CHAMPION: Adrian Sluman
PLYMOUTH Corinthians’ Adrian Sluman rounded off the road season with a storming win at the Jennycliff Hill Climb on Sunday.
The event, which was promoted by City Cycle Couriers RT, started from Jennycliff car park and finished as the road levels out past Staddon Heights Golf Club.
The course record would go twice on a day with a stiff easterly wind buffeting the riders on the final stretch.
At only 0.7 miles in length, the climb was well suited to 41-year-old Plympton road-man Sluman.
A strong field comprising many up-an-coming young riders and established road race winners took to the line at one minute intervals.
The early starters set some promising times, with one of the young challengers, Gabriel Cox of Royal Navy Cycling, setting the early pace with a two minutes 48 second effort.
Plymouth Corinthians’ Jasmine Gray also set a fine time with a 3:47 ride which would be good enough for first lady.
CHALLENGER: Josh Greet
Off 20th was Plymouth’s Josh Greet, guesting for City Cycle Couriers and already a multiple road race winner this year. Greet was one of the favourites and determined to put last year’s ‘late start’ mishap behind him. He didn’t disappoint this time round and stormed up the hill in 2:35 to take two seconds off Sluman’s 2014 course record.
Other road winners this year and fancied riders on the day, Corinthians’ Sam Woods and Phil Bray came and went without challenging but the serious challenge would come from junior, Jordan Channon of Tavistock Wheelers.
PODIUM FINISH: James Cartlidge
Channon had won the previous weekend’s hill climb at Haytor and went close with a 2:45 only to see this bettered by Corries’ James Cartlidge, who posted a fine 2:43 personal best. This would ultimately give Cartlidge a podium finish.
Sluman, though, was off last man and knew it would take a record-breaking effort to displace Greet.
Delivering power perfectly, Sluman smashed up the slope with a stunning 2:31 to go four seconds clear of Greet and set a new course record in the process.