RTTC National Closed Circuit Championship (Men)(Cleveland Coureurs) (Entries close 26/09/2023)

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  • Date: 08-Oct-23
  • Time: 11:00
  • Distance: 10 Miles
  • Course: T10C
  • Closing Date: 26-Sep-23 23:59
  • Categories:
    • Open Espoir
    • Open Senior
    • Open Veteran

Peckover and Allan battle to victories in National Closed Circuit Champs

  • Published: 08 Oct 23
  • Written By: Snowdon Sports
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Oliver Peckover

Oliver Peckover (trainSharp) charged clear of his rivals to win his first National Closed Circuit Championship title, while Kate Allan (Team Bottrill) added another title to her growing collection in the women’s event.

There were also wins for Ben Payne (Maidenhead & District CC) and Ben Hetherington (Ferryhill Wheelers) who shared the para-cycling honours.

The junior categories saw Joseph Turnbull (Harrogate Nova CC) and Isabel Mayes (Shibden Hopetech Apex) take the boys’ and girls’ victories, while Thomas Brennan (Stockton Wheelers) and Millie Salmon (Clifton CC York) were quickest juveniles.

Cleveland Coureurs organised the Closed Circuit Championship which took place over five laps of the two-mile Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire.

Peckover, aged 25, finished runner-up in this year’s National 50-mile Championship and last year’s National 25-mile Championship.

However, he was not to be denied this time out and was the only rider to break the 20-minute mark to finish in 19-50.

Kate Allan

Adam Duggleby (ADDFORM Vive Le Velo) won the National 50 and 100-mile Championships this year and started 30 seconds ahead of Peckover.

The Leeds rider had to settle for second this time out and had a sprint finish with Peckover finishing second exactly 30 seconds behind his rival in 20-20.

The battle for third could not have been closer as Alex Pickering (Elysium Kalas Race Team) and veteran Richard Brook (Velo Club Walcot) both stopped the clock in exactly 20-31 to share bronze.

Grant Whiteside (Harrogate Nova CC) was the quickest male road bike competitor in 24-14.

“I’m really happy,” said Peckover. “I haven’t really ridden my bike much recently so you could say I was fresh for it. You can always ride hard and dig yourself a bit of a hole for 20 minutes.

“I wasn’t really expecting to win after Adam Duggleby put a minute into me at the National 10. I was expecting it to be the same kind of deficit.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the three-up competition we were after as Simon Wilson had a mechanical.

Joseph Turnbull

“There was a stonking tailwind through the start/finish and then through the back straight was a block headwind.

“Through the corners, due to them being open and exposed, it was just trying to take your front wheel.

“It was slightly damp as well and with it being a motor circuit there was a bit more grease of the road.

“I was talking to Adam [Duggleby] afterwards who said that he had a sketchy moment on the first corner and lost his front wheel a bit. After that he said that he was being quite cautious through the corners. Each corner I was probably taking a second out of him and on the straights we were pretty even.”

In the women’s event Allan, aged 38, won her fourth national title of the season stopping the clock in 21-24.

Millie Salmon

Fellow Team Bottrill rider Emily Martin finished second 18 seconds behind in 22-04, while Miriam Jessett (Jadan-Vive le Velo) completed the podium positions in third.

Deborah Moss (Springfield Financial Racing Team) was the quickest veteran woman, while Gemma Sargent (Team Boompods) finish fastest road bike competitor (25-15).

“It’s not a style of racing that plays to my strengths, I like the straight non-technical courses so I’m really pleased,” said Allan.

“I didn’t have the best lead-up to this one either. I’m just pleased to be able to make it after driving up on a very early morning.

“It was very technical with a hairpin to complete five times, which does take some negotiation on the bike. I’m pleased with how I executed the race. Maybe not always being so aerodynamic but more stable, so I felt that I went into the more technical bits stronger and it paid off.

“It has been a long season, I’m tired now and was ready to finish. I’m very excited about some time out. Overarchingly it’s been very positive to come back [from crashing at the National 50] and do what I’ve done with the setbacks I’m really pleased.

Isabel Mayes

“It shows the power of the mind in sport which sometimes has to outsmart your body.”

The event included the National Para-Cycling Closed Circuit Championships after a successful trial event last year.

Former top road rider Ben Hetherington (23-55) won honours for the Teesside District, along with Ben Payne (23-01) as both riders recorded handicap times of 20-49.

Mark Valentine (Poole Wheelers Cycling Club) completed the podium positions as his time of 22-22 was reduced to a handicap time of 21-08.

In the junior boys’ category Turnbull stopped the clock in a winning time of 21-05, just seven seconds quicker than Toby Simpson (Fietsen Tempo) in second (21-12). The battle for third saw Louis Herring (Ilkley CC) finish in 21-38 which was 24 seconds faster than Nuala Lewis (Manilla Cycling).

Thomas Brennan

Mayes was the quickest junior girl stopping the clock in 24-37 ahead of Poppy Kisley (Banbury Star Cyclists' Club) in second (26-36) and Sophie Heighton (Ferryhill Whs) in third (27-07).

Stockton Wheelers CC rider Brennan took victory in the juvenile boys’ event in 22-57, ahead of Roch Morgan (Derby Mercury RC) in second (23-31) and Otto Allison (Charlotteville Cycling Club) a further three seconds back in third (23-34).

In the juvenile girls’ event Salmon was fastest stopping the clock in 23-45 with Lilly-Ann Scott (Team RL 360 I.O.M.) taking second (26-04) and Freya Johnson (Gosforth RC) in third (26-10).

* 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