There were a series of impressive performances over 50 miles last weekend, as the season progresses and all the hard miles of training and preparation continue to bear fruit for riders across the country.
In Cheshire, Ben Stead set a new course record on his way to victory in the Manchester and District TTA 50 near Cranage. The ABC Centreville rider clocked 1-47-52, beating previous course record holder Ben Norbury (Congleton CC) into second.
The event was also the Manchester District Women’s Championship, and a good field of riders took part. Top of the pile was Claire Harrison (Pro Vision Cycle Clothing) with 2-07-43, 40 seconds better than Emily Martin (Weaver Valley CC) in second.
In Wales in-form Conrad Moss (NOPINZ) was victorious at the Cardiff 100 Miles RCC 50 near Raglan, clocking 1-39-40 to miss out on a new personal best by just 11 seconds.
Fastest female was Michelle Lee (PDQ Cycle Coaching) who took her first win of the season with a strong time of 1-51-40.
Andrew Whiteside and Christina Wiejak were the fastest male and female riders at VC Cumbria’s 50-mile event near Braithwaite in Cumbria.
Whiteside (Bella in Sella Racing) finished his run with a time of 1-46-01, while Wiejak (Team Jadan-Weldtite) topped the podium in the women’s event after clocking a time of 1-59-27.
In Northumberland Gemma Frost (Team Swift) clocked 2-03-32 to set a new course record on her way to victory in the women’s category at South Shields Velo’s 50 on Sunday.
And fastest of the male riders was Tom Hutchinson (Team Kirkley Cycles) who secured the Northumberland and Durham Championship title with a time of 1-49-27.
Hayden Allen (THRE Datawolves) made it two wins in two days with his victory in the Otley CC 50 on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he had won the Rutland CC 10.
Allen clocked 1-48-24 to take the win by 1-33 from Andy Jackson (AeroCoach), while the fastest female was Louise Hamilton (Mountain Goat Coaching) with 2-24-51.
In Cornwall victory in the Lanhydrock Wheelers 25 went to Sandy Gourley (Penzance Wheelers) with 51-33, giving him victory by 42 seconds from Donald Brooks (Mid-Devon CC), while the fastest female was Anna Cullen (Tri Logic Cornwall) with 1-01-13.
Velotik Racing Team were the winners of the Shropshire CCA four-up 50km event near Edgmond. The quartet of David Williams, Toby Williams, Gareth Sanger and Chris Mann clocked 1-06-14 to win by 31 seconds from Success Cycling.
And in Essex, Ashley Cox and Helen McKay were fastest at the Bishops Stortford CC 10.2-mile event near Ugley on Saturday.
Cox (Flamme Rouge CT) clocked 20-19 to win overall by 42 seconds from Andy Hastings (Haste CC), while McKay – third at the recent National Circuit Championship – clocked 23-30.
McKay also broke the women’s course record in the Essex Roads CC 24-mile event on Sunday, where her time of 58-32 was more than three minutes better than the previous mark.
And in Cumbria on Saturday evening Philip Jones (Transition RT) and Charlotte Boothman (ABC Centreville) were fastest male and female riders at Beacon Wheelers’ 10-mile event near Newbiggin on Lune.
Jones clocked 19-38 to win by 53 seconds from Craig Horseman (Beacon Wheelers)., while Boothman’s time of 22-20 being 45 seconds quicker than the next best female.
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* See the individual event listings for more detailed reports on these and other time trials.