Matt Bottrill battles blustery conditions to win South Pennine 25 time trial

National Time Trial Series leader Matthew Bottrill (Drag2zero.com) braved terrible weather to put in the fastest time of the South Pennine RC 25 in Leicestershire on Saturday.

Torrential rain and high gusts of wind battered the Etwall circuit and of the 140 riders registered to ride, only 72 turned up to ride with many of those abandoning their runs.

Veteran Jon Surtees of Team Swift set the standard with a 50:44, just ten seconds off his personal best.

Ferryhill Wheeler Keith Murray took the lead shortly after, his time of 50:22 enough to push Surtees into second place.

But the last man to go was Bottrill and with six wins already this season, all eyes were on the www.drag2zero.com rider.

He was soon two minutes ahead of the competition and upon completion of his run, he had taken another 18 seconds out of Murray, winning with a 48:04.

Speaking after the race, Bottrill said: “I would love to say I enjoyed today but there were times I had to back off with the wind speed being so high. I’m in a big block of training at the moment so getting a good result with some good numbers means everything is moving in the right direction.”

Elsewhere, Adam Topham produced a good ride to take home first place in the 50-mile Wessex Road Club event on Sunday.

The High Wycombe CC member was more than five minutes quicker than second-placed Jon Wynn of Northover VT with a time of 1:49:59. Charles Mitchell of a3crg was third.

Stephen Whitewick of VeloRefined Aerosmiths was quickest round the Aldermaston circuit in the Charlotteville 50 in Berkshire. His time of 1:52:14 was enough to beat Tevjan Pettinger of Sri Chinmoy CT and Aerosmiths team-mate Michael Barnes.

In the women’s event, Rebecca Slack of Look Mum No Hands! Was the fastest of the 47-strong field. Her 2:04:55 was enough to get the better of Bronwen Ewing (Trainsharp) and Lizzy Brama (Brighton Mitre CC).

In the Rossington CC 25, it was Doncaster Wheeler Rob Watkinson who came up with the goods to secure top spot.

Watkinson, 40, stopped the clock at 56:44. Team Bikebox’s Dan Taylor finished second with a 57:12 and Sugarcane Velo’s Shaun Randall was third with a 59:03.

Arctic-TACX RT’s veteran rider Tim Bayley was more than a minute quicker than any other riders at the Old Portlian’s CC 10 mile open on Saturday. His 20:51 was enough to see off the challenge of Eastbourne Rovers CC’s Iain Brogden and Eaststreetcycles.com’s Chris Birch.

Keiron Davies won the CC Blaenau Gwent 25-mile event, the NBCC rider’s 51:01 beating ProCycling Magazine RT’s Rob Pears by 18 seconds. Edward Perry of Manx Viking Wheelers was third.

Over in Temple Guiting, Dean Robson was quickest in the Cheltenham and County CC 23-mile time trial on Sunday. The Somerset RC man put down a time of 58:12 – 51 seconds faster than second-placed Tavis Walker, representing VC Walcot. Paul Jones of Bristol South CC completed the podium.