Tim McEvoy (Fulfil The Potential RT) and Christina MacKenzie (Stirling Bike Club) were deserved winners of the National 12 Hour Championship after being pushed all the way for victories.

McEvoy, who also won the 12-hour title last year, had to battle to the very end for victory recording 304 miles, which was just four miles further than Anthony Jones (VMCC Powered by Y Beic).

The women’s event was even closer with MacKenzie recording 263 miles, just two miles further than fellow Scottish competitor Christina Murray (Army Cycling).

The R12/16 saw competitors compete in South Wales starting and finishing in Raglan, Monmouthshire.

Starting by heading out on the A50 to Monmouth competitors then returned before joining the A449 for an out and back leg down to Usk.

The third leg was the hardest coming after 45 miles with riders climbing towards Abergavenny and then onto the undulating A465 to Hereford before heading back to Raglan. The following loops saw riders compete out and back between Monmouth and Abergavenny and then a finishing lap between Raglan and Abergavenny.

Veteran McEvoy recorded a distance of 313 miles to win the National 12-hour Championship last season and despite recording nine miles less on a tough day in South Wales he battled to victory again.

Fellow veteran Jones used his local knowledge of the course to his advantage recording 300 miles which was just four miles off the victory.

Completing the podium positions in third was Tom Thornely (Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles) who was a further two miles behind in a close finish recording 298 miles.

“My expectations were different this time knowing that there were three guys who had done over 300 miles on that course in the past,” said McEvoy.

“The weather wasn’t the best but the forecast had thunder and lightning, and even on that morning it said rain. But the most we had was a few spots which was welcome, but I was willing it to rain because it was very hot.”

In the women’s event veteran MacKenzie improved her personal best by six miles to regain her National 12-hour Championship.

The Scottish woman won the title in 2020 recording 257 before missing last year’s event to focus on other ambitions.

However, she returned in style recording 263 miles and winning the national title by just two miles in a close finish.

Pushing her all the way for victory was last year’s national 24-hour champion Murray who was just two miles behind recording 261 miles in the 12 hours.

Joanna Cebrat (Bury Clarion CC) was also in the thick of the action battling for victory but finish in third just five miles behind the winner recording 258 miles.

“It went really well,” said McKenzie.

“It went all to play, no issues, no mechanicals and my nutrition went well. It was a case of not knowing what the weather was going to be like as the forecast was pretty brutal and I’ve not ridden along here before so seeing what it was like and keeping a target.

“Things just turned out better than anticipated even. Especially up towards Hereford the course is up and down and there’s a lot of back roads as well. The surface isn’t great so that slows you down as well.

“A lot of the training which I do is all on my own anyway, the long distance so it’s just a case of keeping my head down and keep pedalling.

“I went out to really get a personal best which was 257, I was feeling good throughout really and from about hour nine I felt I could push on a little bit further.

“It was only when I got to the final checkpoint that it was said that it was very close between first and second.”

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

* A gallery of images from this event is available here

Provisional Results:
Men:

1 Tim McEvoy (Fulfil The Potential RT) 304 miles
2 Anthony Jones (VMCC Powered By Y Beic) 300 miles
3 Tom Thornely (Buxton CC/Sett Valley Cycles) 298 miles

Women:
1 Christina MacKenzie (Stirling Bike Club) 263 miles
2 Christina Murray (Army Cycling) 261 miles
3 Joanna Cebrat (Bury Clarion CC) 258 miles