Lewis Wake (Team Kirkley Cycles) finished almost two minutes clear of his closest competitor as he stormed to victory in the VTTA North-Hartlepool CC 25, while Karen Taylor (Springfield Financial RT) won the women’s event by just seven seconds.

Wake, aged 27, was the only rider to break the 50-minute maker as he took his sixth open time trial victory of the season – stopping the clock in 49 minutes and 45 seconds.

The T252/3 saw competitors start and finish in Crathorne, North Yorkshire, before heading out and back along the A19 to the turn at Knayton.

Warm but breezy conditions greeted riders for the Sunday morning event with riders facing a headwind on the outward leg – with the course not favourable for sub-50 minutes times due to having a long turn.

Wake came into the event on good form having posted a personal best time of 49-45 in last week’s Hemel Hempstead CC 10 on the fast F11/10 course.

Despite being over a minute outside his personal best 25-mile time of 48-25 it was another victory for Wake on this occasion.

Quickest veteran on scratch Darren Yarwood (ADDFORM-Vive le Velo) won a close second for second with his time of 51-43 just two seconds quicker than 23-year-old Euan Adam (Durham City Velo) in 51-45.

Spindata had predicted a victory for Wake in 50-11 but in reality he was 26 seconds quicker than his forecasted time.

“It was pretty good,” said Wake. “I’ve not ridden that course before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. There was a strong southerly wind so I went out hard for the first half.

“On the return leg on points of the course you barley had to pedal and were still hitting speeds of 38 miles per hour.

“It was surprisingly still quite warm (despite the early start) and when I went off it was about 24 degrees Celsius.

“I got a personal best at Hemel Hempstead and it was always the plan to have good form at this time of year.

“I’ve next got the North East 10-mile championships hosted by Derwentside and then the National 10-mile Championships in September.”

In the women’s event Taylor posted a winning time of one hour, four minutes and 51 seconds – just seven seconds quicker than her nearest competitor.

The 56-year-old, from Baildon, finished third in both the ADDFORM Vive Le Velo 10.3 and Yorkshire VTTA 10 earlier this season but went two places better this time out.

In a close battle for victory Sue McFarlane (Army Cycling) finished a close second place just seven seconds back, while Caroline Ratcliff (Ferryhill Wheelers) placed third stopping the clock in 1-05-41.

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

Results:

Men:

1. Lewis Wake (Team Kirkley Cycles)          49.45

2. Darren Yarwood (ADDFORM-Vive le Velo)   51.43

3. Euan Adam (Durham City Velo)         51.45

4. Neil Fearn (Harrogate Nova CC)      53.13

5. Paul Newman (Richmond CC)           54.37

6. Russ Richardson (Zurbaran Racing)   54.53

Women:

1. Karen Taylor (Springfield Financial RT)   1:04.51

2. Sue McFarlane (Army Cycling)        1:04.58

3. Caroline Ratcliff (Ferryhill Wheelers)      1:05.41

4. Sarah Foulds (Velo Culture)     1:07.29