Pre-race favourites Hayley Simmonds and John Archibald lived up to expectations with victories in the National 25-Mile Championships, staged by the North DC between Keswick and Cockermouth.

CAMS Racing rider Simmonds, who won the 25-mile title in 2016, 2017 and 2018 before missing the last two, returned to the top of the podium with a convincing victory.

She clocked 50-19 to win by more than a minute from The Independent Pedaler’s Alex Clay, while another TIP rider, Joanna Patterson, was third.

“It’s nice to be able to get the National 25 title back,” said Simmonds, who will be looking to add the National 10 title later in the season.

Eolo Kometa rider Archibald, whose sister Katie secured Olympic glory last week, wasn’t to be outdone and clocked 45-48 to win the men’s National 25 title by 21 seconds from Chris Fennell (The Independent Pedaler).

“It was not ideal conditions for it,” said Archibald, referring to a huge downpour and strong winds that blighted most rider’s efforts.

Elsewhere, Chris Gibbard and Andrea Parish were winners at the Welsh 10-Mile Championships at Raglan on Sunday.

39-year-old Bynea CC rider Gibbard broke the course record with a new personal best on his way to victory in 18-24, and said: “I’ve always really looked up to the riders who’ve managed to go sub 19 on this course, so I’m really happy to the break the course record.”

Parish (VeloSistas TT Team) clocked 23-16 to win by just nine seconds in the women’s title race.

In Scotland Kelpie Racing’s Iain MacLeod took victory in the Dundee Thistle 100-mile event near Forfar, his time of 3-28-33 being over four minutes clear of runner-up Tommy Murray (GS Metro).

And quickest female was 56-year-old Patricia Baird (Ecosse Performance Cycle Coaching) whose time of 4-11-51 was over 15 minutes better than the next female.

Over the same distance was the East Sussex CA 100, with victory going to Neil Harrigan (Gemini BC) and Pip Jenkins (Southborough and District Wheelers).

Harrigan’s time of 3-56-31 gave him the win by almost five minutes from Nathan Russell (trainSharp), while third was Edward Renwick (Oxford City RC).

33-year-old Jenkins won by around 23 minutes with her time of 4-39-47. Second spot went to Jane Wiley (7 Oaks Tri Club) with 5-02-53.

In North Yorkshire Darren Yarwood (Chapeau! Vive Le Velo) took a convincing victory in the Cleveland Coureurs/VTTA North 25, while Caroline Ratcliff (Ferryhill Whs) won the women’s event.

Yarwood (Chapeau! Vive le Velo) covered the Crathorne course in exactly 51 minutes to win by 2-47, while Ferryhill Wheelers’ Ratcliffe clocked 1-04-33 to win by 22 seconds from Kate Sanderson (Cleveland Wheelers).

A bit further north, the Houghton CC 10 in County Durham was won by Jack Rees (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) in a new course record time, while Ellen Powell (Durham Tri Club) was fastest female.

In Oxfordshire John Mulvey (UpShift Nutrition Race Team) took his second win of the season in the Aylesbury CC 10, while Linda Dewhurst (Team Milton Keynes) won the women’s event by 14 seconds.

Mulvey was fastest by 38 second with a time of 20-06, while Dewhurst’s time of 24-42 was good enough for the win by 14 seconds.

And in Norfolk, Paul Pardoe (Peterborough CC) beat the scratch rider to take victory in the King’s Lynn CC 25 near Downham Market.

His time of 53-26 was almost a minute better than last man off Lloyd Chapman, while quickest female was Verity Smith (Southborough & District Wheelers) with 1-04-50.

In Bedfordshire brothers Luke and Ross Clarke finished first and second in the Finsbury Park CC 25 near Tempsford on Sunday. Luke (TMG Horizon CT) took the win with 51-12, beating his brother by 31 seconds.

And in Essex there was a double victory for the Essex Roads CC, with team-mates Louise Robinson and Colin Ward being fastest female and male at the Chelmer CC 25 near Chelmsford.

Robinson’s time of 1-04-26 was more than two minutes quicker than runner-up Jan Harvey (Southend Wheelers), while Ward clocked 51-58 to take the overall win by almost four minutes from the promoting club’s Peter Harding.

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