Meakin breaks record, McNicol fastest man at Merlin Series round four
Emily Meakin (AWOL O’Shea Worx) sliced more than two minutes from the women’s course record, while Alastair McNicol (Dooley’s RT) was fastest male at round four of the Merlin Cycles Classic Series in Scotland.
Promoted by Dumfries CC, the event used the 26.2-mile course around Loch Ken near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway, where riders were greeted by dry conditions with only a light breeze later in the morning.
Meakin lowered Becky Storrie’s old course record by 2-05 with her time of 59-15, while fastest man on a time trial bike, McNicol overcame a broken power meter to take victory.
But he had better luck than pre-race favourite and Meakin’s partner John Archibald, who noticed a crack in his handlebars before the event and was a non-starter.
“It went really well for me,” said Meakin, 33, who was almost six minutes fastest than second-placed Lynsey Curran (Dooleys RT) with 1-05-08, while Beth MacRae (Ayr Roads CC) was another 2-50 behind in third.
“It’s an awesome course and it was dry and sunny,” added Meakin. “There was a tail wind out and a headwind back on the side of the loch, but with the trees you didn’t really feel it so much.
“I really wanted to go under the hour, so I was pleased with my time. It’s a shame I couldn’t squeeze a bit more and go under 59 minutes!”
McNicol clocked 59-12 to take the win in the men’s time trial event by just five seconds from Graham Hollinger (Dumfries CC), while Darren Kean (Fullarton Wheelers) was third with 1-02-37.
“My power meter wasn’t working at the start, so I rode it on feel and it’s good to get the win,” said McNicol, a 31-year-old GP from Stirling who was ninth and around minute slower in the same event 12 months earlier.
“Compared to last year I was pleased with my ride, and it was good to not be looking down and worrying about the numbers and just riding on feel.
“I find these kinds of races quite satisfying, being able to pace your riding and adapt, it’s a bit more cerebral and challenging. I may ride the next round at Penrith, because that’s a bit the same.”
In other categories Sandy Taylor (GTR-Return to Life) clocked 57-20 to finish as fastest veteran on actual time by just three seconds from team-mate Chris Smart. And best veteran on standard was 72-year-old Ian Elliot (Hawick CC) whose time of 1-08-28 gave him an age standard of plus 13-42.
Royal Albert CC’s Joanne Clark was fastest female veteran with 1-13-37, while Kayla Dinnin (Dumfries CC) was best junior female with 1-14-13. And the paracyclists victory went to Martin Hailstone (Chapeau! Vive le Velo) with 1-06-26.
Newly-crowned Scottish 10-Mile Champion Douglas Watson (GTR-Return to Life) was the fastest man on a road bike with 1-00-20, almost five minutes ahead of runner-up Rory Webster (Dooleys RT).
Also on road bikes, Studio Velo’s Rebecca Saunderson was top Espoir with 1-13-39, and Sophie Heighton (Ferryhill Wheelers) was top juvenile with 1-22-43.
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