National Hill-Climb attracted Tour de France level of betting, says Paddy Power

Irish bookmaker has confirmed that it will offer odds on future RTTC National Hill-Climb Championships, after more than 500 bets were placed on this year's edition

Tejvan Pettinger, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

(Image credit: Andy Jones)

Forty per cent of bets on the RTTC National Hill-Climb Championships were placed on the defeated defending champion Dan Evans (Cannondale UK – Team Elite), as figures reveal the event attracted as much money as a Tour de France stage would.

Richard Bussell (RST Sport – Aero-Coach) won the event at Jackson Bridge, near Holmfirth in Yorkshire on Sunday, in a time of 4-15.6 on the 0.9-mile course. Evans, who had posted 4-11 on the course two weeks previous, was 4.9 seconds adrift in second.

Bookmaker Paddy Power responded to a request from a friend of Evans to take bets on the event, and they received in excess of 500 bets.

“The amount of money taken was similar to a Tour de France stage, which is massive for this kind of event given it was not on TV,” a spokesman for Paddy Power told Cycling Weekly.

The Irish company were offering outright and each way bets on the men’s championships and outright bets on the women’s championships, won for a third successive time by Maryka Sennema.

Having won eight hill-climbs this autumn, 40 per cent of bets placed were on Evans, who saw his opening price fall from 9/2 to evens on Sunday morning. He was “massively backed” on Saturday, according to the bookmakers.

>>> Jim Henderson to retire from hill-climbs for second time

Bussell, who became the first rider to win the National 10-mile and Hill-Climb Championships in the same year, was the second most popular selection, with nine per cent of bets placed on him, falling from starting odds of 14/1 to 9/1.

Becky Lewis, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015

Becky Lewis, Hill-Climb National Championships 2015
(Image credit: Andy Jones)

The women’s event attracted around 100 bets, with Becky Lewis (Fibrax–Wreham RC) the most popular selection. She missed out on a podium place by 1.2 seconds, finishing fourth.

In total, 33 riders were backed, with Edmund Bradbury the biggest mover – tumbling from 25/1 to 8/1. The NFTO rider, however, finished ninth.

The spokesman added: “Overall it was a popular event for existing cycling customers and it also attracted a good amount of new custom.

“Given the popularity, we’ll definitely be offering again, plus hopefully more similar events next year. We will certainly continue to cover it in the future.”

A breakdown of where the money went:

  • Dan Evans (40% of the total amount stakes)
  • Richard Bussell (9%)
  • Matt Clinton (8%)
  • Edmund Bradbury (8%)
  • Adam Kenway (7%)
  • Joseph Clark (7%)
  • Jim Henderson (3%)
  • James Lowden   (2%)
  • Tejvan Pettinger   (1.5%)
  • Tom Bell  (1.5%)
  • Others (13%)

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Chris Marshall-Bell

A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.


Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.


He lives in Valencia, Spain.