Simon Beldon (Team Bottrill/Vanguard) clinched his maiden national title with glory in the VTTA 25 National Championships while team-mate Karen Ledger continued her fine form to win the women’s event.

Beldon, 49 and from Leeds, clocked a winning time of 49 minutes and 53 seconds along the out and back A46 course.

The windy conditions meant a tough outward leg challenged the strength of riders while a tailwind home gsve them a chance to make up for lost time.

“I was surprised to get any medal and I didn’t expect to win at all,” said Beldon following his victory.

“It’s my first individual title although I have won a lot as a team. It was really hard on the way out to the 11 miles mark but then coming back it was ridiculously quick and I was touching 51 miles per hour at one point and averaged 40mph over the last four miles.

“Even on the way out I knew it was going okay as I was passing so many people. My team-mate Brett Harwood would have been closer to me but he took a wrong turn.”

Beldon was chased home by 59-year-old Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) who posted a time of 52.30 which was good enough for a standard time of +17.34 to clinch silver.

Meanwhile 75-year-old Brian Sunter (Condor CC) set a time of 59.57 which gave him bronze with a standard of +17.02.

In the women’s event Sheffield-based Ledger went head-to-head with Liz Powell (Drag2Zero) as the pair had last month in the National 100 Championships.

On that occasion Ledger had finished second veteran to Powell by 52 seconds, however in the VTTA 25 the tables were turned.

Ledger’s time of 55 minutes and 50 seconds was enough to see the 45-year-old clinch gold with a standard of +16.33.

Powell, aged 43, had to settle for silver on this occasion with her 57.25 good enough for a standard of +14.31.

Jo Corbett (Mapperley CC) took bronze finishing in 1:05.54 which gave her a +10.46.

In the tandem event Tim Humphries & Richard Dixon (Team Swift) took victory with a scratch time of 54.17.

* A full gallery of images from this event is available to view here

Results:

Men:
1 Simon Beldon (Team Bottrill/Vanguard) +17.45
2 Keith Ainsworth (Sheffrec CC) +17.34
3 Brian Sunter (Condor CC) +17.02
4 Ian Guilor (Mapperley CC) +16.18
5 Darren Maironis (Velotik Racing Team) +15.24
6 Paul Westwood (CC Giro) +15.20
 

Women:
1 Karen Ledger (Team Bottrill/Vanguard) +16.33
2 Liz Powell (Drag2Zero) +14.31
3 Jo Corbett (Mapperley CC) +10.46

Tandem: Tim Humphries & Richard Dixon (Team Swift) 54.17