Townsend and Bayes power to victories in Stockton Whls CC HC
Under-23 rider Tom Townsend (Vredestein Basso) clinched his first open victory in the Stockton Wheelers CC hill climb on Tan Hill, while Hannah Bayes (Liv AWOL) took another win in the women’s event.
Townsend, aged 20, recorded a previous best of third last week in the Sunderland Clarion CC HC but clinched top spot on this occasion clocking a winning time of 29 minutes and 44 seconds over the 11 miles long effort.
Starting from outside Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales the hill has a shallow gradient for the majority of the long climb with a maximum of 12.4%.
The course record is 29-01 held by Josh Teasdale since 2015.
Given the wet weather overnight it turned out to be a good day for the event with wet but drying roads.
There were a few streams running across in places and large puddles in others from the heavy overnight rain.
Townsend took victory by 15 seconds ahead of Mark Jagger (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) who clocked 29-59 with Joe Wilson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) a further two seconds back in third (30-01).
Ewan Mackie (HMT Hospitals Giant Cycling Team) was quickest junior in fifth place in 30-12 while Colin Atkinson (Muckle Cycle Club) was fastest veteran in 30-56.
Quickest juvenile Patrick Casey (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles in Motion) finished inside the top 10 overall in 31-19.
Bayes, who also won the Team Sportslab HC two weeks earlier was again in top position clocking a winning time of 36-22.
Georgia Campbell (Blaydon CC) finished second in 40-56 while Lucy Home (AIMS Cycling) completed the podium positions in 41-23.
Meanwhile, Sarah Cramoysan (Richmond CC) was quickest veteran woman clocking 48-52.
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