We celebrated our centenary by promoting the Cycling Time Trials National 50-mile time trial championship in Chelmsford. It incorporated our annual Norman Wells 50-mile time trial event. The Norman Wells Trophy has been raced for since 1964, but our first open 50 was in 1926. The last time we promoted a National TT championship was 1985 The Race HQ was at Writtle University College Lordship Road, CM1 3RR. Download the full result sheet and report here.

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Adam Duggleby (ADDFORM Vive Le Velo) took a clear victory by over a minute in the men’s RTTC National 50-Mile Championship.

The 38-year-old flew out and back along the Essex course in a winning time of one hour, 41 minutes and 33 seconds to win his first national title since 2018.

Duggleby’s only other national win came in the National 12-hour and five years later the Yorkshireman has now clinched his first national crown title over 50 miles. He followed this up with a win 7 days later in the CTT National 100 mile championship.

 

Starting outside Chelmsford competitors headed out on the A1060 to Leaden Roding before heading straight over a roundabout after six miles onto the B184 to the turn at Great Dunmow.

After returning back to Chelmsford competitors then completed a second lap of the 25-mile course.

 

Hosted by Southend Wheelers it was only the second time the course has been used following a test event – so Duggleby’s time is a course record.

Oliver Peckover (trainSharp) has been on fine form this season with five open time trial victories to his name and provided a tough test.

Peckover was 46 seconds down at the half-way point on Duggleby and finished second in 1-42-52.

A close battle the podium positions saw Jack Crook (Richardsons-Trek RT) finish a further 18 seconds down taking third in 1-43-10, edging former World Tour pro Alex Dowsett (Nopinz) into fourth (1-43-17).

Scratch rider John Archibald (HUUB WattShop) had an afternoon to forget, puncturing at the 25-kilometre mark and abandoning.

“It was unexpected,” said Duggleby. “It was a rough course, you had to look out for holes and drains. It was a straightforward course, there was a little roundabout in the middle and the rest was just staying on the road until a roundabout and then doing a U-turn.

“There was a bit of wind but it didn’t really effect the race. The wind was fairly even really with a few bits which were quite hard work. There was one little hill, but the rest of it was pretty flat.

“It was on a newly chipped road and there were quite a few ups and downs in the tarmac as well.

“I’ve beaten some good riders, I didn’t expect to beat Oliver Peckover who has been going really well. Alex Dowsett as well I expected to beat me. I can’t complain with how I rode.

“It’s my first fixed distance national title.”

Spindata had predicted that Duggleby would be down in 12th in 1-46-48 but he knocked five minutes off that time to take an unexpected victory.

The quickest veteran rider on scratch was Matthew Smith (DRAG2ZERO) who finished seventh overall in 1-44-37 ahead of Paul Burton (Paceline RT) in second (1-45-29) in second and Colin Ward (Essex Roads CC) in third clocking 1-45-56.

Duggleby will next target another title at the National 100-mile Championships next weekend when he is expected to again meet Archibald. Fastest on a road bike was HUUB-WattShop’s Alex Pritchard with 1-46-57. The winning team were Team Bottrill with Jake Sargent, Tom Hutchinson and last year's Norman Wells 50 winner David Halliday the three counters in 5:20:16.

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Duggleby is also the new event record holder for the Southend Wheelers Norman Wells 50, and the previous event record holder, Michael Hutchinson was there as MC and announcer to see his time improved. The previous mark was 1:43:23 in 1999, the only year that Dr. Hutch won the Southend 50, although he won the National 50 title 13 times - a record.

 

Emily Martin (Team Bottrill) won the women’s RTTC National 50-mile Championship title finishing almost four minutes clear of her nearest challenger after an eventful morning in Essex.

Martin, aged 33, was part of the winning women’s National Team Time Trial Championship side in May and added her second crown of the season over 50 miles.

The Team Bottrill rider recorded a winning time of one hour 55 minutes and 58 seconds after recording an average speed of over 25.8 miles per hour.

Race favourite Kate Allan (Team Bottrill) crashed out when her rear tyre blew – ending her hopes of defending the national 50-mile title she won last year. And expected challenger Hayley Simmonds had pulled out of the event the previous day.

Martin came into the event having won the Barrow Central Wheelers 10-mile event last weekend in a time of 20-36.

With fellow Team Bottrill team-mates Allan and Alex Clay failing to finish their hopes of the team award were dashed.

A close battle for second saw veteran Sally Turner (HUUB WattShop) finish as runner-up in 1-59-41 which was just 13 seconds quicker than Laura Davies (Jadan Vive Le Velo) in 1-59-54.

Second veteran on scratch was Kim Barfoot-Brace (Team Bottrill) in 2-03-45, while Louise Robinson (Essex Roads CC) was third 2-04-49.

Spindata had predicted that Martin would finish down in seventh in 2-05-31 but she took over nine minutes off that forecast on her way to a clear victory.

“I felt really good today, I felt strong,” said Martin. “The course was a bit slow and really hard in the first six miles.

“It picked up on the way back with a tailwind, it was a bit narrow in places but a nice twisty course where you could still say on the skis.

“The wind picked up on the last leg on the way back, I definitely felt it. There is a lot of travelling this year (to national events) and I’ve not really ridden locally much this year at all.

“I’ve been travelling around to get to the national and faster stuff. The coaching of Simon Beldon has really brought me on and having last year in my legs as well.

“The advice from Matt (Bottrill) as well is second to none." Martin will be back in action at the National 100-mile Championships next weekend hoping for a third national title of the season.

In the road bike category, quickest female was Kerry Brennand (Newmarket C&TC) with 2-20-48.

 

Previous champions who won a “National 50” title in Essex are -

1956 Mick Ward Haverhill Wheelers - 1966/69/77 Beryl Burton OBE Morley CC - 1977 Phil Griffiths GS Strada - 1988 Mick Bradshaw GS Metro & Margaret Allen Barnsley RC - 1999 Richard Prebble Team Clean.

 

• All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

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Visit the CTT website for the men's result, and the women's result. Read the full race reports from Snowdons Sports here - men's race and the women's race. Many thanks to Frazer Snowdon for these reports.

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