REPORT: VTTA National 25 Mile Championship

REPORT: VTTA National 25 Mile Championship, organised by Mid Devon Cycling Club

In the week leading up to Sunday's National 25 in Devon the weather forecast was looking consistently downbeat: 60% chance of rain all through the race duration. In the event it turned out nice, with all riders getting round in the sunshine before the earlier drizzle returned later in the morning.
The threat of precipitation didn't deter our new Champions, Steve Cottington and Linda Dewhurst from taking their respective wins in the Open and Female categories, with the tandem pairing of Gordon Scott and Lucia Borradaile rounding out the podiums.
Holder of multiple West Group age records, this was Steve's first National Championship, whilst Linda is no stranger to the top step of the podium, as you could tell from her response when asked how many Championship jerseys she has: "A few!"
The Legato Racing Team of Deb Hutson-Lumb, Simon Horsley and Steven Loraine continued their clean sweep of championship wins in 2025 taking the club prize, and the hosting West Group of Steve Cottington, Mark Sanders and Jon Tune took the Group award.
The out and back S4/25 course is a dual carriageway with a mix of draggy climbs and fast downhills, making pacing your ride challenging and euphemistically described by one rider as "rolling". Unusually for UK roads the surface isn't bad, and there's some occasoinal shelter from the prevailing winds, which on Sunday made for a tough return leg.

* Photgraph courtesy of South Devon Snaps https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575776949562

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