HILLCLIMB BONANZA THIS WEEKEND

The hill climb season sees the busiest two days of the year this weekend with 13 events taking place up and down the country.

With all the big names in action the races should give a clear indication of who will start the national championships as favourite just one week later. The title battle up Cheddar Gorge on October 28 is currently looking like a three-way contest between James Dobbin, Dave Clarke and Jim Henderson

Dave Clarke in particular has set himself up for a busy weekend, contesting both the Halifax RC hillclimbs on the Saturday, before heading south to tackle the Catford and Bec events in Kent.

Clarke and current national champion Dobbin will go head-to-head on Saturday, at the Halifax event that incorporates two hillclimbs in the space of just two hours: the first one on Stocks Lane (1767 yards), the second on Halifax Lane (1760 yards).

While Dobbin is last man off in the Chesterfield Coureurs event the following day, Dave Clarke heads south to contest both the Catford and the Bec hill climbs in Kent on Sunday. Both events have well over £1,000 on offer, making them pound per yard, two of the richest races in the country.

This year sees the 112th running of the Catford event on Yorks hill (see map), that claims to be the oldest cycle race in the world. 101 riders will take on the 707 yard course, with first man Conor Bunn, off at 11.01am. Reigning champion William Bell is last off at 12.41pm.

Many of the riders will then head over to White Lane (see map) near Tatsfield for the Bec?s event that starts at 2pm. 95 riders will be fighting for the £1000 first prize and the £900 team prize (for teams of three).

Sigma Sport?s Gary Dodd will be the last man to crest the 1 in 4 hill as joint winner last year. If he manages to beat his own course record of 1-44.4mins he?ll earn himself an extra £100.

Other events on this weekend include two Brighton Mitre races, two Matlock CC events and promotions by Yorkshire ladies CA, North Lancs RC, North Lancs RC, the WTTA and the ECCA.

For details of forthcoming events, go to the Cycling Time Trials website: www.ctt.org.uk