Both defending champions return to tackle the National 50-Mile Championships in Dorset on Sunday, which is being staged in Dorset by Wessex Road Club to celebrate their centenary.

Emily Martin (Team Bottrill) returns to defend her 2023 title and rides alongside Team Bottrill team-mates Kate Allan and Alex Clay who both crashed out of last year’s title race.

Allan is the pre-race favourite to add to her National 50 titles from 2017 and 2022, while Spindata reckons that Alex Clay will finish just ahead of Martin. But last year’s second- and third-placed riders Sally Turner (HUUB WattShop) and Laura Davies (Jadan Vive le Velo) shouldn’t be underestimated.

In the open race John Archibald (HUUB WattShop) is expected to take the win with some ease after puncturing in last year’s title race, while defending champion Adam Duggleby (ADDFORM Vive le Velo) returns.

Also expected to be pushing for the podium include James Jenkins (Hart Performance Coaching) and Alex Dowsett (Nopinz) as well as Jake Sargent (Team Bottrill).

Other local clubs are helping Wessex Road Club make the day safe and enjoyable, including Poole Wheelers, Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers and CC Weymouth.

The course is the P417, using the A35 between Poole and Athelhampton, with the start and finish being near Lytchett Minster where the village hall is being used as headquarters.

There’s a double-header of events being staged by GTR-Return to Life p/b Streamline this weekend with a 12-mile event on Saturday and a 25-mile event on Sunday.

Saturday’s event uses a loop up towards Kirkheaton and back down to Matfen before heading back towards Stamfordham.

Team Kirkley Cycles’ Lewis Wake is tipped by Spindata to take the win ahead of the promoting club’s John Routledge, with John Bowman (Muckle CC) and Adam Smith (Team Kirkley Cycles) also ones to watch.

The women’s category looks set to be a close affair between Adele McAleer (Team VC) and Louise Burnie (Blaydon CC).

Sunday’s 25-mile event moves on to Ponteland, and uses an out and back course on the A696 from Ponteland to Kirkwhelpington and back.

Euan Adam (Durham City Velo) will provide tough competition for Adam Smith (Team Kirkley Cycles) as well as Daniel Kane (Muckle CC) and Kris Whitelaw (Vector Racing), while Victoria Smith (Alba Development Road Team) and Joanne Rea (Team Kirkley Cycles) will battle it out for the women’s prize.

Other events in a packed weekend include the Southend Wheelers 50 near Chelmsford on Sunday, as well as the Hinckley CRC four-up 25-miler near Wolvey in Warwickshire.

Caithness CC are hosting a whole weekend of events near Thurso in the Scottish Highlands, with as 25-mile event on Saturday afternoon followed by a 10-miler and a hill-climb on Sunday.

VTTA Yorkshire are also hosting a weekend of events with a 10-mile time trial on Saturday near Dishforth on Saturday and a 25-mile event near Arkendale on Sunday.

Kernow Racing Team’s three-up 15 is being staged on Sunday near Probus in Cornwall, while the Kent CA and Oxonian CC both stage 25-mile events.

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