Competitors were sweating on mobile road works being lifted in time for the opening event of the Shropshire Time Trialling season as things got underway on a windy day that had a marked effect on riders in Round 1 of the Friction Hydraulics Series, Wrekinsport CCs Chris Edwards Hilly 18 on the Worfield triangle. Fortunately the event ran as normal as the works at Swancote finished in time to save the event having to run short distance.
Reigning Friction Series champion Tim Beardmore signalled his intentions to set out a strong defence of that title with a win in a fine time of 40 minutes 59 seconds – but like all competitors he suffered on a gruelling opening leg to Sutton Maddock which sapped the strength thanks to a roaring headwind that significantly hampered progress and took character to fight through. However after the turn things varied between fast and scary as that wind played a huge part in proceedings. The Bridgnorth CC rider commented: “It’s great to be back racing on one of my favourite courses. Typical windy conditions made for a tough out leg to Sutton Maddock, followed by an extremely fast run in to Bridgnorth. The climbs went well, but there were some horrible cross winds to deal with in places. I felt good on the bike and was pleased with my time. I’m very happy to take the overall win, thanks to all at Wrekinsport for organising. Shame more people didn’t race it”. Beardmore’s final comment reflected an unusually low entry, potentially due to rising fuel costs, the simply miserable February weather which had seen part of this course underwater just a week before with pre-entry required, or fears over the removal of Covid restrictions which affected two riders.
With non-SCCA rider Thomas Bill of Stafford Triathlon Club pushing Beardmore hard, finishing just three seconds down, Wrekinsport CC’s Tomos Hales came closest of the County riders in 41:10, bettering his race-winning time from the 2021 event by 34 seconds to retain the promoting club’s Chris Edwards Shield. Hales is another fan of this testing circuit and was grateful things remained dry: “We had some good weather for the first and my favourite time trial of the year, apart from the northerly wind. New tarmac was fast down into Bridgnorth, and I felt good going up The Hermitage. Well done to Tim for a cracking time around the course. Thanks for the time keepers and marshals”.
Beardmore also won the Veteran’s competition, defending his Friction Veteran’s Championship status with a fine effort of +7:39, +2:03 ahead of team mate Jonathan Mills-Keeling, whose post-race comments show both the surprise wake up call the event provided, with hilly early season races the perfect way to get into shape quickly; as well as the strange sense of being back to normality so missing from life for two years: “I enjoyed it, although it was quite a shock to the system. Thanks to all involved and it was great to have cake at the HQ”!
The Women’s competition was affected by Covid with two riders having to pull out, leaving Wrekinsport’s Victoria Doran with a first taste of the fearsome Hermitage as she got around in 1:02:09. She stated: “Well you’ve got to be in it to win it I suppose! It was a tough course, but I enjoyed it. I certainly learned a lot too and there’s room for improvement next time I have a go at it”.
