Bialoblocki nails A38 record at Buckfastleigh time trial

CYCLING COLUMN

Torquay cycling star Harrison Wood has signed up for AVC Aix-en-Provence near Marseille for next season Andy Styles

Hitting speeds of more than 50 miles per hour on the outward leg to Chudleigh Bridge, former WorldTour pro Marcin Bialoblocki slashed 41 seconds off the course record as he won the South-West 25-mile Time Trial Championships at Buckfastleigh.

The Polish-born star, who lives at Bridgwater, was tackling the S4 A38 course from Dean Prior to Chudleigh Bridge and back for the first time and he, along with the rest of the 40-strong field, had to contend with gusting headwinds over the second half of the test.

But Bialoblocki (who rides with the NOPINZ team), 35, the UK record-holder at 10 and 25 miles, still stopped the clocks at 47mins 20secs.

It represented an average speed of nearly 32mph.

One of the many riders whom Biablocki, last man off, overtook was veteran Mark Sanders of the host Mid-Devon CC.

He said: “I’ve been passed by a few guys in my time, but no one has ever come past me as quick as that!”

In second place was Conrad Moss of the host Mid-Devon CC – his own course record had stood at 48.01, but he suffered mechanical problems and finished in 50.24.

Third was Tim McEvoy (Camel Valley CC) in 51.30.

Plymouth Corinthian CC’s Vicky Jowett was the fastest Lady in 1.00.44, and the Mid-Devon trio – Moss, fourth-placed Lee Sanderson (53.37) and Donald Brooks (54.22) – won the Team championship.

Torquay teenager Harrison Wood has taken the first big step on the road to becoming a

Marcin Bialoblocki receives his medal professional cyclist by joining one of the leading clubs in France for the 2019 season.

Wood, 18, has accepted a place on the roster of AVC Aix-en-Provence near Mar- seille. The Mid-Devon Cycling Club starlet and former Torquay Boys’ Grammar School student has been racing all over Europe this year, as one of the leading UK junior riders.

“This is a big step towards becoming a pro, which is what I’ve always wanted to be,” said Wood.

“AVC are in French club cycling’s First Division, with a history of sending riders into the pro ranks. A lot of their officials and staff are former pros.

“They have a big calendar of Under-23 races in France, Italy and Spain, although they will start me in lower level local club races to start with.

“I am not expecting too much in my first season there, but I hope to learn and experience a lot.”

Wood has ridden for several European teams in 2018, including Spain’s Fundacion Contador, Belgium’s Soenens-Booom and the junior section of top UK outfit JLT Condor.

After a short break at the end of the current season, Wood will tackle a winter training programme before joining AVC in February.