News & Features

The classic Circuit of the Dales is staged by North Lancashire Road Club on Sunday, but the hilly 50-mile event is just one of several time trials being staged across the country as the season gets into full swing.

Spanning three counties, the event begins in North Yorkshire near Ingleton but soon crosses into Lancashire on its way up to near Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria before heading north to Sedbergh, across to Hawes and back down to finish near Ingleton.

According to national rankings system provider Spindata the top three riders are expected to be a junior, a veteran and a senior, but which step of the podium they occupy is up for debate – and there are others likely to be pushing to spoil the party.

Talented junior Patrick Casey (Anexo Group Race Team) is predicted to dip under the two-hour mark for the 50 miles. Meanwhile Richard Bideau, the Pendle Forest CC veteran who beat Casey by five seconds in last year’s event, will be hoping to do the same again this year.

But Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) is in great form and is predicted to take second spot, and while Bideau is down for third according to Spindata, other riders such as Richard Nesfield (Giant-Kendal-Sidas.uk) and Andrew Whiteside (Springfield Financial RT) shouldn’t be too far behind.

Christina Wiejak (Saint Piran) is down to finish as fastest female, while Joanna Cebrat (360cycling) and Molly Savill (Albarosa CC) will also be looking for a step of the podium.

Elsewhere on Sunday, the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers are staging a sporting 42-kilometre event in Dorset.

TAAP Endura’s Matthew Downie is tipped to take the win, with Tom Clements (Wessex RC) and Paul Jones (Primera-TeamJobs) aiming for a top three finish in the time trial event.

a3crg’s Kirsty McSeveney looks set to be fastest female, while in the road bike category Jamie Whitcher (Bournemouth Cycleworks) should take the win, with New Forest CC’s Sien Van Der Plank likely to be quickest woman.

Other Sunday events include the Hemel Hempstead CC 22-miler in Hertfordshire which also features a road bike category, as well as the Darlington CC/VTTA North 25 in North Yorkshire.

Events on Saturday include the ADDFORM Vive Le Velo 10-mile event near Dishforth in North Yorkshire, where World and Paralympic pilot and gold medallist Adam Duggleby will have to be on form to hold off top junior Matthew Cole (Team Bottrill) and fellow Under-18 Patrick Casey, who is giving his legs a spin before the Circuit of the Dales the next day.

Another Team Bottrill rider, Ella Jamieson looks likely to finish as fastest female in the ADDFORM event.

There’s a big field for the Liverpool Braveheart RC 10-mile event near Bickerstaffe in Lancashire, with Simon Wilson (HUUB WattShop) expected to take the win. Spindata has him down as the only rider to go under 20 minutes on the course, although Matthew Wales (Fibrax Wrexham Road Club) may have something to say about that, as well as Alastair Ribbands (Congleton CC) and Chris Humphries (Bioracer UK RT).

Elsewhere the Barnesbury CC hold a 21-mile event in Northumberland, while Bath CC have a 10 in Somerset and the VTTA Midlands are putting on a 15 in Worcestershire.

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