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UK Hill-climb Championships

October 31, 2004

Dayus wins UK climbers' title

Worcester racing cyclist Jonathan Dayus won the British Hillclimb Championship on Sunday at Elsdon, Northumberland.

Dayus who now lives near Chateaubriant, France and races for 'U' Nantes Atlantiques whilst over there, has ridden a number of UK races for the London based Arctic - Shorter Rochford Racing Team during 2004.

Suffering from a back injury for much of the season has meant that Dayus wasn't firing on all cylinders until quite late. This being the case the Arctic team offered him the chance to contest the relatively short hillclimb season in the UK, which climaxed at the weekend with the National Championships.

En route to his title Dayus had shown what he was capable of by winning 2 events, one near Sheffield where he broke the course record and more importantly in the Wrexham event held on the Horseshoe Pass.

In this event which was a similar course to the Nationals most of the contenders for the National title were present and Dayus demolished the opposition winning by a clear margin. But for a strong headwind he would have broken the 11 year old course record, held by Stuart Dangerfield - Britain's lone competitor in the Olympic Games Time Trial, such was the quality of his ride.

The Nationals course was a 2.2 mile climb on the edge of the Cheviot Hills, not severe in gradient, but very exposed and potentially very windy.

On the day the wind proved to be favourable, being on the riders backs for much of the ascent. Most of the early times posted were fairly level in standard as many riders struggled to dip under the 7 minute barrier, until Alex Coutts from Scotland posted a 6min 41secs ride.

This stood as the quickest until Dayus' team-mate James Dobbin lowered that by another 6 seconds.

Dayus, starting just 5 minutes after Dobbin, was quickest to the halfway point by 8 seconds from Dobbin, but a slight miscalculation on his opening effort saw that lead eroded to just 2 seconds on the finishing line.

Then started a 15 minute anxious wait to see what the remaining favourites could do, nobody came close and only the last man off - defending champion Jim Henderson - stood in Dayus' way.

At halfway Dayus' and Henderson's times were identical, but Henderson who is not known for his power on the flatter sections suffered, falling away to a disappointing 4th spot.

Dayus along with 2nd placed Dobbin, and Tim Bayley (21st) retained the team title won in 2004 for the Arctic team.

Peter Bissell (Arctic) won the Junior Title to complete a sensational days racing for Arctic-Shorter Rochford Racing Team.

Dayus now returns to France, where he will ride some French Cyclo-Cross events and prepare for the 2005 season.

Results

1 Jonathan Dayus (Arctic-Shorter Rochford R T)    6.33.8
2 James Dobbin (Arctic-Shorter Rochford R T)      0.02.0
3 Alex Coutts (Flanders-Afin.com)                 0.07.3
4 Jim Henderson (Southport Cycling Club)          0.08.9
5 Ben Greenwood (recycling.co.uk)                 0.09.8
6 David Clarke (La Pedale Creusutine)             0.10.5
7 Mark Lovatt (Planet X-On-One)                   0.11.0
8 Evan Oliphant (Team Velo Ecosse)                0.11.5
9 Danny Axford (Oxford University C C)            0.12.9
10 Stephen Feeny (Chester Road Club)              0.18.8

Local results 2004

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