News & Features

It’s hard to know where to begin a race report for an event that has never existed before-so the start seems as good a place as any.

What began as a simple conversation among Barrow Central Wheelers about the possibility of a gravel time trial became reality six months later, when the first event of its kind took place at Grizedale Forest in the Lake District.

Organiser and club chairman James Hodgson worked tirelessly to bring the idea to life. Securing permission and a permit from Forestry England, and producing a risk assessment unanimously accepted by the North District committee, were key steps in getting the event off the ground.

To keep things manageable for this inaugural edition, Hodgson chose to run it as a club event. This allowed space for learning, refining, and understanding what future open events might require-while also easing some of the pressure that comes with hosting something entirely new.

The 6.1‑mile course was extremely well received by the 26 entrants, whose ages ranged from 12 years old to V60s. Riders tackled a mix of surfaces-from rough, unbound gravel to smooth “champagne” gravel-along with sharp climbs and flowing fire roads that offered something for every ability. Only one rider reported going off‑course, but even they finished with a smile. The Grizedale Visitor Centre HQ proved an excellent base, offering a great café, Biketreks bike shop, toilets, and ample parking for all.

In the results, Tom Stephenson (Hope Factory Racing) took the senior male win in 16:45, while Emma Cutting (Carlisle Reivers CC) secured the senior female category with a time of 21:12. But while times matter in a time trial (of course they do), this event was about more than the stopwatch-it was about participation, enjoyment, and building on the strength of an idea.

The concept of an off‑road gravel time trial is entirely new to Cycling Time Trials, yet the riders at this first edition were overwhelmingly supportive. Feedback ranged from “that was much more enjoyable than riding on main roads with cars” to “so much fun for all ages”.

With such positivity, there’s real hope that this idea can spread across the UK, giving clubs and CTT districts opportunities to diversify and experiment with new formats of racing against the clock. At its core, this event began with an idea, a conversation with Forestry England, and collaboration with the district secretary to produce a course‑specific risk assessment. As Hodgson put it: If I can do it, then you can too. And if not, the team looks forward to welcoming riders back to a future event at Grizedale.