Two of the main contenders for the National Hill-Climbs Championships are in action at the Welsh Championships on The Tumble on Sunday.

Reigning women’s national champion Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC) makes what could be her last appearance before the National Championships, while in the open race Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products) should be the rider to beat.

Both have great form coming into the 2.64-mile event, with Gardner having cruised to victory in last weekend’s VC Cumbria climb on Great Dun Fell, while Wynne-Cattanach will be hoping to recreate the form which saw him beat reigning open champion Andrew Feather in the first stage of the Otley CC two-stage event last Saturday.

Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) stays closer to home this weekend after travelling across the country to secure two wins last weekend.

He tackles the University of Bristol CC climb of Belmont Hill on Saturday, before riding the Bath CC event on North Road, Bathwick, on Sunday morning and then the VC Walcot climb of Claverton Hill that afternoon.

Wynne-Cattanach begins his weekend with a ride in the Rossendale Road Club event on Crown Point near Burnley.

Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC) chooses to ride the Drighlington BC Scotchman Lane event on Saturday before tackling Fibrax Wrexham RC’s event on the Horseshoe Pass on Sunday.

Others to look out for in the one-kilometre Drighlington BC event include Iain Duffield (Venture Racing) as well as Kieran Savage (Schils-Doltcini), while Trek Sheffield’s Bethany Brooksbank and Beth Grogan (Selby CC) are competing for the women’s prize.

Sheffrec CC are hosting their annual Monsal climb on Sunday, with a massive 185 riders entered for the popular event.

Harry MacFarlane (TAAP Kalas) is predicted by Spindata to edge the win, while others to watch for are junior ace Isaac Oliver (Harrogate Nova CC), Cameron Biddle (HUUB WattShop), Ewan Tuohy (Arctic Aircon RT) as well as former national champion Adam Kenway (Team HUUB) and Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products).

In the women’s event Macclesfield Wheelers’ Monica Greenwood and Rachel Galler (FTP Race Team) look set to be racing for the win, along with Becky Hair (Fulfil the Potential).

Espoirs Cosmo Derangi (Brighton Mitre CC) and Ben Elliot (Redhill CC) are tackling the Sussex Revolution VC climb of Brantridge Lane near Staplefield on Sunday, where Elliot’s team-mate Matthew Ferguson is also expected to be pushing for the win.

In Lancashire it’s the West Pennine RC event on Blackstone Edge near Littleborough on Sunday, while Vive le Velo host a climb at Flixton in North Yorkshire.

And in Tyne and Wear it’s the Sunderland Clarion one-mile climb of Kibblesworth, and once again there’s a healthy entry of 16 women taking part with Musselburgh RCC’s Madeleine Bell leading the way, but Blaydon CC’s Sarah Wilkinson and Elspeth Chatto, plus Team Boompods’ Joanne Rea, will be pushing her all the way.

VC Cumbria’ Martin Mikkelsen-Barron and Alex Storey (GS Metro) are among a good entry for the open event too.

Time trialling is still going on too, and Sunday’s events include the Darlington CC/VTTA North 25-mile event near Leeming in North Yorkshire, as well as the Norwich ABC who host a 10 on Saturday and a 25 on Sunday, both near Harleston in Norfolk.

VTTA London and Home Counties are organising a 25 on Sunday near Marlow in Buckinghamshire, while in Kent it’s the VTTA Kent 15 near Hamstreet.

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