Angela Hibbs (Fusion RT-Fierlan) and Ryan Perry (Langdale Lightweights) were crowned the women’s and men’s winners at the National 50-Mile Championship, staged on the tough S3/50 course in Devon on Sunday morning.

Hibbs, 34 and from Newcastle, clocked 1:56.02 to take victory by just over a minute from multiple national champion and title holder Julia Shaw (drag2zero), while Becky Lewis (Wrexham RC) was third, 2-56 off Hibbs’ pace.

And in the men’s title race, reigning national 25-mile champ Perry stopped the clock in 1:39.50 to take the win by just 12 seconds from Richard Bussell (AeroCoach), with Kieron Davies (drag2zero) completing the podium in third, another 2-20 behind.

The hilly course, which takes the riders from Plympton on the outskirts of Plymouth along the A38 to near Chudleigh before turning around and heading back south, was slightly damp for the women’s race which was run off first and started at 5.30am, but by the time the men started the drizzle had stopped, although it was still a dreary morning with no sunshine.

Perry, a captain in the Royal Engineers, said: “It was very hilly today, I tried to pace myself but I think I went out too hard. My next even is the BC TT champs in Stockton, but after this year it looks like I’m going to have to concentrate more on my Army career.”

And second-placed Richard Bussell, the reigning national hill-climb champion, set a new personal best and added: “I was glad it was a bit hilly because it meant I could get out of the saddle and rest! I’ve got the 25 champs and before then a five-day stage race in Wales.”

Women’s winner Hibbs, 34 and from Stockton in the North East, said: “I can’t believe I’ve won! It was a very hard course with lots of hills and a few fast sections as well as crosswinds which sometimes made it difficult.

“I knew I was going very well, even though the seven hour drive to get here yesterday was a bit of a drag. But it has all been worthwhile."

Hibbs suffered a mechanical in the North East Road Race Championships last weekend, but added: “Cycling is all about the ups and downs, and today was one of the ups!”

Meanwhile, 50-year-old Julia Shaw said: “It was just too hilly for me. I could see I wasn’t going to make up the time on Angela, though I thought I would’ve done a bit better because last weekend I did a ten and a 25 and did two course records. This may be my last season.”

The team prize for the men went to Team Bottrill, while Born to Bike-Bridgtown Cycles won the women’s team prize.

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Team:

Men: Team Bottrill (Dewey, Taylor, Smith). 5:13.31

Women: Born to Bike-Bridgtown Cycles (Melia, Rietdorf, Semple) 6:30.52