Cycling Time Trials (CTT), the UK’s time trial national governing body, has released its 2023 events calendar – including National and VTTA Championships and a Classic Series.
CTT 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.
Time trial cycling is a solo event that puts cyclists up against the clock. Events are most commonly held over set distances and riders are traditionally set off in one-minute intervals.
The sport enjoyed a somewhat eclectic inception, formed by a bunch of cycling enthusiasts in 1890 after the National Cyclists’ Union announced new legislation that forbade ’bunched’ racing on open roads.
These early pioneering cyclists sought innovative ways to still enjoy the social and competitive side of their sport, and so time trialling began – with events held at dawn, on ‘secret’ courses, and with staggered starts.
To this day, time trial events often start early in the morning, and the sport has seen participation by some of the world’s most talented riders through the years, now seeing representation at some of the most famous cycling events in the world.
In 2023, the team at CTT has released its annual calendar of events, including the popular National Championships and Classic Series, which are set to be a focus for many who are setting out their season goals.
Alongside these ‘blue riband’ events is a full portfolio of ‘open’ and ‘club’ events, offering something for all ages and levels, located all across the UK.
The National Championship event calendar begins in May with the RTTC National Team Time Trial, taking place on the K33/23 course in Coventry. Following this comes a series of National Championship events throughout the summer months, with distances ranging from 10 miles, right up to 24 hours.
The season will come to a close in October with the UK climb charity event, The Struggle, hosting the National Hill Climb, with a gradient reaching extremes of 24%, over a distance of 2.67 miles.
For those looking to compete over the age of 40, the Veterans Time Trial Association (VTTA) has also announced its 2023 events in the CTT calendar, with events allowing for age-related competition on a ‘level playing field’ through their unique handicapping system of age adjusted times.
Andrea Parish, Chair of Cycling Time Trials, said “It’s a true honour to have been elected to serve as Chair of Cycling Time Trials.
“Ours is a true volunteer-led, grassroots organisation working for the benefit of all on behalf of our sport. We are very much looking forward to welcoming many new, and returning riders to our events this year, and to further building upon the sport we all love.”
www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk
www.vtta.org.uk
