Croft on Top at Portland Hill Climb

Calum Croft (Mud, Sweat n’ Gears) stomped to victory on Portland, his first and last Hill Climb. Croft set a course best for the hill but the 25 year old from Bridport, who has four wins on the road this year has no plans for further tests uphill against the clock, preferring a few Cross races in his Off-season.

Sixty seven riders signed on for the classic, 1.3 mile climb that ramps up through the village of Fortuneswell to the finish high above Chesil Beach on Thomas Hardy’s “Isle of Slingers”. Low cloud denied spectators the stunning views to the west, while those on the bikes concentrated on a small patch of tarmac in front of them.

James Horton (Cannondale), winner of the Primera Purbeck road race two weeks ago, finished 8 seconds behind Croft with Bournemouth Jubilee’s Simon McLaughlin in third place, reversing the placing’s of the Kingston climb in round 1. Horton & McLaughlin look set to battle it out for individual glory in the 4 race series.

Mud, Sweat ‘n’gears packed the field and picked up a ton of points in the team competition. The short, steep climb of Creech Hill in the Purbecks awaits the riders in round 3.

Back in the day the Iconic climb of Portland featured in the Milk Race,dissapointingly increasing traffic may cause CC Weymouth to seek out a quieter challenge next year.

RESULT
1 Calum Croft Mud Sweat And Gears 04:32:51
2 James Horton Cannondale Racing 04:40:40
3 Simon McLaughlan Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 04:46:29
4 Ryan Weston Poole Wheelers 04:48:12
5 Patrick Dunn CC Weymouth 04:53:83
6 Giles Greening Mud Sweat And Gears 04:57:51
7 Martin Rowland Poole Wheelers 04:58:61
8 Bryce Riglar CC Weymouth 05:01:04
9 Andy Cooper Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 05:11:43
10 Steve Pink CC Weymouth 05:14:69
11 Wayne Roberts CATI 05:16:81
12 David Boss Mud Sweat And Gears 05:17:36
13 John Vinson Poole Wheelers 05:20:15
14 Matt Ings Cycleccino 05:20:46
15 Matt Norris Mud Sweat And Gears 05:20:85
16 Jon Brumfield CC Weymouth 05:21:30
17 Richard Porter CC Weymouth 05:22:26
18 Phil Cole Mud Sweat And Gears 05:27:14
19 Alex Adams Mud Sweat And Gears 05:27:56
20 Alex Evans Mud Sweat And Gears 05:31:33
21 Andrew Leach Mud Sweat And Gears 05:31:52
22 Dan Haskins Mud Sweat And Gears 05:32:10
23 Ali Fielding Poole Wheelers 05:33:58
24 John O'Brien Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 05:33:65
25 Simon Cheney Mud Sweat And Gears 05:34:83
26 Nick Voss Mud Sweat And Gears 05:41:87
27 Steve Oliver CC Weymouth 05:42:37
28 Michael Watts Mud Sweat And Gears 05:42:73
29 Justin Loveland Day Member 05:49:19
30 Tim Lee Mud Sweat And Gears 05:50:46
31 Matt Child Poole Wheelers 05:52:78
32 Jude Hatcher Day Member 05:55:68
33 Andrew Jardine CC Weymouth 05:55:75
34 Robert Midmore Mud Sweat And Gears 05:59:29
35 Brandon King CC Weymouth 06:01:16
36 John Chapman CC Weymouth 06:02:76
37 Peter Loakes Day Member 06:11:22
38 Ian Manley Day Member 06:11:62
39 Matt Merritt CC Weymouth 06:14:25
40 Conal Low-Grier Portsmouth North End CC 06:15:18
41 Jeremy Guy CC Weymouth 06:25:40
42 Alison Ford V C Meudon 06:26:26
43 Kevin Harris Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 06:34:86
44 Gordon Skillen Poole Wheelers 06:35:49
45 Phil Smith CC Weymouth 06:36:95
46 Andrew Jackson CC Weymouth 06:41:69
47 Stu Pearson Mud Sweat And Gears 06:42:48
48 Louise Cooper Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers 06:44:12
49 Luke Dighton Poole Wheelers 06:46:07
50 Philip Clive CC Weymouth 06:50:38
51 Chris Chapman Mud Sweat And Gears 06:51:54
52 Adam Bayliss Cycleccino 06:53:69
53 James Margery CC Weymouth 06:55:06
54 Nick Ireland CC Weymouth 06:58:45
55 Steve Trigwell CC Weymouth 07:00:24
56 Aarron Bevis Mud Sweat And Gears 07:07:77
57 Andrew Preston CC Weymouth 07:09:49
58 Matt Pye MSG 07:26:98
59 Richard Bibby Mud Sweat And Gears 07:30:54
60 Antony Hood Mud Sweat And Gears 07:34:75
61 Wayne Fordham Mud Sweat And Gears 07:35:87
62 Peter Grounds Poole Wheelers 07:41:86
63 Kevin Stibb Mud Sweat And Gears 07:49:82
64 Will Wilson CC Weymouth 08:11:49
65 Brian Sands CC Weymouth 08:20:88
66 Stuart Carrington CC Weymouth 08:55:33
67 Edmund Carrington CC Weymouth 11:48:45
Team Comp
MSG 733
CCW 663
PWH 473
BJW 409
ARR 0
WRC 0