News & Features

Once again the quickest riders in the country are set to battle it out for national honours at the National Circuit Championships, being staged over two laps of a 12.5-mile triangle shaped course near Newmarket.

Scratch rider John Archibald (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) starts as last man having clinched the National Closed Circuit Championships last weekend as well as the National 25.

Defending champion Marcin Bialoblocki (Nopinz) is absent but after finishing second in last weekend’s Closed Circuit Championships last weekend Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) will be ready to push Archibald once again.

Veteran Simon Wilson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) has been consistent this season with three national podiums and will be targeting more prizes while his team-mate Dan Bigham could also challenge.

The women’s event could see another battle between Emily Meakin (The Independent Pedaler- Nopinz) and Joss Lowden (Drops Cycling).

Meakin was beaten into second during a rare appearance by Katie Archibald last weekend but has already won the National 50 and 10 this season.

However, Lowden beat her rival by 41 seconds in the National 25 Championships last month.

Meanwhile in the junior category Aaron Freeman (Chelmer CC) starts as scratch rider with a personal best over 25 miles of 49-18.

After finishing second in the Closed Circuit Championships over a shorter 11.7 miles juvenile Jacob Bush (Bourne Wheelers) could also compete for honours.

The junior girl’s event will see last weekend’s Closed Circuit Championship silver medallist Flora Perkins (VC de Londres) and bronze medallist Eva Callinan (Liv AWOL) battling it out for honours.

Those veterans not in action at the circuit championships will be heading to Nottingham for the VTTA National 25 Championships.

Some 120 entrants and a tandem will battle on the out and back course along the A46 between Newark-on-Trent and Nottingham.

Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) will start as scratch rider on Saturday afternoon in the event open for veterans only.

He will have to fend off a strong challenge from Richard Oakes (Team Ohten Aveas) whose last outing was to win the VTTA National 10 with a storming ride of 19-49.

Regular victor Angela Carpenter (…A3crg) will be one to beat in the women’s event and will face the challenge of Deborah Moss (Team Merlin) and Michelle Lee (PDQ Cycle Coaching) amongst others.

AeroCoach pairing Ian Greenstreet and Rachael Elliott are the only tandem pairing competing.

With just a week until the National Hill Climb Championships final preparations will be made this weekend.

Unbeaten so far this season Andrew Feather (Huntbikewheels.com) will be looking to record another win in the Matlock CC event on the Riber, the first of a double event.

Feather will only take on the day’s opening climb on the classic Ribber hill with a maximum gradient of 22% which includes two steep corners before a long drag to the finish.

In a dress rehearsal ahead of next weekend’s National Hill Climb a host of Feather’s rivals will want to take the prestigious victory.

Jude Taylor (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT), Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) and Cameron Biddle (Vredestein Basso) are just some of the contenders eager for victory.

The women’s event will also see a big battle with Madeleine Gammons (Team Boompods) starting last with Becky Hair (Magspeed Racing), Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK) and Jo Tindley (CAMS- Tifosi) also targeting the win.

In the afternoon Feather will be missing from the Bank Road hill climb which takes place in the middle of Matlock.

Starting at a gentle gradient the climb kicks up to around 20% at the top of the one-kilometre long Bank Road effort.

On Sunday a big field of 119 riders will be heading to the North East to tackle Prospect Hill in the Muckle CC event.

The alpine style climb is 1.6 kilometres in length with switch backs as it zigzags up at an average of 7.5% and maximum of 11.8%.

A big women’s field will see Hannah Farran (Team Boompods CC) battle against Joanne Rea (Blaydon CC) for honours, but both could find competition elsewhere in a quality field.

Tom Bell (High North Performance) recorded a double victory last weekend and will start as scratch rider.

Matty Smith (Muckle CC) won the Sunderland Clarion CC event on Silver Hills last month and is one of a host of challengers.

The Bristol South CC event has 107 riders listed on start sheet ready to tackle the Burrington climb in North Somerset.

The 3.2-kilometre climb is fairly straight and steady with an average gradient of 5.7%.

Improving veteran Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team) will be one of those looking for a first victory of the season after finishing second and third last weekend.

The women’s event sees Nicole Coates (Torelli) start as last rider away but she will have to fend off the challenge of Louise Hart (Datalynx-Paranesis Cycling) amongst others.

A field of 100 riders are also down to rider in the Berkhamsted CC HC which takes place on Toms Hill between Aldbury and Tring in Hertfordshire.

The 0.85-kilometres climb has an average gradient of 7.4% with a maximum of 9.5% towards the bottom of the hill.

Jake Hales (Spirit Tifosi RT) will provide an unknown quantity in his first open outing ahead of next weekend’s National Championship.

A women’s field of 17 riders includes Madeline Heywood (Lea Valley CC) and Olivia Bentley (Team LDN) amongst others.

Under-23 rider Cameron Biddle (Vredestein Basso) will be looking to add another victory to his collection for the season in the Team Tor 2000 event on the West Close Hill in Somerset.

He will face competition from Oliver Hurdle (University of Southampton RC) who won the Brighton Mitre CC event on Mill Hill last weekend.

Nicole Coates (Torelli) will be targeting victory in the women’s event and will have to see off Natalie Grinczer (CAMS-Tifosi) and others.

The Essex Roads hill climb event on Edwins Hall Road incorporates the ECCA Championships.

Veteran Mark Arnold (VTTA East Anglia Group) goes as scratch man and could be pushed by minute man Matthew Saunders (Team Vision Racing- Silverhook).

The women’s event sees Haddi Conant (Team Vision Racing- Silverhook) take on the veteran duo of Gillian Leech (Stowmarket & District CC) and Kate Lucas (Norwich ABC).

The weekend begins with the Drighlington BC event on the Scotchman Lane climb near Batley in Yorkshire.

A host of home club riders will be hoping to keep the honours within the club but will have to fend off Mark Jagger (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) who finished second in the Stockton Wheelers event on Tan Hill last weekend.

The women’s event will see Nikola Matthews (Halifax Imperial Wheelers) and Josie Cram (PMRR) take on the home duo of Andrea Jutrzenka and Anna Newstead.

David Ross (LFGSS CC) will start as scratch rider in the East Sussex CA hill climb taking place on the Firle Bostal.

Ross finished second in the Sussex CA event earlier this month and will have to see off the challenge from Richard Cartland (HuntBikeWheels.com) amongst others.

Katie Simmonds (URTD) goes in the women’s event along with veteran team-mate Gemma Hobson.

Early starter Oliver Hurdle will have the chance to record a weekend double along with Richard Cartland (HuntBikeWheels.com) when they meet in the Farnham RC event on Sunday morning.

The 1.5-kilometre long Brockham Hill Lane climb which has an average gradient of 5.5% but a steep section of 12.8% in the first half.

Under-23 rider Lucy Gadd (Storey Racing) will be taking on her first open hill climb and could be tough to beat in the women’s event.

Down on the South West coast there is a chance for a double victory as Saint Piran hold two events on Mount Wellington and Long Hill.

The first effort sees riders complete the 0.8-mile in length Mount Willington effort near Truro with junior Felix Whetter (St Austell Wheelers CC) starting last man while Bexy Dew (Army Cycling) goes in the women’s event.

A larger field will take on Long Hill in the afternoon which is two miles in length starting from Truro.

James Benny of host club Saint Piran starts as scratch rider while Libby Harman (Wadebridge Coasters CC) takes on Jenny Bolsom (Saint Piran) in the women’s event.

Brothers Christopher McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) and Simon McNamara (Huntbikewheels.com) will battle it out once again in the Brighton Mitre CC 25 over a tough looped course down to Shoreham-by-Sea.

Becca Drake (BellaVelo cc) will start as scratch rider in the women’s category with others including host club rider Anouska Greenaway.

Taking part on the same course as the National Circuit Championships the London East DC 25 is taking place for road bikes only.

Scratch rider Simon Norman (Bedfordshire Road RT) won the Kettering CC 10 also on road bikes and will be targeting another win.

Under-23 rider Emma Andrews (CC London) will take on junior Zoe Burrell (Oxted Cycle Club for the women’s victory.

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