Charles Taylor and Claire Harrison mastered hot conditions as they took victories in the Manchester and District TTA 50-mile time trial in Cheshire on Saturday.

Taylor, the 35-year-old Team Bottrill rider who lives near Derby, clocked 1:51.36 to take the win by almost four minutes on the J4/16 course near Goostrey. Second was Ben Norbury (Congleton CC), while John Morgan (Cover Your Car) was just five seconds further back in third.

And the women’s prize went to Claire Harrison (Vision Racing) who clocked 2:12.35 to beat team-mate Jayne Dickens by more than five minutes. Leigh Premier RC’s Liz Mathison was third.

The team prize was awarded to Manchester Tri Club using the Bidlake system where a team’s best-placed third rider counts, while top veteran on standard was Gary Brown who clocked 1:55.50 to give him a plus of 24.37 over his age standard.

From a field of 111 entries there were 23 non-finishers largely because of the heat. And with the day being very still and humid, personal bests were few and far between.

Taylor has won twice already on the same course this season.

He was victorious in the Warrington RC 50 and Dukinfield CC 50 last month, but with very different times.

He clocked 1:45.10 to win the Warrington RC which was around six minutes quicker than his performance today. And when he won last year’s same event, he clocked 1:43.35 to take the win.

He will now target next weekend’s National 50-mile Championship, as well as the National 100 two weeks after that.

And the result is the first win in a while for Claire Harrison, the 43-year-old from Stoke on Trent.

Her recent results have seen her place second in the Manchester and District LCA 25 two weeks ago, while back in April she was third fastest woman at the Macclesfield Wheelers 25, and second in the Withington Wheelers 25.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

1. Charles Taylor (Team Bottrill)        1:51.36

2. Ben Norbury (Congleton CC)        1:55.25

3. John Morgan (Cover Your Car)      1:55.30

4. Gary Brown (Up and Active)         1:55.50

5. Adrian Hughes (Seamons CC)       1:56.04

6. Adam Darby (Salford CC0            1:56.57

7. Andy Ashurst (Manchester Wheelers)        1:57.41

8. John Spearman (Seamons CC)        1:57.48

9. Peter Walker (Leigh Premier CC)   1:57.23

10. Lewis Eccleston (Manchester Tri Club)    1:58.28

Women:

1. Claire Harrison (Vision Racing)      2:12.35

2. Jayne Dickens (Vision Racing)       2:17.52

3. Liz Mathison (Leigh Premier RC)  2:22.05

Team (Bidlake): Manchester Tri Club (Lewis Eccleston, Stuart Moore, Peter Rogers 2:05.51).

Veterans on std: Gary Brown +24.37

Handicap: Paul Watson (Manchester Tri Club) (38.16) 1:33.28