Almost 200 riders will descend on Belmont Hill Climb near Bristol which opens another weekend packed full of time trial events.

National Women’s Hill Climb Champion Bithja Jones (Pankhurst Cycles) set a new course record on Monsal despite poor conditions last weekend and returns after failing to finish last year’s event.

Jones will be targeting the women’s course record of three minutes, 42.5 seconds on the 1.4km climb which has a gradient of 7%.

However, under-23 rider Illi Gardner (CAMS Racing) sent Jones to her only defeat this season in the Chippenham & District Wheelers event last weekend.

Gardner will meet Jones again on Saturday looking to continue her impressive form ahead of the National Hill Climb Championships later this month.

Glyndwr Griffiths (73 Degrees Bicycles, WestSide Coaching RT) starts as last man having won the Team Swindon Cycles/Swindon Wheelers hill climb last month.

Amongst his challengers will be Josh Coyne (Bpm Coaching) who won the Severn RC event on Severn RC event last weekend while Oscar Hutchings (Team Tor 2000) is making his first hill climb appearance of the season.

Jones will also be in action the following day as she hopes for a weekend treble continuing at the Catford Cycling Club hill climb which has attracted a field of over 100 riders.

Madeleine Heywood (Team Watto) will be amongst those looking to challenge Jones in the women’s event.

Callum Brown (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) finished fourth in last season’s National Hill Climb Championships and makes his debut appearance of the season starting last in the men’s event.

Isaac Mundy (Richardsons-Trek RT) last raced an open hill climb in 2016 when he was runner-up in the national championships and makes his first appearance in nearly five years.

Jones and Brown are amongst a field of 92 riders in Sunday afternoon’s Bec CC event.

Amongst the men’s challengers to compete against Brown is Adam Kenway (Team Brother UK) and Richard Cartland (HuntBikeWheels.Com).

Taking place in the Northwest on Saturday morning is the Rossendale RC event on Crown Point.

The 2.2-kilometre climb has a maximum gradient of 14.7% but has a small descent in the middle of the climb.

Reigning National Hill Climb Champion Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.Com) starts as last man and will be targeting Malcolm Elliot’s course record of 2-25.6 set in 1981.

Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) has won on Whinlatter last weekend and could provide a challenge.

Meanwhile, veteran Mary Wilkinson (Yorkshire Road Club) will be looking to return to winning ways after being beaten on Monsal last weekend.

After winning on Monsal last weekend Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) continues his build-up to the national championships at the Mam Nick Hill Climb promoted by Rutland CC.

The hill is approximately 2.1 kilometres in length with an average gradient of 10.1%.

Amongst Nichols’ challengers will be Ben Lloyd (Fibrax Wrexham RC), Jude Taylor (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT), Leon Wright (Race Hub) and Ed Laverack (Backpedal).

Favourites for the men’s National Hill Climb Championships later this month Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.Com) and Tom Bell (High North Performance) will go head-to-head in Sunday’s Otley CC two-stage hill climb.

The morning’s event takes place on Pateley Bridge before riders compete in the afternoon on Norwood Edge.

Hannah Bayes (Liv AWOL) will start as last woman and will take on Helen Goldthorpe (Otley CC) amongst others.

Completing the weekend’s hill climb action is the VC Walcot event on Claverton Hill taking place on Sunday afternoon.

Emily Slavin (Avid Sport) and Josh Coyne (Bpm Coaching) will be looking to continue their women’s and men’s hill climb seasons with another victory.

Professional road rider Elizabeth Bennett (Drops - Le Col S/B Tempur) will be making a rare open time trial appearance in Saturday’s the Cardiff 100 Miles RCC event over 10 miles.

On the fast course between Abergavenny and Raglan it is veteran Peter Rogers (Team Tor 2000 | KALAS) who starts as last man.

A tough event on Sunday sees 103 riders line up for the Tour of the Trossachs near Sterling.

The event is over 28 miles includes an opening climb of Dukes pass and will see Douglas Watson (GTR - Return to Life) start as last man.

National 24-Hour Champion Robbie Mitchell (Auchencrow Thistle CC) will be amongst his challengers while Lynsey Curran (Dooleys RT) starts last woman.

As part of the National Closed Circuit Championships on Sunday the Antelope RT 4-up team time trial and mixed team time trial takes places.

The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz will be targeting mixed honours with Chris Fennell joining Joanna Patterson, Jennifer George and Alex Clay taking on a strong team from AeroCoach of Nick English, Victoria Smith, Jessica Rhodes-Jones and B Xavier Disley.

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