Cycling Weekly – August 22, 2019

Cycling Weekly | August 22, 2019 | 13

Anna Turvey

(Drag2Zero)

The reigning 10-mile

champion was third at the

25-mile distance last year.

She’s been consistently in

the top 10 of races this year

too. She skipped the

National 50 this year in

favour of her first crack at a

the National 100 but the

shorter distances remain

her strength.

CW rating ★★★★

Alice Lethbridge

(Drag2Zero)

While Lethbridge is something of a long-

distance specialist, she’s quite capable of

knocking out a strong 25. She just missed out on

being the fastest woman at the Welsh

Championships in May.

CW rating ★★★

Matt Langworthy

(Saint Piran)

Last year’s second placed rider, Langworthy has

only lost two TTs this year. One of those was the

National U23 time trial where he was a very

credible fourth.

CW rating ★★★★

Brett Harwood

(Team Botrill)

Reigning VTTA

champion at the

distance Harwood

has had an extremely

consistent season

with four wins and

three podiums. He’s

not been out of the

top 10 all year.

CW rating ★★★

Matthew Smith

(Drag2Zero)

The veteran has had a very solid year against the

watch, notching up wins at 10, 25 and 50-mile

distances. He placed in the top 10 of the

National 50 and will doubtless be a factor

this weekend.

CW rating ★★★

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DETAILS

Women’s race, Saturday

August 24, 3.20pm-5.15pm

Men’s race, Sunday August

25, 6am-8.45am

Course: A25/11 near Derby

staying away. A mong them is Dan
Bigham, 2017 25-mile champion,
and his Team R ibble team-mates
John Archibald, reigning 10-mile
champion, and Simon Wilson. “It
is just lorry after lorry after lorry.
That ’s why the course is quick.
There’s no big hill, no
net elevation loss, no
super-smooth road.
It is literally lorries
pulling you along. It’s
not a safe course,” he
told CW in July.
Lewis, however, is
less concerned: “I’ll

ride the road in front of me. I’m sure

the organisers have ensured it ’s

safe,” she said.

While no two riders from the

same team have won the blue

riband 25-mile title together, it

has happened at other distances.

Hayley Simmonds and

R ichard Bussell both

won the 10-mile title

riding for Aerocoach

in 2016, while Matt

Bottrill and Julia Shaw

both claimed the 50-

mile titles riding for

Drag2Zero in 2015.

CONTENDERS

Harwood’s had a

successful season

Turvey: best suited

to shorter distances

Lewis is looking to step up to the

top of the podium this year