Kate Mactear and Dan Martin were fastest male and female riders as Frome and District Wheelers staged the John Galway Memorial 10-mile time trial in Somerset on Sunday.

Mactear, the 24-year-old from Bristol who is the reigning European Under-25 Triathlon Champion, clocked 24.58 to win the women’s event by 40 seconds from Joanna Knight (Bristol South CC) with Jen Lemen (VC St Raphael) third, another nine seconds off the pace.

And Dan Martin, the 19-year-old from Canterbury who is a student at the University of Bath, clocked 20.45 to win the men’s event by 17 seconds from defending champion Rob Pears (Bath CC), while five seconds slower was VC St Raphael’s Andrew Kirkby in third spot overall.

It was an overcast and dank day for a time trial with a mostly damp surface, but it didn’t put many off with 70 of the 89 entrants completing the event near Nunney.

From the start on the A361 south west of Frome, riders headed north east over the River Frome and tracking the train line round the town, turning at the junction with the B3090 before retracing down.

Martin’s winning time of 20.45 was 1-24 better than he did in the same event 12 months earlier when he placed 16th, while he showed some of his improved form in a few weeks ago in the Southborough and District Wheelers New Year’s Day 10, where he placed second.

Meanwhile, Mactear’s performance was not entirely a surprise, having won the British universities Hill-Climb Championship in the Autumn. As well as being the European Under-25 Triathlon Champion, she also placed an impressive third in the World Under-25 Triathlon Championship in 2017.

Having won the Frome 10 in 2017, Rob Pears had to settle for second this time, but had the consolation of receiving the John Galway Trophy as the best District rider. Galway was a Frome and District Wheelers stalwart, who rode and organised event over many years. Since his death a few years ago, the club have awarded this trophy each year.

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

Results:

1. Dan Martin (Thanet RC)     20.45

2. Rob Pears (Bath CC)          21.02

3. Andrew Kirkby (VC St Raphael)   21.07

4. Etienne Georgi (Team Wiggins)     21.29

5. James Kirk (Radeon Cycology RT)            21.42

6. Josh Griffiths (Bristol South CC)   21.47

7. Tony Chapman (Frome and Dist Wh)        21.49

=8. Tavis Walker (VC Walcot)           21.54

=8. Oscar Mingay (Giant CC-Halo Films)      21.54

10. John Hall (Team Tor 2000)           22.02

Women:

1. Kate Mactear (Univ of Bristol CC)            24.58

2. Joanna Knight (Bristol South CC)  25.38

3. Jen Lemen (VC St Raphael)           25.47

Veterans on std:

40-49: Tony Chapman            +4.38

50-59: Rob Pears +6.02

60-69: Les Liddiard (Team Jewson)   +3.53

Over-70s: Robert Latchem (Somer Valley CC)          +2.40

Juniors: Oscar Mingay