Hill-climb champ to go to great lengths
Defending hill-climb national champion Dan Evans (ASSOS Equipe UK) is going to ride this year’s National Championships, after the course was moved.
Evans had previously said he wouldn’t ride because he wouldn’t be able to get to Worcestershire after arriving back from the Taiwan KOM Challenge on a 20-hour flight on the morning of the contest. But now it will be in Stocksbridge, he will head straight to the course and ride.
However, the fatigue of the flight will mean he’s unlikely to win what looks like an incredibly open contest after the weekend’s racing.
Joe Clark (Cycling Sheffield-giant) narrowly beat course record holder and former national champion Adam Kenway into second in the Bolsover and District hill-climb on Sunday.
Clark, 26, from Belper in Derbyshire, was around half a second quicker than Kenway (Vitus Pro Cycling) to add to his good form heading into the championships on October 28.
Fourth in the 2017 title race, Clark has already won on the same Pea Royd Lane course that the 2018 event will be held on, and is the current course record holder, having clocked 2.20.2 in 2016.
For his part, Clark said: “I was pleased to beat Adam on Carr Lane. I was on the big ring all the way and although it was wet it was the same for everybody.
“I’m looking forward to the Nationals. I’ve won on there and hold the record; I’ll be going for the win.”