Fennell takes another crown at the National 50 Mile Championships
Chris Fennell (The Independent Pedaler – Nopinz) took his third national title of the season with victory in the RTTC National 50 Mile Championships in North Yorkshire on Sunday.
Fennell, aged 26 and from Kent, already has the National 25-mile and Circuit Championships titles to his name this season and continued his perfect record by adding the National 50-mile crown to his collection.
A tough headwind challenged riders on the outward leg but despite this and the undulating nature of the course Fennell posted a winning time of one hour, 37 minutes and 38 seconds.
The T502/1 saw riders start near Crathorne on the border of County Durham and North Yorkshire.
Competitors headed south into a tough headwind along the A19 over the undulating terrain through Knayton and then around Thirsk before heading onto the A168 for the final stretch towards the turn at Dishforth.
The return journey saw riders greeted by a strong tailwind helping speeds as they climbed back towards the finish outside Kirklevington.
Fennell also won the National 50-mile Championships last year posting a time of 1-39-31 and showed his form to go almost two minutes faster this time out.
In two weeks’ time Fennell will be hoping to add another national title to his large collection in the National 100-mile Championship.
Veteran rider Marcel Schubert (Darlington Cycling Club) used his local knowledge of the course to good effect taking a first national medal taking second in a time of 1-38-58.
Completing the podium positions was Jack Levick (Rose Race Team) who stopped the clock in a time of 1-39-39 for third.
Spindata had predicted a win for Fennell but Schubert moved up from his forecasted fourth place to clinch a medal in second.
Second veteran on scratch Tim McEvoy (Fulfil the Potential Race Team) narrowly missed out on an overall medal finishing fourth overall in 1-40-48 while Chris Smart (GTR - Return to Life p/b Streamline) was third veteran on scratch in 1-41-17.
GTR Return to Life also won the team prize with Smart being joined by Dougie Watson and Terry Wilkinson.
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