David Griffiths (Moriarty Bikes-Project Go) went one better than the previous week to clinch victory in the Wrekinsport CC 18 hilly, while Gabriella Homer (Team Boompods) took a closely fought women’s category.

The Wrekinsport CC 18 hilly starts the Shropshire time trial calendar with a gruelling event around the rolling roads of the locally known ‘rabbit run’ and climbing up the steep Hermitage Hill.

Starting on the B4176 the riders travel west up a few sharp climbs to sap riders’ speed towards Sutton Maddock after 3.6 miles.

Riders then turn towards Bridgnorth on another undulating exposed section with some draggy climbs before making the fast descent down into Bridgnorth. Once into the town riders then climbed the Hermitage Hill with an average gradient of 7.9% and maximum of 11.6%, with a distance of 0.9 kilometres to the top.

From the top riders completed a sharp descent before rolling into the finish.

Griffiths, who finished second in last weekend’s University of Manchester CC 25, went one better this weekend clocking a winning time of 39 minutes and five seconds.

Former domestic road racing professional Liam Holohan (Holohan Coaching RT) took second in 39.59 while fastest veteran Tim Beardmore (Nova Raiders) completed the podium places in 40.54.

The women’s category was a much closer competition with the top three riders separated by less than a minute.

They were led home by Gabriella Homer (Team Boompods) who got her time trial season underway with a winning time of 47 minutes and 52 seconds.

Deb Hutson-Lumb (Nova Raiders) was pushed into second finishing in 48.21 while Emma Serjeant (Hafren CC) finished third in 48.49.

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

Results

Pos      Name   Club    Time

1          David Griffiths           Moriarty Bikes-Project Go     39:05

2          Liam Holohan Holohan Coaching RT            39:59

3          Tim Beardmore           Nova Raiders  40:54

4          Chris Pook      Holohan Coaching RT            41:48

5          Henri Bedford Revolutions Racing     42:06

6          Victor Chetta  Pirate Juice CC           42:25

7          Steve Downey Pirate Juice CC           42:47

8          Thomas Bill    Stafford Tri Club        43:13

9          Tomos Hales   Wrekinsport CC          43:27

10        Joe Costello     Walsall Roads Club    43:34

11        Robbie Disney CC Bridgnorth RWG  43:57

12        Jon Weavell     Stafford Tri Club        44:10

13        Dan Dovey      Nova Raiders  44:20

14        Steven Prince  Ludlow Brewery RT   44:23

15        Ben Rawlings  Wrekinsport CC          44:42

16        Simon Dighton           Beacon Roads CC       45:31

17        Phil Hill           Chester Road Club      45:43

18        Karl Moseley   Fishface RT     46:40

19        Richard Smith Wrekinsport CC          47:11

20        Mark Griffiths Wrekinsport CC          47:21

21        Andy Tibbett   Pirate Juice CC           47:26

22        Peter Escritt    Nova Raiders  47:49

23        Gabriella Homer         Team Boompods        47:52

24        Jason Arnold   Hafren CC       48:21

25        Deb Hutson-Lumb      Nova Raiders  48:21

26        Emma Serjeant            Hafren CC       48:49

27        Adam Mumford          Wrekinsport CC          49:43

28        Ben Beachell   Rhos On Sea CC         49:46

29        Bethan Till       Wrekinsport CC          51:57

30        Ian Connolly   Ludlow CC     52:57

31        William Hodgkiss       Wrekinsport CC          53:35

32        Louise Hurdley           Hafren CC       54:22

33        Damian Jay     Propel CC       56:04

34        Martyn Shore  Walsall Roads Club    59:40

35        Ben Sturgeon  Stafford Tri Club        1:00:05