Buxton Mountain Time Trial 2014

The Buxton Mountain time trial is one of the hilliest time trials on the calendar. About 1,100m of climbing over 33 miles (22 miles for vets and women). This year, it was part of the CTT national time trial series, and it attracted a bumper entry with 144 riders signing up for the race. The course record was set by Stuart Dangerfield in August 2003 with a 1:22:13.

The women’s event attracted some top riders, including double world champion Joanna Rowsell. Rowsell is a track specialist and a member of the world record setting British team who clocked 4.16 for the team 4km pursuit. That’s just shy of a mind boggling 35mph (and a pretty good standard for a men’s team). But, compared to the team pursuit, the Buxton MTT is a very different kettle of fish, with average speeds of roughly half of 35 mph.

In the end, the women’s event was won by Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi) 1:00:02, (21.98mph) just pipping teammate Sarah Storey (Pearl Izumi) into 2nd place 1:00:34. Rowsell was 3rd in a time of 1.01.38

In the men’s event, Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan Cycles) won in a time of 1.23.23. (23.74mph) Pettinger (Sri Chinmoy CT) (me) was just 2 seconds behind in 1.23.25, and Espoir C.Fennel (PMR @ Toachim House) was third with 1.24.56.

• 1st paracylist Rik Waddon (Para T. Paracycling Team).
• 1st Junior James Falconer Ferryhill Whs/Mountain High (58.10)
• Honourable mention also to 1st under 16 – Adam Hartley Velocity WD-40 1.02.01.
• 1st Vet J.Ramsbottom (Pedal Pushers) 00:56:58, with Peter Greenwooed (Team Swift) fastest vet on target.

My Race

I had a good block of training in March and early April, and went well in the Circuit of the Dales. But, during the last week I did very little apart from a few easy miles around Kissena Velodrome in NY. I got back from NY yesterday morning, and just about managed to make myself get on rollers for 30 mins in a perfunctory attempt at a pre-race warm up. With the inevitable jet lag, I was grateful for late start of 2pm and (as last year’s winner) I started as last man off at 180. At least when racing, I felt no effects of jet lag – helped by the good weather.

Conditions were near perfect for April. Sunny, light wind and relatively warm. I set off reasonably quick on the first lap, passing through time keeper in about 27.00 (319 watts average). After the first lap, it was a bit harder to maintain that pace, and the average speed very slowly declined. The third time up Axe Edge was particularly hard going. It’s a tough course with quite a few sharp corners and changes of gradient. I tried to increase the effort near the top of climbs so I could recover on the next downhill. It’s impossible to do a measured effort because the gradient is so variable. Where possible it’s good to try and maintain momentum from downhill onto the next incline. Though, this year, I felt a little rusty on the corners.

2 Seconds

I did hear time checks that I was up on Clinton on the first two laps. But, in the end, I finished just 2 seconds behind. 2 seconds is a little ironic as that was the exact winning margin in the National Hill Climb Championship 2013. As the old saying goes – You win some, you lose some. Cycling can all be about fine margins, though it’s rare for a 33 mile hilly TT to be decided by such a small margin.

The problem with just missing out by 2 seconds, is that you can’t help but think where those 2 seconds may have come from. Like all good cyclists, it’s very easy to analyse after a race, where it wasn’t perfect. So many excuses spring to mind – equipment, training, traffic, cornering – even the good old fashioned ‘Why didn’t you just pedal a little harder!’ – I wish I could have pedalled faster on the final hill, but I was pretty spent.

– There’s a bylaw in Cycling Time Trials that at the finish you’re supposed to shout you’re number to help the time keeper. As no. 180, I thought this was my chance to shout out ‘Oneee Hundered and eighteeeeeeee’ in the manner of  all good darts commentators. It might have been mildly amusing, but after the last effort to the finish line, I think the only ‘180’ I managed to say was heard by nobody including myself. I must admit shouting out of your number is one of those bylaws I rarely manage. I think being a hill climber must exempt you on many occasions.

After the race, I was eyeing up Matt Clinton’s new Trek TT bike. All being well, I’m planning to buy one myself this year. At least losing out by 2 seconds gives a bigger incentive to splash out the money in the hope that £5,000 may make at least 1 or 2 seconds difference….

Anyway, in the end I decided to blame those 2 seconds on all those New York corn muffins and high fructose corn syrup I ate in the past 2 weeks. New York is the only place in the world, where even I can put on weight.

Overall

I always ‘enjoy’ the Buxton MTT, especially when the weather is as kind as this year. It was a good atmosphere with so many riders and it was well organised by Buxton CC. The organiser Richard looked as if he had made as much effort as the riders at the end. A good job well done.

It’s a funny feeling to do a reasonably good ride but just miss out. I’m in good form after a good few weeks of solid training in March. I was just 15 seconds slower than last year. Though flying off to New York and pottering around on a road bike definitely takes a bit of momentum from the time trialling. But, Matt Clinton’s in good form so it’s no bad thing to finish just behind him.

Next year the Buxton MTT is in March, so we can expect more normal weather conditions, such as rain or snow drifts. I’ll be back.

Thanks also to the sponsors for helping make a generous prize list.

Other editions

• 2016 edition of Buxton Mountain TT

Design Detail Engineering Limited
Sett Valley Cycles (thanks for cake!)
Cooper Sons Hartley & Williams Solicitors
Brick Creations

Men’s Result

Pos	Rider	Club	Time	N1	N2	N3	Notes
1	Matt Clinton	Mike Vaughan Cycles	01:23:23	0:27:09	0:55:08	29 S	23.746
2	Tejvan Pettinger	Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team	01:23:25	0:27:55	0:54:53	37 S	23.736
3	Christopher Fennell	PMR @ Toachim House	01:24:56	0:27:33	0:56:34	18 Esp	23.312
4	James Ratcliffe	Fred Williams Racing	01:25:58	0:27:23	0:56:30	25 S	23.032
5	Leigh Fearn	Matlock CC	01:25:59	0:27:41	0:56:35	34 S	23.028
6	Brett Harwood	Terry Wright Cycles RC	01:26:20	0:29:03	0:57:31	37 S	22.934
7	Charles Taylor	South Pennine RC	01:26:37	0:28:00	0:57:16	32 S	22.859
8	Scott Walker	MG Decor Team Carbon Bikes Solutions	01:27:57	0:28:51	0:58:38	35 S	22.513
9	Andy Nichols	Langsett Cycles RT	01:28:09	0:28:40	0:58:23	24 S	22.462
10	Joshua Jones	Cambridge University CC	01:28:15	0:28:41	0:57:41	21 Esp	22.436
11	Ewan Farrow	Ilkley CC	01:29:02	0:28:57	0:58:54	29 S	22.239
12	Tom Bracegirdle	Kuota-Spinergy-GSG	01:29:05	0:29:25	0:59:30	20 Esp	22.226
13	Lee Baldwin	Champion System/ClubRoost/Maxgear	01:29:24	0:28:36	0:59:04	32 S	22.148
14	Tom Black	Team Manx Telecom Manx Road Club	01:30:52	0:29:54	1:00:02	24 S	21.790
15	Matthew Cartlidge	Stone Wheelers CC	01:31:17	0:29:27	1:00:13	25 S	21.691
16	Mark Tickle	Leigh Premier RC	01:33:00	0:30:30	1:02:14	36 S	21.290
17	Jonathan Parker	PMR @ Toachim House	01:33:24	0:30:03	1:01:17	39 S	21.199
18	Michael Stretch	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:35:07	0:30:18	1:02:50	39 S	20.817
19	Ben Norbury	Congleton CC	01:35:16	0:30:39	1:03:05	30 S	20.784
20	Tim Wilcock	Tyneside Vagabonds CC	01:36:00	0:30:46	1:03:35	18 Esp	20.625
21	Matt Lawton	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:36:03	0:30:55	1:02:59	33 S	20.614
22	Anthony Allan	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:36:36	0:31:14	1:03:55	34 S	20.497
23	Nicholas Latimer	Rutland CC	01:36:40	0:30:55	1:03:39	32 S	20.483
24	Bhima Bowden	Buxton CC	01:38:43	0:32:12	1:05:27	26 S	20.057
25	Chris Baines	Buxton Cycling Club/Sett Valley Cycles	01:39:23	0:32:01	1:06:19	21 Esp	19.923
26	Charlie Evans	Congleton CC	01:39:54	0:32:18	1:05:50	35 S	19.820
27	Luke Beswick	Buxton CC	01:40:05	0:32:02	1:06:17	25 S	19.784
28	Benedict Elliott	Velo Club St Raphael	01:40:25	0:32:24	1:06:29	38 S	19.718
29	Alex Mcnicol	Velo Club Moulin – SCU	01:41:16	0:32:27	1:06:40	33 S	19.552
30	Richard Lilleker	Cleveland Wheelers CC	01:41:19	0:32:24	1:06:11	26 S	19.543
31	Jon White	Kidsgrove Wheelers	01:42:29	0:32:24	1:07:45	31 S	19.320
32	Ben Trotter	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:42:36	0:31:43	1:06:05	27 S	19.298
33	Philip Knupfer	Manchester Wheelers Club	01:42:37	0:33:02	1:07:52	35 S	19.295
34	Craig Gath	York Cycleworks	01:42:41	0:33:01	1:08:04	38 S	19.283
35	Michael Brown	Birdwell Whs	01:42:56	0:33:00	1:07:44	30 S	19.236
36	Howard Mead	Manchester Tri Club	01:43:00	0:33:27	1:08:38	29 S	19.223
37	Hugh Smith	Yorkshire Velo	01:43:52	0:32:44	1:07:32	37 S	19.063
38	Dave Clark	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:44:20	0:33:10	1:08:25	35 S	18.978
39	Bruce Johnson	Kidsgrove Wheelers	01:44:39	0:33:30	1:09:00	24 S	18.920
40	Darren Staniforth	Condor RC (Calderdale)	01:44:46	0:33:06	1:08:17	27 S	18.899
41	Ben Watson	Glossop Kinder Velo	01:44:50	0:33:42	1:09:28	24 S	18.887
42	Robert Rhodes	NCRC 2001	01:45:50	0:33:19	1:08:58	35 S	18.709
43	Patrick Murphy	Bolsover & District CC	01:46:01	0:33:44	1:09:38	38 S	18.676
44	Marcus Fielden	Macclesfield Wheelers	01:46:12	0:33:48	1:09:58	37 S	18.644
45	Steven Guymer	Clay Cross RT	01:47:00	0:55:03	1:16:12	25 S	18.505
46	Ivan Nicolas Vukmanovic	Cycle Sport International	01:49:36	0:34:53	1:12:03	31 S	18.066
47	Andrew Conroy	Kidsgrove Wheelers	02:06:51	0:39:14	1:22:34	34 S	15.609

Other results at CTT

• Women’s result
• Juniors
• Paracyclists
• Vet’s target

 

Previous results Buxton MTT

• 2013 – 1st – 1.23.20 – May 7th 2015
• 2012 – 2nd – 01:27:21 (Matt Bottrill 1st 01:26:34)