Just like last year, you could be forgiven for thinking we were in the middle of summer for the 2016 Monsal Hill Climb. Conditions were excellent for some fast times and we were not disappointed. Lou Bates won the Women’s event with a new course record of 01:42.8, second was Emilie Verroken, recording a time of 01:54.4. Just half a second behind in third was Rebecca Goodson. It was announced during the event that if the course records were broken then the winning prize money would be doubled, therefore Lou Bates took £500 for her efforts on the climb.

Malcolm Elliott’s Men’s course record set back in 1981 still remains intact, but there were some very good times recorded in the race. Adam Kenway took the title with a time of 01:16.5, Joe Clark was second with 01:16.7 and Russell Downing set his best ever time on the course with a time of 01:17.8, taking third place. About an hour before the elite riders took to the climb there was a noticeable tail wind, I suspect the Men’s course record would have been close to being broken if the tailwind had persisted to the end of the event.

Once again the event attracted some of the big names in cycling. Ben Swift of Team Sky took part in the event despite only riding in the Tour of Lombardy the day before, recording a time of 1:35.8.

There is a gallery below featuring some of the highlights of the event. Scroll down below the gallery for the event results.

Gallery of Photos

Men Top 20

1 184 Adam Kenway Metaltek Kuota RT Sen Male 01:16.5
2 186 Joseph Clark Envelopemaster Giant Sheffield Sen Male 01:16.7
3 182 Russell Downing JLT Condor Sen Male 01:17.8
4 183 Jack Pullar Pedal Heaven Sen Male 01:18.6
5 179 Andy Nichols Team B38/Underpin Racing Sen Male 01:21.5
6 162 Kieran Wynne-Cattanach Rhos-on-Sea CC Sen Male 01:22.4
7 158 Calum Brown Sheffrec CC Sen Male 01:22.7
8 175 Danny Featherstone Andy Moore Autocentres Racing Sen Male 01:22.8
9 181 Robert Gray HMT Academy with JLT Condor J Male 01:23.6
10 169 Shaun Dolby Birdwell Wheelers Sen Male 01:24.1
11 177 William Bourne Handsling Racing Team Sen Male 01:24.4
= 12 168 James Allen Sheffrec CC Sen Male 01:24.6
= 12 176 Ben Turner HMT Academy with JLT Condor J Male 01:24.6
14 172 Ross Lamb Mansfield Road Club Sen Male 01:25.2
15 165 Jack Stephenson Out of the Saddle CC Sen Male 01:25.7
16 160 Jim Brown Holmfirth C C J Male 01:26.5
17 156 Steve Tait Mapperley CC Sen Male 01:27.5
18 161 Callum Stewart Sheffrec CC Sen Male 01:27.6
19 164 Kieran Savage Team B38/Underpin Racing Sen Male 01:28.0
20 114 Mike Morris NFTO Race Club Sen Male 01:28.5

Women

1 180 Lou Bates Veloschils Interbike RT L Female 01:42.8 – COURSE RECORD
2 173 Emilie Verroken Langsett Cycles Race Team L Female 01:54.4
3 80 Rebecca Goodson Sheffrec CC L Female 01:54.9
4 167 Elizabeth Stedman Fusion RT Fierlan L Female 01:57.2
5 58 Lily Greenhalgh East Bradford CC SG Female 01:58.2
6 132 Sian Botteley Starley Racing L Female 02:02.2
7 74 Gemma Sargent Kent Valley RC L Female 02:03.6
8 50 Nicola Soden Veloschils Interbike RT L Female 02:09.0
9 170 Josephine Gilbet Footon Velosport L Female 02:09.4
10 9 Fiona Harrison Sheffrec CC L Female 02:11.1
11 163 Felicity Gledhill SportCity LJ Female 02:12.9
12 123 Monica Dew Boot Out Breast Cancer CC LJ Female 02:15.5
13 143 Natalie Hodson Veloschils Interbike RT L Female 02:19.2
14 25 Ann Walsham Maxx RT LV Female 02:20.4
15 42 Nicola Holloway Sheffrec CC L Female 02:22.4
16 27 Kate Dommett Sheffrec CC L Female 02:23.4
17 32 Yasmin Marks Derby Mercury R C L Female 02:27.5
18 12 Sarah Briggs Matlock CC SG Female 02:29.3
19 21 Holly Carter Manchester Wheelers L Female 02:30.2
20 38 Madeline Crosswaite York Cycleworks L Female 02:33.7
21 18 Erin Avill North Midland Youth Squad SG Female 02:36.4
22 68 Rebecca Gregson The Racing Chance Foundation LJ Female 02:37.0
23 14 Tia Sheldon Langsett Cycles Race Team SG Female 02:39.3
24 2 Grace Longden Matlock CC Female 02:48.0
25 29 Carolyn Gaunt WCS Racing Team L Female 02:49.5
26 52 Beverly Lucas Full Gas Racing Team LV Female 02:56.7

Veteran Men

1 139 Simon Froberg Dinnington Racing Club V Male 01:35.7
2 159 Chris Myhill Peak Road Club V Male 01:35.8
3 128 Tony Cope Leek Cyclists’ Club V Male 01:36.6
4 129 Jon Wild Veloviewer V Male 01:36.9
5 146 Andy Hibberd Rapha Cycling Club V Male 01:37.0
6 131 Andrew Sedgewick Langsett Cycles Race Team V Male 01:37.2
7 135 Jaime Harper Sheffrec CC V Male 01:38.1
8 134 Lee Brown Holmfirth C C V Male 01:38.2
9 121 Robin Mckinnon Harworth and District Cycling Club V Male 01:38.9
10 115 Simon Warren Norwood Paragon CC V Male 01:40.9

Veteran Women

1 25 Ann Walsham Maxx RT LV Female 02:20.4
2 52 Beverly Lucas Full Gas Racing Team LV Female 02:56.7

Junior Men

1 181 Robert Gray HMT Academy with JLT Condor J Male 01:23.6 CATEGORY RECORD
2 176 Ben Turner HMT Academy with JLT Condor J Male 01:24.6
3 160 Jim Brown Holmfirth C C J Male 01:26.5
4 98 Brad Dransfield Kirklees Cycling Academy J Male 01:37.3
5 148 Eugene Cross SSLL Racing Team J Male 01:38.2
6 166 Matthew Cosgrove High Peak Cycles RT J Male 01:38.6
7 157 Harry Hardcastle Champion System/VCUK J Male 01:39.4
8 99 Sam Walsham Team Bikebox Alan J Male 01:40.8
9 145 Cavan Walker Acre Racing Team J Male 01:44.7
10 142 Luke Hind Bolsover and District CC J Male 01:45.1

Junior Women

1 163 Felicity Gledhill SportCity LJ Female 02:12.9
2 123 Monica Dew Boot Out Breast Cancer CC LJ Female 02:15.5
3 68 Rebecca Gregson The Racing Chance Foundation LJ Female 02:37.0

School Boys

1 59 Oliver Rees Holmfirth C C SB Male 01:30.4 CATEGORY RECORD
2 15 Jamie-Joshua Dene Welwyn Whs SB Male 01:43.0
3 4 Joe Bennett Welwyn Whs SB Male 01:53.4
4 20 Nick Edwards Matlock CC SB Male 01:55.3
= 5 5 Benjamin Mappin North Midland Youth Squad SB Male 02:02.7
= 5 6 William Longden Matlock CC SB Male 02:02.7
7 7 Ethan Roberts-Cutts North Midland Youth Squad SB Male 02:06.8
8 8 Barnaby Walkingshaw Beacon Wheelers CC SB Male 02:08.1
9 16 Matt Nicholson Matlock CC SB Male 02:08.3
10 35 Taylor Hill North Midland Youth Squad SB Male 02:10.7

School Girls

1 58 Lily Greenhalgh East Bradford CC SG Female 01:58.2 CATEGORY RECORD
2 12 Sarah Briggs Matlock CC SG Female 02:29.3
3 18 Erin Avill North Midland Youth Squad SG Female 02:36.4
4 14 Tia Sheldon Langsett Cycles Race Team SG Female 02:39.3
5 2 Grace Longden Matlock CC SG Female 02:48.0

Spot Prizes

30 152 Hamish Mcdougall Leicester Forest CC
40 86 Christopher Dredge Spirit Racing Team
50 No winner
60 99 Sam Walsham Team Bikebox Alan
70 113 Marc Hughes Common Lane Occasionals
80 87 Adam Lathbury Rutland Cycling Club
100 80 Rebecca Goodson Sheffrec CC
120 43 John Hind Bolsover and District CC
140 163 Felicity Gledhill SportCity