Jan Scotchford emerged victorious in the women’s category as Fraser Martin and Richard Bideau had to share the top step of the podium in the Rossendale RC hilly 11-mile time trial on Saturday afternoon.

A year on after his second place to Rigby in the same event, Fraser Martin (Saint Piran) laid down the gauntlet with a time of 23-42, but with 29 riders still to finish after him, retaining his spot at the top would not be certain.

Twenty-eight riders crossed the line, and yet Martin sat alone at the top of the leaderboard. Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC), a five-time winner last season and the final rider to start the event, couldn’t replace Martin in first place – so he joined him.

Bideau matched Martin’s time of 23-42 – both taking an inaugural win of the new season.

With the pair sharing the win, Hayden Allen’s (THREDatawolves RT) efforts could only amount to a third place, 22 seconds behind with 24-04, but for an opening ride of the season, a positive start.

If Martin had managed to go one better than last year, surely Jan Scotchford (North Lancashire RC) would take the prize for most improved, going not one better, but 12 to be exact.

52-year-old Scotchford crossed the line in 30-35, only five seconds ahead of next best woman Karen Heppenstall (Sportstest RT) but after finishing 13th in last year’s event and shaving over a minute and a half off that time, she will be delighted with the significant improvement.

Heppenstall crossed the line in 30-40 whilst Amy Gornall (Secret-training CC) was third in 31-09.

* A gallery of images from this event is available here

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Jack Cudworth.

Results:

1    Fraser     Martin     Saint Piran     Senior     23:42

1    Richard    Bideau     Pendle Forest CC     Vet 40     23:42

3    Hayden     Allen T.H.R.E. Datawolves R.T.  Senior     24:04

4    Richard    Bickley    Border City Whs CC   Senior     24:07

5    James      Noonan     Hoppers Rollers Espoir     24:21

6    Ben  Stead      ABC Centreville Senior     24:35

7    Carl Potter     Lancashire RC   Vet 40     24:43

8    Charlie    Paige Green Jersey RT Junior     24:46

9    Craig Battersby  Team Chronomaster    Vet 40     24:48

10   Aidan Lawrence   Innovation Racing    Juvenile   25:02

11   Derek Parkinson  Springfield Financial Racing Team    Vet 40     25:07

12   Ben  Barlow     Kendal Cycle Club    Espoir     25:12

13   David Powell     Horwich Cycling Club Senior     25:21

14   John Morgan     Coveryourcar.co.uk RT - Fitted and Tailored Car Covers     Vet 40   25:38

15   Thomas     Hanlon     Team Chronomaster    Senior     25:40

16   Simon Deeley     Team HUUB  Vet 40     25:42

17   Andrew     Hicklin    Peak Road Club  Vet 50     25:57

18   Jonny Hill Barrow Central Wheelers    Vet 40     26:04

19   Peter Lindfield  Team Chronomaster    Senior     26:13

20   Daniel     Wilkinson  Ilkley CC  Vet 40     26:22

21   David Trotter    Lancaster CC    Vet 40     26:26

22   Paul Nelson     Ribble Valley Crossroads Care Cycling Team Senior     26:28

23   Benjamin   Horrobin   Horwich Cycling Club Espoir     26:36

24   Antony     Lowe Team ASL-Bolton Vet 50     26:39

25   Sam  Fairhurst  Bill Nickson Cycles  Senior     26:45

26   Chris Watts Ilkley CC  Senior     26:48

27   James Robinson   Holcombe Harriers    Espoir     27:05

28   Paul Braithwaite     Pendle Forest CC     Vet 40     27:06

29   Jon  Longworth  Bury Clarion CC Vet 40     27:09

30   James Barlow     Bicester Millennium CC     Senior     27:12

31   Gav  Mcdonald   Derwent Valley Cycling Club     Vet 50     27:18

32   Ben  Dobson     Team ASL-Bolton Espoir     27:52

33   Paul Targett    Holcombe Harriers    Vet 50     27:55

34   David Hargreaves North Lancashire Road Club Vet 70     27:59

35   Richard    Morgan     Barrow Central Wheelers    Senior     28:13

36   Andy Robinson   Holcombe Harriers    Vet 50     28:17

37   Derek Schofield  Rossendale RC   Vet 60     28:32

38   Roy  Flanagan   Rossendale RC   Vet 60     28:37

39   Andrew     Barlow     Kent Valley RC  Vet 50     28:37

40   Dan  Connor     Bill Nickson Cycles  Senior     28:43

41   Simon Phillips   Stockport Tri Club   Vet 50     28:44

42   Martin     Welsh Pendle Forest CC     Vet 50     28:47

43   Paul Russell    Springfield Financial Racing Team    Vet 50     28:48

44   Jason Mcdonald   Bury Clarion CC Vet 40     29:05

45   Eamonn     Quinn Lakes Road Club Vet 50     29:31

46   Liam Rees Ilkley CC  Vet 40     29:33

47   Greg Vallance   Cheshire Maverick Cycle Club    Vet 50     29:35

48   Mike Westmorland     Border City Whs CC   Vet 70     29:51

49   Roger Haydock    North Lancashire Road Club Vet 70     29:57

50   Martin     Ralph Pendle Forest CC     Vet 40     30:01

51   Norman     Lomax Rossendale RC   Vet 60     30:08

52   John Raho Holcombe Harriers    Senior     30:09

53   Andrew     Sawyer     Barrow Central Wheelers    Vet 60     30:25

54   Jason Craven     Rossendale RC   Vet 40     30:29

55   Jan  Scotchford North Lancashire Road Club FV50 30:35

56   Rob  Dickinson  Eat Plants Not Pigs CC     Vet 50     30:36

57   Nick Higginson  Cleveleys Road Club  Senior     30:37

58   Karen Heppenstall     Sportstest RT   FV40 30:40

59   Michael    Taylor     Rossendale RC   Vet 50     30:48

60   Tim  Board Holcombe Harriers    Vet 40     30:56

61   Dougi Hall Border City Whs CC   Vet 50     30:57

62   Amy  Gornall    Secret-training CC   Lady 31:09

63   Mick Braithwaite     Fylde coasters cycling club     Vet 40     31:32

64   Julian     Monk Rossendale RC   Vet 50     31:50

65   Max  Thickett   Stockport Tri Club   Vet 50     31:54

66   Kate Taylor     The Racing Chance Foundation    Fjun 32:02

67   Carol Westmorland     Border City Whs CC   FV50 32:07

68   David Bateson    North Lancashire Road Club Vet 60     32:20

69   Deborah    John The Racing Chance Foundation    FV50 32:24

70   Neil Hughes-hutchings     Morden CRC Senior     32:34

71   Bryn Lawrence   C and N Cycles RT    Juvenile   33:07

72   David Kenyon     Ribble Valley Triathlon Club    Senior     33:07

73   Claire     Raho Holcombe Harriers    Lady 33:08

74   Tom  Partington Hoppers Rollers Senior     33:22

75   Gill Arnett     Hopey Bicycle Repairs      FV40 33:33

76   Daniel     Hosker     Ribble Valley Triathlon Club    Senior     34:10

77   Adrian     Watts Rossendale RC   Vet 60     34:35

78   Alun Brown Rapha Cycling Club   Vet 40     34:49

79   John Kirkham    Holcombe Harriers    Vet 60     37:16

80   Lisa Greenwood  Rossendale RC   FV50 37:43

81   David Tinker     Clayton Velo    Vet 6 39:35

82   Peter Knott Kent Valley RC  Vet 80     40:47

83   James Lawley     Barrow Central Wheelers    Vet 70     50:45

     Steve Gibson     Peak Road Club  Veteran    DNA

     Daniel     Shackleton ABC Centreville Veteran    DNA

     Patrick    Hickey     Rossendale RC   Senior     DNA

     Adam Baines     Team Chronomaster    Veteran    DNA

     Lewis Hartley    Bella in Sella Racing Espoir     DNS

     Steven     Hooper     Preston CC Senior     DNS

     Phil Roberts    Lune RCC   Veteran    DNS