Nichols and Owen climb to victories on Matlock CC Riber climb
Andy Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion) and Frances Owen (Fibrax Wrexham RC) showed their credentials ahead of next week’s National Hill Climb Championships by winning on the Riber Road hill climb organised by Matlock CC.
Nichols, aged 31, took his seventh victory of the hill climb season in a time of three minutes and 29.6 seconds on the climb over 1.1 kilometres.
The Matlock CC event used the shorter version of the Riber Road hill climb with an average gradient of 11% but the steepest section of 20% coming towards the top with two tough corners to navigate.
The steepest part of the climb was made tougher by a strong headwind and heavy rain showers which led to wet and slippery road conditions.
Nichols, who also won on Monsal earlier this month in an event organised by Sheffrec CC, showed his form on the steep climbs once again taking victory by five seconds ahead of team-mate Kieran Wynne-Cattanach.
David Fellows (Solihull CC) led the battle for third recording a time of 3-38.7 which was five seconds quicker than Jonathan Morris (AeroCoach) (3-43.6).
The men’s course record of 3-21.6 stands for another year.
Spindata had predicted a victory for Nichols but the 31-year-old went four seconds faster than the forecasted time of 3-33.
Ryan Williams (Beeston Cycling Club) was the quickest juvenile rider covering the course in a time of 4-17.3.
Meanwhile the veteran’s category was a close battle with Paul Hamblett (AS Test Team) the fastest with his time of 4-18.5 just four hundredths of a second quicker than Tony Cope (Leek CC - Den Engel Belgian Bar) in 4-18.9 while Andrew Laidler (Sitwell Cycling Club) was third just a single second back (4-19.6).
In the women’s category Owen added another victory to her tally for the season covering the course in four minutes and 31.8 seconds.
Owen went one better on this occasion than her second placed finish in the Rutland CC hill climb and will also be in action at next week’s National Hill Climb Championship.
Spindate had predicted that Owen would record a 4-26 time and despite going slightly slower in the slippery conditions her time was enough for victory by a minute and three seconds.
Alison Dockney (Market Drayton Cycling Club) led the battle behind taking second in 5-29.2 while juvenile girl Maia Howell (Matlock CC) finished third overall (5-55.7).
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.
Results
1 Andy Nichols Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 03:29.6
2 Kieran Wynne-Cattanach Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 03:34.8
3 David Fellows Solihull CC 03:38.7
4 Jonathan Morris AeroCoach 03:43.6
5 Adam Kenway Team Brother UK 03:48.0
6 Joe Shillabeer Clifton CC York 03:51.9
7 Leon Wright Race Hub 03:53.9
8 David Scott MULE .C.C. 03:55.3
9 Matthew Cleave The Service Course 03:56.6
10 Martyn Stewart East Lancashire RC 03:59.2
11 Freddie Jagger Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 03:59.9
12 Ewan Mackie Ilkeston Cycle Club 04:00.1
13 James Pearce Solihull CC 04:01.7
14 Tobi Ng Team PB Performance 04:05.6
15 Josh Coyne Bpm Coaching 04:06.0
16 Kirk Vickers Holohan Coaching Race Team 04:06.3
17 Benjamin Jordan University of Sheffield Cycling Club 04:07.2
18 Ben MacKinson Apache Brave Racing 04:11.3
19 Cameron Walker St Ives CC 04:13.5
20 Tom Andrews Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 04:15.1
21 Callum Dixon Kingud Factory Racing 04:15.9
22 Luke Hind Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 04:16.1
23 Ryan Williams Beeston Cycling Club 04:17.3
24 Sam Marshall Trash Mile 04:17.6
25 Paul Hamblett AS Test Team 04:18.5
26 Tony Cope Leek CC - Den Engel Belgian Bar 04:18.9
27 Andrew Laidler Sitwell Cycling Club 04:19.6
28 Adam Millington Team PB Performance 04:19.9
29 Michael Shute Mid Devon CC 04:23.1
30 Iwan Parry Anglesey Cycling Group 04:26.9
31 James Byatt Ilkeston Cycle Club 04:27.6
32 Darren Miller Fusion Cycling Club Dronfield 04:29.5
33 Brendan Hirst Rugby Racing Cycling Club 04:29.8
34 Kit Buchanan Solihull CC 04:31.1
35 Frances Owen Fibrax Wrexham RC 04:31.8
36 Simon Warren Norwood Paragon CC 04:31.9
37 Matthew Sparkes Beeston Cycling Club 04:32.8
38 Steven Morrow Chorlton Velo 04:34.9
43 Ewen Ross Matlock CC 04:37.2
39 Tom Hazelton Ilkeston Cycle Club 04:40.7
40 Paul Armstrong Team Lifting Gear Products/Cycles In Motion 04:44.8
41 Scott Palmer Bridgnorth Cycling Club 04:46.0
42 James Davenport VMCC powered by Y Beic 04:46.6
44 Joel Barnett Belper BC 04:49.3
45 Chris Green Matlock CC 04:50.4
46 Matthew Coates OVB 04:50.6
47 Barnabas Pickford University of Nottingham C C 04:55.0
48 Emil Howell Matlock CC 04:56.1
49 Tim Glenie Ilkeston Cycle Club 04:57.9
50 Christopher Riley Paramount CRT 04:59.9
51 Phillip Lovett Backpedal 05:01.0
52 Robert McGregor Paramount CRT 05:08.3
53 John Hind Bolsover and District CC 05:16.4
54 Matthew Calvert Matlock CC 05:17.7
55 Laurence Warren-West RAMcc 05:18.2
56 Harrison Fay Welland Valley CC 05:24.7
57 Paul Fox South Normanton C C 05:25.8
58 Richard Davey Matlock CC 05:28.5
59 Alison Dockney Market Drayton Cycling Club 05:29.2
60 Cameron Coley-Smith Stourbridge CC 05:32.2
61 Gisli Jenkins Sherwood CC 05:37.5
62 Maia Howell Matlock CC 05:55.7
63 Andy Newham Lincoln Wheelers CC 06:23.7
64 Lilja Raine myhillcycling.co.uk 06:25.8
65 Luke Atkins Matlock CC 07:05.0
66 Ian Pike (Trike) Lincoln Wheelers CC 07:08.7
67 Gary Wright (Trike) Lincoln Wheelers CC 12:01.0