Rossendale Cycling Club 11

Sammie Stuart and Richard Bideau were fastest female and male riders respectively as the Rossendale RC Bolton by Bowland Hilly on Saturday afternoon.

Fifty-one-year-old Bideau, from Pendle Forest CC, finished the course in 24-05 to take overall victory ahead of Giant-Kendal-Sidas.uk rider Chris Booth who recorded a time of 24-46, while Booth’s team-mate Richard Bickley was 20 seconds further back in third.

In the women’s event 31-year-old Sammie Stuart (Team Brother UK) took victory in a time of 27-47 to finish 18 seconds ahead of Jadan Vive Le Velo’s Louise Scupham with Anna Weaver (Team Kirkley Cycles) clinching third in 29:18.

Tactic Sport UK Race Team’s Bryn Lawrence, who turns 16 on Tuesday, celebrated his birthday by finishing as the highest-placed juvenile and fourth overall in a time of 25-06.

Forty seconds further back Maxwell Hereward (Green Jersey CC) was the top junior and ended the event in eighth place overall.

The 10.3-mile route starts alongside the village green before heading north towards Hellifield and then Wigglesworth. It then loops back southbound via a steep descent near Forest Becks, before finishing in Bolton-by-Bowland.

Bideau’s next event is likely to be the Border City Wheelers CC 13.5-nile hilly on March 6 as he looks to continue his impressive start to the season, while Booth and Lawrence are both set to enter the West Pennine RC 14.6-mile hilly on March 12.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.