Rossendale Cycling Club 50

In-form Richard Bideau secured his sixth open time trial win of the season so far, while Sammie Stuart made it three out of three in the women’s event at the Circuit of the Dales in North Yorkshire.

Promoted by Rossendale Road Club, the popular hilly 50-mile event provided many riders with a tough early-season challenge. And in the end Bideau was pushed all the way and was victorious by just five seconds from junior Patrick Casey (Team Lifting Gear Products).

Bideau clocked 2-01-11 to edge ahead of Casey, while third went to seasoned time trialler Dean Robson (Velo Sport Jersey) who clocked 2-03-05 and was almost two minutes off the winner’s pace.

Team Brother UK’s Sammie Stuart was fastest female by more than five minutes, her time of 2-20-31 giving her 21st overall while second fastest female was Molly Savill (Albarosa CC) in 2-25-54 with Bury Clarion CC veteran Joanna Cebrat third with 2-33-29.

Bideau also led Pendle Forest CC to the team prize alongside Darren Harvey and Luke Greenwood in 2-14-49 and 2-16-06 respectively, while the over-40 veterans prize went to Jesse Dawson (Vanelli-Project GO in 2-08-34.

An over-50 veteran himself, Bideau took the prize for the overall win so the over-50 prize went to second fastest of the over-50 which was Simon Horsley (Legato Racing Team), while Clayton Velo’s Peter Greenwood was top over-60.

Christopher Maffei (Bury Clarion) clocked 2-28-46 and took the handicap prize, while best junior was Evelina Black (Racescene Female Development Academy) in 2-49-30.

The iconic course takes riders from the start near Thornton in Lonsdale and along the A687 through Burton in Lonsdale, before turning north on the A683 to Kirkby Lonsdale. Heading up to Sedbergh, riders turn east to Hawes before turning southwards on the A6255 to reach the finish just before Ingleton.

In-form Bideau has already tasted victory several times this season with wins on the Bolton by Bowland circuit, the West Pennine RC hilly 14.6-mile event, the 30-mile North Lancs RC hilly, the Circuit of Ingleborough, the Border City Wheelers hilly on the Lazonby circuit and now the Circuit of the Dales.

Next weekend he is due to ride something more conventional, the VTTA Yorkshire 25-mile event on Sunday.

Sammie Stuart has also been in impressive form and been the fastest female at the Rossendale RC hilly 10.3 in February as well as the North Lancs Road Club hilly 30 last month.

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

* A gallery of images from this event by Kimroy Photography is available here