Described in Bikeradar as being one of the top 100 must do time trials I thought I’d have a go at it. An attempt last year was aborted on the morning of the race when there was a thunderstorm, gale force winds and flooding around the course.
This year the weather was much better with sunshine and hardly any wind. Together with the other 110 competitors I took my place on the start line wearing, for the first time in a time trial, my new Hafren CC jersey. The course is 39.5 miles long based around Great Witley in Worcestershire and includes two major climbs, Stanford Bank and Ankerdine Hill which at some points reach 19.8%. These climbs are timed and added together with the fastest up them winning a prize.
Straight from the start the road climbs to Martley. I felt quite good until I was overtaken by my minute man after only one and a half miles! Found out later that he came second overall some 25 minutes faster than me so that made me feel a bit better. The roads continued to undulate (fancy name for being bloomin’ hilly) until I reached Stanford Bank. The timed section was completed but unfortunately nobody told me that the climb itself was less than half done so I continued to struggle up to the top. Half the photographers in the world seemed to be standing on the hill so there should be some good grimacing and gurning captured on film!
The course continued along the A44 over the Bromyard Downs including a fast downhill stretch before turning left and climbing up Ankerdine Hill, 33 miles after the start. The Tour of Britain went up the climb in 2007 in a time of 3 mins 11 seconds. I managed it in 5 mins 3 seconds which I don’t think was too bad for an old man. The last 5 miles was again undulating until I crossed the line in a time of 2 hours 3 minutes 32 seconds. This gave me 62nd place and sore thighs! Total of 3,274 feet of climbing and an average speed of 19.2 mph. In comparison the winner, Matt Clinton, an elite category time triallist, completed the course in 1hour 36 minutes at a average of 24.7 mph.
If you’re into time trials and climbing then I can thoroughly recommend this event. It has been run by Beacon Roads CC since 1948 and the organisation is top class. Plenty of tea and cakes post race and plenty of prizes to be won if you go a bit faster than me.
Mountain goat Harris!!
This is my old stomping ground.
Ankerdine is the local hill climb course, bit of a beast, I took an U23 National Series road race I organised up it 4 times – that thinned the field down a bit 😉
In the height of my cycling prowess they had a 50 miler on pretty much the same course plus a ‘trip’ up Clee Hill, absolutely brutal!!!!
As Graham says this is a classic event on a serious course, one definitely for mountain goats.
Well done Graham 🙂
Sounds like a HCC road trip could be on the cards