New British record for cyclist McLean

Cyclist Christine McLean won a silver medal and established a new British age record at the recent VTTA national 10-mile time trial championship.

Having just worked a night shift her preparation was not the best and a fog-delayed flight meant a trip on the freight boat and a 300-mile drive to North Wales.

The event was held on the A55 dual carriageway, only minutes from the area McLean grew up in, so it was familiar territory with the benefit of family support on the course giving her an extra boost.

The weather was superb – hot and sunny with a light easterly wind – and around 80 riders had travelled from around the country to compete.

The main prizes in this championship are awarded on plus standard time. Set standard times apply to each rider depending on age and gender and the trophy winner is the person who achieves the greatest plus time above their standard time.

McLean really enjoyed the competition, feeling strong and reaching speeds of 35mph on the outward leg. At the race headquarters the crowd grew around the results board, especially when, at one point, it seemed there might be a female champion!

It was left until the very last rider to determine the medals and the outcome was that McLean was only 18 seconds from the top spot which was won by 49-year-old Rob Pears of Bath CC.

Her actual finishing time of 21 minutes 47 seconds gave her a plus of seven minutes eight seconds and fastest lady by over 3.5 minutes, placing her second overall on standard. The bronze went to Aberdeen district rider Derek Stewart.

Mclean’s time is a new British age record, taking a further two seconds off the record she set in 2011.