REPORT: Clegg and Main secure VTTA National 30 titles

Jen Clegg and Peter Main were crowned champions after standout performances at the VTTA National 30-Mile title race in Kent on Sunday.
Leicester-based Clegg (Team Bottrill) mastered the Q30/3 course near Hamstreet in an age-adjusted time (AAT) of 58-17 at the age of 71, securing the Thorpe Trophy as best overall on AAT.
And in the open event, 59-year-old Peter Main from West Sussex took the win for 34 Nomads with a time of 59-45.
Cool, still conditions greeted the riders on the startsheet for this year’s championships on the flat, single-carriageway Q30/3 course. The early start meant mist threatened to cover the course and make conditions difficult for riders, but it soon evaporated and, by the end of the event, a glorious summer day was firmly installed.
The first riders to reach the timekeeper was the tandem pairing of Ian Greenstreet and Gwen Kinsey (Newbury Velo CC). The pair were competing in their first open event together and secured first place in the tandem event with an age adjusted time (AAT) of 1:02:42.
Although the women’s field was fairly small, the cream of the crop were still very much in attendance. There was standout performance from Jen Clegg who, despite blowing away the competition in other VTTA events, had yet to win a championship title.
Today ended that, and she claimed her first national championship title with a stunning AAT of 58:17.
Sarah Matthews (…a3crg) battled hard and rode an impressive 58:45 AAT for silver, while Jacqui Lane (Eastbourne Rovers CC) took the bronze medal with an AAT 1:15:20.
The open event was a closely-contested race, with the first three riders finishing just over a minute apart. However, it was Peter Main, the only rider in the open category who clocked a sub-hour performance on AAT, who took the championship win in 59:45.
Nick Wilson (Rye and District Wheelers) put in a strong ride for silver with an AAT of 1:00:25, with tricycle-rider Mark Vowells (San Fairy Ann CC) just over 30 seconds back taking bronze with an AAT of 1:00:58.
Meanwhile, the club team victory went to Legato Racing Team with an impressive combined AAT of 3:10:27, thanks to strong rides by Mark Hamer, Steve Loraine, and Simon Horsley. The team deserves additional praise for doubling up on their 10-mile championship team win in Scotland just a week ago.
In the group team competition, it was a home win with the Kent Group taking the gold medals with Mark Vowells, Anthony Westwood and Mark Hill counting for the win with a combined AAT of 3:07.27.
Overall, the close results made for some fierce competition and an excellent day's racing in Kent!
However, the real champions of the day were Simon Henderson and the team from Kent VTTA. They put on a first-class event, with marshals and helpers ensuring the event was one to remember for many years to come.
* Event photos by Barry Adams.

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