Rob Pears breaks course record in Swindon RC hardriders time trial

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Strong cross-winds battered the course during the Swindon Road Club hardriders time trial on Sunday - but it didn't stop Rob Pears from breaking his own course record for the U59 in Wiltshire.

The Bath CC rider clocked 52-14 to take victory by well over a minute, despite strong winds on much of the course near Devizes. Ben Anstie (Cycology) took second with 53-34, while Dursley Road Club's Derek Smetham was third, another 58 seconds back.

Also notching up an impressive victory was Madison Genesis rider Andy Tennant, who won the Macclesfield Wheelers 25 at Goostrey in Cheshire in a time of 53-42, which was 2-45 quicker than his nearest rival.

Conditions on Saturday were a little better, and in Cambridgeshire Michael Hutchinson (In Gear-Quickvit RT) clocked the fastest 25-mile time so far this season with a winning 47-27 in the Lea Valley CC event on the E2/25 at Newmarket.

He was quickest by almost three minutes, Kevin Tye (Velo Refined Aerosmiths) taking second with 50-18.

Another former British Best All-Rounder, Matt Bottrill (Drag2Zero.com) was a convincing winner by more than three minutes in the Burton and District CA 25 at Etwall in Derbyshire.

His time of 48-18 pushed Simon Bridge (Manchester Wheelers) into second spot by 3-01, while Joel Wainman (Team Swift) was another 18 seconds back in third spot.

There was also a sub-50 minute time in the Acme Wheelers (Rhondda) CC 25 in Wales, with Kieron Davies (Bynea CC) winning with 49-56, 32 seconds quicker than RAF CC rider Justyn Cannon.

In West Sussex, in-form Sebastian Ader (a3crg) claimed another victory in his own club's Tour of the Lod Valley, run over a 23-mile course near Fernhurst.

His time of 53-04 was 52 seconds quicker than Harry Bulstrode (Peter Hansford Racing) while Bulstrode's team-mate Philip Peters took third.

In Cornwall, Plymouth Corinthian CC were celebrating a one-two in the St Budeaux CC sporting 15.6-mile event at Kelly Bray.

Rob Scott took the win with 37-35, almost three minutes quicker than his team-mate Steve Kirby with 38-21, while St Austell Wheelers' Andrew Crawford was third.

And in County Durham, Ian Taylor (CicloCostaBlanca.com) won the Bishop Auckland CC 32-mile SPOCO event at Hamsterley on Sunday.

His time of 1-23-46 was fastest by 47 seconds, with Ben Lane (GS Metro) taking second.

Not so lucky were the riders in the Fibrax Wrexham RC hilly TT, who were left without a ride because of high winds and torrential rain on the Horseshoe Pass near Llangollen in Wales. Organisers hope to reschedule the event for May or June.

Better known for his exploits on the road, Rob Partridge (Team UK Youth) proved victorious in the Ilkley CC 10 at Addingham, West Yorkshire, on Sunday. He clocked 24-42 to win by 50 seconds from Ben Hallworth (Ilkley CC).

And in Northumberland, Berwick Wheelers pair Harry Armstrong and Chris Isats won the Ryton Tri Club 18-mile two-up event near Ponteland, clocking 38-34 to win by more than a minute from Coalfields RT duo Elliot Gowland and Garry Walker.

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Snowdon Sports is a long-established independent sports news agency, which supplies editorial to a range of media outlets - such as Cycling Weekly - as well as sports governing bodies. Snowdon Sports often covers results at Cycling Time Trials events in the UK and has long been a source of information and imagery to Cycling Weekly.