National competition record holder Hayley Simmonds powered to victory in the Hemel Hempstead CC 10, while Ken Buckley (Nuun-Sigma Sport) was quickest in the men’s event in Hertfordshire.

Simmonds, the 30-year-old AeroCoach rider from near Cambridge, covered the F11/10 course near Clinton in 19-34, which was impressive given the blustery conditions and occasional short showers.

It gave her the win by 59 seconds from Gemma Royles (VeloElite RC) who clocked 20-33, while third fastest female was Jennifer Millmore (Islington CC) with 20-46.

Her time was the fastest time by a woman outside of the now unused V718 in East Yorkshire, and is the fifth fastest time ever.

And in the men’s event there were also some fast times, with Ken Buckley (Nuun-Sigma Sport) covering the course in 18-19 to take the win by five seconds from Daniel Northover (Finsbury Park CC), while Team Signum rider John Wingfield was another seven seconds back in third.

The event takes riders from the start to the west of Tring, along the A41 for a while to turn near the junction with the A4251, then turns back along the A41 until the roundabout with Aylesbury Road to the east of Aylesbury, before heading back along the A41 and finishing to the north of Aston Clinton.

Buckley led Nuun-Sigma Sport to the team prize alongside Robert Moore and Chris McNamara, and while Oliver Knight (HMT Hospitals-Giant) was quickest junior with 18-49 and ninth spot overall, the fastest juvenile was Josh Tarling (Team Backstedt Bike Performance) who set a new national juvenile competition record with an impressive 18-55.

This was Simmonds’ fourth open time trial of the season so far in this country, and she has been the fastest woman on each occasion by some distance.

She won the Brighton Mitre CC hilly 10 and was fifth overall in April 20, before tackling the Brighton Mitre hilly 25 two days later and similarly winning the women’s prize as well as finishing eighth overall.

And then she competed in the Hitchin Nomads CC 25 last month, where she was seventh overall and easily the quickest of the women.

For Buckley, this victory was his first of the season, but comes after he placed second in both the Lea Valley CC 25 and Charlotteville CC 50 back in April.

He has won on this course before though, having been victorious in the Bossard Wheelers 10 in June 2017.

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

* A full gallery of photographs from this event by Kimroy Photography is available here

Results:

Men:

1. Ken Buckley (Nuun-Sigma Sport RT)        18.19

2. Daniel Northover (Finsbury Park CC)        18.24

3. John Wingfield (Team Signum)      18.31

4. Robert Moore (Nuun-Sigma Sport RT)      18.32

5. Jonathan Gates (RAF CA) 18.36

Women:

1. Hayley Simmonds (AeroCoach)     19.34

2. Gemma Royles (VeloElite RC)      20.33

3. Jennifer Millmore (Islington CC)    20.46

4. Anastasia Bowler (AS Test Team)  21.18

5. Pip Jenkins (Southborough and Dist Wh)  21.43