Reigning women’s national champion Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC) tackles her first CTT open climb of the season on Sunday at the Rock to Roll CC event on Great Dun Fell.

At four miles long it may not suit everyone, but 24-year-old Gardner is looking forward to the challenge having spent her summer honing her skills overseas.

She broke Queen of the Mountain records held by Dutch legend Annemiek van Vleuten for both Passo dello Stelvio and Monte Zoncolan in Italy, and said afterwards: “I got back from the Dolomites last week.

“My fitness is currently in a good place for 30+ minute climbs… now I just need to somehow translate that into much (much) shorter efforts.

“I’m really looking forward to Great Dun Fell as it’s a climb I’ve wanted to ride for a while. I’m planning on doing Welsh Hill Climb Championships the following weekend but haven’t worked out my calendar past that, although I’m still planning on racing the National Championships.”

Others who travel to Cumbria for the Rock to Roll CC climb on Sunday include former national champion Ed Laverack (Backpedal), while also competing in the women’s event are Olivia French (Stolen Goat RT) and Madeleine Bell (Musselburgh RCC).

The reigning open national hill-climb champion, Devon-based Andrew Feather heads north this weekend with three climbs in his sights.

The HuntBikeWheels.com rider tackles the Otley CC two-stage climbs of Norwood Edge and Guise Cliff on Saturday before heading to Northumberland for the GS Metro climb of Hedley on the Hill.

At Otley he will face competition from Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products) as well as Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC), while Olivia French (Stolen Goat RT) should prove quickest female.

The following day at the GS Metro event Cunningham and Feather ride again, while Abi Plowman (Alba Development) and Rachel Galler (FTP Race Team) will battle for the women’s prize.

The previous day Plowman is again one of the favourites for the VC Cumbria climb of Whinlatter Pass, a 1.75-mile climb which has also attracted former national champion Ed Laverack (Backpedal).

Saturday’s other event is the Chippenham and District Wheelers’ Bowdon Hill event near Lacock in Wiltshire.

The iconic Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh is the target for the Edinburgh RC climb on Sunday, while over in Wales the Rhos on Sea CC host an event on the three-mile Nebo climb near Llanrwst.

Cleveland Wheelers host an event on Clay Bank near Ingleby Greenhow, while further south it’s Glossop Kinder Velo’s climb to the Snake Pass summit in Derbyshire, the CC Sudbury short climb of Watson’s Hill at 380 metres, as well as the Blazing Saddles event on Knight’s Hill near Charlton in West Sussex and the Wigmore CC event on Hollingbourne Hill, Kent.

In time trialling there’s still some action taking place, not least the Welsh 50-Mile Championship near Abergavenny where Team Bottrill team-mates Jake Sargent and Rob Francis are tipped by Spindata to battle for the win.

And Bottrill could be enjoying a good day there, with multiple national champion Kate Allan down to ride too!

Other time trials on Saturday are the API Anglia Sport 10 in Essex and the Kingston Phoenix RC 10 in Surrey, as well as the Warrington Road Club two-up 25 in Cheshire.

Sunday’s events include the Eastern Counties CA District 25-Mile Championship near Six Mile Bottom in Cambridgeshire, as well as the a3crg Ham Barnstormer 10 in Hampshire and the Bramley Wheelers 25 in North Yorkshire.

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