Blenheim Bonanza

The annual festival of cycling at Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, kicked off on Saturday with the popular 20-kilometre time trial on the Palace’s closed roads.

Over 270 riders took part many of them having their first crack against the watch and this year the GB Paralympic riders took part before they head for the Paralympic Games.

Apart from the unknowns who rode half the field was made up of regular TT competitors headed by Michael Hutchinson (In Gear Quickvit-Trainsharp), a regular at Blenheim.

Others of note included Rob Yeatman (Dream Cycling), Steve Golla (High Wycombe CC), Dean Robson (Somerset RC), Scott Walker (MG Décor) and Joseph Perrett (PCA Ciclos Uno).

The ladies going for it included Sarah Storey (For Viored), another preparing for the Paralympics, Bronwen Ewing (PM Racing) and Rebecca Slack (London Dynamo). 

It was Perrett 21, who came out on top with a 25-29, beating Hutchinson by six seconds with Dean Robson third at 1-56.

Sarah Storey showed the way home for the women finishing in seventh place in the overall listings with her 28-30. Her For Viored teammate Claire Galloway was runner-up with a 30-39, just one second ahead of Rebecca Slack.

Winning the Brompton World Championship for the second successive year compensated Hutchinson. Julia Shaw (drag2zero) won the women’s championship.