Ross Holland (Saint Piran) was victorious by almost a minute in the Brighton Mitre CC hilly 25-mile time trial in West Sussex on Easter Monday.
The 23-year-old covered the GS/999 course near Upper Beeding in 57-08 to win by 59 seconds, while in the women’s category fastest was Gemma Freeman, the 33-year-old Brighton Triathlon Club member who clocked 1-15-33.
Meanwhile, in the road bike events there were also some fast times with Nick Tyrie (Primera-TeamJobs) the quickest in 1-01-06, while best of the women on road bikes was national champion Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur) who clocked 1-04-09 which was only around two minutes slower than Hayley Simmonds’ course record set two years ago on a time trial bike and in far more suitable conditions.
The course takes riders from the start north of Brighton up Devil’s Dyke Road towards Poynings, turning through Fulkings and Edburton and on to Upper Beeding. They head south on the Steyning Road to the junction with the A27 before returning north, but going further up through Small Dole to Henfield where they turn for the finish riding through Woodmancote.
Holland’s winning time left Lukas Nerurkar (VC de Londres) second with 58-07, while Peter Merritt (TBW23) was third with 58-12, two seconds ahead of team-mate Samuel Painter who had won the Brighton Mitre CC 10-mile hilly two days earlier.
While Freeman clocked 1-15-33 to finish as fastest female on a time trial bike, Victoria Miller led a pair of riders from the promoting Brighton Mitre CC in second and third, Miller clocking 1-17-32 and Tracey Williams in third wigth 1-22-24.
In the road bike event Tyrie’s time of 1-01-06 was 53 seconds better than James Bonham (Paceline RT) in second, with Neil Harrigan (Gemini BC) third, exactly a minute further off the pace.
And while Joss Lowden’s winning performance in the women’s road bike was a class apart for the Staffordshire-based winner of Good Friday’s Merlin Cycles Classic Series opening round, Anya Tamplin (HuntBikeWheels.com) looked impressive on her way to second place with 1-15-45, while her team-mate Georgie Little was third, another 3-27 behind.
Conditions were chilly once again with a cold north wind blowing at around 18mph at the southern turning point, but it was mainly dry with just a few short showers.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.
Results:
TT bikes:
1 Ross Holland Saint Piran 57 08
2 Lukas Nerurkar VC de Londres 58 07
3 Peter Merritt TBW23 58 12
4 Samuel Painter TBW23 58 14
5 Steven Kane Team TMC 59 54
6 Justin Webb A3crg 1 01 48
7 Matt Sumpton Dulwich Paragon CC 1 01 51
8 Mark Smith Crawley Whls 1 02 04
9 Paul Newsome Project 51 1 02 07
10 Martin Kober Abellio-SFA RT 1 03 02
Women:
1 Gemma Freeman Brighton Triathlon club 1 15 33
2 Victoria Miller Brighton Mitre CC 1 17 32
3 Tracey Williams Brighton Mitre CC 1 22 24
Road bikes:
1 Nick Tyrie Primera-Teamjobs 1 01 06
2 James Bonham Paceline RT 1 01 59
3 Neil Harrigan Gemini BC 1 02 59
4 Isaac Wright Project 51 1 03 23
5 Joss Lowden Drops – Le Col s/b Tempur 1 04 09
6 Patrick Brown HuntBikeWheels.com 1 04 16
Women:
1 Joss Lowden Drops – Le Col s/b Tempur 1 04 09
2 Anya Tamplin HuntBikeWheels.com 1 15 45
3 Georgie Little HuntBikeWheels.com 1 19 12