Alexander Spiers was fastest male while Alice Elwood finished as fastest female at the Hainault Hilly 50km time trial in Essex on Sunday morning.

Harworth & District CC rider Spiers followed up a second place at the season-opening North Road Hardriders CC time trial last week with victory in 1-10-37, 22 seconds ahead of Matt Steel of Pronto Bikes while Elevate Racing Team’s Luke Walton took the final podium spot in 1-11-12.

Riding for Islington CC, Elwood clocked 1-31-35 and was the only female taking part, while the team prize was awarded to Harworth and District CC pair Spiers and Alex Carley in a combined time of 2-24-45.

There were 33 riders entered in the historically popular event now in its 67th year, with one rider falling victim to a pothole while completing the second circuit of the course and being forced to withdraw.

This event, run on the E14/28 course, starts in Tanhouse Lane just north of Coxtie Green and heads along the A113 until the Passingford Bridge roundabout where riders turn and retrace the course to Epping Lane.

It then heads on towards Little End where riders bear west and continue to Toot Hill and onto Epping Road for almost ten miles through Mount End and Theydon Mount with a left turn back onto Epping Lane.

After turning left, riders complete the Toot Hill circuit again to the A113 junction where they turn left to the junction with Shonks Mill Road and then a right turn leads onto Princes Gate and a finish at Navestock Side.

Robert Jones from Cardiff 100 Miles RC, in his eighth year riding the event, said: “This year all the downhill bits were faster, and all the uphill bits were slower.”

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

Results:

Men:

1. Alexander Spiers (Harworth & Dist CC)               1:10.37

2. Matt Steel (Pronto Bikes)         1:10.59

3. Luke Walton (Elevate Racing Team)     1:11.12

4. Paul Turton (Team Vision Racing – Silverhook)               1:12.42

5. Alex Carley (Harworth & District CC)   1:14.08

6. Adam Hardy (Crest CC)             1:15.33

Women: Alice Elwood (Islington CC)        1:31.35

Team: Harworth & District (Alexander Spiers and Alex Hardie)     2:24.45