On a weekend where the weather put the hard into ‘hardriders', there were some impressive performances across the country as riders braved freezing conditions.
Bath CC veteran Rob Pears secured a comfortable victory in the Gillingham and District hardriders 19-mile time trial on Saturday, covering the course at Bruton in Somerset in an impressive 43-05.
Pears proved quickest by more than a minute in the event, with Paul Jones (Bristol South CC) taking second and Derek Smetham (Dursley RC) third.
The following day Team Swift's Steve Berry won the East Surrey hardriders 29.9-mile event at Leigh near Reigate, clocking 1-07-05.
Although he was around two minutes shy of his own course record set two years ago, Berry was still quickest by 19 seconds, with In Gear-Quickvit RT duo Conall Yates and Pete Tadros taking second and third respectively.
They also won the team prize with Richard Gifford clocking 1-11-41 to complete the trio.
North Lancashire Road Club staged the Circuit of Pendle 28-mile event based at Whalley in Lancashire on Sunday, and it was Mark Holton (Drag2Zero.com) who took the win by more than four minutes from his nearest rival.
Despite freezing temperatures and patchy snow flurries across the North on Saturday night, the event survived a course inspection and Holton clocked 1-05-43 to win from John Findley (Bill Nickson Cycles), while Ged Millward (Ilkley CC) was third, another 28 seconds off the pace.
In Scotland, Paisley Velo placed two riders on the podium in the Drumclog hilly time trial, run over a 20-kilometre course at Strathaven in South Lanarkshire.
Peter Murdoch took the win with 29-54, while his team-mate Ben Peacock was third with 30-16. In between them was Steven Lawley (Bicycle Works) in second spot with 30-10.
Over shorter distances, Daniel Bloy (Kings Lynn CC) won the Wisbech Wheelers 10-mile event at Walsoken in Norfolk.
He clocked 22-39 to beat Andre Dyason (Team Swift) by 31 seconds, while the evergreen former British Best All-Rounder Ian Cammish (Sonic Cycles) was third with 23-13.
In Yorkshire, Team Swift's Joel Wainman took victory in the Malton Wheelers 10-mile time trial at Sledmere near Driffield.
His time of 25-44 was almost a minute ahead of his nearest rival and team-mate Stewart Gormley, while Mark Wolstenholme completed a 1-2-3 for Team Swift with third spot, a further 17 seconds off Wainman's pace.
In the Veterans TTA (Kent) 10-mile event, Simon Henderson (Thanet RC) was best veteran on standard with a plus of 3-55 having covered the course at Harrietsham in Kent in 22-44. Fastest on the day was Will Mangar (Velo Refined Aerosmiths) with 21-19.
Related links
British road race round-up
USA Cycling unveils 2025 National Championship schedule with 17 chances to claim the Stars and Stripes jersey
Tech of the week: A shockingly expensive steel bike from Colnago, a surprisingly affordable carbon bike from Pinarello, DT Swiss energises our cycling lives and Pog's bars are now yours to buy
