Cunningham and Owen take top spots in the Beacon Wheelers climb
Andy Cunningham (Ilkley CC) powered to victory in the Beacon Wheelers hill climb in Cumbria, while Frances Owen (Fibrax Wrexham RC) claimed victory in the women’s event.
The Beacon Wheelers event uses the four-mile Great Dun Fell climb, and 32-year-old Cunningham went for a time of 23:58 to win this charity event ahead of scratch man David Fellows.
Fellows (Solihull CC) finished second, he managed a time just over 13 seconds slower than the winner, 24:11. The final podium spot was taken by Colin Atkinson (Muckle CC) who finished just over a minute later in 25:14.
Frances Owen was fastest female, competing in her first hill climb event of the season she clocked a time of 28:47 which was enough to see her win by over 20 seconds.
23 seconds slower was second placed Natalie Stevenson (Eat Plants Not Pigs CC) who clocked 29:10 while Sarah Wilkinson (Blaydon CC) finished third, completing the course in 29:52.
Owen most recently won a 100-mile event earlier in the month but now has turned her attention to the hill climb season.
Under the one rider one prize the veterans prize went to Thijs Geurts (Macclesfield Wheelers) with a time of 27:57, with fellow veteran Atkinson going home with the prize for third overall.
The quickest junior rider was 15-year-old Patrick Casey (Team Lifting Gear Products) who impressively completed the course in 25:17 to finish fourth overall, just three seconds outside of a podium spot.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by Neral Buckley.