With victories already this season in various time trial distances ranging from 25 to 100 miles (with a two mile hill climb win too), Iain Macleod (Kelpie Racing) has added the Scottish Cycling Olympic Time Trial 2021 title to his growing palmarès, his 1:16:53 putting him over a minute clear of Lee Rosie (University of Aberdeen, 1:17:58), with Joe Reilly (Studio Velo) only six seconds back on 1:18:04.
Promoted by the Hawick Cycling Club and run as part of the Hawick Festival of Cycling, the course took in a testing 34 mile circuit in the Scottish Borders, from Hawick, up Carter Bar, down to Jedburgh and back to Hawick and the finish.
As mentioned elsewhere on our pages, it’s disappointing that event clashes seem to be more common than ever before and here we have a Scottish National Championship attracting a small number of riders; 26 recorded a time, including three women and one junior, with one DNF and seven DNS, but with the CTT-run time trial classic the Tour of the Campsies, Chris Hoy’s Glasgow to Edinburgh charity ride and the Tour O’ The Borders closed roads sportive all happening at the same time, perhaps it’s no wonder that what should be a spotlight event for the sport had such a reduced field.
Fastest of the women was Victoria Smith (Aerocoach) with 1:31:46, and the single Junior in the field, Daniel Kain (Spokes Race Team) recorded 1:33:28.
Deciding to split our resources, Ed set off to cover the Tour of the Campsies while we were on the Olympic TT course nice and early, positioning ourselves near the top of the undulating and gradual four mile climb to Carter Bar, on the border between Scotland and England and scene of one of the last pitched battles between the English and the Scots in 1575.
First to appear on the horizon was #3, James Bader (Kelso Wheelers), with Gavin Church (Studio Velo), off #5 but only 15 seconds behind.
A minute later, #9 Richard Sanderson (Kinross CC) looked good out the saddle, disc wheel ‘making all the right noises’ as Ed would say, heading for an eventual 7th place.
First Lady to pass, off #6, Michelle Short (Hawick CC) in her bright club Le Col skinsuit meant business, but was it the heat of the morning that required the aero socks be rolled down?
Paul Davis (Musselburgh Roads), #11 was next up, like most riders the length of the climb requiring a stretch and some time out the saddle.
We saw Alexander Taylor’s (Torvelo) POC helmet in the distance before we recognised him. Off #12, he’d close on Davis but not catch him.
Taylor however had caught Calum Cormak (Deeside Thistle), #7, for five minutes, when he passed us a few seconds later.
Being the main road from Hawick and Roxburghshire south-wards, it was perhaps unsurprising to see how much traffic hurtled up the road, the otherwise quiet stillness of the Sunday morning making the roar of the vehicles all the more jarring.
#14, Arran Gannicott of the Gala CC looked solid and in control, ending up 9th on the day.