Women’s champ hopes for Worlds TT selection

Claire Rose, the new women’s national time trial champion, has set her sight on racing her maiden World Championship time trial this September — although she faces competition from the rider she took the title from.

Rose, riding for Visit Dallas DNA, was the quickest around a 22.2km circuit in the Isle of Man last Thursday, beating Hannah Barnes (Canyonsram) by 19 seconds; Katie Archibald (Team WNT) was third, and defending champion Hayley Simmonds fourth.

Thirty-year-old Rose, who finished second in Stockton-on-tees 12 months ago, has been racing in North America this season and said that her win was the culmination of “two years of hard work”.

But the trained doctor immediately turned her attention to the Worlds TT, which is a 21.1km circuit starting and finishing in Bergen, Norway, that includes a 1.4km climb averaging 7.2 per cent just before halfway. “I’ve looked at the maps and profiles and it’s a lumpy course that would play to my strengths,” Rose said.

“I’m back off to the US for a few stage races and then will return to Europe to look towards the Worlds and the Commonwealth Games next year. The second half of this season I will have to show that I have form and I need results.”

Simmonds expressed her “disappointment” as she failed to become the first woman to win three consecutive national time trial titles, despite saying that she “rode pretty well”. But she too is targeting the Worlds. “Hopefully I’ll be in the picture for the Worlds. I’d love to do the time trial so hopefully I am given that opportunity.”