Simon Wilson was fastest male in his maiden event of the 2023 campaign at the Liverpool Braveheart Road Club 10-mile time trial in Lancashire on Saturday afternoon, while Keri Parton was quickest female.

HUUB WattShop rider Wilson finished the course in 19-32 to beat Matthew Wales (Fibrax Wrexham), who claimed second place by just three seconds ahead of Velotik Racing Team rider David Parkin, who registered 20-30.

Despite the success, Wilson, a talent development coach for British Cycling, admitted he overcame multiple obstacles to secure the victory.

He said: “I had a bit of a disaster to be honest – I managed to first of all stand in a field and fill my cleats full of mud which caused my cleats to come out on the start line and meant I was stuck in 60/12 as my only gear for the whole thing, with the last part being uphill into a headwind.

“It was far from ideal, but aside from that I was pleased with it.”

In the women’s race, Team Boompods rider Parton clocked 23-16 to edge out Deborah Moss (Springfield Financial Racing Team’s Deborah Moss who finished in 23-32, while third place went to Janet Fairclough of Liverpool Phoenix CC (Aintree) who was further back in 27-00.

Cheshire-based all-rounder Wales also had to settle for second spot the following day as he was runner-up at the Two Counties Road Race in Staffordshire on Sunday.

With this victory, Wilson picked up where he left off last season having won the Yorkshire Cycling Federation 25-mile time trial on September 5 in his final event of a successful campaign, also picking up wins at the VTTA 50-mile time trial and the Preston CC 19.2-mile time trial among other successes.

This event, run on the D10/1 course, starts adjacent to the bridleway on Intake Lane just south of Bickerstaff, and proceeds southbound past Bickerstaffe Woods then turns left to go northbound past Park Hill on the A570.

At Bickerstaffe riders then retrace southbound past the Wheatsheaf traffic island to Rainford Island then circling back to Wheatsheaf, taking a left to finish 700 yards short of the starting point.

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission. This report by James Ayles.

Results:

Men:

1. Simon Wilson (HUUB WattShop) 19.32

2. Matthew Wales (Fibrax Wrexham)            20.27

3. David Parkin (Velotik Racing Team)         20.30

4. Chris Humphries (Bioracer RT)     20.52

5. Alastair Ribbands (Congleton CC – MyWindsock)           20.54

6. Joe Cosgrove (Anexo Group Race Team)  21.23

Women:

1. Keri Parton (Team Boompods)      23.16

2. Deborah Moss (Springfield Financial Racing Team)         23.32

3. Janet Fairclough (Liverpool Phoenix CC (Aintree)           27.00

4. Penny Thorn (Port Sunlight Wheelers)       27.17

5. Shirley Fox (Liverpool Phoenix CC (Aintree)       33.44