WINTRY conditions made it tough going in the early season spring classic time trial, the 50-mile Circuit of the Dales promoted by Nelson Wheelers.
There was snow on the tops as riders tackled a hilly route from Ingleton taking in Burton in Lonsdale, Kirkby Lonsdale, Sedbergh, Hawes and a return to Ingleton via Ribblehead.
Fastest was M Horton of ProBikeKit.com in 2hr 03min 25sec.
Holme Valley Wheeler Steve Robinson was fastest of the locals – a week covering 550 training miles in the sun of Majorca paying off as he improved on his time of the previous year by four minutes to clock 2-15-33.
Paul Brierley (Huddersfield Road Club) was timed at 2-37.01 and Owen Mitton (HRC) 2-41.51.
Lindley’s Tom Murray played a key role in helping his Pinarello RT teammate Russell Downing winning the first three road stages of the five-stage Tour of Majorca.
Downing won the first stage in a bunch sprint from German rider Christoph Schweitzer, the second alone, by some eight seconds and the third again in a bunch sprint. He also won the points competition with some ease.
The overall winner was Dirk Muller (Ger) Team Sparkasse with Downing sixth. Murray’s best placings were two 14ths on stages two and four.
