News & Features

WELSH Championship honours will be up for grabs this Sunday over 50 miles, one of the many events taking place over the weekend.

The R50/1B in South Wales hosts the Welsh CA 50 over two laps of the out and back A40 course between Abergavenny and Mitchel Troy.

Jonathan Shubert (FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing) clocked 1-37-45 on his way to third in the B.D.C.A 50 in July and starts as last man.

Veteran Conrad Moss (Primera-Teamjobs) has been in fine form in recent weeks with five wins and five runner-up spots in his last 10 events and starts two minutes ahead of Shubert.

Meanwhile, Tommy Murray (GS Metro) and Christopher Gibbard (Bynea Cycling Club) could also provide tough opposition.

Claire Hann (Bristol & District Triathletes) starts as last woman having won the bike-pace 50 in May clocking 1-57-05 on the same course.

A weekend of action in South Wales begins on Saturday morning when the Sportzmad 10 takes place on the R10/17.

Moss will face tough competition from B Xavier Disley (AeroCoach) and Arthur Franklin (FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing) amongst others on the out and back course along the A40 to Raglan.

Jessica Rhodes-Jones (AeroCoach) starts as last woman after winning the Ross-on-Wye Dist CC 10 on the same course in July clocking 20-54 on that occasion.

The Emergency Service Championship takes place over 12 miles in the North East on Saturday morning.

Veteran Richard Butler (Giant-Kendal RT) won both the Emergency Service Championship 10 and 25-mile titles last year and starts as scratch man.

However, he will have to see off the challenge of minute-man Chris Smart (GTR - Return To Life) who has been in fine form this season finishing second in the Bute Wheelers 10 last weekend.)

Veteran Fiona Prew (Stone Wheelers CC) starts as last woman and will face Esther Hamill (Dumfries CC) and local rider Natalie Mortimer (Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service CC) amongst others.

The competitors will also battle it out the following day in the Emergency Service Championship 25 taking place on the M254 north west of Ponteland.

A huge field of over 150 riders will battle in out on Saturday afternoon along the F2A/25 in the East Anglian VTTA 25.

First rider away Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) finished second on standard in the VTTA National 10 and 25-Mile Championship and the 65-year-old will be targeting honours as the event prizes are awarded on standard.

Meanwhile, looking for the fastest time on the day four-time National Champion this season Christopher Fennell (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) will be looking to continue an emphatic campaign.

Hannah O’Brien (Loose Cannon's Conditioning) will be looking for another win in the women’s event and will face Jackie Field (CC Ashwell) amongst others.

Three-time national champion from last season Emily Meakin (Drops - Le Col s/b Tempur) is due to return to open time trial action for the first time this season in Saturday’s WCTTCA 25 in Shropshire.

Meakin will face competition from veteran Deb Hutson-Lumb (Nova Raiders CC) while Mat Ivings (Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles) will start as scratch rider.

The Stocks Lane hill climb takes place on Saturday afternoon organised by Halifax Imperial Wheelers.

Tom Bell (High North Performance) narrowly missed out on the National Hill Climb title last season and starts as scratch man.

The 31-year-old has already won two from three events this season and will be looking to add to his tally over the 1.5-kilometre climb which has a maximum gradient of 20.3%.

In the women’s event veteran Mary Wilkinson (Yorkshire Road Club) won the Birdwell Wheelers event last weekend and will be hoping to continue her winning run.

Once again she will face the challenge of Rebecca Richardson (Team Brother UK) who finished six seconds behind Wilkinson in the Birdwell Wheelers event last time out.

National Women’s Hill Climb Champion Bithja Jones (Pankhurst Cycles) continues her campaign in the Newbury Velo event on Sunday taking place on the Walbury hill climb.

Amongst her competitors in the women’s event is Vikki Filsell (BellaVelo Cc) and Harriet Hernando (Will Houghton Racing Team) amongst others.

Under-23 rider Matthew Coulson (Oxford University CC) starts his hill climb campaign in the men’s event starting as scratch man after finishing 12th in last season’s National Hill Climb Championships.

A large field of 95 riders are due to compete in the iwoca Struggle Hill Climb held on a close road and hosted by Lakes Road Club.

The course is 2.67 miles in length with an average gradient of 8% but with a maximum of 24% to test competitors.

Former National Hill Climb Champion, Ed Laverack (Backpedal) starts as last man and has won his last two hill climb events.

The popular event has attracted a quality field which includes Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC) and David Fellows (Solihull CC) amongst others.

Meanwhile, Joanna Blackburn (Team Bottrill) has had a good start to her hill climb campaign and starts as last woman.

Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.Com) remains the man to beat and the reigning National Hill Climb Champion starts as last man in the Exeter Wheelers event.

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