Winner of the blue ribbon 25 mile championship, Chris had a great season on the TT bike – here’s a Q&A with him …
![]() |
Q&A: Chris Fennell (Independent Pedaler)
Winner of the blue ribbon 25 mile championship, Chris had a great season on the TT bike – here’s a Q&A with him …
1.Are you missing the racing yet?
Chris: Not yet! I have enjoyed some time away from the bike and I’m now beginning a focused winter training programme.
2. What was the big highlight for 2019 and why?
Chris: Winning the National Closed Circuit championships. The National 25 win was also a big highlight, but having finished 2nd three times at the closed circuit it was the one event I really wanted to win.
3. Do you concentrate on time trialling or other disciplines as well?
Chris: My sole focus is time trialling.
4. What is your favourite distance and why?
Chris: 25 miles. Personally, I think it’s the perfect distance where you can still race all guns blazing, but you have more time to enjoy the pain than when your racing a 10 mile TT.
5. Do you have a favourite type of course – circuit/dual carriage way etc.
Chris: I enjoy racing dual carriage ways and circuits. My favourite dual carriage way courses are the R25/3H and my local Q25/10. Both have little traffic and are great fun to race for various reasons. Unfortunately we only really have one closed circuit event (Thruxton) which I love to race. It’s a safe, traffic free environment which makes it the truest test of speed as there is no traffic assistance and you can’t get stuck at a roundabout.
6. What type of course do you find safer to ride on?
Chris: Of course you feel safest on a traffic free closed circuit. But I have never felt at risk on the dual carriageway courses I have ridden. However, there have been a number of single carriageway courses which have been sketchy, but in those situations, you ride within your limits and do not take unnecessary risks.
7. What event stands out for you to ride – ie, what is a must ride event for you?
Chris: The British National Time Trial Championships. It’s a brilliant event, and one of the only opportunities we have in the UK to ride a closed road event.
8. How often do you like to race?
Chris: In 2019, I did 24 races between April and October. I like to get a number of races under my belt before the Nationals begin in June, to make sure we have tested new equipment, positions etc.
9. Do you ride to power or feel or both?
Chris: Both. Power is a good guide but I always listen to my body and know if I am on a good or bad day physical.
… continued after advert
10. You’re about to catch your minute rival – do you keep the same effort or ease back and then surge past them?
Chris: Always keep the same pace. I am focused on my own race so I never let any external factors affect my strategy.
11. Gears are getting bigger and bigger – what is the set up on your TT bike gear wise?
Chris: 62T, although I think we could go bigger for a course like the R25/3H as I spent most of the race in the 62-11 when riding to a time of 44:58.
12. What are your favourite tyres to race on?
Chris: Vittoria Corsa speed, setup tubeless.
13. What have you done to make yourself as aero as you can be? (Wind tunnel/bike fit etc)
Chris: To date, my position has come about through trial and error. However, we plan to undertake aero testing in preparation for the 2020 season.
Second in the 10 champs for Chris
14. How have you got faster in time trials overall? Is it just natural progression or specific efforts in training to be able to ride at high speeds for the distance required?
Chris: There isn’t a simple answer to this question. However, we have taken a holistic approach to going faster on a time trial bike. Even though we are a small team, our programme leaves no stone unturned. We consider every aspect of what it is to be a time trial rider, an athlete and ultimately a human being.
15. Do you train on a TT bike or both a road bike and TT bike?
Chris: I undertake all my training on the TT bike.
16. How many hours a week are you able to dedicate to training?
Chris: 10 to 15 hours depending on the time of year.
… continued after advert
17. Have you ever motorpaced on a TT bike?
Chris: I haven’t. The roads of Kent are definitely not ideal for motorpacing on a TT bike.
18. Do you take a break from riding the bike during the season or after the racing is finished?
Chris: After the season has finished, I take a couple of weeks off across October and November.
19. Does your training in the winter go through phases like just riding the bike to maintain fitness and then structured efforts?
Chris: We have developed a winter programme specifically focused on time trial performance. Which involves a number of different phases targeted at bringing myself to a point physically where I can then begin the summer/race season training programme.
20. When do you expect to start your racing in 2020?
Chris: Late April, beginning of May I will start racing locally to test equipment and position changes from the winter. These will also be warm-up races for the nationals.
21. Finally, the team is one of the highest profile teams in time trialling – how does being part of such a strong team support you and does it help motivate you even more to bring the team more success?
Chris: Every time I pull on The Independent Pedaler skinsuit, I feel a huge sense of pride. I am racing for everyone who supports us as a team and that’s all the motivation I need to give 100% at every race.
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Beverley Town Centre Races
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 11
- Crit Result: RCR FatCreations Goodwood Summer Special
- UK Armed Forces Inter-services Road Race
- Report: TLI Cycling ‘Belgium Training Series
- BMCR RESULT: The Ron Day MK Bowl Circuit races (July 23rd)
- RR Result: Bath RC Junior National Series Road Race
- Crit Result: West Thames League 15
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday Series 15
- Crit Result: Bath CC Mid Summer Series 2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #17
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- Youth Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 14
- TT Result: Verulam Cycling Club 25m TT
- TT Result: Manchester & District Ladies CA 25m TT
- TT Result: Ferryhill Wheelers CC 25m TT
- Crit Result: Banbury Star Crit Series #2
- RR Result: Lakes Road Club Summer Road Race
- National Circuit Series: Colne
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 15m TT
- TT Result: ECCA 10 mile Time Trial
- TT Result: Chorley Cycling Club 10m TT
- TT Result: Houghton CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Farnham RC 10m TT
- Crit Result: King&Queen of the Bowl Series #13
- TT Result: Kernow Racing Team 10m TT
- Crit Result: Lichfield/Velospeed No Frills at Curborough #7
- TT Result: Swindon RC & Swindon Wh 50m TT
- Crit News: Spatzwear Friday Night Crit Series #6 | YBC
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Crit Result: Thanks Crit it’s Friday 7
- Crit Result: Omega Portsmouth Circuits 6
- Result: BMCR National Road Bike TT Championship
- Crit Result: Ride Revolution Coaching Summer Crits #2
- Crit Result: Shutt Velo Rapide Hitters Crits Rd2
Other News on VeloUK
- Hill Climb Championships: Change of Course
- TT Result: Ross-On-Wye & Dist CC 25m TT
- News: Men’s Tour of Britain Route (Stage 1 & 2)
- GB News: Paracycling Squad for Paris 2024
- Ribble Redefines Road with launch of Allroad
- BMCR: National Road Bike Time Trial Championship
- SUNDAY: Bath Road Club Junior National Series Road Race
- TLI CYCLING FEATURE: SUPER4SERIES
- NATIONAL CIRCUIT SERIES UPDATE 2024
- News: Josh Tarling Extends Contract at Ineos
- Tour of Britain for Men 2024
- News: Connor Swift Extends Contract with Ineos
- Updated GB Olympic Team News
- Sunday: 2024 Youth Circuit Race Championships (Cyclopark)
- ROBBED BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY – National Highways
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Championships E/F/G/H
- OLYMPIC NEWS – Team GB Announces First Riders for Olympics
- News: Alex Richardson Retires
- New Releases from Shutt Velo Rapide
- STARTLIST: Men’s British Road Race Championships
- STARTLIST: 2024 Women’s British Road Race Championships
- Startlist: 2024 CAMS Yorkshire Classic Road Races
- Startlists: 2024 Circuit Race Championships
- Startlist: CAMS Ronde van Wymeswold
- Startlists & 2023 Results: National Time Trial Championships
- NEWS: Star Studded Line Up for National Road Champs
- Riders so far: London Dynamo Summer Road Races
- Women’s Tour of Britain Startlist (provisional)
- News: Lincoln winner hit by car
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Cycles Races
- GB Team Named for Women’s Tour of Britain
- STARTLISTS: NW, Yorkshire & NE Regional RR Championships
- Startlists: East Midlands Road Race Championships
- News: Ribble Rebellion Race USA’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic
- TT Result: Legato Racing Team 10m TT
- Pre-Race Rider Quotes: Ford RideLondon Classique
- STARTLIST: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- Team News: Tour of Britain for Alba Development RT
- Startlist: Totnes Vire 2024
- Starters: NW Junior/U23 360cycling Two Day