TL;DR
Get business pricing on garage and car supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
The UK National Hill-Climb Championships are scheduled for 25 October on Porlock Hill’s toll-road climb in Somerset, a roughly 4.2-mile ascent that differs from the short, steep courses often used. Four-time champion Andrew Feather says he has made substantial changes to his riding position for the faster course, while Illi Gardner says she has kept her approach largely the same.
Four-time national champion Andrew Feather says he has altered his riding position and bike setup for this year’s UK National Hill-Climb Championships, which are scheduled for 25 October on Porlock Hill in Somerset. The roughly four-mile toll-road climb is longer and shallower than many championship routes, giving riders a different test and prompting contrasting preparations from Feather and three-time former champion Illi Gardner.
Feather, who rides for HuntBikeWheels.com, told Cycling Weekly that he had worked on a new position throughout the year because he has previously struggled on shallow, fast climbs. He said his upright posture and tendency to ride out of the saddle exposed him to more wind. His changes include riding in the drops, extending his reach by six centimetres, lowering the front end by five centimetres and narrowing his handlebars from 42 to 32 centimetres.
Feather is riding a Specialized S-Works Tarmac and has targeted longer races this season. The report says he had won six of six hill-climbs so far, including the three-mile Nebo Road event in Wales and the 4.5-mile Great Dunn Fell climb. Those results are reported ahead of the national event; they do not establish who will win on Porlock Hill. Feather said the championships remain his main goal, adding that he would prefer to save his best result for the national race rather than win every event before it.
Gardner, of Cardiff Ajax CC, is a three-time former champion and last year’s silver medallist. She said she welcomed the longer course and had already inspected it, but had not substantially changed her preparation. Gardner told Cycling Weekly she generally does not focus heavily on equipment or aerodynamics, while acknowledging she might try a skinsuit after previously forgoing one. She was also preparing to defend her Everesting title in Sicily before returning her attention to shorter hill-climb races.
A Longer Course Changes the Test
Porlock’s toll-road route changes the demands of the championship compared with the short, steep ascents often associated with hill-climb racing. At approximately 4.2 miles and an average gradient of 5.5%, it may reward sustained power and aerodynamic positioning as well as climbing ability. The source report says the course could interest power riders, but the eventual effect on the results is not known.
That difference gives the event a practical question beyond which rider is in the strongest form: whether a specialist’s established technique suits this particular climb. Feather’s adjustments are a direct response to his account of struggling on shallower roads. Gardner’s contrasting approach shows that the same course does not lead every contender to make the same changes. Their plans offer a guide to the competing considerations, not a prediction of the outcome.
The championship also matters to riders and fans following the domestic hill-climb season, which is entering its concluding stretch. Feather’s six wins make him a rider to watch, while Gardner’s past national titles and previous year’s silver medal give her a strong record. Neither record settles what will happen over the longer course.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Steep Climbs to Porlock
The UK hill-climb season generally runs from around the beginning of September and culminates in the national championships. While professional road cycling’s late-season calendar includes major events such as the World Road Championships and Il Lombardia, the domestic hill-climb calendar provides a separate focus for specialist climbers.
Porlock Hill has two routes. The main road is known for its steepness; the championship will use the toll road, which runs roughly parallel and is described in the report as a more gradual ascent. Its published figures are 4.2 miles at an average 5.5% gradient. The length and exposure distinguish it from the short, sharp efforts common at the championships. Gardner said wind could affect riders near the exposed top.
Feather’s recent season has included climbs of similar or greater length, including Great Dunn Fell at 4.5 miles. Gardner’s recent training has also included two Everesting Roam rides of about 200 miles each, according to the report. She said she would shift focus back to hill-climb events after the Everesting Championships in Sicily.
“I made a conscious decision really early in the year to really work on my position.”
— Andrew Feather, speaking to Cycling Weekly
cycling riding position accessories
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Race-Day Conditions and Outcome
The report gives the scheduled date as Sunday 25 October but does not identify the year, so the date’s calendar year cannot be confirmed from the supplied material. It also does not provide a final start list, race-day weather forecast or the eventual results. Gardner raised possible wind exposure near the top, but the actual conditions on race day are not established.
Feather’s six wins and the riders’ stated preparations are information available before the championship, not evidence of the final outcome. The report does not quantify how much time a narrower handlebar, lower front end or skinsuit might save on this route. It also does not say whether Gardner ultimately raced in a skinsuit or how her Everesting event affected her preparation.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Championship on 25 October
The next milestone is the National Hill-Climb Championships on Porlock Hill, scheduled for 25 October. Feather is aiming to carry his changes into the event, while Gardner said she would return to shorter hill-climb races after the Everesting Championships in Sicily and expected to race several more times before the national contest.
Race-day conditions and the riders’ final choices of equipment could add to the challenge on the exposed, longer climb. The supplied report does not include later updates, so the start list, conditions and result remain to be confirmed.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
When are the UK National Hill-Climb Championships scheduled?
The source report gives the date as Sunday 25 October, but it does not specify the year.
Where will the championship climb take place?
The event is scheduled for the Porlock Hill toll road in Somerset, rather than the steep main-road route.
What changes has Andrew Feather made?
Feather told Cycling Weekly he is riding in the drops, has extended his reach by six centimetres, lowered the front end by five centimetres and narrowed his handlebars from 42 to 32 centimetres.
Has Illi Gardner changed her approach?
Gardner said she had not substantially changed her approach. She welcomed the longer distance and said she might try a skinsuit, but the report does not confirm that she did so.
Who is expected to win?
The supplied report does not establish a winner. Feather had won six hill-climbs earlier in the season, while Gardner is a former champion and last year’s silver medallist; those records do not determine the result on Porlock Hill.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
