Cycling Time Trials reveal important update to National Championship Conditions

August 2, 2023

Cycling Time Trials (CTT) are pleased to announce changes to their Championship events, in which all rider achievements can be celebrated.

2nd August 2023 – UK/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Cycling Time Trials (CTT) is the governing body for time trials in the UK, and the team promotes a wide range of events across the UK, set over a variety of distances, locations and terrains. Events span across fast and flat “drag strips”, in which riders seek to achieve their fastest ride, to punchy hill climbs, road bike and closed circuit event categories.

The Cycling Time Trials board and team regularly meet to review the rules and regulations of the sport, listening to rider feedback and closely observing industry updates and trends, in order to support the most enjoyable, and fairest, competition for all.

This week, the board has issued an update regarding a regulation (2, h) that determines the number of awards that are issued at their National Championships events, this being that ‘In the event that there are fewer than 10 eligible entrants for individual awards in a Championship, the number of medallions awarded is reduced to two. If fewer than five eligible entrants, only the winners award will be made.’

The Board of Cycling Time Trials has voted to rescind the above Condition with immediate effect. This will apply to Championships in 2023, previously held and upcoming, and means that medals will now be awarded to the first three riders in each Championship, irrespective of the number of competitors. It also means that all podium finishers will receive coveted invites to the famous CTT Champions’ Lunch and Prize Presentation, due to be held in Hellidon, Northamptonshire on 24^th January 2024.

Andrea Parish, Chair of Cycling Time Trials says, ‘this is a really important development for our sport, and I’m delighted with this decision. A huge driving force for me in my role as Chair of CTT is in the celebration of domestic time trial cycling, and the celebration of rider achievement, for which this rule change is a clear advocate. It will help us to applaud all of those who deserve recognition for their amazing achievements, rather than being governed by numbers on a sheet. I’m excited to celebrate the achievements of all our prize winners at our luncheon in January’

Amy Hudson, bronze medallist at this year’s CTT 24-hour National Championships says, “Thank you CTT for listening and making change, challenging this rule wasn’t about me getting a Bronze medal, but about making sure women’s achievements are recognised in the sport. I’m looking forward to seeing three women on the podium going forwards and I hope more women feel inspired to give cycling a go.”

For more information on how you can get involved head over to www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk

The Cycling Time Trials team can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Contact

Name: Kate Allan – Compete PR

Email: Kate@competepr.com

Phone: +447754 072648

Editors Notes

Cycling Time Trials is the National Governing Body for time trials in England, Scotland and Wales.

In the early days it resembled more like what we now know as road racing where all competitors started together and the first to cross the line won.

With the introduction of the motor car all this changed, with events being pushed off the road and held on velodromes. However there were those who still wanted to compete on the road.

One of these, FT Bidlake by name, came up with a plan. If each rider were to be dispatched separately and just timed over the course, he wouldn’t be seen to be racing, just going about his normal business “a bit quick like”! Then the person covering the course in the shortest time could be (secretly) declared the winner.

So Time Trialling came into being.

In the early days (and until relatively recently) it was a fairly simple matter of finding a convenient place to start an event, measuring half the intended distance of the event up the road, noting the place where a marshal was to be stationed to turn the riders, and fixing the finish opposite the start. Traffic conditions have all but put paid to that sort of simplicity. Now courses have to be designed with turning points at convenient flyovers or roundabouts, starts and finishes are rarely very close together, and the provision of a HQ with changing facilities is high on the priority list.

As the years have passed, various changes have been made. Time Triallists no longer have to meet in secret, wearing what was called “inconspicuous clothing”. Pre-event publicity, has been allowed for as long as most people can remember, and prize winners are allowed to receive cash prizes.

The idea of individuals riding “against the clock” and ignoring any other rider who they catch or who catches them still holds true for the majority of events today but there are also events which are for teams of two, three or four riders who ride together known as Team Time Trials – shortened to 2up/3up/4up TTTs.

Events held on flattish main roads and following a more-or-less “out and home” pattern are still in the majority but with the increasing level of traffic there has been a tendency for more events of a so called “sporting” nature to take place. These are often on hillier roads and usually follow circuit type courses so that the route can be followed by using only left turns. This means, the problems associated with the long “spear-point” intersections of dual carriageway roads can be avoided.

Many over 40s take part in Time Trials and the VTTA (Veterans Time Trials Association) devised a system of “Standards”. These are only for those 40 years old and more and consists of a table of allowable times at each age for all the standard distances competed at. To work out the result of an event each rider’s time is compared to his Standard and the difference (±) is credited. The winner is the rider with the most plus.

All open events are advertised in the annual ‘CTT handbook’ and via the website. To ride in any of them you need to be a member of a club affiliated to Cycling Time Trials. There are at least that number again of “Club Events” (which are generally not advertised) and if you approach the club promoting one of them you could get a ride on a “come and try it” basis.