Natalie Stevenson claimed her maiden victory as Douglas Watson and team GTR – Return to Life had a fine performance in the Loudoun RC 17.8-mile time trial on Saturday.
Douglas Watson (GTR – Return to Life) was at the forefront of a strong team contingent with a telling event win over the bank holiday.
Watson beat team-mate Chris Smart by 1-11 with a time of 37-49 to take his fourth consecutive victory of the season. Smart finished second in 39-00 and has a win of his own this year as well as finishing 1-2-2 in three solo races so far.
David Griffiths (Bioracer-Moriarty Bikes) started his first solo open event of the year and managed third place, keeping Watson and Smart’s team-mates from making it a GTR podium lockout. Griffiths crossed the line in 39-34.
In the women’s category, Natalie Stevenson topped the timesheets in assertive fashion.
The ‘Eat Plants Not Pigs CC’ rider stopped the clock on 49-24, exactly three minutes quicker than second-placed Aileen Fisher (Ayr Roads CC) in 52-24. Gill McNeil (Dumfries CC) was third, only two seconds behind Fisher.
In the men’s race, GTR – Return to Life enjoyed a fruitful day on the WW17/03 course with four riders featuring in the top-six.
Riders start the event next to the River Ayr in Sorn, making their way onto the B705 before heading South East where they meet the A70 carriageway. A five mile ride ends and turns onto the B743’s winding roads towards Sorn where the days’ time-trialling ends just outside of the village.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Jack Cudworth.