James Gullen (JLT Condor) powered his way to a new course record in the Kent Valley Road Club 10 on the L1015 near Levens in Cumbria on Saturday night.

The 27-year-old Yorkshireman clocked 17.54 to take four seconds off the 11-year-old course record set by Bradley Wiggins.

With the old record being set on a perfectly still day, the new mark is all the more impressive given that there was a definite breeze blowing over the course which presented most riders with a headwind on the outward leg.

Gullen’s time of 17.54 gave him the win on the night by 1-25 over David Allonby (Springfield Financial, while Matt Langridge (Carnac-Planet X) was third, another 11 seconds back.

The course uses the A590, travelling from the start near Levens down to the turn just before the River Winster north of Measthop, before tracing back and finishing short of the start point near the junction with Levens Lane.

Gullen has enjoyed sparkling form so far this season, culminating in overall victory in the An Post Ras eight-day stage race in Ireland last month. And following his win in the Kent Valley RC event, he travelled to Northumberland to compete in the UCI 1.2-ranked Beaumont Trophy Road Race on Sunday.

Fastest female in the Kent Valley RC event was Alex Smethurst, the 25-year-old Team Swift rider from near Northallerton in North Yorkshire. She clocked 23.03 to notch up her latest win of the 2017 season.

Last month she was fastest woman in the Hartlepool CC 10, Sheffrec CC 25, and the Cleveleys RC 10, which was held on the same L1015 course as the Kent Valley RC event.

In the Cleveleys event on May 6 she was 18 seconds quicker, while Gullen also rode and won that event too. On that occasion he was 38 seconds slower, while second-placed Allonby was 23 seconds fastest in this Kent Valley RC event than he was is the Cleveleys RC event six weeks ago.

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

Results:

1. James Gullen (JLT Condor)            17.54 (course record)

2. David Allonby (Springfield Financial)       19.19

3. Matt Langridge (Carnac-Planet X) 19.30

4. David Hook (Barrow Central Wheelers)    19.59

5. Beau Smith (Race Pace)     20.07

6. Liam Beaty (Hawick CC)   20.18

7. Lewis Hartley (Zappi’s RT)            20.25

=8. David Turner (Cleveleys RC)       20.34

=8. Shaun Noon (Edinburgh RC)       20.34

10. Leon Barnes (Lune RCC) 20.36

Women: Alex Smethurst (Team Swift)          23.03