National 12-hour champion Alice Lethbridge and in-form Team Bottrill rider James Rix were the victors at the Lea Valley CC 10-mile time trial in Cambridgeshire on Saturday.

Lethbridge, 33 and from Epsom in Surrey, clocked 19-40 to set a new personal best and tie for third spot in the all-time fastest 10-mile times. That gave her victory on the day by 2-22 from Team Bottrill’s Wendy Gooding while Julia Freeman (Easterley RC) was third.

Rix, 42 and from Haywards Heath, clocked 18-08 to make it four consecutive victories, having won the VTTA East Anglia 25 last weekend as well as the East Sussex CA 10 and 25 the week before that.

It brings his tally of 2018 victories to five, having won the VTTA North Midlands 10 back in March.

A fast time it may be, but it isn’t a personal best for Rix. He clocked 17-47 to record the ninth fastest time ever in September 2017.

Rix was 20 seconds quicker than Ashley Cox (Flamme Rouge CT) in second, while the final step of the podium went to Mark Jones (Drag2Zero) with 18-37.

In the middlemarkers categories, fastest male was Joe Spalding (Ipswich BC) with 19-54, giving him the win by 59 seconds from Neill Keaney (Onyx RT).

And in the women’s middlemarkers event victory went to Francesca Hall (DAP CC) with a time of 21-29, which was 29 seconds quicker than second-placed Lauren Kirchel (Chelmer CC).

And in the tandem event the winners were Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford) and Mark Arnold (VTTA East Anglia) who clocked 18-06 for the course.

The E2/10 course at Six Mile Bottom is a fast course, and was the place where Alex Dowsett clocked 17-20 to break the then national competition record back in 2014.

But for women the course is not so popular, with the previous best on the course being 20-49, giving Lethbridge a course record which could well stand for some time.

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

Results:

1. James Rix (Team Bottrill-Vanguard)          18.08

2. Ashley Cox (Flamme Rouge CT)   18.28

3. Mark Jones (Drag2Zero)     18.37

4. Kevin Tye (VeloRefined.com)       18.44

5. Liam Maybank (Twickenham CC) 18.49

6. Matthew Senter (Team Velovelocity)         18.54

7. Harley Matthews (DAP CC)          19.01

=8. Ryan Witchel (Team Salesengine)            19.17

=8. Daniel Bloy (Team Velovelocity) 19.17

10. Julian Elliot (Finsbury Park CC)   19.22

Women:

1. Alice Lethbridge (Drag2Zero)        19.40

2. Wendy Gooding (Team Bottrill)    22.02

3. Julia Freeman (Easterley RC)         22.16

Middlemarkers Men:

1. Joe Spalding (Ipswich BC) 19.54

2. Neill Keaney (Onyx RT)     20.53

3. Simon Keen (Crest CC)      21.18

4. Alex Elferink (East London Velo) 21.55

5. Alex Paxton (Onyx RT)      22.04

Middlemarkers Women:

1. Francesca Hall (DAP CC)  21.29

2. Lauren Kirchel (Chelmer CC)         21.58

3. Becky Murley (Wisbech Wh)         22.10

Tandem:

1. Glenn Taylor (Shorter Rochford) and Mark Arnold (VTTA East Anglia) 18.06