R11 Friction Hydraulics Series: West Cheshire TTCA 50

Tomos Hales may have been absent from a few events recently but muscle memory came good in Round 11 of the Friction Hydraulics Series, the West Cheshire TTCA 50 as he set yet another Course Record in a season where many new courses have been introduced. Hales wasn’t the only one in on the act too as Aerologic team mate Hayley Wells set yet another Female Course record in a glittering season.

Hales stopped the watch on an impressive 1 hour 48 minutes 50 seconds, seemingly suitably rested. Held on the same Hodnet – Shawbury – Crudgington circuit as the classic Anfield 100 which challenged riders in the heat, Hales reflected on missing that event, the psychological advantage that seemed to give him over those that had, and digging into his reserves to deal with a block headwind down the A53 between Hodnet and Shawbury: “Having missed a good chunk of the May time trial season I was motivated to go for it on this 50 mile event. I pushed hard into the wind on the top section, and it definitely picked up the more laps we did. I was super happy with the time and the win. Glad I missed the 100 mile time trial on this circuit as people are still scared from it – thanks to West Cheshire for hosting and all the marshals that helped out on a great event”.

Wells crossed the line just beating the two hour/25mph average mark in 1:59:50 – exactly the same as in the same event in 2025, albeit on a different version of the course. This moved her up to be just five points off Chris Riley’s Overall Friction Series lead, the narrowest gap possible after Riley finished one place below in 2:02:56. Wells took a mightily impressive victory in the female standings of nearly 33 minutes from North Shropshire Wheelers’ Kathryn Rossiter and opened up her Friction Female Series lead to a commanding 245 points. She revealed that she went for a ‘negative split’ strategy, winding effort up as the race progressed: “I started conservatively, treating the first lap as a warm-up before building through the race. Despite the wind picking up, the pacing strategy paid off and I was able to finish with a strong final lap. I was really pleased to sneak under the two hour mark; and to clock the exact same finishing time to the second as last year, despite a slightly different course. It was another great morning of racing with an awesome cycling community”.

Taking victory in the Friction Veterans Series as well as the runner-up spot was Paramount’s Simon Romei, who recorded +22:42 on Veteran’s Standard to push Riley out to second in this competition with +19:59. His actual time of 1:54:58 just pushed Wrekinsport’s Oli Freeman into the final podium slot by a narrow 10 seconds. Romei also found things tough in the rising wind, but punched through it with aplomb: “Really pleased to have secured the County runner up and Veterans win in the WCTTCA 50 race. It was a tough morning with a south-westerly wind. On the first lap I was thinking this is going to be a fast day, but then by the time I hit the Espley roundabout on the second lap to head back to Shawbury I was greeted with a wall of wind. I really had to push super hard to keep on target for a good time. Massive thanks to the organisers and all the marshals who did a first class job ensuring the race ran nice and smoothly; without you guys these races wouldn’t happen”.

For Freeman this was his first ever attempt at the distance and a circuit he now knows all too well after suffering in the heat of the Anfield 100 around it, and just losing out to Romei in that too as the pair appear closely matched in ability. He was happy with his efforts after setting an initial personal best of 1:55:08, commenting: “It was my first attempt at a 50 mile time trial, and I was pleased with the way I rode. The top section of the course from Hodnet to Shawbury certainly added to the challenge with the wind. Another close battle with Simon, but really happy to take SCCA third; thanks to the organisers for putting on a great event and well done to Tomos for the overall win”. Riley still maintains his Overall Friction Series lead by an ever-decreasing margin, but opened up his Veterans Series lead by a significant amount, now holding a huge 290 point advantage.

In the Road Bike Series the leaders were in for a shock as 84 year-old David Wilson put in a strong effort to beat them all on handicap. Wilson recorded an actual time of 2:41:48, but when normalised for the significant age differences in competition that converted to 1:59:43, beating Paul Duncan by 2:55. This was only Wilson’s second appearance of the season, and his first on a road bike. He commented: “I am very surprised with the result as the wind on the A53 seemed to get stronger each time down to Shawbury. Thanks to all the marshals out on the course especially the fellow on the Espley roundabout for giving me a good shout every time went past, it really helped me a lot. Thanks also to the people at the hall for all the tea and cakes”! Having held joint lead of this Series Andrew Dawson took over the sole lead after finishing fifth on the day, and now has a 25 point advantage over reigning champion and Paramount team mate Jon Goh.

SCCA:

Veterans:

Females:

Road Bikes (on handicap):

Top Club Award:

Cumulative Standing after eleven rounds

Overall

Veterans

Females

Road Bikes

Juniors

Top Club Award