Stuart and Bideau victorious at Rossendale RC Hilly
Sammie Stuart and Richard Bideau were fastest female and male riders respectively as the Rossendale RC Bolton by Bowland Hilly on Saturday afternoon.
Fifty-one-year-old Bideau, from Pendle Forest CC, finished the course in 24-05 to take overall victory ahead of Giant-Kendal-Sidas.uk rider Chris Booth who recorded a time of 24-46, while Booth’s team-mate Richard Bickley was 20 seconds further back in third.
In the women’s event 31-year-old Sammie Stuart (Team Brother UK) took victory in a time of 27-47 to finish 18 seconds ahead of Jadan Vive Le Velo’s Louise Scupham with Anna Weaver (Team Kirkley Cycles) clinching third in 29:18.
Tactic Sport UK Race Team’s Bryn Lawrence, who turns 16 on Tuesday, celebrated his birthday by finishing as the highest-placed juvenile and fourth overall in a time of 25-06.
Forty seconds further back Maxwell Hereward (Green Jersey CC) was the top junior and ended the event in eighth place overall.
The 10.3-mile route starts alongside the village green before heading north towards Hellifield and then Wigglesworth. It then loops back southbound via a steep descent near Forest Becks, before finishing in Bolton-by-Bowland.
Bideau’s next event is likely to be the Border City Wheelers CC 13.5-nile hilly on March 6 as he looks to continue his impressive start to the season, while Booth and Lawrence are both set to enter the West Pennine RC 14.6-mile hilly on March 12.
* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.