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2020 national hill-climb champion Andrew Feather secured two wins in two days last weekend, and he is aiming to do the same this weekend as his build-up to this year’s title race continues.
The HuntBikeWheels.com rider was victorious in the Cheltenham and County CC and Exeter Wheelers events last Saturday and Sunday. He will tackle two events once again this weekend, but over longer distances than seven days earlier.
He is the last rider off at the VC Cumbria climb of Whinlatter Pass near Braithwaite in Cumbria, a 1.75-mile climb. Others to watch in the field include Andy Cunningham (Wheelbase CabTech) while Rebecca Richardson (Brother UK) is the lone female in the field.
On Sunday Feather moves on to the Fibrax-Wrexham Road Club climb of the new Horseshoe Pass, a climb of two miles and 585 yards which runs adjacent to the old Horseshoe Pass being used for this year’s National Championship at the end of October.
Feather will face competition from Cunningham again as well as 2019 national champion Ed Laverack (Backpedal), while the women’s field is led by Rebecca Richardson once again.
There’s another full field for the popular Monsal Head hill-climb staged by Sheffrec CC in Derbyshire, where reigning women’s national champion Bithja Jones (Pankhurst Cycles) is last rider off, and a minute behind her is former men’s national hill-climb champion Adam Kenway (Brother UK).
Other riders to watch include Cameron Biddle (Bikestrong KTM) and Gregg Booker (Summat CC), while the women’s field includes Becky Hair (Team Watto) and Emilie Verroken (Team Lifting Gear Products).
Saturday’s Chippenham and District Wheelers event on Bowden Hill in Wiltshire sees Illi Gardner (Wahoo Endurance Zone) aiming to extend her run of winning results this season to six out of six, as she continues herp reparation for the National Championships.
Fourth on Winnat’s Pass last year, she is widely tipped to be on the podium this time.
Stockton Wheelers are hosting a long climb in North Yorkshire, with riders heading up Tan Hill on a 10.88-mile course.
Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) and Adam Pinder (PM Racing UK) are the pick of the riders according to national ranking system Spindata, while the women’s event looks likely to be between Hannah Bayes (Saint Piran) and Hannah Farran (Team Boompods).
Elsewhere on Saturday Glossop Kinder Velo are taking advantage of road closures on the Snake Pass in Derbyshire for roadworks, with their hill-climb on the Glossop side of the hill covering a 3.2-mile climb.
Spindata suggests it will be a close-run thing between Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products), Alex Raynard (Velo Bavarian) and Leon Wright (Race Hub), with the women’s field boasting 30 entries including Parapympic ace Sarah Storey who is joined by colleagues from Storey Racing in the shape of Erin Avill, Morgan Newberry and Katie Toft. Spindata suggests Joanna Blackburn (High North Performance) will be quickest, but it’s wide open.
Saturday’s other climbs include the Severn Road Club event on Hinton Hill in Gloucestershire, the Sussex CA event on Bostal Road, Steyning, and the Otley CC two-stage on Norwood Edge and Guise Edge in West Yorkshire.
* All reports and previews are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.