Anna fastest woman in time trial
THE poor weather since Christmas has reduced the training programme for many cyclists but the season started in earnest as usual at the end of February and is now into full swing.
The road racing started with the Clayton Grand Prix handicap race centred around Bashall Eaves.
With the field divided into three groups starting seven minutes apart it was always going to be a fast 55 mile race.
Paul Ashworth started in the middle group with Ollie Huszar and Ben Trippier in the scratch group.
The pace was frantic throughout with the scratch group catching both other groups well before the end of the race.
The lack of early season miles showed with Ben finishing in the bunch and Ollie and Paul retiring before the finish.
However, Anna Weaver hasn’t shown any lack of form in the early season events. In the first M&DTTA 10m time trial Anna recorded 24.37minutes to win the fastest lady prize by over two minutes.
She then came third fastest women in the West Pennine Hilly time trial recording 35:17mins, but only after she was fined for a late start, otherwise she could have perhaps won her second event of the season.
A number of the East Lancs juniors each started well in the M&D TTA 10 mile time trial series with every rider recording a personal best.
Their PBs were as follows; Max Bentley, 25:20mins; Joe Cook, 26:01mins; Oliver Bentley, 24:58mins; Oliver Makinson, 24:01mins.
In the same March event the Bentley boys’ dad, David recorded his fastest 10 mile time trial in more than 20 years with 24:45mins.
This weekend it was the Withington Wheelers 25 mile time trial. However the event was shortened to a 10 mile event on account of roadworks appearing at short notice on the circuit. The course used was the J2/3 starting on Twemlow lane outside Holmes Chapel.
The riders ride east to meet the A535 then they head north to the island at Chelford before re-tracing to finish at Twemlow.
The weather was good for a change with only a slight headwind on the return leg.
The club times were, Roy Nield, 24:17mins; Paul Ashworth, 24:28mins; Dave Trippier, 26:00mins; Karen Bailey, 28:00mins; and Darryl Nolan, 28:33mins.
On the Velodrome, Ollie Huszar continued to show impressive form.
In the Manchester Wheelers meeting Ollie won the Scratch Race, Points Race, Devil take the Hindmost, and the Unknown Distance Race to dominate the event and he currently sits 10th overall in the National Rankings for 1st Cat riders.