NEWS: Bussell wins again at Merlin Cycles Series R3

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2021 winner Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) repeated his result from last season to take victory in the Beacon Roads CC time trial which was the third round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series.

And while Emma Bexson (Stratford Cycling Club) won the women’s event, victory in the road bike category went to James Foggensteiner (Apus peak RT) and Celia Brown (Beacon Roads CC).

Celia Brown

33-year-old Bussell covered the gruelling 39-mile course near Great Witley in 1-32-58.

James Lowden (WattShop) finished third in the second round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series and went one better this time out recording a time of 1-35-22.

A further 17 seconds back was Luke Pollard (Royal Air Force Cycling Association) who finished third in 1-35-39.

The K22/39 course saw riders start and finish in Great Witley and starting with a relatively flat loop out towards Worcester before the climbing started with a long climb to complete the loop.

The tough undulating terrain continued in the longer loop climbing up through Upper Sapey on the exposed road to Bromyard.

Riders then joined the fast A44 down to Knightwick before the sharp turn and climb back through Martley to the finish at Great Witley.

In the women’s event Bexson was the only competitor, completing the course in a time of 2-06-23. She prepared for the event with second in the Oxonian CC 36 but went one better this time out.

Road bike winner Foggensteiner took his first victory of the season, covering the challenging 39-mile course in a time of one hour, 41 minutes and 50 seconds winning by just 13 seconds.

Paul Pardoe

And taking the women’s road bike victory was veteran Brown who recorded an average speed of over 19.8 miles per hour and a winning time of 1-58-10.

Paul Pardoe (Peterborough CC) continued his domination of the veterans’ category taking his third win in as many rounds of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series.

Pardoe clocked a winning time of 1-39-06 which was five minutes faster than his closest rival.

Local rider Phillip Glaze (Stourbridge CC) led the battle behind taking second in 1-44-13 while Simon Adcook (Team Echelon) was a further minute back in third (1-45-15).

After failing to finish the first two rounds of the series Simon Richardson (TORQ Performance) took his first win of the series in the paracyclists category in 2-36-24.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.