Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com) continued his winning form despite wet conditions in the Cestria CC hill climb on Peth Bank, while Hannah Bayes (Liv AWOL) took the women’s victory by just over a second.

Feather, aged 35, chalked up his 10th win from 10 rides this season clocking a winning time of three minutes and 53.4 seconds- some nine seconds faster than his nearest rival.

The Peth Bank hill climb starts just off the A691 out of the village of Lanchester and begins with a 20 per cent ramp into a left-hand bend.

After levelling out the climb which is 1.1 miles in length kicks back up towards the top. The climb has an average gradient of eight per cent.

Riders had to battle very wet conditions but thankfully but not a cold temperate.

Feather added another win to his collection but was chased all the way by Tom Bell (High North Performance) who took second in 4-02.6.

A close fight for third place saw four Muckle Cycle Club team-mates battle it out along with Adam Martin (Newcastle Cheviot CC) with just five seconds separating them.

Muckle Cycle Club riders John Bowman (4-31.5) and Matty Smith (4-32.1) took third and fourth place respectively.

“It was a shame about the weather today, but it’s a fantastic course so it was great to have the event go ahead,” said Feather.

“You can’t do anything about the weather – everyone had exactly the same conditions today.  Peth Bank is a course of two halves:  the first bit is really steep so I got a bit of wheel-spin going through there just because of the conditions then it’s a drag over the top so it was about making sure that you saved some energy for that last bit. 

“It was difficult to see where the finish line was today as there were a few cars parked in the finish lay-by so I just rode right through to be on the safe side.” 

Colin Atkinson (Muckle Cycle Club) was quickest veteran taking seventh overall in 4-36.8.

In the younger age categories Thomas Heighton (Ferryhill Wheelers) was fastest junior while Euan Dinning (Gosforth BC) was quickest juvenile.

The women’s event saw a close battle as under-23 rider Bayes took on Hannah Farran (Team Boompods).

It was the first of a weekend double for Bayes who also won the Stockton Whls event on Tan Hill the following day.

Farran, who won the Stockton Whls HC the previous weekend, had to settle for second on this occasion in 5-35.8 just a second behind Bayes (5-34.1).

Quickest veteran Sarah Wilkinson (Blaydon CC) took third in 5-50.0 while Sophie Heighton (Ferryhill Whls) was fastest juvenile in 7-50.4.

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