FLEEMAN WINS CATFORD AND BEC HILL-CLIMBS

DAN Fleeman won both the Catford CC and Bec CC hill-climbs on Sunday to give his bank balance a big boost.

The Blue Sky Cycles rider beat Bill Bell (Gemini BC) into second in both events, with Robert Gough (John?s Bikes RT) third, and took the team prize alongside Dave Clarke and Philip Cooper.

He covered the 707-yard Yorks Hill climb in 1-48 to win the Catford event by just one second, and then went on to prove his win was no fluke by breaking the course record in the Bec CC event at White Lane, Titsey with 1-43, five seconds ahead of Bell and six ahead of Gough.

His performance in the Bec CC event was good enough to slice just over one second from the 12-year-old course record, set in 1995 by Gary Dodd (Sigma Sport RT) who was fourth in this year?s event.

Along with the £1,000 first prize and £100 for breaking the course record, Fleeman also scooped his share of the £900 team prize, making a total haul of £1,400 just for the afternoon?s event on top of his winnings from the Catford CC event.

For his part, National title hopeful Dave Clarke was disappointed to finish sixth in both the Catford and Bec events, but is hoping to record better placings in the title race, which is considerably longer.

See this week?s Cycling Weekly for more hill-climb news and build-up to the National Championship.

Catford CC (Yorks Hill, Kent, 707 yds).-

1 Daniel Fleeman (Blue Sky Cycles) 1-48

2 Bill Bell (Gemini BC) 1-49

3 Robert Gough (John?s Bikes RT) 1-57

Bec CC (Titsey, Kent, 707 yds).-

1 Daniel Fleeman (Blue Sky Cycles) 1-43 (course record)

2 Bill Bell (Gemini BC) 1-48

3 Robert Gough (John?s Bikes RT) 1-49

Team.- Blue Sky Cycles (Daniel Fleeman, Dave Clarke, Philip Cooper) 5-41.63.