AFTER a year absence the National Team Time Trial Championships returns this weekend in Irvine with 42 three-rider teams set to battle it out for honours.

Defending men’s champions from 2019 Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling will be looking to take another national crown and have two strong teams bidding for victory.

Simon Wilson and Dan Bigham were part of that winning team and go off last joined by James Shaw, with all three returning from last week’s Tour of Slovenia.

George Evans was part of the Team Bottrill runners-up two years ago and is joined on this occasion by Tom Hutchinson and Phil Williams.

Reigning National 100 and 12-hour Champion Adam Wild will lead a GS Metro team gunning for honours alongside Tommy Murray and Ross Walton.

Meanwhile, RT 23 are amongst a host of other teams hoping to challenge for the title.

The championship event will be held over two laps of the out and back A78 running from the Eglington Country Park passing Irvine and turning after the rise up to Loans totalling 31.5 miles.

The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz won the women’s title in 2019 but are not returning in to defend their crown.

Last women’s team off will be CAMS Racing who have a formidable trio of Hayley Simmonds, Jessica Finney and Natalie Grinczer.

Challenges could come in the form of Army Cycling, Vanelli-Project GO and Brother UK – Team On Form while there is also a host of other sides that could prove a threat.

Christopher McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) will be looking to continue his winning run when he heads Saturday’s Horsham Cycling 10 on the G10/97 down to Shoreham-by-Sea.

Junior rider Grace Davies (Project 51) is the last rider off and will have to beat the experienced Sally Turner (TrainSharp) amongst others in the women’s event.

A big field of 96 riders are down to ride the Victoria CC 10.2 also on Saturday morning running out and back along the B1052 in Essex.

Scratch rider Russell Hampton (Onimpex Bioracer RT) won the Maldon & Dist CC 50 on his last outing while Helen Barrell (Hart Performance Coaching) is last woman away.

After her impressive win in the VTTA National 50 last weekend Angela Carpenter (…a3crg) will testing her form over shorter distances in the Alton CC/Owens Cycles 10 on Saturday afternoon.

A strong women’s field will see Carpenter challenged by fellow veteran Vickey Gill (Drag2Zero) along with rising star Eva Callinan (Liv AWOL).

Last rider off Alan Murchinson (Drag2Zero) will have to see off the challenge of minute man Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC) amongst others in the men’s event.

In search of fast times a field of 120 riders plus reserves will be hoping for favourable conditions for the Kent Valley RC 10 on Saturday on the L1015 near Milnthorpe.

Dan Evans (Assos Speed Club) won on his last outing in the WCTTA & SCCA 30 and will be looking to improve on the 19-17 he recorded on the L1015 last month.

Alexander Royle (Manchester Bicycle Club) finished third in last week’s Springfield Financial Racing Club 10 in 19-48 and will be hoping to better that placing this time out.

Joanna Patterson (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) heads the women’s field, but a host of challengers are on the reserves list including Louise Scupham (Liv AWOL) along with veterans Janet Fairclough (Liverpool Phoenix CC Aintree) and Sandra Burrows (Vive Le Velo).

A longer version of the course, including the climb up to the turn at Sedgwick, is also used the following day for the Kent Valley RC charity event over 25 miles with Derek Parkinson (Springfield Financial Racing Team) starting as last man.

With three wins and a host of top-four finishes to his name already this season Lewis Wake (Team Kirkley Cycles) will be one to beat in Sunday’s Vector Racing 25 near Ponteland in the North East.

Wake clocked 19-24 on his way to winning the Springfield Financial Racing Team 10 last weekend.

Host club rider Lewis Timmins starts as scratch man while Kris Atkin (Team Kirkley Cycles) will also be hoping to challenge for the win.

Joanne Rea (Team Kirkley Cycles) will be hoping to continue her successful season in the women’s event but faces a strong field including Teri Bayliss (Sub Rosa), Kate Giddings (Liverpool Century RC) and Vicky Gibbs (Reifen Racing) amongst others.

Oliver Peckover will be in the new colours of SwiftCarbon Pro Racing when he lines up in Sunday’s Matlock CC 25.

Peckover has seven wins to his name so far this season in the colours of UpShift Nutrition Race Team and will be hoping to get off to a winning start for his new team.

Team Bottrill are sending a strong team to the out and back course from Matlock to Bakewell with Axel Dopfer, Neal Parkin, Matt Bottrill and Martin Garner all down to ride.

Meanwhile, under-23 rider Amelia Wayte starts as last woman for the host club in the women’s event.

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