White Lane – Bec CC hill climb

White Lane is a short 700 yards climb. Mostly 1 in 6, it has an average gradient of 13%.

At the start it isn’t so steep, but gets steeper the further up the climb you go. Perhaps just over 20% at it’s steepest before a slight decrease in gradient before the top.

It is in 100 climbs #16. The climb is situated just to the north of the southern section of the M25 by the village of Titsey.

White Lane has a height gain of just over 79 metres in 0.4 miles.

Perhaps not the most remarkable climb in the country, but it has become well known due to featuring in the annual Bec CC hill Climb. 2014 will be the 59th annual running of the event, which started in 1955. It is usually run on the same day as the Catford CC hill climb – The Catford CC can make a claim to be the oldest race in the world. The Catford CC event first started on Westerham Hill on August 20th 1887. It now takes place on York Lane. If makes a good double hill climb header. Though some of the top riders decide to ride one or the other.

Bec CC Hill Climb

 

David Millar to ride Bec CC hill climb in 2014

After 18 years as a professional cyclist, David Millar will be riding his last event in the Bec CC hill climb. Millar has chosen a domestic hill climb as a way to mark the end of a long professional career – a career which has seen both highs and lows, has included four individual stages of the Tour de France and five stages in the Vuelta a Espagne.

David Millar explains his choice of his final race.

“I’m not just going to ride uphill & wave goodbye. I’m going to have a crack at setting a new ‘White Lane’ record in what will be my first ever Hill Climb TT, as well as my last race.. “It’ll be like going full circle on my cycling career”.

Most Brits start in a Cycling Club as I did, so its fitting to end my career at a British Clubs event. I’m really looking forward to it, although ‘Gazza’ my friend, Soigneur & organiser of the event, tells me Hill Climbs are not always that easy & it takes a certain knack to hit the Hill just right! He also tells me they bloody hurt, even though its only a sub 2 minute ride.. Maybe I’ll enjoy it & not retire after all & just ride Hill Climbs!” (Velo UK)

Should be a great event!

Riding in 2007

I rode the Catford and Bec CC hill climbs in 2007. My time up Bec CC, White lane was 1.59.59. It was a great experience and a world of short intense pain – so great I’ve never been back. You get a good crowd along the short narrow road, and there is a good atmosphere. The road gets closed for the event.

I think in 2007, I finished just outside the top 10. Unfortunately, short sprints are not quite my forte. That year, Bradley Wiggins was riding, though he only seemed to ride up tempo, finishing in about 2.30 something. Still the event has attracted many of the big names in cycling. I would love to go back, but that weekend I will be up north riding in climbs more suited to me.

How to ride it

Go really hard from the start and hang on!

Course records

Jack Pullar set a time of 1.42.9 in 2012 to set a new record

Women’s CR

• 2012 – Lydia Boylan W Look Mum No Hands! 2.33.3

2013

1st overall. Jack Pullar – 1.46.1

1st lady – Maryka Sennema, Kingston Wheelers C.C. – 2.37.2

Results 2013 at Bec CC

Strava Segments white lane

• 100 official climbs white lane#16
• Bec CC hill climb

Past winners

There has been some notable winners of the Bec CC hill climb, including National Champion Dan Fleeman,  In 2011, the 16 year old Germain Burton won in a time of   1.45.1. – A young rider now riding for the GB under 23.

Video of Bec CC Hill Climb 2012

Promo video of 2013

 

 

2015 Results of Bec CC hill climb

1	James Lowden	Neon Velo		01:51.5
2	Richard Bussell	RSTSport/Aero Coach		01:52.1
3	Edmund Bradbury	NFTO		01:52.9
4	Michael Smith	Team Corley-Alpha RC		01:53.9
5	Germaine Burton	100%ME		01:54.9
6	Joe Norledge	Pro Cycling Magazine RT		01:56.5
7	Ethan Hayter	Velo Club Londres		01:56.9
8	Peter Cocker	Pedal Pushers		01:57.1
9	Matthew Burton	Velo Club Rutland		01:57.5
10	Bill Bell	Bigfoot CC		01:57.8

full results at CTT

2014 Results of Bec CC hill climb

RANK	RIDER	CLUB	TIME
1	Jack Pullar	Starley Primal Pro Cycling	01:49:300
2	Daniel Sullivan	Norwood Paragon CC	01:53:800
2	Glyndwr Griffiths	Arctic Tacx RT	01:53:800
4	Bill Bell	Bigfoot CC	01:56:500
5	William Adams	Velosport RT	01:56:600
6	Joe Norledge	Procycling Magazine RT	01:57:900
7	Liam O’Toole	Sheffrec CC	01:58:100
8	James lowden	lewes wanderers	01:58:700
9	Issac Pucci	Pure Motion Cycles/Gatorade	01:59:600
10	Matthew Burton	Velo Club Rutland	02:00:500
11	Richard Bussell	Beacon Roads CC	02:00:600
12	Richard Cartland	South Downs Bikes	02:00:700
13	James Local	London Dynamo	02:01:300
14	Ashley Dennis	Banks/Catford CC Equipe	02:01:400
14	Ben Nichol	Amersham Road Cycling Club	02:01:400
16	Jacob Nicholson	Medway Velo Club	02:02:600
17	Tony Kiss	Performance Cycles CC	02:02:800
18	Joe Peake	CC London	02:03:100
19	Conall yates	In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT	02:03:300
20	Charles Coleman	Felt Colbournes Hargroves RT	02:03:700
21	David Millar	Garmin – Sharp Pro Team	02:03:800
22	John Cockrill	Abellio – SFA Racing Team	02:04:400
22	Peter Tadros	In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT	02:04:400
24	Daniel Pink	Bigfoot CC	02:05:200
25	Thomas Mead-Herbert	Watford Velo Sport	02:05:300
26	Robert Gough	Arctic Tacx RT	02:06:000

Related

• Bec CC hill climb – How to enter
• 100 climbs

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