Richard Bussell (AeroCoach) repeated his result from last season to win the third round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series, while Emma Bexson (Stratford Cycling Club) won the women’s event.

Bussell, aged 33, returned to the gruelling 39-mile course near Worcester to take victory in a time of one hour, 32 minutes and 58 seconds in the event promoted by Beacon Roads CC.

Last season Bussell, from nearby Stourbridge, won the same event organised by Beacon RCC on a slightly altered 41-mile course clocking 1-37-08 on that occasion.

The K22/39 course saw riders start and finish in Great Witley and starting with a relatively flat loop out towards Worcester before the climbing started with a long climb to complete the loop.

The tough undulating terrain continued in the longer loop climbing up through Upper Sapey on the exposed road to Bromyard.

Riders then joined the fast A44 down to Knightwick before the sharp turn and climb back through Martley to the finish at Great Witley.

Back in 2016 Bussell won the National 10-mile and was National Hill Climb Champion a year earlier.

Bussell used his local knowledge to record an average speed of over 25.1 miles per hour on his way to victory.

James Lowden (WattShop) finished third in the second round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series and went one better this time out recording a time of 1-35-22.

A further 17 seconds back was Luke Pollard (Royal Air Force Cycling Association) who finished third in 1-35-39.

David Fellows (Solihull CC) won the previous round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series but was a non-finisher on this occasion.

“It was a good day and I feel good about the win,” said Bussell.

“I won it last year and a lot of it does come down to course knowledge. I train on these roads every week so I just know it so well.

“Before the event for the past winter I’ve been eyeing up the course record but I missed that by 30 seconds but I have been ill so I’m not surprised.

“It was really windy and the head wind into the finish in the last 15 minutes was really hard. I would like to think if the wind was a bit more favourable I could have got it but who knows.

Meanwhile, Tomos Pattinson (Halesowen A&CC) was the only junior finisher clocking a time of 1-44-02.

In the women’s event Bexson was the only competitors completing the course in a time of 2-06-23.

Bexson prepared for the event with a second placed finish at the Oxonian 36 but went one better this time out.

Paul Pardoe (Peterborough CC) continued his domination of the veterans’ category taking his third win in as many rounds of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series.

Pardoe clocked a winning time of 1-39-06 which was five minutes faster than his closest rival.

Local rider Phillip Glaze (Stourbridge CC) led the battle behind taking second in 1-44-13 while Simon Adcook (Team Echelon) was a further minute back in third (1-45-15).

After failing to finish the first two rounds of the series Simon Richardson (TORQ Performance) took the win he series in the para-cycling category in 2-36-24.

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* A gallery of images from this event is available here