A MATTER of days after the Tour of Britain passed through the area, cycle racing returned to the roads of Saddleworth.
This year, cycling club Saddleworth Clarion teamed up with Peak Audax, a long-distance cycling organisation in the North West, to run the Beard Cup Team Hill Climb in Diggle.
The Beard Cup first ran in 1929 and the hill climb is approximately 1.7km long on Huddersfield Road in the village. It starts just after the crossroads of Carr Lane and Harrop Green Lane and ends approximately 200 metres before the junction with the A62.
A field of nearly 50 riders representing 12 clubs tested themselves on the tough Pennine incline last Sunday, September 10.
Potholes, stifling heat, a headwind and a total ascent of 138 metres were among the challenges that the riders had to overcome along the route.
It was in these tough early conditions that nine-year-old Friezland School pupil and Clarion member Seth Mitchell was the first rider off, setting a time of 11 minutes 40 seconds to beat.
A number of Saddleworth Clarion riders swiftly followed at minute intervals to raise the standard.
Rochdale-based East Lancs Road Club and Manchester Wheelers both set early team times, which consisted of either the two fastest male riders and fastest female of two fastest females and fastest male from each club.
Martha Tibbot, from Saddleworth Clarion, set an unbeatable time of five minutes 55 seconds to secure the women’s prize.
However, it was George Bromley, a junior rider from Litchfield City, who surprised the field to take gold with a fantastic time of four minutes 54 seconds. George will represent Litchfield in the up and coming National Hill Climb.
As the final riders set off, the Beard Cup hung in the balance, but the Saddleworth riders could not better the times set by the East Lancs team, who returned to Rochdale with the trophy and a £300 prize fund provided by Manchester’s Rapha CC shop and Saddleworth-based Grasscroft Properties.
But Saddleworth Clarion did not return empty handed as Paul Manchester took the ‘tourist prize’ for the fastest rider on a fully-equipped touring bike – meaning he carried lights, mudguards and saddlebags on his bike in a time of seven minutes 18 seconds.
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