All eyes are on South Wales this weekend, as the Welsh 25-Mile Championship takes place on the fast R25/3h course near Rhigos on Sunday.
Full fields are entered for both the men’s and women’s events, which are open to all comers and not just Welsh riders.
In the men’s event last year’s runner-up Tom Ward (AeroLab Ward Wheelz) is last rider off, while others who will push him all the way for the title include World Tour pro Scott Davies (Team Dimension Data).
In-form Ioan Smallwood (Cardiff Ajax CC), who won the Welsh CA hilly last weekend, has placed second, third and fourth in the last three Welsh Championship events so will want a win to finish the collection, while reigning National 24-hour champion Andy Jackson (AeroCoach) is expected to do well.
In the women’s event last year’s winner Alice Lethbridge (Drag2zero) is back to defend her title and will be in search of a sub-50 minute time having just missed out with a 50-10 last year. That was a personal best and the third fastest performance ever, but Lethbridge was a little disappointed not to go under 50 minutes.
Challenging her this year is Stephanie Post, the Team Bottrill rider who has been on the podium every year for the last three years, while other entries include talented junior Caitlin Peters (Storey Racing) and in-form Megan Dickerson (Bristol South CC).
Elsewhere, Derwentside CC are holding a tough 40-mile event on a triangular course based on Allendale in Northumberland on Sunday.
100 riders are down to tackle the event with the last man off being Adam Wild, the GS Metro rider who won the opening round of the Sigma Sports Classic Series.
2016 winner Matt Moorhouse, the Preston CC rider who has been third in this event for the last two years, is down to ride. In the women’s event, 2018 winner Fiona Burnie (GS Metro) returns to defend, while 2016 winner Jennifer Batey (Team Boompods) is also down to ride.
However, former 10-mile competition record holder Anna Turvey (Drag2zero) is down to ride. She has missed the Bishop Auckland CC mountain time trial and Stockton Wheelers sporting 23 over the last two weeks, but is reportedly recovered from the illness that ruled her out and is hoping to ride on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Kent Valley Road Club stage a hill-climb event on Bank Holiday Monday, using the 9.1-mile climb from Kendal to the summit of Shap on Cumbria.
The winner last year, Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC) is down to ride again, as is the runner-up in 2018 David Powell (Horwich CC). Of the women, Sarah Lewthwaite (Team Sportslab) could be one to watch.
There’s also a hill-climb on Sunday, with Macclesfield Wheelers promoting Tegg’s Nose Hill Climb over a 2.2-kilometre climb to the east of the Cheshire town which includes 157 metres of climbing.
Among the favourites are Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC) as well as Rick Bailey (B38-Cycles in Motion) and Richard Gildea (Didcot Phoenix CC).
Cambridge CC are holding a 15-mile time trial using a new course near Cambourne. It uses the A428 between Caxton Gibbet and Madingley, and is flat and well surfaced so promises to be fast.
It has attracted some good riders, not least national competition record holder Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach) as well as Katja Rietdorf (Born to Bike). And of the men, Stuart Travis (Team Bottrill) is last off, while Matt Senter (Peterborough CC) could challenge too.
Full startsheets from these and other events are available on the CTT website. Remember to keep checking back to the CTT website over the weekend for reports and results.
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