IN an unprecedented scenario, Burnley and the local area have presently three of the fastest cyclists ever to ride a 25-mile time trial and they are mixing it with Chris Boardman, Alex Dowsett and Sean Yates as the best over the distance, writes DAVE BROWN.

It was also a Burnley rider, the late Alan Shackleton, who was British 25-mile record holder in 1959.

MORE TOP STORIES:

On the A50-based course on Saturday Burnley’s Steve Irwin, of the North Lancashire Road Club, clocked a personal best and club record of 47 minutes 8 seconds taking second place to the 46mins 30secs of winner Matt Bottrill who is the holder of the fastest 25 time ever of 45mins 43secs set in 2014.

Behind Irwin in fourth place came Cliviger’s Richard Bideau of Pendle Forest Cycling Club in a personal best of 47mins 48secs which was also a club record.

The third rider in the list is Padiham’s Simon Wilson who clocked 47mins 43secs last year.

In the all-time fastest list Irwin now sits in ninth, Wilson 15th and Bideau 17th.

On Wednesday night on the A59 Clitheroe by-pass course Bideau came out tops in the West Pennine Road Club 25 with a course record of 51mins 26secs. Irwin was a close second in 51mins 57secs with Mark Haydock (North Lancs Road Club) third in 54mins 56secs.

It was good to see Gethin Butler back as ex-course record holder on a slightly different version 20 years previously and clocking 55mins 30secs this time round.

Backed by Sean McHugh’s 60mins 58s the team award went to North Lancs Road Club.

Sam Boast of Colne, and riding for Wheelbase Altura MGD, had his first win on the Steven Burke Hub this year in the Elite/ 1/ 2/ 3 event while in the fourth category race Alex Auty of Cycle Sport Pendle (CSP) was the winner.

Of our local riders in the age related events Nathan Hawthorn (CSP) took second in the under 16s, Charlie Page of Green Jersey RT in Clitheroe second in the under 14s while CSP’s Daniel Vincent won the under 12s event.

Of the girls Riannon Gornall (CSP) was third in the under 16s, with Lucy Naylor and Eilidh Aindow both CSP winners of the under 14s and under 12s.

In the Rossendale Road Club 10 at Hapton, Chris Smith (Condor RC) was fastest in 24mins 18secs, beating Rossendale members James Tudor (25mins 45secs), Damian Ludlow (25mins 48secs), Richie Watts (26mins 17secs) and Josh Whitehead who clocked an excellent 26mins 31secs aged just 15.