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One second split first from second in Round 2 of the BBR Opticians Hill Climb Series as weather conditions played their part on Willomoor Bank for the Wrekinsport CC Hill Climb. Conditions weren’t the warmest, and with an unusual strong headwind to add to the challenge which saw times down as the riders tackled an undulating approach that requires plenty of gear changing and a horrible final 15% stretch to the finish line directly into the wind. Times were well removed from Jonny Morris’ Course Record of 3 minutes 24.48 seconds as a result; as Tomos Hales made it three wins in a row on this hill. Hales loves his local course, but this was the slowest of his victories at 3 minutes 50 seconds, just pushing out Mule CC’s Troy Rimell as he headed to the top of the BBR standings. He stated: “As I always say this is my favourite hill climb of the year. This year was made especially hard with a strong headwind up to the finish. I do take the initial ramp hard, and it is all about management up the tough gradient at the end. Well done to Troy for a close fought battle and who flew up that last section; and thanks to my club Wrekinsport for hosting”.

Rimell was a first-time visitor to the course and came away impressed with the rolling nature of the course after registering a fine 3:51 on a climb which offers a very different challenge to courses with steady gradients. This was right up Rimell’s street, as he explained: “I’ve not done that climb before, it was a good one, I like the profile of it. It’s not steady, a more ‘punchy’ gradient that suits me a little bit more – go a bit harder when it’s steeper and ease off on the flat a bit. I like that last kick up to the finish – a proper negative split, save all your energy then a massive kick up the last bit”.

Things were close in the Veteran’s Championship too with Bridgnorth CC’s Paul Bailey pushing out Mid Shropshire Wheelers’ Will Witterick by two seconds. Bailey finished in 4:16, which was good enough to take third spot overall – and his amusing post-race comments shows that stick and carrot tactics were definitely in play made all the difference: “I was spurred on by the thought of a pint in The Huntsman! My kids came to watch too, so I tried that extra bit harder for them”.

In the BBR Female Series 2023 Silver medallist Hayley Wells set out her stall to go one better this year with a fine win after cresting the climb in 4:52. Wells seems determined to recapture this Championship which she won in 2022, and took the 20 points on offer after beating Paramount’s Claire Blackwell-Smyth. Wells brought some of the atmosphere of the climb to the fore in an event which always attracts a good selection of spectators roaring the riders on to try their best: “I felt good during this climb, and planned to try and stay seated for as long as possible then leave enough in the tank to fully attack the last kicker! There was fabulous support on every stretch of the course; thanks to Wrekinsport CC”.

A rare Monday evening event proved decisive in the destination of the Decathlon Evening 10 Series by Wrekinsport as a broken bike and six riders unseen during the rest of the season turned out for Round 15. A replacement for the cancelled Round 6 which was weather-affected saw Oli Freeman enter the race with a three point lead over Tomos Hales, the reigning champion and just two events remaining. With this pair often 1-2 Hales could only have anticipated losing the Series by a single point all things being equal – but Freeman was compelled to ride his road bike due to a frame crack. Sportingly Hales tried to make things equal by also turning up on his road bike – but the pair reckoned without three of the 2024 first-timers being speed merchants.

Time trial bikes have a natural aero advantage over road bikes, not that anyone had told Hales who finished in a strong runner-up spot in a fabulous 22 minutes 49 seconds; with Phil Roberts taking his second win of the Series on 22:18 – sealing Series Bronze in the process. The Long Lane course is technical, featuring 11 turns around a 3¾ mile circuit, which even things out a little on the handling stakes. However Freeman finished back on 24:05, with Adam Mumford, Oliver Rodwell and Clive Middleton all finding the Monday rearrangement suited them, split by just four seconds on 23:38, 23:40 and 23:42respectively. This interpolation saw Hales score 5 points but Freeman only 1, meaning Hales took over at the top of the standings by a single point with just a final 16^th round left, a dramatic reversal of fortunes.

Hales and Freeman were instead 1-2 in the Road Bike Series, but with Matt Price taking 3^rd spot in 26:02 he sealed Road Bike Series Silver, and consigned Dave Moore to the Bronze medal. This is an increasingly popular ‘back-to-basics’ version of the sport, with 9 of the 20 entrants on Road Bikes and a great way for new entrants to the sport to get involved competitively.

In the Women’s Series it was a win for Victoria Doran in 31:53 ahead of Sarah Bradshaw on 33:25, with the Silver and Bronze medals in play for the final round with any of four riders in the mix.

Decathlon Series by Wrekinsport Cumulative Standings after fifteen rounds

Road Bike Series Cumulative Standings after fifteen rounds

Women’s Series Cumulative Standings after fifteen rounds

Road bikes in italics

Road bikes in italics

Result:

The course record went on a float evening as Tomos Hales stormed around the tight Long Lane circuit in Round 14 of the Decathlon Evening 10 Series by Wrekinsport in a fabulous time of 21 minutes 1 second – as the destination of the Road Bike Series was settled. Hales was clearly on a mission as he reached the 2½ mile point in 4:57, the first rider ever to dip below five minutes at that point. Closest rider to him was Mike Senior, 41 seconds back.

Oli Freeman continues to hold the Series lead but this narrowed to three points with two rounds to go. Freeman took third spot in 22:18, but was overtaken by Hales, his minute man, who was only five seconds behind on the road at 6¼ miles, eventually crossing the finishing line 17 seconds ahead. Freeman was the best possible carrot for Hales who rose to the challenge.

The Road Bike Series was taken by David Seager, who finished first in this category on 26:17 on the night, beating Dave Moore by 19 seconds. Seager has had this in his sights all season, only missing the very first round.

In the Women’s Series Hayley Wells took a solid win in 23:29, 16 seconds up on Deb Hutson-Lumb as she showed why she has already taken the Women’s title. Wells and Hutson-Lumb were 4^th and 5^th overall respectively in a 15 strong field.

Decathlon Series by Wrekinsport Cumulative Standings after fourteen rounds

Road Bike Series Cumulative Standings after fourteen rounds

Women’s Series Cumulative Standings after fourteen rounds

A new course and the only remaining bonus point round of the 2024 SB Sports Injuries Series saw Tomos Hales take sole lead following Round 10 - and set an inaugural course record in Wrekinsport CC’s 25. Rescheduled following road works that saw both applied for courses belatedly out of action on the original date; that delay gave opportunity for a trial run on a newly designed course starting and finishing at Hopton Chapel and taking in two laps of The Tiddly circuit on what turned out to be a glorious evening. 26 points were available for the win due to the extra distance, designed to stretch riders stepping up from club level events – although experience told as Tomos Hales set the inaugural record on 54 minutes 24 seconds to beat Army Cycling’s Jonathan Whittaker by 1:06.

Hales had held the joint lead of the Series with Jonathan Mills-Keeling, but moved into the sole lead on the strength of this ride – albeit by a narrow two point advantage. Hales stated:  “I enjoyed the new 25 Mile Wrekinsport course. Making use of the top section of the A53 made for a quick start. I do enjoy lapped courses as you can get a good gauge for where you are; thanks to Wrekinsport for hosting and rearranging the fixture”.

Mills-Keeling took third overall in 56:10 after a fast start where he equalled Hales on 7:53 on the first pass of the finish line after 3.6 miles – which he suffered for later. He still holds a fabulous lead in the Veteran’s Series after finishing runner-up on the night to Deb Hutson-Lumb, stretching that advantage to a commanding 84 points after finishing in +11:58 to Riley’s+10:54. Mills-Keeling commented: “I started fast and paid for it on the second lap. It was a perfect evening of racing, nice to do a new course, well done to all”. But there was no stopping Hutson-Lumb who put in a dominant Veteran’s performance of +13:12 – but ended as runner-up in the SB Female Series behind Hayley Wells after finishing in 1:02:18 for 7^th spot Overall.

Wells set the inaugural Female record of 59:54, helped perhaps in a last gasp for the finish line, racing Alvydas Janusauskas side by side over the final few hundred metres. She stated: ”It was a very warm evening, and great to try out a new course. Not as quick as expected, but I enjoyed incorporating more of the A53! Looking forward to tackling it again; cheers to Wrekinsport for organising”.

A bruised and battered Ashley Kirkham was determined to defend his SB Road Bike Series lead despite significant cuts and bruises from a racing incident the day before, and took full advantage of being the sole rider in that category to extend his lead to 34 points with an adjusted 1:12:45. He commented: “After crashing out of a race early on the day before I had fresh legs and pushed hard despite some sore limbs. I really enjoyed the new course; hopefully it becomes a regular fixture in the calendar - thanks to all the volunteers”.

With three rounds remaining in the Decathlon Evening 10 Series by Wrekinsport Tomos Hales is looking to make up ground on Oli Freeman who leads the Series after Round 13. Hales took a fine win in 22 minutes exactly to beat Freeman into the runner-up spot by 31 seconds on the Long Lane circuit. Freeman was two seconds up at the 2½ mile points but next time around Hales had ramped up the pressure to open up a 16 second lead, showing even pacing over the final two, full 3¾ mile laps.

Taking third spot was an impressive Road Bike win from regular Scottish visitor Hamish Maclean of Musselburgh RCC, who stopped the watch on 23:51. But David Seager took full advantage of the absence of any other Wrekinsport Road Bike riders to open up an 11 point lead at the head of the standings with a 26:53 effort.

In the Women’s competition it was a first win of the season in this Series for Deb Hutson-Lumb as she took 4^th spot overall in 23:57 and move up to the Silver medal position, with Hayley Wells having a quiet night by her standards runner-up on the night with 25:10 for 6^th spot Overall among 14 competitors.

Decathlon Series by Wrekinsport Cumulative Standings after thirteen rounds

Road Bike Series Cumulative Standings after thirteen rounds

Women’s Series Cumulative Standings after thirteen rounds

To offer teams the chance to practice tapering for the rarely seen 4-Up format as preparation for the Shropshire 50km 4-Up Championship, Wrekinsport ran their 2^nd annual 10 mile 4-Up utilising part of the Championship course just four days in advance. Seven teams, most with involvement in the Championship keenly took the opportunity to fine tune their changes and strategy using the simple ‘out and back’ Waters Upton – Hodnet course on a fine evening – with the Aerologic RT squad of Scott Palmer, Dean Callister, Jonathan Mills-Keeling and Andrew Lacon taking the win in 19 minutes 56 seconds. That equates to over 30mph, showing the beneficial effects of drafting, as the teams spurred each other on and riders got a rest from the maximum effort required when on the front.

Aerologic’s nearest challenge came from the promoting club; with Tomos Hales, Phil Roberts, Oli        Freeman and Hayley Wells searing around the course in 20:22, 30 seconds ahead of a mixed Paramount/Wrekinsport squad of Chris Riley, Rob McGregor, Ben Southgate and Mason Durant. Times throughout were impressive on a glorious evening, with the chance to test in anger as a team seeing a real buzz around headquarters post-race, with all times significantly faster than for solo efforts.