Circuit of Ingleborough

Maxwell Hereward took victory in the open category of Pendle Forest CC’s Circuit of Ingleborough 26.3-mile time trial on Saturday, with Amelia Hanley finishing as fastest female.

Hereward led home a top three entirely from 360cycling, finishing in 1:00-25 – just over a minute off James Gullen’s 59-21 course record - with team-mates John Bardsley, in 1:02-12, and Tristan Pilling, in 1:03-52, completing the podium.

Fastest road bike and fourth overall was 3RT rider Ben Stead in 1:04-17, ahead of Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) who was tenth overall and runner-up on a road bike in 1:06-56.

The women’s event was won by Amelia Hanley (Tactic UK WRT) with a time of 1:14-32 that ranks fourth in the all-time fastest females for Ingleborough, while tied for second place were junior rider Millie Thompson (Solas Race Team) and veteran Sarah Lewthwaite (Born to Bike - Bridgtown Cycles) in 1:19-06, with the latter also finishing as fastest female road bike.

On her victory, Hanley said: “It was a great course and really suited me. Super conditions. I’ve only done a couple of 10-mile TTs so it was great to push the limits on a longer and hillier course.

“I had a bit of a faff with my bike computer attachment falling off in the first couple of miles but just got my head down and cracked on!

“The race was really well organised and for me it was a good training race going into a hilly triathlon season!”

And fastest in the open event, Hereward said: “I didn’t have the best preparation as I had a chest infection the week prior leaving me off the bike for a few days.

“Conditions couldn’t have been better, a slight head wind out made it really fast on the way back and with good legs just made it even better.

“My coach Joe Cadwallader gave me some good advice on how to pace the effort - recover on the down hills and really attack the uphill sections to keep speed.

“I wanted the course record, but it wasn’t meant to be on the day. Who knows, maybe next year I can get it?

“One thing that maybe ruined my chances was the last turning at the viaduct I hit a pot hole and exploded my front hub so maybe without that I would have gone under the hour.”

Renowned veteran Peter Greenwood won the over 70s category with 1:15:16. Peter rode the first Circuit of Ingleborough open event in 1990 coming sixth overall in 1:09:34.

Riders enjoyed a brief window of good weather that gave near-perfect conditions for the 2024 event, as a gentle south easterly wind offered a welcome tail wind on the tough section between Settle and Ribblehead while Ingleborough itself blocks the finish headwind that would otherwise occur.

This event, run on the L271 course, is a looped course that sees riders complete a circuit of Ingleborough and starts just east of Ingleton, heading southeast on the B6480 through Clapham until reaching Settle, to bear northwest up through Stanforth on the B6179 and turning left at the junction with Blea Moor Road and Low Sleights Road to tackle the final part of the loop and finish on Hawes Road just east of the start line.

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

* A gallery of images from this event by Raymond Bracewell is available here

 

Results:

Open:

1. Maxwell Hereward (TT Bike) 360cycling  1:00.25

2. John Bardsley (TT Bike) 360cycling          1:02.12

3. Tristan Pilling (TT Bike) 360cycling          1:03.52

4. Ben Stead (Road Bike) 3RT           1:04.17

5. Matt Morris (TT Bike) Wigan Wheelers    1:04.20

6. Andrew Whiteley (TT Bike) Team Lifting Gear Products 1:05.01

7. Archie Fletcher (TT Bike) 360cycling        1:05.04

8. David Mirfield (TT Bike) Barlick Fell Runners     1:05.21

9. Jamie Berry (TT Bike) Vector Racing        1:05.23

10. Jude Taylor (Road Bike) Team PB Performance  1:06.56

Female:

1. Amelia Hanley (TT Bike) Tactic UK WRT            1:14.32

2. Millie Thomson 9TT Bike) Solas Race Team        1:19.06

2. Sarah Lewthwaite (Road Bike) Born to Bike – Bridgtown Cycles)           1:19.06

4. Ruby Blanc (TT Bike) 360cycling  1:21.32

5. Rachel Culshaw (Road Bike) Tactic UK WRT      1:21.53

6. Evelyn Field (Road Bike) Solas Race Team          1:22.15

7. Molly Evans (Road Bike) Solas Race Team           1:25.04

8. Sue Cheetham (North Lancashire Road Club)       1:25.11

9. Harriet Hendry (Road Bike) Solas Race Team       1:25.45

10. Cara Rawlinson (TT Bike) Tactic UK WRT        1:26.09