News & Features

Almost 100 riders will be heading to the North East on Sunday for the Stockton Wheelers sporting time trial over 23 miles of challenging terrain.

Last man to grace the square-shaped course between Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington will be veteran Simon Wilson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) fresh from winning the Manchester Bicycle Club 10 last weekend.

Last season’s event was cancelled due to Covid, but in 2019 honours went to Keith Murray (Drag2Zero) and Nikki Metcalfe (Team Boompods).

Now aged 46, Murray will be back looking to defend his title and to improve his 2019 winning time of 52 minutes and 34 seconds.

The women’s time trial event will see veteran Louise Hamilton (The Bike Rack CC) start as last rider who will face competition from fellow veteran Caroline Heighton (Ferryhill Wheelers).

The road bike event also sees a strong field which will be headed by scratch rider Shaun Tyson (Protech Velo).

Under-23 Joe Wilson will be hoping to make it a double win for Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling in the road bike event but will have to see off the challenge of team-mate William Brown amongst others.

Hill climb specialist Hannah Farran will lead the women’s Team Boompods accompanied by Ellen McDermott, Nikki Metcalf and Lauren Watson.

Preparing for the Paralympic Games Adam Duggleby (Chapeau! Vive Le Velo) and Steve Bate (Vive Le Velo) will be testing a new tandem in that category.

“We got a new tandem last year which is longer at the back,” said Duggleby. Steve [Bate] is quite tall so I haven’t been as aero as I could be over the years. We’ve not tried the tandem yet.”

The weekend’s action also begins in the North East with the North Tyneside Riders 10 in Cramlington.

After finishing second in the Barnesbury CC 21 earlier this month all eyes will be on Tom Hutchinson (Team Bottrill) who will be looking for an opening win of the season.

However, he and the rest of the 120-rider field will have to await the time of scratch rider Keith Murray (Drag2Zero).

Joanne Rea (Blaydon CC) won the Barnesbury CC 21 women’s event and will be looking to add to her tally but will face competition from team-mate Angela McGurk and Jen McMahon (Sub Rosa) amongst others.

Fresh from being crowned women’s VTTA National 15 Mile Champion last weekend Angela Carpenter (…a3crg) joins a full field of 150 riders in the Farnborough & Camberley 25 on Saturday.

The fast out and back course sees riders head between Farnham and Alton on the A31.

Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers) has a personal best over 25 miles of 48-13 and starts as last man away.

After recording a time of 29-48 in the last week’s 15-mile championships the tandem pairing of Ian Greenstreet and Rachel Elliott (Newbury Velo) will be looking to set their benchmark.

After an early season road racing in Belgium at the highest level Elizabeth Bennett (Drops- Le Col s/b Tempur) will take on her first open time trial in the Bristol South CC 10.

She will face tough competition in the form of Megan Dickerson (Skoda DSI Cycling Academy) who won both the FTP Racing and VC Bristol 10-mile events last weekend.

A host of Welsh riders are making their long-awaited return to action but it will be Nick Livermore (Bristol South CC) who starts as last man.

The road bike event will see Peter Bishop (Exeter Wheelers) start as last man while Emily Kate Walton (Bristol South CC) faces some unknown challengers having an attempt at their first open in the women’s event.

In Yorkshire the Birdwell Wheelers 29 kilometres event will also take place on Saturday with a tringle route starting from Hemsworth before taking in North Elmsall and Ackworth Moor Top.

Liam Bromiley (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) starts as last man looking to improve on his ninth place finish in the Manchester Bicycle Club 10 earlier this month.

Teenager Lucy Ellmore (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT) won the Bramley Wheelers 10 last weekend and will be hoping to add another win to het collection.

After winning his opening event Ashley Cox (Team Bottrill) will be hoping for more success on a sporting course in the Finsbury Park CC 25.

Taking place on the Bedfordshire border the event sees riders compete over two laps of a course including minor and B-roads on Saturday.

 Russell Hampton (Onimpex Bioracer RT) is making his first start of the season and could challenge Cox if on form.

The women’s event includes Hayley Rigby (Giant Camden Team Liv) and will see Judy Reid (Icknield RC) start last.

April Tacey (Drops – Le Col s/b Tempur) is also making her open time trial debut of the season after a spring road racing in Europe and is due to start Saturday’s Coalville Wheelers 10.

The looped course uses minor roads and passes through Breedon on the Hill before joining the B5324 for the finish.

Tacey will have strong competition for victory in the women’s event from Jennifer Clegg (Team Bottrill) and Charlotte Panham (Storey Racing) amongst others.

Matthew Bottrill (Team Bottrill) showed some early season form with a fifth place in the Velo Club Long Eaton 10 and starts as last man.

After taking six top-four finishes last season with one win Lloyd Chapman (Loose Cannon’s Conditioning) gets his campaign underway at the Stowmarket & District CC 20.

The dog’s leg course near Stowmarket starts on minor roads to Occuld before joining the B1077 back south down to the finish.

James Gelsthorpe (Velo One Cycling Team) is also getting his season underway in Suffolk and joins the list of men’s challengers.

Becky Ridge (TPH Racing) is the last woman under way in an event which also includes the likes of Gillian Leech (Peaks Sports Racing).

After taking his first win of the season last weekend Timothy Torrie (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling p/b Trainsharp) will be hoping for victory again in the East Anglian VTTA 25.

The course sees riders complete two loops of a course starting and finishing outside Newmarket Heath Airport.

Jack Brown (UpShift Nutrition Race Team) starts as last man and will be looking to improve on his 12th place in the Welwyn Wheelers Hilly 31.1 over the shorter distance.

Denise Burrows (AeroCoach) has a personal best of 58-04 over 25 miles and will go in the women’s event.

The road bike event sees Matthew Saward (Athlon CC) start as last male and Ruth Stapleton (St Neots CC) last woman.

The two-up event sees four pairings taking part with Barnabas Purbrook (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) combining with Kenneth Henning (Les Filles Racing Team) while John Swanbury and Kate Churchill (VC Baracchi) will be competing on their tandem.

After top-five finishes in the National 10 and Closed Circuit Championships last season Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) gets his season underway at the Stratford CC 10 on Saturday.

Competitors will be hoping for favourable wind as they travel down the A46 away from Alcester before looping back north.

Winner of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series opening round on road bikes Jacob Tipper (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) could provide some competition along with a full field including James Bentley (Team PB Performance) amongst others.

Alexander Royle (Manchester Bicycle Club) has been denied victory twice already this season, finishing second in the BDCA 25 last weekend, and will start as last man in the VTTA North and East Mids 10 on Saturday afternoon.

The women’s event will be headed by Pamela Moore (Coalville Whls) who will face competition from Jo Corbett (Sherwood CC) and Michelle Morley (Swift Racing).

Teenager Abi Smith (Team Breeze) clinched her first win of the season in the Vive le Velo 10 last weekend and will be hoping for another win in the East Lancashire RC 10 on the fast L1015 course near Kendal on Saturday.

There is a stellar women’s field with Brit Tate (Team Bottrill) and Christina Wiejak (Saint Piran) amongst her challengers.

Under-23 George Peden (Team PB Performance) has a personal best of 18-14 and starts as last man in the men’s event.

Last season’s silver medallist in the National Circuit, Closed Circuit and 10-mile Championships Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) will stretch his legs for the first time this season in Sunday’s Kent CA 25 which runs on the A28 between Ashford and Canterbury.

Fennell unsurprisingly starts as scratch rider and will have to see off the challenge of minute man Andrew Meilak (VeloRefined Rule 5).

Alex Clay (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) also picked up a five national medals last season and gets her campaign under way in the women’s event.

The road bike event concludes with Ian Bray (Addiscombe CC) starting last man and Grace Dent (Project 51) the final woman.

Alexander Royle (Manchester Bicycle Club) and Abi Smith (Team Breeze) will be hoping to complete a weekend double at the VTTA Yorkshire 25 on Sunday.

The out and back course sees riders travel from Topcliffe on the A168 and then around Thirsk on the A19 before turning for home.

Ben Stead (3 RT) won the Beacon Wheelers 14.9 last weekend and could be amongst the men’s challengers to Royle.

Veteran Sarah Harrison (Sheffield Triathlon Club) is the last woman starter and could provide stiff opposition for Smith along with Hannah Bayes (Liv AWOL) and others.

There is also a medium gear 72” competition in Yorkshire.

With three wins from three so far this season Steve Lampier (Saint Piran) will be hoping to make it four when he starts as last man in the Penzance Whls 10.

Tom Nancarrow (Nopinz Motip Race Team) finished second in the Plymouth Corinthian 10 earlier this month and could challenge Lampier.

Millie Skinner (Pro-Noctis – Redchili Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen) has a personal best of 23-17 and starts as last woman.

A field of 39 women are down to ride Sunday’s Kingston Wheelers CC sporting 13.6-mile event titled the Gill Jessop Memorial with two laps of a 6.7-mile course near Woking.

Jennifer George (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) clocked the fastest time on scratch in the VTTA National 15 last weekend of 32-52 but will face a stacked women’s field.

Pau Burton (Paceline RT) starts as last man on his first outing of 2021 but faces the likes of Zeb Kyffin (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and Ross Holland (Saint Piran).

Getting his season under way in Sunday’s Gloucester City CC 25 is last starter Sean Townsend (The Ark Cycles).

Max Stedman (HuntBikeWheels.com) has two top-four placings to his name so far this season and will be looking to challenge Townsend and others for the win.

Nicola Juniper (Team Echeolon) finished second in the VTTA 15 last weekend and will look to challenge again in the women’s event on the undulating course between Gloucester and Ledbury.

Samuel Wadsley (Primera-Teamjobs) got his season off to the perfect start in the CC Weymouth 10 earlier this month and will be looking to continue his run in the Velo Club Venta 10 near New Arlesford in Hampshire.

Harry Latimer (Didcot Phoenix CC) and Ben Williams (GS Mossa) could be amongst his challengers.

Amongst the women’s field is Rebecca Fellows (Tri Training Harder) and host club rider Joanne Clarke.

The road bike event also has a strong field with Nick Tyrie (Primera-Teamjobs) starting last man and Brenda Hoult (Velo Club Venta) last woman.

Oliver Peckover (UpShift Nutrition Race Team) has been in fine form so far this season with two wins from two and he heads the Solihull CC – Red Lion 10 field.

Junior Jack Fothergill (Team Jewson – MI Racing) has a personal best of 20-06 over 10 miles and could provide a challenge for Peckover.

Veteran Deborah Sheridan (Warwickshire Road Club) starts as the final woman away.

Timothy Torrie (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/B Trainsharp) could make it a weekend double when he goes in Sunday’s CC Breckland 10.

The out and back course sees riders competing on the B1108 between Hingham and Watton.

To take the win Torrie will have to see off the challenges of Lloyd Chapman (Loose Cannon's Conditioning) and Zachary Herrod (AeroLab Ward Wheelz) amongst others.

Diana Bite (The Racing Chance Foundation) is the last woman away in a strong field.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This preview by Ben Goddard.