Dr Hutch wins again
Courtesy of Cycling Weekly

THERE was no great surprise that Michael Hutchinson won his third national 25-mile title in Norfolk on Sunday. He was the fastest on paper, the defending champion and is the undisputed king of British time trialling. Flick through the past champions pages of the Cycling Time Trials handbook, and there is Hutchinson's name again and again and again.

But, despite the expectation, the In-Gear Quickvit RT rider really had to show his class to win this one. That's not to discredit any previous championship wins, but time trialling usually exists in its own little world of secret course numbers and unearthly starting hours. The riders who typically contest for titles are subscribers to this cult. Known faces on the scene; fellow weekly testers.

In track specialists Chris Newton and Andy Tennant there was a fresh challenge for Hutchinson. No, they weren't as prepared or as practised as some of the other favourites, but they've both performed on the world stage, with rainbow jerseys - and in Newton's case, Olympic medals - to prove it.

Classy contenders

"It's interesting to race those sort of guys when you really don't know what's going to happen," said Hutchinson.
Rapha-Condor's Chris Newton was perhaps the biggest threat, having won the '25' title 10 years ago and being in good form after a recent week's stage racing in Ireland's Ras. Then there was Tennant; 22 years old, Academy trained and a former junior world pursuit champion.

Despite a lack of road time trialling pedigree, the Halfords Bikehut rider had already given Hutch a scare at the 10 championship by being 10 seconds up on him at the turn. If he paced himself better for the 25 he could be a real threat.

Out on the course, both these Great Britain team regulars lived up to their promise. Tennant, in his Union Jack acre helmet, was eating up the tarmac. Newton, meanwhile, was closing on his two-minute man in a matter of miles; Richard Prebble no less.

Both Tennant and Newton averaged faster than 30mph for the distance and stopped the watch in the 50th minute. While the pair would prove quicker than any of the other more regular time triallists, the last man off failed to be perturbed.

Having started 18 minutes afer Newton, Hutchinson used strength into the wind to go 48 seconds faster to the midway turn. Informed of this, he knew he could afford caution when it started to rain in his closing miles. Here, the course tackled two right hand turns as well as twice crossing an increasingly busy roundabout. Despite the deteriorating conditions, Hutchinson's time of 48-23 gave him a luxurious margin over Newton's 49-32. Tennant was exactly a minute and a half off the pace but it was still enough for both a personal best and a bronze medal - much to the frustration of Matt Bottrill, who has lost count of the times he's been narrowly edged off a championship podium.

Pipped to the post

"They're Olympic and world champions," was his throwaway quip this time. "I'm a postman!"

Technically, Newton and Tennant are currently neither, but Bottrill's remark on their calibre goes some way to help illustrate Hutchinson's achievement.

Both men are full time, and heavily supported and invested in by the British team's mighty talent machine. Granted, they may be focused on other objectives, but they're both very fit and weren't mucking around at either entering or riding the championship.

Perhaps the last word should go to Chris Newton. In explaining why the simplicity of time trials appeals to him, he surely made the ultimate testimony to Hutchinson's classy win.
"At the end of the day, the best person wins in a time trial," he said. "There's nothing else in it."

1 Michael Hutchinson In-Gear Quickvit RT 00:48:23 25:10 31.002
2 Chris Newton Rapha Condor 00:49:32 25:58 30.283
3 Andrew Tennant Halfords Bikehut 00:49:53 26:00 30.070
4 Matthew Bottrill Team I-Ride 00:50:06 26:14 29.940
5 Ben Instone www.scientific-coaching.com 00:50:53 26:30 29.479
6 John Tuckett AW Cycles 00:51:21 26:50 29.211
7 Phill Sykes VC St Raphael 00:51:33 27:11 29.098
8 Danny Axford Arctic Premier RT 00:51:57 26:55 28.874
9 Peter Tadros In-Gear Quickvit RT 00:52:09 27:17 28.763
10 Nik Bowdler Farnborough & Camberley CC 00:52:29 A 27:28 28.581
11 Arthur Doyle Dooleys Cycles RT 00:52:40 28:04 28.481
12 Laurence Harding Shorter Rochford RT 00:52:46 A 28:00 28.427
13 Nino Piccoli API Metrow 00:52:57 28:14 28.329
14 Stephen Walkling Velocity Bikes CC 00:53:00 A 28:24 28.302
15 James McLaughlin Guernsey VC 00:53:04 28:15 28.266
16 William Moore Shorter Rochford RT 00:53:07 28:01 28.240
17 Scott Povey Warwickshire Road Club 00:53:07 27:41 28.240
18 Mick StLeger VC St Raphael 00:53:10 B 28:24 28.213
19 Lee Bark Stowmarket & Dist.CC 00:53:28 B 28:15 28.055
20 Sebastian Ader a3crg 00:53:30 28:25 28.037
21 Richard Simmons London Dynamo 00:53:30 27:42 28.037
22 James Wall Stratford on Avon CC 00:53:41 28:27 27.942
23 Richard Prebble Pinarello-Candi TV RT 00:53:43 A 28:16 27.924
24 Martin Williamson London Dynamo 00:53:48 28:30 27.881
25 Simon Bateson East London Velo 00:53:49 28:17 27.872
26 Julian Ramsbottom Team I-Ride 00:53:51 28:50 27.855
27 Geoff Platts Team I-Ride 00:53:53 C 28:08 27.838
28 Peter Balls West Suffolk Whs 00:53:54 A 28:47 27.829
29 Phil Burton Velocity Bikes CC 00:54:01 A 28:30 27.769
30 Jeremy Ponting a3crg 00:54:08 28:37 27.709
31 Andrew Allen New Brighton CC 00:54:11 28:38 27.684
32 Mark "Pnut" Arnold API Metrow 00:54:13 28:38 27.667
33 Graeme Stirzaker a3crg 00:54:28 A 28:35 27.540
34 Phil Bull Velo Club Elan 00:54:31 C 28:55 27.515
35 Rob Weare Team Midland Racing 00:54:34 B 28:59 27.489
36 Simon Tout Velocity Bikes CC 00:54:35 29:13 27.481
37 Ben Anstie Chippenham & Dist. Whs 00:54:37 29:10 27.464
38 Matthew Griffiths www,agiskoviner.com 00:54:38 28:28 27.456
39 Guy Powdrill London Dynamo 00:54:42 29:18 27.422
40 Carlos Riise Shetland Whs 00:54:42 A 29:12 27.422
41 Pete Vincent Mid Devon CC 00:54:46 28:41 27.389
42 Lee Turner Sigma Sport RT 00:54:49 A 29:20 27.364
43 Jeff Jones Chippenham & Dist. Whs 00:54:49 29:10 27.364
44 Charles Goodway Malton Whs 00:54:51 28:57 27.347
45 Jesse Elzinga Beeline Bicycles RT 00:54:51 29:01 27.347
46 Douglas Bradshaw Cambridge CC 00:54:56 28:29 27.306
47 David Watson Coventry RC 00:55:02 29:15 27.256
48 James Eman Anglia Velo 00:55:11 29:15 27.182
49 Adam Topham High Wycombe CC 00:55:13 A 29:30 27.166
50 Brett Harwood Westbrookcyles.co.uk/Scott 00:55:33 29:17 27.003
51 John Wager Felt Racing 00:55:35 26.987
52 James Stratton London Dynamo 00:55:37 29:32 26.970
53 Adam Hardy Wolds RT 00:55:45 29:20 26.906
54 Ross Clarke Team Milton Keynes 00:55:46 29:27 26.898
55 David McGaw Arctic Premier RT 00:56:00 29:49 26.786
56 Scott Walker Team I-Ride 00:56:10 30:05 26.706
57 Gary Beezer RAF CA 00:56:11 29:30 26.698
58 Paul Callinian London Dynamo 00:56:11 29:47 26.698
59 Andrew Strickland Cambridge CC 00:56:26 A 29:58 26.580
60 Michael Broadwith Shorter Rochford RT 00:56:30 29:42 26.549
61 Peter Weir Maidenhead & District CC 00:56:35 30:06 26.510
62 Warren King Wyre Forest CRC 00:56:42 A 31:52 26.455
63 Daniel Thorogood Clwb Beicio Ystwyth 00:56:55 B 29:59 26.354
64 Brian Phillips East Grinstead CC 00:56:58 B 29:55 26.331
65 Mark Donald Ford CC 00:57:02 30:25 26.300
66 Jonathon Hepper a3crg 00:57:04 A 30:08 26.285
67 Patrick Owen Team Endura MI Racing 00:57:07 30:20 26.262
68 Jason Nixon Kings Lynn CC 00:57:16 30:21 26.193
69 Nicholas English Reading CC 00:57:22 30:19 26.148
70 Aaron Bailey Guernsey VC 00:57:23 30:00 26.140
71 Steve Clarke Team Milton Keynes 00:57:29 C 30:26 26.095
72 Dave Green RAF CA 00:57:43 B 30:32 25.989
73 Mark Hiddleston Bynea CC 00:57:45 25.974
74 Gary Rushmore Kings Lynn CC 00:57:57 30:40 25.884
75 Oliver Roberts Sigma Sport 00:57:58 30:43 25.877
76 Kevin Gill PCA Ciclos Uno 00:57:59 E 30:45 25.870
77 Neil Hornett Chelmer CC 00:58:08 30:46 25.803
78 Richard Gifford In-Gear Quickvit RT 00:58:08 B 30:26 25.803
79 Ian Burgess In-Gear Quickvit RT 00:58:11 B 30:41 25.781
80 Ian Waddilove Fenland Clarion CC 00:58:20 C 30:42 25.714
81 Michael Valks Sussex Nomads CC 00:58:32 30:44 25.626
82 Ken Roesner Kings Lynn CC 00:58:32 B 30:47 25.626
83 Nicholas Sayer Peterborough CC 00:58:43 A 31:12 25.546
84 Peter Dickason RT316 00:58:45 B 30:47 25.532
85 Phil Lisher Team Welwyn 00:58:50 31:09 25.496
86 Martin Long Kings Lynn CC 00:58:58 31:11 25.438
87 Chris Nudds CC Breckland 00:59:05 E 31:08 25.388
88 John Golder Chelmer CC 00:59:24 D 31:20 25.253
89 Patrick Ellis VTTA East Anglian 00:59:36 A 31:42 25.168
90 Oliver Milk Diss & District CC 00:59:46 31:34 25.098
91 Simon Gent East London Velo 01:00:06 31:58 24.958
92 Allan Blackburn Seamons CC 01:00:07 B 31:36 24.951
93 Mike Hudspith Godric CC 01:00:31 B 32:01 24.787
94 Simon Layfield Team Welwyn 01:01:14 A 32:30 24.496
95 Richard Mellor Redbridge CC 01:01:37 32:33 24.344
96 Alan Stevenson CC Breckland 01:01:39 E 32:33 24.331
97 Colin Iown Ipswich BC 01:02:09 D 33:07 24.135
98 Andrew Murphy Haverhill Whs 01:02:09 32:51 24.135
99 Alex Eason Chelmer CC 01:03:11 33:12 23.740
100 Mark Fairhead CC Breckland 01:03:40 B 33:45 23.560
101 Peter Johnson Norwich ABC 01:04:01 B 34:20 23.431
102 Alan Miller Caesarean CC 01:04:17 F 34:12 23.334
103 Steve Rush Tri Anglia 01:04:38 B 34:30 23.208
104 Vince Gedge Norwich ABC 01:04:58 34:43 23.089
105 Robert Hogarth Tyneside Vagabonds CC 01:07:28 A 35:57 22.233
106 Eamonn Sheridan Birmingham Running & Tri Club 01:13:11 D 39:20 20.496