

She could face competition in the form of Rebecca Seal (Fareham Wheelers CC) while Gemma Hobson (URDT) starts as scratch rider.

Former national champion Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team) will be one to watch in the men’s event.

The second event sees riders tackle Mill Hill in the afternoon with some additional riders set to challenge for honours.

The Mill Hill climb is 2.66 miles long and starts on the outskirts of Shoreham-by-Sea going up in three stages with two brief descents with an average gradient of 2.7% and average of 10.9%.

Lethbridge holds the course record of 8-52.9 which was set in 2008.

She will face competition in the form of Katie Simmonds (URTD) and Becca Drake (BellaVelo.CC) who have both been in good form.

Meanwhile. veteran Richard Cartland (HuntBikeWheels.com) will be looking to challenge for honours in the men’s event.

The Holme Valley Wheelers hill climb takes place on Saturday afternoon with Jude Taylor (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT) looking for his fourth win of the season.

Starting on the west side of Holme village the climb is 1.85 miles in length with an average gradient of 9.54%.

Juvenile Oliver Akers (Garden Shed UK-Scott-Verge Sport) has put in some impressive performances so far this season and could challenge for senior honours.

Hannah Bayes (Liv Awol) will be tough to beat in the women’s event following a good run of form.

Bayes will also be in action the following day in the Tickhill Velo Club event on Bib Lane.

The short climb near Brookhouse in South Yorkshire is only 0.49 kilometres in length with an average gradient of 9.5% but maximum of around 15%.

The women’s category will see Bayes face tough competition in the form of regular winner this season Hannah Farran (Team Boompods) along with junior Lucy Ellmore (Otley CC) and Jo Tindley (CAMS-Tifosi).

The men’s event will also see an intriguing battle with last man starting Callum Dixon (Kingud Factory Racing) facing a tough challenge in the form of Andy Nichols (The Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion), Gildea and Biddle amongst others.

Those riders will also be back in action in the afternoon during the Bolsover and District CC event on Carr Lane.

Starting on the flat the climb gradually rises to a maximum of 12.1% with an average of 6.6% over the climb of 1.5 kilometres in length.

Along with those competing in the morning former Hill Climb National Champion Adam Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling powered by Brother UK) also joins the mix on Carr Lane.

Elsewhere, Feather will also be hoping to complete another weekend double when he heads to the City Cycle Couriers RT event on Jenny Cliffe on Sunday.

As the previous day Feather will have to see off the competition of Coyne on the one-kilometre climb which has a steady gradient with an average of 7% and maximum of 10%.

Amongst the women’s field is junior Connie McLaughlin (Tofauti Everyone Active) and local rider Jenny Lee (Plymouth Corinthian CC).

Away from the hills the SCCA & WCTTCA 50 takes place in Shropshire on Saturday with riders completing four laps of a circuit.

After winning the North Shropshire Wheelers 25 earlier this season Daniel Watts (Royal Air Force Cycling Association) starts as last man off.

He could face competition in the form of Danny Glyn Roberts (Clwb Beicio Egni/Energy Cycling Club) who won the WCTTCA 25.

Meanwhile in the women’s event Erica Booth (Lancashire RC) will be tough to beat.

Those looking for a traditional 10 are heading to Selby in Yorkshire for the Seacroft Wheelers 10.

Veterans Keith Murray (Drag2Zero) and Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) could be in the fight for victory.

Fellow veteran rider Ruth Wilson (Racing Team Dawson) will be amongst those fighting for victory in the women’s event.