Rossendale CC Hilly TT
Rossendale Cycling Club opened the 2025 cycling time trial season on Saturday with the 1st round of the Lakes and Lancs Spoco series over the 11 mile hilly circuit from Bolton by Bowland. And an encouraging number of seven riders were wearing the valley club’s colours amongst the 45 competitors. This first event is a good starter to the year - over a relatively short distance, but tough enough to get the lungs blowing as a warm up for the longer events to come. Riders were also blessed with a break in the recent bad weather, although a blustery wind kept overall times a bit down on previous.
For 2025, all cycling time trials in the UK, for both club and open events, will continue to hold a category for normal road bikes, so there is no need to buy special equipment, in an attempt to attract more riders to this sport. And, indeed, standard road bikes are showing an increase in popularity.
The overall winner on Saturday, though, was a TT bike, ridden by Matt Morris of the Giant-Kendal club in a respectable time of 24:20 min for the 11 miles. In 2nd place, also on a TT bike., was North West’s top V50 veteran Richard Bideau of Pendle Forest in 24:25. The 1st rider on a road bike was also 3rd overall, and this was Metheven Bond riding for Ribble Cycles, coming home in a time of 25:22. 1st overall female was Deborah Moss of Springfield Financial Racing Team.
There was podium success for Rossendale CC with Kate Taylor picking up the top prize for fastest female road bike, and the closest result of the day came for the 2 top male riders of the Rossendale club – Dave Haygarth on a road bike finishing in 14th with a time of 28:27, just one second and one place in front of James Eastwood on a TT bike. There was another close result between Mick Taylor and Derek Schofield, Taylor coming home in 26th with a time of 31:12, 13 seconds and 2 places in front of Schofield. Adrian Watts was 33rd with 33:46.
Elsewhere Helen Thomas came 39th and Ben Molnar took his 1st ride on this tough circuit in 38th, all on standard road bikes.
The next event in the series is the Circuit of Ingleborough on Saturday 15th March, a hilly 26 mile circuit starting and finishing in Ingletion, around Selside and Ribblehead.
Photos courtesy of Runningpix
Dave Haygarth, top local rider on the day
James Eastwood, just one second behind on a TT bike
Mick Taylor, in the V60 category
Kate Taylor, 1st place female road bike
