Pickering and Smith victorious in Junior National 10-Mile Championships
Finlay Pickering led Vive le Velo to the team prize as he won the junior National 10-Mile Championships in Berkshire on Sunday morning, promoted by Newbury Velo and sponsored by Merlin Cycles.
The 17-year-old covered the H10/3r course in an impressive 18-57 to take the title by seven seconds from Oscar Nilsson-Julien (VC Londres) while third was Josh Tarling (Team Backstedt Bike Performance) with 19-25.
Meanwhile, the junior girls title went to Abi Smith (Moonglu CC) with 22-11, which was 18 seconds better than juvenile rider Isabel Sharp (Drag2zero), while Maddie Leech (PH-MAS Cycling) was third junior girl with 22-41.
Pickering teamed up with Max Poole and Joseph Pidcock, who had clocked 20-01 and 20-18 respectively, to make up a winning time of 59-16.
Based on the A4 to the east of Hungerford, the event used the H10/3r course which heads east towards Newbury before turning back for home.
Pickering has cut his teeth on the road racing circuit, having won the prestigious Isle of Man Youth and Junior Tour and placed third overall in the Under-16 category at the North West Youth and Junior Tour last year. He also won the National Youth Circuit Championships a year ago.
Smith too comes from a road racing background, the Yorkshire-based 18-year-old having been selected to ride for Great Britain at the junior women’s road race at the 2019 World Championships in her home county.
With little road or circuit racing taking place due to Covid, Pickering is looking to time trialling to keep himself race sharp and has also entered the National 25-Mile Championships on September 27.
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* A full gallery of images from this event by Kimroy Photography is available here