'I knew from the get-go it was going to be a tough one' - gap closed at the top of cycling series
All the latest cycling action from across the county’s roads.
Ed Copeland narrowed the gap to 16 points at the top of the BBR Opticians Hill Climb Cycling Series after victory in round six.
Copeland claimed the maximum 20 points available after completing Shropshire Cycling Clubs Association’s Homer Bank climb in one minute 58.73 seconds.
The climb briefly touches 18 per cent over its half-mile ascent, with the Ludlow Brewery RT rider outpacing fellow title contender Tomos Hales.
Copeland said: “Short and steep, which I normally don’t do as well on.
“I knew from the get-go it was going to be a tough one, so I left nothing out there and went hard; and much to my surprise it paid off - very well done to Tomos, who once again kept me honest and pushed me”.
Jack Young still tops the table after taking 16 points and fourth spot, just behind third-placed Jack Ward who edged past the overall leader up the harsh incline, which was still wet beneath the tree cover following earlier rain.
Many new riders experienced the course for the first time, including BBR Veterans winner Stuart Proctor, who bolstered his lead to 32 points after crossing the line in 2:44.84.
Despite a strong finish, Proctor almost missed the start after a near-disastrous mix-up.
The series leader said: “Good job I checked where this one was! I was convinced it was Sheinton Bank for some reason, but a quick Google check on the afternoon revealed otherwise.”
BBR Females Series leader Isla Furniss had no issue with the setting, as she extended her lead with a win in 3:40.41, outpacing rival Rebecca Pugh.
Furniss, in her first competitive season at 12 years of age, holds an eight-point lead over Claire Blackwell-Smyth and Florence Parkinson in joint second.
Parkinson retains her lead in the BBR Juniors category, eight points ahead of Furniss, but victory on the night went to Bryn Nelson, who finished on 2:52.03.
Round five had been held up Stiperstones, with Kirk Vickers beating Copeland to the overall victory by 10 seconds, with Hales back in third.
Dave Saunders took the veterans’ victory, with Evelyn Charles topping the Female Series standings and Jude White winning the junior event.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.