Philip Graves (NOPINZ) and Jean Croft (Harrogate Nova CC) were the fastest man and woman at a wet and windy Yorkshire Road Club 25-mile time trial near Arkendale.

Tackling the A168 with all its exposed sections as it tracks the A1 (M), the riders headed south from the start just to the east of Arkendale before turning to the west of Hunsingore, and tracking back north all the way to the southern fringes of Boroughbridge, then heading back down to the start.

Graves, 27 and from York,  took the win in a time of 52.54 which was just over two minutes quicker than his nearest rival Richard Dean (Team Swift), while third spot went to Ian Mitchelson (Albarosa CC) who was just three seconds further back.

Veteran Harrogate Nova CC rider Croft was fastest woman in a time of 1-06-56, which was almost three minutes better than the next best woman, Hayley Lawrence (Albarosa CC).

For triathlete Graves – who won the Classic Time Trial Series last season - it was the latest in a long list of victories so far this season.

In May he won the Holme Valley Wheelers 25, while April was a prolific month for him, tasting victory in the Birdwell Wheelers 25, the Cleveland Wheelers 18, the Stockton Wheelers 23, the Ravensthorpe CC 10 and the Nelson Wheelers 50, while he also won the Yorkshire CF 10 back in March.

And this is not the first victory of the season for 54-year-old Jean Croft – although it is her first win over 25 miles, and indeed her first attempt at the distance in an open event. She was fastest woman in the Harrogate Nova 24 in march, and was third in both the Lancashire Road Club 10 and Cleveleys RC 10 last month.

Prior to that Croft was a road and fell runner, but started road cycling around four years ago, initially just social club cycling and sportives. She was encouraged to start time trialling by her partner Jon Colbourne – father of Henrietta Colbourne.

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