British Cycling National Time Trial Championships 2016
Stockton-On-Tees
Dowsett, Simmonds And Davies Back Up Their Twenty-Fifteen Titles Here In Stockton-On-Tees In The National Time Trial Championships 2016 Defending champion Alex Dowsett [Movistar] successfully reclaims his Time Trial National Jersey in Stockton-On-Tees for an impressive fifth senior title. Setting the quickest first split, Dowsett was the odd-on favorite around the circuit through the High Street, along the Riverside and out of town before returning for another three laps. James Gullen [Pedal Heaven] posted the closest time for Silver over a minute down and Ryan Perry [Langdale Lightweights RT] the Bronze. Talking in-front of the assembled cheering crowd Dowsett praised Stockton Council on their circuit layout and organization.
The whole Town Centre aspect of time-trialing is really something quite incredible. (Last year’s circuit was on a partly closed circuit at Cadwell Park Racing circuit near Louth, Lincolnshire) The atmosphere was really great, even out of town there were a lot of people watching. I think the course suited the spectator crowd, so Stockton should be proud of what they put on today.
For me personally I paced it I’d say, as perfectly as I could.
The gap to second last year was a lot bigger. I’ve seen these guys at 10s this year and it’s great to see British time-trialing really coming up.
When Alex was asked about another hour record attempt in the near future: I hope so, the bar has been set quite high by Wiggins (Bradley). I know I’m capable of it from the numbers from the last attempt. It’s just a question of when. 54k is not a distance to taking lightly. It’s a huge ask from my team [Movistar] as well to set it up. It takes months to set up. I can’t see it happening this year, but possibly for next year.
All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Hayley Simmonds successfully defended her first National title from twenty-fifteen backing up her win having spent most of the year riding abroad riding her first professional contract.
Back on her beloved Cervelo P5, Simmonds put over half a minute on her closest on-form rival Claire Rose [Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa] who took Silver, with Team-mate Dame Sarah Storey close behind for Bronze.
Cycling Shorts: What have you been up to recently?
Simmonds: With-in the last couple of weeks I’ve recently changed Teams. I was riding professionally for Unitedhealthcare, I made the decision when they offered me, to be let out of my contract, so I accepted that. I made the decision to ride for Aerocoach.
It was a really hard decision to leave the team. I had to weigh-up in my mind, was I prepared to potentially sacrifice defending my title today to remain on the team.
I decided that I wasn’t and that defending my title today probably meant more to me.
I want to return to a UCI team, I want to be a professional bike rider.
Hopefully I’ll be able to find a UCI team for next year.
I’m lucky that I managed to find some guest rides in UCI races for the later part of the year. So I will still be keeping my hand in UCI races.
Cycling Shorts: How did you find the course here in Stockton-On-Tees and did it suit you?
Simmonds: I didn’t think it suited me. When I looked at the course before, I didn’t think it suited me as much as last year’s course did. But it was a good course. It was a really interesting course. It was a course of two parts.
It had a technical bit in the town centre and the dual carriageway section that was more of a traditional time trial course.
The bit in the town centre was actually really good in terms of support from local people and I was lucky enough to meet some of the local people a couple of weeks ago when I first came to look at the course.
The support was great and yeh! It suited me enough.
Interview – Hayley Simmonds 2016 National TT Champion by Cycling Shorts
Haley Simmonds talks to CyclingShorts.cc writer / Photographer Chris Maher after taking the 2016 National TT Champion title in Stockton.
In the U23 Time Trial, Scott Davies [Team Wiggins] also defended his twenty-fifteen title beating Tao Geoghegen Hart [Axeon Hagens Berman CT] for Silver by nineteen seconds with Gabriel Cullaigh [100%ME] a further thirty seconds back off the pace.
- 40 Davies Scott Team Wiggins 44: 44:10.43
- 39 Geoghegan Hart Tao Axeon Hagens Berman CT 44:29.81 @9.38
- 34 Cullaigh Gabriel 100% ME 44:40.24 @29.81
- 35 Hetherington Ben Planet X – Northside Cycling 44:[email protected]
- 38 Baylis Thomas One Pro Cycling 44:53.39 @42.96
- 37 Shaw James Lotto Soudal U23 45:12.22 @01:01.8
- 12 Fry Joseph Pedal Heaven 45:24.97 @01:14.5
- 28 Kelly Jake Team Wiggins 45:42.33 @01:31.8
- 36 Stewart Mark 100% ME 45:54.37 @01:43.9
- 30 Latham Christopher Team Wiggins 45:54.60 @01:44.2
- 50 Hayley Simmonds Aerocoach 47:33.36
- 44 Claire Rose Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa 48:06.32 @0:32.96
- 47 Dame Sarah Storey Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa 48:12.47 @0:06.15
- 49 Emma Pooley 48:33.46 @0:20.99
- 45 Hannah Barnes Canyon – SRAM 49:29.28 @0:55.82
- 40 Julia Shaw 49:39.92 @0:10.64
- 48 Molly Weaver Liv-Plantur 49:53.32 @0:13.40
- 11 Elizabeth-Jane Harris Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa 50:56.20 @1:02.88
- 9 Angela Hibbs Fusion RT Fierlan 51:03.12 @0:06.92
- 42 Abby-Mae Parkinson Servetto Footon 51:13.39 @0:10.27
- 40 Alex Dowsett Movistar Team 0:55:38.52
- 35 James Gullen Pedal Heaven 0:56:54.83
- 38 Ryan Perry Langdale Lightweights Racing Team 0:57:52.53
- 32 Peter Williams One Pro Cycling 0:58:15.36
- 26 Richard Handley One Pro Cycling 0:59:09.39
- 33 Samuel Harrison Team Wiggins 0:59:11.87
- 37 Lloyd Chapman Pedal Heaven 0:59:36.73
- 20 Ashley Cox CC Luton 0:59:45.70
- 36 Andrew Tennant Team Wiggins 0:59:59.87
- 34 Rhys Howells Richardsons-Trek RT 1:00:04.48
Heading South-east from Oldham gentle undulations give way to the day’s first long climb from Stalybridge to Mottram Cutting, providing a great warm up for what is to come later. Within the cutting is a retaining wall where a ‘fossilised frog’ was found and is marked, so as you begin the gentle descent to Mottram village try to spot it on your left!
What goes up must come down, and how! The twists and turns as you cross from Derbyshire into Yorkshire are what cyclists dream of and as you skirt the edge of Ladybower reservoir (of Dambusters fame) you begin to rise again before turning left onto Strines Moor. This next section of road gives a roller coaster reversing some of the route that le Tour de Yorkshire took. With steep descents and equally steep climbs, this is a test for you and your bike, good braking and swift gear changes are needed to ensure a smooth passage through this section.
