Monday, April 21, 2025

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019 goes to Kyle Gordon

-

HomeRaceRace ReviewsScottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019 goes to Kyle Gordon

On a raw morning of bitter north westerly winds, with a grey Firth of Tay and North Sea brooding to the south, Kyle Gordon (RT 23) produced a ride just nine seconds shy of 30 mph to win the Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019 from Bioracer-Moriarty Bikes duo, second placed Jamie Davidson and bronze medallist, David Griffiths; seven and 18 seconds back, respectively. 

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Kyle Gordon, winner Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019. Photo©Ed Hood

Vicki Smith (AeroCoach) was fastest of the ladies with another ‘flyer’ – a rapid 21:47 – from Catriona MacGillivray (RT23) with 22:52 and Neah Evans (Team HUUB) on 23:11. 

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Vicki Smith. Photo©Ed Hood

Our thoughts of a leisurely amble up to Freuchie to watch the championship were dashed by roadworks on the course at the Ladybank railway bridge; we couldn’t see anything wrong as we waited at the temporary light on our way to Monifieth – but then we’re not structural engineers.

Driving out the dual carriageway, east of Dundee we saw a chap with a red flag at a junction and decided to stop to ask for directions… none other than my old teammate and former World Masters Pursuit Champion, Ian Humphreys.

Our catching up was at the expense of the youth competitors who passed without a single shutter clicking, winner was Daniel Kain (Squadra Scozzesa) with a rapid 22:04 in what was not part of the official championship.

The first man to get ‘snapped’ was Stuart Maccallum of the Dundee Thistle complete with Tony Martin-esque ‘ribbed’ skinsuit; changed days from Lionel Wylie and his knitted Thistle jersey on ‘The Perthie’ back in the 70’s.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Stuart Maccallum. PhotoEd Hood

And another Thistle man caught our eye as looking the part as he cut through the icy headwind home on the other side of the carriageway, Alistair Merry.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Alistair Merry. Photo©Ed Hood

Fraser Caldwell’s (Cromarty Firth CC) Felt TT frame intrigued us with those really low set seat stays – anything to save those precious watts.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Fraser Caldwell. Photo©Ed Hood

David Blockley was the first of a host of RT23 riders; gulping in big mouthfuls of cold Tayside air.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
David Blockley. Photo©Ed Hood

We’d heard on the grapevine that GTR-Return To Life were ‘boycotting’ the race but Jamie Kennedy was certainly there and flying out with the tailwind.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Jamie Kennedy. Photo©Ed Hood

Bright orange isn’t a bad colour choice for visual impact and safety – Nicholaas Weststeyn (Synergy Cycles) was making sure we didn’t miss him.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Nicholaas Weststeyn. Photo©Ed Hood

Remo Volpe (Peebles CC) would be wondering about all these wide open fields, being used to those Borders valleys.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Remo Volpe. Photo©Ed Hood

Even further travelled than Remo was perennial Carlos Riise, all the way down from Shetland and still turning the ‘big ones.’

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Carlos Riise. Photo©Ed Hood

Due to too much gassing about watt bikes, thresholds and the merits of tubeless tyres with Mr. Humphreys I missed my old sparring partner, Jim Petrie (Dundee Wheelers) but just about snapped him on the way back – sorry Jim, next time…


Jim Petrie. Photo©Ed Hood

We left Ian to head for the turn as he offered encouragement to Ken Thomson (Dunfermline).

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Ken Thomson. Photo©Ed Hood

The first man we caught at the flyover turn was Daniel Kirk (Edinburgh RC) gasping for Tayside oxygen on the steep ramp up to the bridge before the plunge back to the long grind west and the finish.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Daniel Kirk. Photo©Ed Hood

Good to see our old VeloVeritas regular, Silas Goldsworthy back in the saddle and looking the part in RT23 kit.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Silas Goldsworthy. Photo©Ed Hood

We’re not sure if Sandy Wallace (Fife Century) gears slipped or he just misjudged the steepness of the off-ramp – many did – but that was an awful wee sprocket you were in, sir.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Sandy Wallace. Photo©Ed Hood

Darren Lindsay (Musselburgh RCC) caught Colin Wallace (Deeside Thistle) for a minute at the top of the ramp to keep the marshals on their toes.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Darren Lindsay. Photo©Ed Hood

There were good ‘photo ops’ off the bridge as here RT23 winning team ‘third counter’, Thomas Gelati banks off the carriageway and on to the slip then picks up the west-bound battle on the other side.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Thomas Gelati. Photo©Ed Hood
Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Thomas Gelati. Photo©Ed Hood

The plunge down off the bridge came up quickly and was as steep as the off ramp but curving more sharply, here Ewen Macgillivray (RT23) banks in to it.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Ewen Macgillivray. Photo©Ed Hood
Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Ewen Macgillivray. Photo©Ed Hood

Andrew Underwood (COG Velo) was the first man we snapped on the drop back to the main road.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Andrew Underwood. Photo©Ed Hood

Eventual bronze medallist [20:27], former Scottish Hill Climb Champion, David Griffiths (Bioracer-Moriarty Bikes) proved he’s not bad at going down them either as he whistled round and down to meet the wind.

By the way, that Moriarty isn’t the one who used to give Sherlock Holmes all that jip, is it?

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
David Griffiths.Photo©Ed Hood

Former ‘50’ and ‘Olympic’ Scottish Time Trial Champion Alan Thomson was rapidly back in the tuck off the ramp – and aren’t those RT23 guys all so ‘aero’?

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Photo©Ed Hood

Kyle was next, tucked and starting the long fight into the cold airstream.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Kyle Gordon. Photo©Ed Hood

Former professional jockey and Scottish ‘Olympic’ Time Trial Champion, Wilson Renwick didn’t have a team against his name – last season he was with Java-Partizan Pro Cycling Team – but no one was going to miss him in that skinsuit.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Wilson Renwick. Photo©Ed Hood

Eventual silver [20:16], Jamie Davidson (Bioracer-Moriarty Bikes) confused us a wee bit to start with, we’re used to seeing him in Aberdeen Wheelers colours.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Jamie Davidson. Photo©Ed Hood
Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Jamie Davidson. Photo©Ed Hood

Last man and defending champion, Liam Beaty looked the part but no medals today. 

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Liam Beaty. Photo©Ed Hood
Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Liam Beaty. Photo©Ed Hood

The juniors were next and it was Spokes man Oscar Onley taking just 21:13 to get round on this tough day – a sterling ride.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Oscar Onley. Photo©Ed Hood

We expected a lady but got a ‘tantrum’ next – we think it’s Laura Cluxton ‘stoking’ but don’t know who’s steering; heavy going with that long wheelbase on the ramp.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Laura Cluxton. Photo©Ed Hood

First solo lady was Michelle Esson (Forres CC) finding the drag up off the carriageway tough.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Michelle Esson. Photo©Ed Hood

Sarah Williams (West Lothian Clarion) was shadowed by a rather nice BMW 8 series but I don’t think she noticed.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Sarah Williams. Photo©Ed Hood

Katherine Wren (Stirling Bike Club) has to get that pony tail tucked away – a man lost a Tour de France because of one of those…

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Katherine Wren. Photo©Ed Hood

And we have to include a Janette Hazlett pic, we’d never hear the end of it.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Janette Hazlett. Photo©Ed Hood

And always good to see a bit of tartan, modelled here by Deirdre O’Reilly (Lanark Race Team).

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Deirdre O’Reilly. Photo©Ed Hood

Whilst Pamela Irving (Team Andrew Allan Architecture) was looking pretty in pink.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Pamela Irving. Photo©Ed Hood

Silver medallist in 22:52, Catriona MacGillivray had the ‘dialled’ RT23 fully focused aero look as she stormed over the flyover.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Catriona MacGillivray. Photo©Ed Hood

Vicki Smith (AeroCoach) was flying towards an eventual 21:47 – wow!

And well ‘up’ on eventual bronze medallist Neah Evans (Team Huub) who would stop the clock with 23:11.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Neah Evans. Photo©Ed Hood

The light wasn’t the best for Vicki and Neah’s passing us on the flyover so we decided to see if we could catch them on the road home.

Vicki was well on top of the job.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Vicki Smith.Photo©Ed Hood

Whilst Neah wasn’t enjoying that cold north westerly – neither were we – but she battled home for third.

Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019
Neah Evans. Photo©Ed Hood

And it would be remiss of us not to mention the effort of the race organisers in changing the venue and making sure ‘the show went on’ for the Scottish 10 Mile TT Championships 2019 at such short notice.

Maybe get us better weather next time though, folks?

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed was involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he was a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He was also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months often worked in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed was a highly respected journalist, his tales of chasing the Giro, Tour, Vuelta, Classics and World Championships - and his much-loved winter Six Days - are legendary, never the same twice, they gave our site an edge other cycling media could never duplicate or challenge. Sadly Ed passed away in January 2025, two years after suffering a devastating stroke.

Related Articles

Super 6 Series – Event 6, East Saltoun

On a day more suited to a November cyclo-cross, than a 'summer' road race, those Pedal Power boys did it again; Gary Hand topped and tailed the Super Six in taking the East of Scotland Championship at East Saltoun, having won the first round-also in East Lothian-back in the spring, whilst series leader, Gordon Murdoch built upon an already unassailable points total, in second spot.

Le Tour de France 2013 – Stage 9: Saint-Girons > Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 165km. Dan Martin, file under ‘Big’

This season, Dan Martin has dispelled any doubts about whether he was ‘doing a Danielson’ and being a ‘coming man’ for year after year – Catalunya, la Doyenne and now a Tour stage mean that we can file British Cycling’s biggest ‘one that got away’ firmly under ‘Big.’

Le Tour de France 2016 – Stage 4; Saumur – Limoges. Kittel Out-Powers the Rest

"Ja!" Screams Marcel Kittel (Etixx) as he leaps back to his feet and cuddles his soigneur after sitting on the tarmac with his head buried in his elbows to await the verdict from the photo finish technicians - he has every right to be chuffed, he’s just won Stage Four of the 2016 Tour de France. In theory it should have been one for the smaller sprinters - 600 metres @ 4% to the finish line - not a beast like Kittel but he was the man producing most watts.

Tour de Trossachs 2013 – it’s Gold for Goldsworthy

Silas Goldsworthy (Sandy Wallace Cycles) added his name to the list of Scottish cycling greats – Steel, Bilsland, Millar, Obree and MacIntyre - who have won the Classic chrono, with a 1:07:29 ride on a ‘four seasons in one day,’ Sunday over the glorious countryside around Aberfoyle and Callander to take the win at the Tour de Trossachs 2013.

At Random

Dare We Guess?

Dare We Guess? Ok. So last night was on paper the stage that everyone expected-a breakaway that was difficult to get into, but stayed away once established. And yet it was hardly a predictable result, with a shake-up of the GC, another win to Garmin and Thor, and a request from the Schlecks that every stage please be an uphill time trial, or at worst an uphill two man teams time trial.

Michael Nicholson – “Racing Hard and Expecting Drama”

I wish I'd tried it; pals Dave, Ivan, Viktor, and our Editor Martin all did - save up your dough over the winter, take the ferry, doss in the cold little room in Gent. The ride out in the rain to the kermis, change in someone's parlour, the inevitable punctures and kickings, the phone call home from a payphone on Sunday night...

Question Marks

Question Marks. Today is a long, lumpy stage with a kicker in the final 2km. It's not hard enough for the GC boys to do more than snipe a few seconds on each other here or there, but maybe too hard for the pure sprinters to be a part of the finale.

Andrew Feather – National Hill Climb Champion for 2020

It was two years ago when we first interviewed Bath solicitor, Andrew Feather as CTT National Hill Climb Champion. In 2018, his Championship win was his 12th hill climb success off 15 starts - impressive. But not as impressive as this year with his Championship win the now 35 year-old’s victory was his 15th hill climb win off 15 starts.