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.

joanna rowsell
Photo: The Trouser (aka Richard organiser of Buxton MTT) – Flickr see also 2014 set of Buxton MTT

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.

2014-tejvan
Photo Buxton CC photographer

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.

A view from the cockpit. Photo by Bhima Bowden (Buxton CC) 2013
A view from the cockpit. Photo by Bhima Bowden (Buxton CC) 2013

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

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

Men’s Result

PosRiderClubTimeN1N2N3Notes
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)

 

 

10 thoughts on “Buxton Mountain Time Trial 2014”

  1. I cannot believe that your traveling and diet changes did not have a bearing on your time, it must do, but there’s not much you can do about it except change your plans.

    Hell of a time though and very well done, but I notice you are already riding a Trek TT bike, so what difference will the latest model offer in terms of performance.

    Reply
  2. Great ride coming off the back of jet lag and all that food. I have been there and know what you mean about putting on the pounds. It seems like one meal there could feed the 5000. Have you any more rides up north ?

    Reply
  3. Great peformance Tejvan, quite clearly the TT bike and aero kit gave you a 23 minute advantage on me and my road bike!! 🙂 Great event though, I’ll be back next year too.

    All the best for the season.

    Reply

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