Joshua Knowles and Andrea Winkless were fastest male and female riders respectively at the wet and windy Coalville Wheelers 10-mile time trial in Leicestershire on Saturday afternoon.

Knowles, the 20-year-old Loughborough Students CC rider from near Reading, clocked 22-10 to take the overall victory by just one second from Oliver Hurdle (Stolen Goat RT), while Harry Ives (trainSharp Development Team) was just four seconds further back in third in a close battle for the men’s podium places.

And fastest female was Andrea Winkless on her first attempt at an open time trial, the 51-year-old who rides for the promoting Coalville Wheelers clocking 30-20 on a road bike to win by 1-27 from Ilkeston CC’s Gretchen Zoeller in 31-47, while the third quickest of the women was Pamela Moore (Coalville Wheelers), another ten seconds back.

Only the hardy braved the wet and windy conditions in the wake of Storm Eunice, with the riders facing the A10/34 course which takes them from the start on Ashby Road near Osgathorpe, southwards then across under the A42 and up Nottingham Road which runs parallel.

They then head over through Breedon on the Hill, back over the A42 and down to a finish point just before Griffydam.

“It was totally unexpected to win, as it was my first ever time trial on the bike,” said Knowles, who rides on the road and track for TAAP Cervelo. “The top four fastest are all Loughborough University, we train together, so it was good to have some close competition.”

Riding a road bike, it was a first open time trial for Winkless, who was using the event to keep fit while she recovers from a groin injury. Normally a runner, the 51-year-old has completed 46 marathons and is due to run the Manchester Marathon in three weeks time, injury permitting.

“I would’ve liked to get under 30 minutes, but with the wind it was horrible,” she said. “Every time trial I’ve done so far it’s been wet and windy and conditions have been against me.

“The club lent me a time trial bike to use, but I’ve never ridden one before and with the wind and rain I stuck with my road bike.”

That suits her plan for the season, having entered the National Road Bike Championships next month up near Newark too.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

* A full gallery of images from this event by Kimroy Photography is available here