Cycling - Three Counties sportive attracts 300 (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cycling - Three Counties sportive attracts 300

2:41pm Saturday 11th July 2009 in Sport By Gazette Sports

WHILE Stuart Reid was taking the World FirefighterMountain Bike title in Switzerland, as reported in last week’s Gazette, his Herbalife/Wheelbase team were enjoying success on the road.

Team-mate Dylon Byrne won the Lazonby road race on the same weekend, while Lewis Craven made it a Herbalife/Wheelbase hat-trick in another road race, this time at Rochdale, where he rode the last ten laps alone to finish a minute clear of the chasing pack.

More than 300 riders from as far afield as Edinburgh and London enjoyed Sunday's Three Counties Challenge sportive rides promoted by the Kent Valley Road Club and Kendal Rotary Club from Dallam School.

The new base at the school was a huge success and the organisers were delighted to see so many people enjoying this increasingly popular branch of the sport, while at the same time helping to raise money for charity - principally the North West Air Ambulance.

More than 140 cyclists tackled the 124-mile route via Silverdale, Kirkby Lonsdale, Dent, Hawes, Thwaite, Kirkby Stephen, Pooley Bridge and Kirkstone and a similar number completed the 62-miler that took in the Kingsdale climb from Dent before returning via Ingleton and Hornsby. See 3.countieschallenge.com for times.

The latest midweek 10 at Milnthorpe was won by Steve Hodgson in 23-41 from Chris Dixon on 23-41. Other leading times were: Ben Lawson 24-16; Tom Gibson (J) 24-17; Ian Jackson 24-24; Tim Bennett 24-40; Sam Huddleston (J) 25-15; Tony Dixon 25-25; Simon Graham 25-56. Fastest woman was Ann Nicholson with 28-20.

Monday's 'Jungle Cafe' hilly 12 miles time trial from Mint Bridge was won by Andrew Barlow. He rode 31-28 to beat Steve Hodgson's 32-11 with improving Ian Jackson third on 33-00. Another improver, junior Tom Gibson, clocked 33-07 while Kieron Banlin did 33-15 and Tim Bennett 33-19. Sharon Padfley was the fastest woman, riding 38-04.