Cervelo Test Team professional Dan Fleeman proved an unlikely winner of the National Hill-Climb Championships in South Yorkshire on Sunday, beating defending champion Matt Clinton by almost 14 seconds to take the title in only his third ever hill-climb.
The 27-year-old clocked 3min 17.2sec for the 1,200-yard climb of Pea Royd Lane in Stocksbridge, near Sheffield, to take a convincing victory.
Fleeman, who was the only British finisher in the Tour de Lombardy in Italy last week, said: "I've wanted to do the national hill-climb championship for a few years now, but it's always been too long from the end of my road season. But this year it's only been a few days, so I was ready for it."
Meanwhile, defending champion Clinton was philosophical in defeat: "I felt alright beforehand. I had chosen my gear and had to go for it, but with hindsight I was over-geared. But whether it would've given me 14 seconds, I don't know."
Southport CC's Jim Henderson took third in his final hill-climb before retiring, his time of 3:39.4 being just half a second quicker than Michael Smith (Team Milton Keynes).
There was also a close finish to the women's race, with Maxgear Racing Team's Anna Fischer taking victory from pre-race favourite Lynn Hamel (Team NCA) by half a second.
Best junior was Laurie Brooking (Buxton CC), whose 4:00.8 gained him 19th overall. And top veteran was Peak Road Club's Chris Myhill from Derbyshire, whose time of 3:48.1 placed him 11th overall and more than ten seconds quicker than the next best veteran.
Buxton CC's Laurie Brooking was top youth rider, the 16-year-old leading the event for around 40 minutes until Cuming crossed the line, but Brooking still held on for 19th overall with 4:00.8.
Pinder wins British Universities hill climb championship
Fifth in the National Hill-Climb Championships on Sunday, Adam Pinder was crowned the British University and College Sports hill-climb Champion 24 hours earlier after a strong ride at Curbar Gap in Derbyshire.
Pinder, who rode for Lancaster University on Saturday but Blackburn and District CTC on Sunday, clocked 5:17 for the one-mile University race on Saturday, holding off the attentions of Andrew Nichols (Cambridge CC) and Luke Dunbar (UWE) who both clocked 5:44 and shared second spot.
Pinder also took the team prize in the National Championship alongside Blackburn team-mates Carl Helliwell and Chris Edmondson, who were 22nd and 36th respectively.
Instone caps season with Brighton Mitre 25 victory
Despite a blustery headwind on the A24, Ben Instone (Scientific Coaching) still managed to clock 53:04 and take victory in the Brighton Mitre CC 25-mile time trial at Steyning, West Sussex, on Sunday.
Instone was seven seconds quicker than his nearest rival, East Grinstead CC's Steve Dennis, in the late season time trial, which nevertheless attracted more than 100 entries.
And after puncturing in last year's event, father and son team Peter and Thomas Baker finally came good in the tandem event, winning with 57:51.
Cyclo-Cross
Sickmueller wins national trophy 3
Johannes Sickmueller (Stevens RT) was the winner in the third round of National Trophy cyclo-cross racing, this time at Chantry Park in Ipswich.
The German repeated his repeated his round two win after a long battle with first round winner Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing).
Sickmueller made the first attack of the day; only Oldham and Jody Crawford (Arctic Premier RT) could stay with him. After 27 minutes Oldham attacked, Sickmueller closed the gap, but Crawford did not. With two laps to go Sickmueller opened a gap on Oldham which at the flag had grown to 12 seconds.
Though Oldham still heads the overall table, he did not hide his disappointment, saying: "It's all about going over the line with your arms in the air."
David Nichols (Arctic Premier RT) is the new Under 23 overall leader, after winning the class and finishing 11th overall. Previous leader Robert Watson was lapped, having suffered three punctures.
The Chantry Park course, which featured a scaffolding bridge, was varied, had little mud and conspicuously allowed no moment of let-up.
Riding only her fourth cyclo-cross, Nikki Juniper (PCA Ciclos Uno) won the women's race despite crashing twice in the woods and changing bikes three times. With 250 yards to go Juniper attacked, and though Hannah Barnes (Candi TV) was closing, at the line Juniper still had two seconds in hand.
Joseph Fox (Solihull CC) won the Youth race by an eleven second margin after a battle with local star Hugo Robinson (Ipswich BC)
Jeremiah takes round 4 of Welsh league
Third in the last round, Cardiff JIF rider Ian Jeremiah took maximum points in the fourth round of the Welsh Cyclo-Cross League with victory in the latest race at the Pentwyn Leisure Centre in Cardiff.
With many of the top riders from across the country riding the National Trophy in Ipswich, riders like Jeremiah who have chosen not to tackle the national series benefited.
The Cardiff JIF rider crossed the line 49 seconds ahead of Dambusters' Phil Morris who had been eighth in the last round, while Mark James (MI Racing) moved up from tenth in round three to third in Sunday's event.
Hunt wins North West league
Veteran Roy Hunt (Colnago) was a convincing winner of the seventh round of the North West League, promoted by East Liverpool Wheelers at Otterspool Park on Saturday.
Hunt was 31 seconds faster than his team-mate and nearest rival Richard Kent, having led from the start. Initially on Hunt's wheel, Paul Bethell (Macclesfield Wheelers) dropped back to an eventual third spot.
Results
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