News & Features

They say that teamwork makes the dream work, and that is especially true at this Sunday’s National Team Time Trial Championships in Gloucestershire, where the best trios will be in action on a 25-mile course near Maisemore.

Team Bottrill are defending their 2023 titles in both the female and open categories, with Kate Allan, Alex Clay and Emily Martin back to ride again, while the Team Bottrill men’s team has Axel Dopfer and Jake Sargent back in action but this time with Rob Francis joining them in place of boss, Matt Bottrill.

But pushing them for the title will be the HUUB WattShop trio of John Archibald, Simon Wilson and Joshua Jackson. Jackson formed part of last season’s silver medallist team, while Archibald and Wilson will add some real power to their team.

Third last season, trainSharp return in 2024 with Tim Torrie and Ollie Peckover being joined by Andrew Brinkley.

Other female teams to watch out for include Tactic UK WRT with Rebecca Rimmington, Cara Rawlinson and Isabella Torrie, as well as FTP Race Team have Josie Harcourt, Laura Pittard and Floren Scrafton in their line-up.

The event is promoted by Gloucester City CC and uses the U72 course from near Maisemore to Ledbury and back.

Elsewhere it’s the Welsh CA 100-Mile Championships near Raglan in Monmouthshire, with both open and women’s defending champions Chris Gibbard (FTP Race Team) and Roxy Woodfield (Ludlow Brewery Race Team) down to ride Sunday’s event.

Woodfield is going for a third consecutive victory in the women’s event, but will have tough competition from Kim Barfoot-Brace (Team Bottrill), Corinne Clark (360VRT) and Claire Emons (a3crg).

Gibbard is hoping for a fourth Welsh 100 title in the open event, but his competition is likely to come from 2022 winner Anthony Jones (VMCC powered by Y Beic) and Tom Thornely (FTP Race Team) who was third last year.

In Hampshire it’s the Tandem Tart 10 promoted by Sotonia CC over a ten mile course near Lyndhurst, and raising money for the ME Association’s Ramsey Research Fund.

Nineteen tandems will take part including multiple national record holders Rachael Elliott and Ian Greenstreet (Newbury Velo) and event organiser Mary Corbett with Paul Burnage.

The event also includes solo and two-up events as well as tandems.

Also on Sunday it’s the North Tyneside Riders 50-mile event near Cramlington in Northumberland, which is also the Northumberland and Durham CA Championship.

After her victory in last weekend’s Sunderland Clarion 25 Joanne Rea (Blaydon CC) is expected to be quickest female once again, while in the open category GTR-Return to Life veteran John Routledge is tipped by Spindata to take the win, although Daniel Kane (Muckle CC), Adam Smith (Team Kirkley Cycles) and Kris Whitelaw (Vector Racing) might have something to say about that!

There’s also a 50-mile event in West Sussex, with Sussex CA the host club.

Paceline RT’s Pat Wright looks set for the win there, while Brighton Mitre CC’s road biker Cris Coxon won’t be far behind.

There’s another great field for the Cambridge CC Viking 50 on Saturday, with Team Bottrill team-mates Emily Martin and Kim Barfoot-Brace warming up for the following day’s events with a ride in the event near Cambourne and expected to be quickest females.

Hart Performance Coaching’s James Jenkins is tipped by Spindata to win the open category, while Chris Mcnamara (Sigma Sports Race Team) and Hadyn James (BPC FLOWBIO Race Team) will also be going for glory on the F2/50 course.

Saturday’s other events include the Kent Valley RC 10 near Levens in Cumbria, where two top juniors are expected to dominate.

Sebastian Grindley (North Cheshire Clarion) and Joe Cosgrove (Team Bottrill) are expected to leave the others battling for third spot on the podium, while Karen Bailey (East Lancashire RC) and Diona Davidson (Dundee Wheelers) will fight it out for the female prize.

Also on Saturday it’s the Redditch Road and Path CC 10, with Alex Dowsett (Nopinz) and Tom Ward (Ward Performance UK.com pushing for the win near Flyford Flavell, while in-form Denise Burrows (AeroCoach) looks likely to win the women’s prize.

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