Gil Jessop Sporting 14 mile Time Trial

Sunday 11 February 2007

Overnight rain gave damp roads for the 2007 Gil Jessop Memorial “Sporting 14” time trial, promoted by Kingston Wheelers CC in association with OTM Brand. Conditions had settled by the time of the first rider off at 8.31am, however two laps of the 6.5 mile Hungry Hill course (GS/292 Rev) near Ripley in Surrey still proved a tough test with a long false flat from the start and some sharp corners to test bike handling skills.

Last man off Ben Instone (A3CRG/Bikedoc) recorded a time of 31.02 to win the event, over a minute quicker than his winning time the last time the event was held on the revised GS/292 course in 2005, when conditions were especially cold. Instone showed excellent early season form to win from second place and in form rider Pete Tadros (In-Gear Quickvit RT). "I’ve been training using power output to train this winter," said Instone afterwards, who was riding using SRM power cranks fitted to a new time trial bike which he’d finished building up only two days beforehand. "I am running some training camps in Majorca over the next few weeks, so this is my first and only time on the time trial bike until April." Instone’s new bike featured a Litespeed Blade frame, Xentis 4 spoke carbon tubular wheels and a Dura Ace groupset with a 53x12 top gear (he normally runs a 54x11 for dragstrip time trials).

Pete Tadros (In-Gear Quickvit RT), fresh from his victory in the GS Stella 42km event the previous week, continued his good form by taking second spot, 38 seconds behind Instone in a time of 31.40.

Richard Simmons (London Dynamo Cyclefit) claimed the final podium spot in a time of 32.44, over a minute behind Tadros. Former Kingston Wheeler Stewart Jardine and current Kingston Wheelers road race champion Andrew Bye fought it our for fourth and fifth spots, with Jardine edging out Bye by just four seconds.

Philip Jones (Citihub / Cycles Dauphin) finished in a time of 35.27 to take the veterans prize, closely followed by Mark Silver (Hounslow and District Wheelers) in a time of 36.10.

There was a record number of 13 entrants for the ladies prize, taken by Antonia Burt of Twickenham CC in a time of 38.55, over two minutes quicker than the ladies’ best time last time the event was held on the revised GS/292 course.

Citihub / Cycles Dauphin took the team prize with a combined time of 1:42.37, including Ian O’Hara’s 33.51. Tom Burke (34.11) and Meurig James (34.35) made up the rest of the winning team. Instone’s team a3crg/Bike Doc/The Tri Store took second place, with last year’s winners agiskoviner.com third.

There were 71 entries to the event. Event organiser Peter Anderson acknowledged the continuing support of OTM Brand in helping to make the event a popular season-opener for many riders in the South-East. Congratulations to Ben Instone on his win.

For the full results sheet, click here.

Overall

1	Ben Instone (A3 CRG)	31.02
2	Pete Tadros (In-Gear Quickvit RT)	31.40
3	Richard Simmons (London Dynamo)	32.44
4	Stewart Jardine (21st Century Airports CT)	32.52
5	Andrew Bye (Kingston Wheelers CC)	32.56
6	Tom Burke (Citihub)	33.11
7	Ian O'Hara (Citihub)	33.51
8	Niall Digby (Sigma Sport)	33.51
9	Gary Kristensen (agiskoviner.com)	34.19
10	Lee Chaplin (Twickenham CC)	34.33

Ladies

1	Antonia Burt (Twickenham CC)	38.55
2	Jenny Lloyd Jones (London Dynamo)	39.42
3	Chrystal Sheldon (Kingston Phoenix)	40.59

Veterans

1	Philip Jones (Citihub)	35.27
2	Mark Silver (Hounslow and District Wheelers)	36.10
3	Mick Deen (Redmon CC)	36.29

Team

1	Citihub / Cycles Dauphin (Ian O’Hara, Tom Burke, Meurig James)	1.41.37
2	A3CRG
3	agiskoviner.com