Report: Para-cycling British Road Championships

A British Cycling report from the Para-cycling British Road Championships in Carmarthenshire on July 6/7 (Wales)

Report: Para-cycling British Road Championships

Luke Jones, Alex Brooke-Turner, Will Bjergfelt and Matthew Robertson all claimed national doubles as the time trial events wrapped up the British Cycling Para-cycling National Road Championships today.

Following their victories in yesterday’s road races, the four all won their respective time trial events, joining Lora Fachie (piloted by Corrine Hall), Ben Watson and Hannah Moore in being crowned national champions today.

Jones completed the Carmarthenshire course over two minutes faster than his nearest MH2-3 rival, Chris Madden, capping an impressive weekend of racing. Equally as dominant in the H4-5 category was Brooke-Turner, who clocked a time which was over five minutes quicker than any of his fellow competitors.

Robertson was run closer by Ryan Taylor in the MC1-2 category, while the day’s narrowest winning margin was recorded in the WC1-4 event, as – after factoring – Hannah Moore clocked a time 12 seconds quicker than Amelia Cass, who had won yesterday’s road race.

Robertson said: “It’s really uplifting to take the win today, and it’s interesting to see where I’m at and what I need to do for upcoming races. Nationals is a big event and it’s also great to see what the other competitors can do in comparison, and to see my team-mates take wins as well.

“I feel as though – as I get more practice – my time trialling is getting better, and it was especially pleasing to do well today as I wasn’t best suited to the course. It was a tough race after the road race yesterday, and it really had me working particularly hard on my stability on the bike.”

The mixed tandem event saw Paralympic champions Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall triumph after factoring, ensuring that Simon Thomas (piloted by Matt Blue) and road race winner Chris McDonald (piloted by Neil Poulton) had to settle for silver and bronze respectively. Bjergfelt kept his winning run going in the MC4-5 category, while Watson finished 27 seconds ahead of Fin Graham in the MC3 event, turning the tables on his Great Britain Cycling Team team-mate who had yesterday beaten him in the road race.

Afterwards, Watson said: “I’m very happy to have defended my time trial title on what was a challenging but fast, rolling course. The whole weekend of racing was very well organised and enjoyable, and this win gives me great confidence – having just come off a tough training block – ahead of some big upcoming international events.”

Podiums:
MH2-3
1. Luke Jones
2. Chris Madden
3. Dan Hopwood

Mixed H4-5
1. Alex Brooke-Turner (Dulwich Paragon CC)
2. Matthew Faucher (Caerphilly Cycling Club)
3. Mel Nicholls

MC1-2
1. Matthew Robertson (Woolwich CC)
2. Ryan Taylor
3. David Cass (Sheffrec CC)

MC3
1. Ben Watson (Glossop Kinder Velo Cycling Club)
2. Fin Graham
3. Colin Wallace

MC4-5
1. Will Bjergfelt
2. Krispin Gardiner
3. David Murphy

WC1-4
1. Hannah Moore
2. Amelia Cass (Loughborough Students CC)
3. Margaret Biggs

Mixed B1-2
1. Lora Fachie – piloted by Corrine Hall (Black Line)
2. Simon Thomas – piloted by Matt Blue (Towy Riders)
3. Chris McDonald – piloted by Neil Poulton (PDQ Cycling Coaching)

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Day 1
Fin Graham and Will Bjergfelt were among the new national champions crowned at the National Para-cycling Road Championships on day 1. On the first of two days of competition at Pembrey Country Park, all of the road race titles were decided, with Alex Brooke-Turner, Luke Jones, Amelia Cass, Matthew Robertson, Krispin Gardner and Chris McDonald (piloted by Neil Poulton) all winning national jerseys.

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling’s Bjergfelt caught David Murphy, who had attacked solo off the front, before powering home to win the MC5 category. Afterwards, he said: “I’m really happy to win the title on what was a testing course. SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling have given me a great race programme that’s lifted me massively in comparison to previous years, and I’m very excited for the rest of the season, for upcoming races with the Great Britain Cycling Team and SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling, as we work towards qualifying for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain.”

Graham won a tussle with Ben Watson (Glossop Kinder Velo Cycling Club) to take the MC3 title, while Gardner triumphed in a thrilling sprint finish in the MC4 race. Brooke-Turner (Dulwich Paragon CC) took the MH4-5 title for the second successive year, while there was an intriguing battle for the MH2-3 jersey between Jones and Dan Hopwood, which Jones won by a margin of five seconds.

Cass comfortably won a two-way battle with Polly Hill for the WC1-3 title, while Robertson was victorious in the mixed MC2-WC5 race. In the final event of the day, the mixed tandem race, Chris McDonald and Neil Poulton won a tactical battle against Simon Thomas and Matt Blue (silver) and Paralympic champions Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall, who claimed bronze.

Podiums:

MH2-3:
1. Luke Jones
2. Dan Hopwood
3. Chris Madden

MH4-5:
1. Alex Brooke-Turner (Dulwich Paragon CC)
2. Matthew Faucher (Caerphilly Cycling Club)
3. Steven Arnold

WC1-3
1. Amelia Cass (Loughborough Students CC)
2. Polly Hill

Mixed MC2-WC5
1. Matthew Robertson (Woolwich CC)
2. Ryan Taylor
3. Morgan Newberry (Sheffield Hallam Cycling Club)

MC3
1. Fin Graham
2. Ben Watson (Glossop Kinder Velo Cycling Club)
3. Colin Wallace (Deeside Thistle CC)

MC4
1. Krispin Gardner (PDQ Cycling Coaching)
2. Wayne Harrod (Flatlandria CC)
3. Nicholas Fairfield (City RC Hull)

MC5
1. Will Bjergfelt (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling)
2. David Murphy (Liverpool Mercury Dolan CC)
3. Karl Allen-Dobson (WyndyMilla)

B1-2
1. Chris McDonald – piloted by Neil Poulton (PDQ Cycling Coaching)
2. Simon Thomas – piloted by Matt Blue (Towy Riders)
3. Lora Fachie – piloted by Corrine Hall (Black Line)

Under British Cycling regulations, national champion’s jerseys can only be awarded in categories with a minimum of three entrants. Therefore, to ensure that as many riders as possible are able to compete for a national jersey, certain categories were grouped to race together.