Gildea and McGovern taste victory in the Cotswolds
Richard Gildea and Rose McGovern were fastest male and female riders at the Oxonian CC 36-mile time trial near Charlbury in the Cotswolds on Sunday.
Riding for Cowley Road Condors, 29-year-old McGovern covered the two laps 3-15 quicker than second-placed Helena Coker (Royal Leamington Spa CC), while the promoting club’s Tracy Meakin was third.
Meanwhile, Gildea’s time of 1-24-54 barely gave him time to appreciate the rolling Cotswold countryside as he took in two laps of an 18-mile loop through Charlbury, Chipping Norton and Shipton-under-Wychwood.
His time was 28 seconds quicker than team-mate and runner-up Henry Latimer, while veteran Robert West (AeroCoach) was third, just over a minute further back.
The victory was Gildea’s second in three open events so far this season, after he had powered his way to victory in the Maidenhead and District CC two-up 15 alongside Latimer, while he placed third in last weekend’s tough Watford Velo Sport Whitleaf Hardriders 21.
And searching for his third win already, Gildea goes to the Charlotteville CC 50-mile event at the end of April.
He last rode the H36/18 back in September when he clocked 1-23-04 on his way to second spot in the Bidlake CC 36, while in the 2018 edition of the Oxonian CC event 12 months ago he could only manage fifth spot.
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