Matthew Bottrill moves closer to National Time Trial Series title

Matthew Bottrill took another step towards retaining his National Time Trial Series crown by winning the second round of the series in Stafford on Sunday.

The Drag2zero.com rider added to his first round win in Essex and also broke the course record by over three minutes on the 23-mile undulating course.

On a windy afternoon in Staffordshire, Bottrill recorded a time of 45-55 to take a winning margin of nearly two minutes ahead of Mike Vaughan Cycles rider Matt Clinton.

“I am really pleased with the victory and to break the course record by three minutes which was pleasing,” said Bottrill after his victory. “The course was quite undulating and exposed in places especially one section which went over a reservoir.

“It was a case of saving some effort for the last five miles as it was quite a difficult finishing section.

“I will now be taking two weeks off the bike so will miss the next round of the National Series as I start to build up to my main goal which is the British Cycling Time Trial Championships in June.”

In the women’s event there was a shock victory by TynesideVagabonds rider Anna Turvey who came out on top in a close battle with Olympic Team Pursuit Champion Joanna Rowsell.

Turvey, aged 34, beat the Olympian by just nine seconds in a time of 51-39.

In the other categories local rider Scott Westwood of Walsall Roads CC was top veteran in a time of 49-45 just seven seconds quicker than round one winner Steve Berry.

Team Swift rider Peter Greenwood was fastest veteran on standard in a time of 52-20, whilst James Falconer was top junior.

In Lancashire, James Gullen (Velosure-Giordana) won the Nelson Wheelers hilly 50 at Ingleton by almost a minute from national hill-climb champion Tejvan Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy CT).

Gullen clocked 2-02-37 for the Ingleton to Hawes circuit, 56 seconds quicker than Pettinger, while the final podium spot went to Pete Williams (Haribo Beacon), 1-46 off Gullen’s pace.

Elsewhere, Mark Arnold (Team Desireagear) broke another course record – this time on the BS33 at Debenham, Suffolk, where he won the Stowmarket and District CC 20 on Saturday.

He took a comfortable win by 1-42 from Godric CC’s James Trenchard, while veteran Steve Gorbutt (Diss & District CC) was another minute off the pace in third.

Riders queued up to take part in the VTTA Yorkshire 10 on the superfast V718 course in East Yorkshire, and it was 45-year-old Adam Topham (High Wycombe CC) who took the win with a time of 19-30.

That gave him the win by 20 seconds from 52-year-old Team Swift rider Michael Ellerton, while Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) took third, 40 seconds slower.

Elsewhere in Yorkshire, Rapha Condor-JLT pro Graham Briggs won the Birdwell Wheelers 10 at Hatfield Woodhouse with a time of 20-28, which gave him victory by 13 seconds from Philip Graves (York Tri Club).

And in Oxfordshire, Mark Jones (Drag2zero.com) won the Oxford City Road Club 10 at Witney with a time of 20-32, winning by 14 seconds from Lawrence Carpenter (Catford CC).