News & Features

Reigning national hill-climb champion Andrew Feather continues his warm-up for this year’s title race with a ride in the Stratford CC climb on Sunday.

The HuntBikeWheels.com rider is once again among the favourites for this year’s National Championship in Cumbria on October 29, and rides his last open event in preparation of that on the 1.3-mile Saintbury hill event near Weston Sub Edge in Gloucestershire on Sunday.

Others to watch in the event include Cameron Biddle (HUUB-WattShop) who has won two of his three climbs so far this season, as well as David Fellows (Solihull CC) who has enjoyed five victories in open events in 2023.

The women’s field includes Elevate RT rider Ellen Reynolds as well as veterans Emma Bexson from the promoting club and Celia Brown (Elevate RT).

Other contenders for the National Championship are heading to Northumberland for the Muckle CC climb of Prospect Hill near Corbridge on Sunday.

Almost a hundred riders have entered the 0.9-mile climb, including Saint Piran’s Rachel Galler and Hannah Farran (Team Boompods), while Sarah Wilkinson (Blaydon CC) is also among the top females.

In-form Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products) will be aiming to take another victory, but local GS Metro rider Alexander Storey will take some beating with several victories to his name as well.

Matlock CC host two climbs, with strong fields facing the Riber climb in the morning before going on to the Bank Road climb in the afternoon.

Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products) and former national champion Adam Kenway (Team Brother UK) are expected to vie for the win, while the women’s field includes Frances Owen (Wahoo Le Col) and Becky Hair (Laka X Pedal Mafia RT).

And in the afternoon’s short climb of Bank Road Nichols is again tipped by Spindata to be fastest, but his main challenge this time could come from Calum Brown (Wold Top The Edge-Pactimo). Frances Owen is again the best of the females on paper, but her challenger this time could be Emilie Verroken (Team Lifting Gear Products) as well as Becky Hair (Laka X Pedal Mafia RT).

The weekend begins with the Sussex Nomads CC climb on closed roads up Ditchling Beacon on Saturday morning, with among the top riders being Harry MacFarlane (TAAP Endura) and Ewan Tuohy (Dartford CC).

Also on Saturday it’s the Oxford University CC climb on Keeper’s Hill Lane near Wytham Woods, with the promoting club’s James Driver and George Hale looking likely to be challenged for the win by Gabe Dellar (Stolen Goat RT) and Will Lowden (Cambridge Univ CC).

Another Stolen Goat RT rider, Olivia French could finish as fastest female after a string of good performances so far this season, while other women to watch include Phoebe Barker (Cambridge Univ CC) and Katrina Tse (Oxford University CC).

Nick O’Pendle is the venue for the North Lancashire Road Club climb on Sunday, with Tom Garnett (Geared Up C and N Cycles), Andy Cunningham (Wheelbase-CabTech) and Maxwell Hereward (360 cycling) tipped to do well.

Abi Plowman (Jadan Vive le Velo) and Victoria Wilkinson (Kendal CC) are expected to battle it out to be fastest female on the 1350-yard climb near Sabden.

After his ride on Saturday Gabe Dellar (Stolen Goat RT) is back in action in Sunday’s Bristol South CC climb on Burrington Combe who, at two miles, is more akin to the 2.6-mile course for the following week’s national title race.

Tipped for the win in the women’s event is Jennifer Hudson (Fulfil the Potential Racing) while Emily Lockwood (Performance Cycles CC) is one to watch too.

Check back to the CTT website and social media feeds for reports on events as the weekend progresses!

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