Race Day
By Richard Bideau.
An impressive field of 102 riders signed up for Ingleborough 2024, many more than in recent years. With many young riders and big turnouts from 360cycling, Solas Race Team, Tactic UK WRT and Pendle Forest CC, this was a very welcome reversal of the trend to having fewer and older riders in recent years.
This was my first time as organiser and with expectations running high, the build up to race day was fraught. Road works and temporary traffic lights popped up with alarming regularity, the weather continued to we wet and windy.
The Wednesday before was particularly grim: I rode up to Ingleton to get the keys to the HQ, sitting in Inglesport cafe waiting for a break in the rain that didn’t come, the prospect of a block headwind return along Rathmell flats was not appealing. Friday was worse with large stretches of the course affected by running water.
Race day came and with it an incredible break in the weather. Dry, sunny, not too cold and with a moderate wind form the southeast, about as good as it gets. The wind direction is key, southeast is best for fast times. The first section to Settle is slower but the tailwind from there to Ribblehead gives a big boost. The final section is often still, Ingleborough itself blocks the expected headwind. The weather lasted just long enough, after the race, sat in the cafe at Feizor for a well-earned breakfast, the scene before us was once again grey and wet.
Times were indeed fast, the two winners recording the second fastest and fourth fastest times ever in their respective categories, more about that below.
Results
This year road bike entries accounted for over 40% of the total. For the first time we have road bike specific prizes. Because it is one rider one prize, the prize allocation can look odd. In the women’s event, joint second overall went to a road bike meaning that the second overall road bike won the first road bike prize.
Podium positions – open
| Position | Time | Name | Club | Age Category | Bike Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:00:25 | Maxwell Hereward | 360cycling | Espoir | TT |
| 2 | 1:02:12 | John Bardsley | 360cycling | Espoir | TT |
| 3 | 1:03:52 | Tristan Pilling | 360cycling | Senior | TT |
Podium positions – women
| Position | Time | Name | Club | Age Category | Bike Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:14:32 | Amelia Hanley | Tactic UK WRT | Senior | TT |
| 2 | 1:19:06 | Sarah Lewthwaite | Born to Bike | V50 | Road |
| =2 | 1:19:06 | Millie Thompson | Solas Race Team | F17 | TT |
Road Bike Results
| Position | Time | Name | Club | Age Category | Overall position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:19:06 | Sarah Lewthwaite | Born to Bike | V50 | 2 |
| 2 | 1:21:53 | Rachel Culshaw | Tactic UK WRT | Senior | 5 |
| 3 | 1:22:15 | Evelyn Field | Solas Race Team | Junior | 6 |
| Position | Time | Name | Club | Age Category | Overall position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:04:17 | Ben Stead | 3 RT | V40 | 4 |
| 2 | 1:06:56 | Jude Taylor | Team PB Performance | Senior | 10 |
| 3 | 1:08:32 | Tom Selby | Pendle Forest CC | Senior | 18 |
Pendle Forest CC Results
| Position | Time | Name | Age Category | Bike Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1:08:32 | Tom Selby | Senior | Road |
| 23 | 1:10:34 | Paul Braithwaite | V40 | TT |
| 31 | 1:11:18 | Steve Risdon | V40 | Road |
| 35 | 1:12:17 | Jack Thomas | Senior | TT |
| 36 | 1:12:28 | Matthew Kayley | V40 | TT |
| 43 | 1:15:45 | Thomas Ashworth | V50 | Road |
| 48 | 1:17:07 | Sebastian Marshall | Senior | Road |
| 49 | 1:17:26 | Martin Welsh | V60 | TT |
| 53 | 1:20:22 | James Islip | V40 | Road |
| 60 | 1:21:51 | James Atkinson | Senior | TT |
Prize Presentation
| Prize | Name | Club | Type | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st woman | Amelia Hanley | Tactic UK WRT | TT | 1:14:32 |
| 2nd woman | Sarah Lewthwaite | Born to Bike | RB | 1:19:06 |
| =2nd woman | Millie Thompson | Solas Race Team | TT | 1:19:06 |
| 1st open | Maxwell Hereward | 360cycling | TT | 1:00:25 |
| 2nd open | John Bardsley | 360cycling | TT | 1:02:12 |
| 3rd open | Tristan Pilling | 360cycling | TT | 1:03:52 |
| 1st youth open | Davey Allanson | 360cycling | TT | 1:07:01 |
| 1st junior woman | Ruby Blanc | 360cycling | TT | 1:21:32 |
| 2nd junior woman | Molly Evans | Solas Race Team | RB | 1:25:04 |
| 1st junior open | Jonathan Frank | 360cycling | RB | 1:11:03 |
| 2nd junior open | George Leeson | 360cycling | TT | 1:16:25 |
| V40 open | David Mirfield | Barlick Fell Runners | TT | 1:05:21 |
| V40 woman | Emma Glen | Springfield Financial Racing Team | TT | 1:31:04 |
| V50 open | Andrew Whiteside | Springfield Financial Racing Team | TT | 1:07:30 |
| V50 woman | Jan Scotchford | North Lancs Road Club | TT | 1:29:39 |
| V60 open | Martin Welsh | Pendle Forest CC | TT | 1:17:26 |
| V60 woman | Sue Cheetham | North Lancs Road Club | TT | 1:25:11 |
| V70 open | Peter Greenwood | Clayton Velo | TT | 1:15:16 |
| Road bike open | Ben Stead | 3 RT | RB | 1:04:17 |
| Road bike woman | Rachel Culshaw | Tactic UK WRT | RB | 1:21:53 |
| Road bike junior/youth open | Charlie Brennan | 360cycling | RB | 1:11:13 |
| Road bike junior/youth woman | Evelyn Field | Solas Race Team | RB | 1:22:15 |
Our 2024 Champions
Prize winners
Tactic UK WRT
360cycling
Solas Race Team
Rider Spotlight
Amelia Hanley
The winning time of 1:14:32 is the fourth fastest in the history of the event. It beats 1:15:15 set by Rebecca Rimmington (Ikon-Mazda RT) in 2015 and in recent times is second only to the 1:14:03 of Christina Wiejak (Jadan CycleSpace-Vive Le Velo) in 2020.
The older records are proving hard to beat: 1:12:54 set by Yvonne McGregor (Adidas / Sci-Con) in 1998 and the current record of 1:12:23 set by Karen Steele (Pete Read Racing) in 2000. Karen Steele won the British Best All Rounder competition in 2001 and 2002, she is one of three Ingleborough winners who also won the BBAR (the other two are Gethin Butler and me, Richard Bideau).
Maxwell Hereward
Maxwell Hereward’s winning time puts him in the small elite group that have gone under 1 hour 1 minute. These are former national hill climb champion Tejvan Pettinger (1:00:53 in 2015) and Ben Stead (1:00:59, 2022) who placed fourth this year on a road bike. James Gullen’s time of 59:21 (2017) remains the only sub-hour ride.
My report from 2017 reads:
This year’s circuit of Ingleborough featured mild temperatures, light wind and a light drizzle that made handling on the technical sections exciting. With these conditions, it was not surprising to see James Gullen, now riding for JLT Condor, be the first rider under the hour on the course with a very impressive 59:21. I was pleased with my performance, I hit my power targets without getting deep into the suffer zone and was pleased to get 3rd (1st Vet) despite not being fully race fit. As an added bonus Pendle Forest placed second in the team of 3 prize.
Davey Allanson
Davey Allanson, another of the impressive 360cycling riders, took 6 minutes of his 2023 time, delivering an outstanding performance of 1:07:01, 11th overall and beating the older riders in the junior category. Next year the podium?
Peter Greenwood
Among the top veteran riders nationally, Peter is a prolific winner. We have met many times and shared podium positions in the vets national 100 (Anfield). Peter rode the first Ingleborough event in 1990 and in one of my favorite moments in this year’s, I was the pusher for the start of Peter’s 2024 V70 winning ride.
Final thoughts
Much has been said about time trialling recently, and I’m sorry to say, most of it negative: falling rider numbers, courses lost, shrinking budgets. The story here at Ingleborough in 2024 is the opposite. We attracted many more riders this year, one of the largest fields since the beginning in 1990. Even more positive is the number of younger riders, twenty of them aged eighteen or under. The road bike category was also very popular, accounting for 40% of the rides.
Why this happened is not clear, it is certainly partly down to luck not clashing with other events. But it was not entirely luck. This year Pendle Forest have put a lot of effort into promoting the event using social media to reach riders who would not normally hear about us. The road bike category could also be a factor – now it is possible to have a competitive ride using a bike suitable for everyday riding – it has deflated the ongoing arms race of the aero-wars.
Time trialling is not finished! This unique discipline that allows inexperienced riders to compete under carefully controlled conditions with the nation’s top riders continues to invigorate competitive cycling.
Circuit of the Dales
If you were impressed by Ingleborough, check out the Circuit of the Dales, longer at 50 miles but gentler and with equally grand surroundings. The Dales has a longer history than Ingleborough. Here is my report from last year.
Next from Pendle Forest
The next PF open TT will be the Levens 10 in the 27th of July, organised by Mick Eccles.
PF also run a series of evening club events. The 2024 calendar is here.
Useful Links
CTT event preview.
Raymond Bracewell photography
Kimroy photography
Provisional results (can be slow to load).
Official results and coversheet with prize details.
Podium positions for previous Ingleborough events.
Snowdon Sports race report.
Pendle Forest Circuit of Ingleborough information page.
Credits
Many people are involed in organising Ingleborough, meet the 2024 team:
Richard Bideau – event secretary and pusher for the final riders
Jonathan Boothman – marshal
Raymond Bracewell – photography
Paul Braithwaite – transport
Peter Briscoe – finish timekeeper
Graham Carter – marshal
Roger Clarkson – marshal
Craig Cowgill – signs and pusher
Danny Davies – start line official
Mick Eccles – marshal, mile markers and trophies
Phil Hartley – marshal
Mark Horrocks – marshal
Ben Hoyle – marshal
Michael Harulow – marshal
Bob Jackson – marshal
Heather Kayley – refreshments, signing on desk
Lucy Kayley – refreshments
Phillip Kayley -refreshments
Magdalena Królik – organiser, photography
Lucas Payne – marshal
Peter Richens – marshal
Chris Smedley – start timekeeper
Jack Thomas – signing on desk (car keys held until finished)
Graham Waddington – marshal
Harry Waddington – marshal
Derrick Whittaker – marshal
Paul Whittaker – signs, results, finish line, safety pins!
If I’ve left anyone off, please let me know.
