Marcus Cram claimed his first hill climb victory of the season after a succession of near misses with a win at the North Tyneside Riders Winter’s Gibbet Hill Climb on Saturday morning, while Madeleine Bell won the women’s category.

Having claimed successive runners-up finishes at the Muckle CC climb on August 2, then at Zurbaran Racing’s event on August 4 as well as the AIMS Cycling and Team Judge Tyrekey climbs, Cram was able to go one better on Winter’s Gibbet.

Riding for Muckle Cycle Club, he posted 7:10-9 to take a dominant win ahead of GS Metro rider Alexander Storey who set 7:21-1, with Outlands rider Nick Munro third in 7:27-3.

On his win, Cram said: “It is nice to finally chalk up a win after seven second places in a row when it comes to hill climbing!

“Conditions were tricky for all this morning, a slight tail at the bottom of the climb and a cross head at the top.

“It was a tricky one to pace so I'm relieved to have executed the plan correctly and come away with the win.”

In the women’s event, Bell followed up an impressive win at the Team Judge Tyrekey event to again take victory in 8:51-9 as the Musselburgh Road Cycling Club rider saw off Sarah Wilkinson (Blaydon Cycling Club) in 9:18- and a time of 10:21-8 helped Melanie Hall of North Tyneside Riders Cycling Club to the final spot on the podium.

“I really enjoyed today's event,” said women’s winner Bell. “The hill was tricky to pace given so much variation in gradient, and long sections where you could ride in the big ring, but I felt good and was really pleased with my effort!

“Conditons were good and really atmospheric in the mist! Thanks so much to the organisers and the supporters half way up who were fantastic! This is a great hill for a hill climb and I will definitely do it again!”

Riders faced tricky conditions on a claggy, muggy morning, plus the added complication of the finish line being infested with biting midges.

This event, run on the MH9 course, is a 2.2-mile hill climb that starts south of Elsdon Village and heads directly uphill to finish by the Northumberland National Park stone sign.

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

* Photographs by Andy Smith Photography.

Results:

Open:

1. Marcus Cram (Muckle CC)            7:10.9

2. Alexander Storey (GS Metro)         7:21.4

3. Nick Munro (Outlands)       7:27.3

4. Lewis Wake (GS Metro)     7:45.1

5. Colin Atkinson (Muckle CC)         7:49.9

6. Jonathan Bayley (Reifen Racing)   7:50.0

Women:

1. Madeleine Bell (Musselburgh RCC)          8:51.9

2. Sarah Wilkinson (Blaydon CC)      9:18.1

3. Melanie Hall (North Tyneside Riders CC) 10:21.8

4. Robyn Bennett (Northumbria Police CC)  10:48.8

5. Sarah Allen (Outlands)        11:21.8

6. Eleanor Dixon (Outlands)   11:24.4