Williams and Wilkinson reign supreme in Cheshire
Phil Williams and Jill Wilkinson were fastest male and female riders respectively as Birkenhead North End CC staged a 22-mile time trial in Cheshire on Good Friday.
Merseyside-based Williams, riding for Liverpool Phoenix CC, won the event with a time of 43-44 in his first race of the new year and finished 38 seconds ahead of prolific road pro Ian Bibby (JLT Condor) in second.
Two times National 12-hour champion, Jill Wilkinson (Chester Road Club) was the quickest female with a time of 55-20. She finished a full five minutes ahead of the next female and finished 31st out of 72 starters.
Jill’s husband Andrew Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Wheelers) – himself a former National 24-hour, 12-hour and 100-mile champion – was the quickest veteran with an impressive time of 48-02, while second in that category was Matt Stell (Springfield Financial) who was 1-14 slower.
Behind Williams, former national circuit race champion Ian Bibby crossed the line in second place. And he went one better the following day when he won the prestigious Oakenclough Road Race in Manchester.
Joseph Dobson (Manchester Bicycle Club) completed the top three with a time of 46-26 - a steady start to 2018 for the Manchester rider who won in his previous outing at the Manchester & District TTA 10.
In other categories, George Higgins (Birkenhead North End CC) finished well ahead of the next junior in his home race with a time of 50-08.
Following his win in the Birkenhead North End event, Liverpool Phoenix CC rider Williams was also due to ride the Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25-mile time trial on Easter Sunday.
The event uses the D22/1 circuit which runs relatively flat with no serious hills. The race runs along the A41 down towards Whitchurch and back on itself along the A49 before splintering off onto the A534 back towards the starting point.
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