Chris Smart led a clean sweep of the podium spots for GTR – Return to Life in the men’s event at the Loudon Road Club 17-mile Cronberry Classic time trial in East Ayrshire on Saturday morning, with Lorna Todd winning the women’s event.

With Smart finishing in 39-48 to seal success, team-mates Douglas Watson and Marc Anderson were second and third in 41-26 and 42-10 respectively, while another team rider, Rob Graham, was fourth after registering 43-29.

There was another club clean sweep in the women’s event, with Todd triumphing in 57-12, while Bethany Ross took second place in 1:00-28.

Finishing first here extended Smart’s winning run to five successive time trials, having won his first race of 2023 at the Barnesbury CC 21-mile time trial on April 1 and also topping the field in his last three races of the previous season.

These include pole position at Bute Wheelers 20-mile 2Up TTT time trial and individual 10-mile time trial on successive days in September, as well the 28-mile Vanelli Project Go time trial on October 2.

“It was blowing a gale, I loved that. At some points you were doing 15-mile an hour maximum effort and at some points you were floating at 40 miles an hour. It had hills, so I loved it.”

This 17-mile event, run on the WW17/03 course, starts on the bridge over the River Ayr in Soen, then proceeds onto the B713 before turning left and riding westbound on the B705 towards Cronberry, followed by a brief section on the A70, with riders turning onto the B743 westwards to find at the top of Dalgain Brae one mile outside of Sorn.

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

Results:

Men:

1. Chris Smart (GTR – Return to Life p/b Streamline)          39.48

2. Douglas Watson (GTR – Return to Life p/b Streamline)   41.26

3. Marc Anderson (GTR – Return to Life p/b Streamline)     42.10

4. Rob Graham (GTR – Return to Life p/b Streamline)         43.29

5. Darren Kean (Fullarton Wheelers)  43.47

6. Jesse Dawson (Vanelli-Project GO)           44.18

Women:

1. Lorna Todd (Ayrodynamic Triathlon Club)           57.12

2. Bethany Ross (Ayrodynamic Triathlon Club)        1:00.28