Claire Swoboda and Harry Lee victorious in Yorkshire
Harry Lee and Claire Swoboda took the closest of victories in the Harrogate Nova CC 10-mile time trial in North Yorkshire on Saturday.
18-year-old Harry Lee (Wold Top Actif RT) beat experienced and stiff competition to emerge triumphant over the 10-mile distance but it was far from the most decisive of margins.
Lee beat Team Bottrill ace Simon Beldon by just two seconds to give Lee his second recorded win in open time trialling this season.
The junior rider clocked a time of 20-28 when starting 90th in a field of 120 and managed to survive by the skin of his teeth as Simon Beldon looked to add another prize to his belt.
The expected winner Beldon fell a turn of the crank short, finishing in 20-30 and failing to top the podium for what would have been the 15th time this season.
Completing the podium was Richard Dean (Cyclomania) who has had indifferent results in recent months but has been comfortably inside the top five for the majority of the season.
A time of 21-05 helped Dean finish inside the top three for the eighth time this season – a record that includes three wins.
If things were close in the men’s category, the battle for top spot in the women’s category was also tight as Claire Swoboda (Velo Club St Raphael) beat Sarah Lewthwaite (Team Sportslab) by a single second.
41-year-old Swoboda added to her numerous victories this season by clocking a time of 24-38.
Sarah Lewthwaite couldn’t get back to winning ways with a time of 24-39 but it was a step in the right direction for her after a fifth place finish in the Glossop Kinder Velo CC hill-climb last weekend.
Josie Smith (Barnsley Road Club) finished third 1-46 adrift of Lewthwaite.
In other categories, Joseph Turnbull (Ilkley CC) was top juvenile after crossing the line in 28-37.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Jack Cudworth.