AN intriguing battle is expected when a full field of 120 riders head to the North West for the Mersey Tri 10-mile time trial on Saturday.

Dan Evans (ASSOS Speed Club UK) starts as last man on the A570 for his first ride of the 2021 season having ridden just two events last season.

However, he will have to see off the challenge of Phil Williams (Team Bottrill) who won the Merlin Cycles Classic Series opening round and starts just a minute ahead of Evans.

Ben Stead (3 RT) won the Beacon Wheelers 14.9 earlier this month in 34-03 and is amongst the other challengers for the win.

A large women’s field of 21 riders will be concluded by Charlotte Boothman (Team Lusso) on her first outing of the campaign.

Veteran Deborah Moss (Team Merlin) posted a time of 22-41 in the East Lancashire Road Club 10 last weekend and could be amongst the challengers.

The weekend begins with an early morning start near Hailsham for the East Sussex CA out and back 10.

A fast downhill start away from East Hoathly on the A22 makes for a tough last 2.5 miles heading to the finish for riders.

After winning the Farnborough & Camberley CC 25 last weekend in a time of 50-24 Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers CC) starts as last man away.

Meanwhile, Sally Turner (trainSharp) and Lisa Davies (Drag2Zero) will be looking for their first victory of the season and are amongst the challengers in the women’s event.

There are two National Youth Championship events on Saturday afternoon with the SE Midlands DC and North DC both holding events over 10 miles.

Dominic Switzer (Welland Valley CC) starts as last rider away in the Midlands with riders competing two laps of a five-mile course near Rugby.

Meanwhile, near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria a more traditional out and back 10 down the A685 greets riders.

Sam Kelly (East Lancashire RC) starts as last boy and Eve Davies-Heywood (Team 22) is in the girls event.

In the Melton Olympic 10 an unbeaten Oliver Peckover (UpShift Nutrition Race Team) will be looking for a fifth win of the bounce.

Peckover clocked a season best of 18-52 to win the VTTA Notts & E Mids 10 last weekend and will be looking to improve his time.

Alexander Royle (Manchester Bicycle) has been challenging Peckover for honours and starts as last man.

Richard Oakes (Team Ohten Aveas) has also been knocking on the door for victory so far this season and is amongst a strong field.

Under-23 rider Madeleine Gammons (Jadan CycleSpace- Vive Le Velo) is the final woman starter and is also looking for her opening win.

The Northampton & District CA 10 also takes place on Saturday afternoon on a looped course using minor roads in Northamptonshire.

David Mead (Race Rapid) is one of a host of veteran riders hoping for victory after finishing sixth in the Coalville Wheelers 10 earlier this month.

The women’s event also has a strong field with Lindsay Clarke (Fenland Clarion CC) starting last looking to improve her time of 24-20 from the East Anglian VTTA 10.

In Yorkshire a stellar field of 105 riders are due to compete in the Team Sheffield 10 on the out and back from Cuckney to near Worksop.

Max Williams (Scunthorpe RC) finished fourth in the Birdwell Wheelers 29km event last weekend as starts as scratch man.

Liam Bromiley (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) won the Birdwell event last weekend and will be hoping for his first win over 10 miles this season.

Veteran Neil Parkin (Team Bottrill) has also finished consistently and could be amongst the contenders along with youngsters Bevan Jones (Team Sportslab) and George Wood (Cycling Sheffield).

The women’s event includes a host of contenders including Josie Smith (Barnsley Road Club) who has a personal best of 23-44.

Timothy Torrie (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/b trainSharp) has a first and second place to his name already this term and goes in Saturday’s Kings Lynn CC 10.

Torrie won the Icknield RC 18.6 in a time of 43-17 and will be looking his first win over 10 miles on the triangle shaped course near Downham Market.

Mark Arnold (VTTA East Anglian Group) starts as last rider away with a personal best of 19-12 over 10 miles.

Veteran Verity Smith (Loose Cannon's Conditioning) finished second in the CC Breckland 10 last weekend and goes in the women’s event.

Keith Murray (Drag2Zero) starts as scratch man in the Beacon Wheelers 10 (charity event) looking to improve on his third place in the Stockton Whls 23 last weekend.

The out and back course on the A685 follows the River Lune through the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Cumbria.

Henrietta Colborne (GT Krush Tunap) won the Beacon Wheelers 14.9 event on the Lowther Circuit and is last away in the women’s event.

Fast times and personal bests could be posted if conditions allow in the Shaftesbury CC 25 over two laps of an out and back course on the A428.

The ‘middle markers’ event is for riders with a personal best of less than 56 minutes with large prizes based on improvement along with scratch time awards.

Veteran Joel Stewart (Team Ohten Aveas) starts as last man after placing second in the Icknield RC 18.6 earlier this month.

Lizi Ducombe (Socks4Watts Race Team) finished third in the Farnborough & Camberley 25 and goes in the women’s event.

After winning two races already this season under-23 rider Samuel Painter (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/b trainSharp) will hope to add another win in the West Kent RC 10.

Painter has already taken top honours in the East Anglian VTTA 25 and Brighton Mitre CC hilly 10 this season.

The course starts at the Isle of Grain before running alongside the Stoke Marshes and then rising for the turn.

Veteran Mark Cain (Abellio - SFA Racing Team) is scratch rider while Jennifer Allum (TORQ Performance) is amongst the women’s field.

Jennifer George (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) has had an unbeatable start to her campaign winning three from three and goes in the East Sussex CA 25 on Sunday morning.

She will face competition from veteran Sally Turner (Train Sharp) and Georgie Little (HuntBikeWheels.com) amongst others.

The out and back course follows the A22 between Maresfield and Hailsham with a kick up to the finish.

Samuel Painter (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/b trainSharp) could make it a double weekend as he amongst the challengers in the men’s field.

He will have to see off competition from team-mate Timothy Torie along and scratch rider Mark Smith (Crawley Wheelers).

After finishing second in his opening ride of the season 20-year-old Sam Beckett (Wales Racing Academy) will look to go one better in Sunday’s Tetbury Velos 10.

The flat out and back course takes riders on the A419 between Cricklade and Driffield Junction.

Veteran Mark Jones (DragZero) starts as last man while Ed Pitt (Fulfil The Potential Racing) and Josh Griffiths (Bikestrong-KTM) could also challenge.

After dominating on his last solo outing Adam Duggleby (Chapeau! Vive Le Velo) will be looking to maintain his perfect start to the season in the tough Vive Le Velo 25 on an out and back course on the A165 from Bridlington.

Duggleby won the Bramley Wheelers 10 and Vive Le Velo 10 before joining paracyclist Steve Bate on their tandem in the Stockton Whls 23 last weekend.

Duggleby’s team-mate Richard Sharp could provide some tough competition along with Philip Graves (VC York).

The women’s event could see an intriguing contest with Sarah Lewthwaite (Team Sportslab) starting last and she will face LIV Awol duo Hannah Bayes and Louise Scupham.

Junior sensation Harry Jukes (Mid Devon CC) has started the season in fine style and the 17-year-old could clinch a first win of the season in the Plymouth Corinthians 16 on a sporting course.

Jukes has a fourth and fifth place finish to his name already this season but will face Travis Bramley (Nopinz Motip Race Team) and Josh Coyne (Bpm Coaching) amongst others looking for the win.

Natalie Grinczer (CAMS Racing) starts as last woman and will face Vicky Jowett, of the host club and Martina Geraghty (Penzance Wheelers CC).

An unbeaten record will fall in the Dorking CC hardriders event over 24,9 miles on Sunday morning.

Both Christopher McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) and Zeb Kyffin (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) won on their first outings of 2021.

They will be battling to keep their 100 per cent record but will also have to see off scratch man Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC) and Andrew Meilak (VeloRefined Rule 5).

The women’s event will also be a close contest with Laura Addie (Viceroys Triathlon Club) starting as last rider.

The road bike event will see Pat Wright (Paceline RT) start as last man and Heather Mayer (Team Watto) the final woman on the looped one-lap course.

Meanwhile, the Tricycle Association 25 takes place near Canterbury with Ian and Lauren Pike (Lincoln Wheelers CC) starting last man and woman.

A big field of 127 riders are down to ride the Team Kirkley Cycles 10 in the North East on Sunday morning.

Tom Hutchinson (Team Bottrill) won the North Tyneside Riders 10 last weekend in a time of 19-25 and will be looking for his second win of the season.

Host club rider Lewis Wake finished second to Hutchinson last weekend and is amongst a long list of challengers.

Joanna Rea (Blaydon CC) was a clear victor in the women’s North Tyneside Riders 10 and will be hoping to add to her winning tally.

The Cleveland Wheelers hilly 25 will challenge riders through the North York Moors National Park on Sunday morning.

Joe Wilson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) will start as the last man having won the Stockton Whls 23 road bike event last weekend.

He will face strong challenges from Billy Robinson (Cycling Sheffield) and Steve Guymer (Squadra RT) on his first outing of the season.

Another test with a worthy winner will be the Oxonian 36 which takes place over two laps of a triangle course between Chipping Norton and Charlbury.

A large field of 105 riders will compete for honours which includes Sam Clarke (TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling P/B Trainsharp), Robert West (Aerocoach) and Sebastien Dickson (AeroLab Ward Wheelz).

The women’s event will see under-23 rider Caitlin Peters (Liv AWOL) competing in an open for the first time this season.

The weekend draws to a close with the Newbury Velo 10 on the out and back A420 near Faringdon on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Boddy (Aerocoach) is due to start as last man on his first outing of the season a minute behind challenger Arthur Franklin (Fulfil The Potential Racing).

Meanwhile, in the women’s event Melanie Sneddon (TORQ Performance) will start as last rider away.