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It is Sunday 29th October and the clocks have just wound back an hour offering a much-needed extra hour in bed – or an extra hour to ruminate over kit choices for the 450 harebrained cyclists who have descended on Ambleside for the prestigious, ever-so-British, UK Hill Climb National Championships on ‘The Struggle.’
Conditions in the Lake District might best be described as moist. The promised rain hasn’t really begun, not yet, but there’s a monochrome dampness in the air and there’s a veritable ‘pea soup’ fog at the top of the climb, though mercifully it’s set to retreat as the morning wears on and visibility improves. The later starters might even be touched by sunshine.
The Struggle is pretty well known in the British road cycling scene, the 2.7-mile (4.3 km) climb cutting through the rugged Cumbrian landscape from the edge of Ambleside and up the inconsistent gradients until it meets the Kirkstone Pass (the A592) at the top. This is no Alpine pass; short, sharp cobbled climb; nor a generously winding road to compensate for (and hide from view) the steepness of the hill. This is a typical English, dry-stone-wall-lined country lane whereby someone some day long past laid the fastest route from the valley to the top, gaining 1,243 feet (379 m) with an average gradient of 8%, maxing out around 20%.
Hill climbs are serious business in the UK. It doesn’t matter how flat your county, you can bet the local route-designing oracle will have found a suitable ramp for a damp Sunday wedged between the too-short summer and interminable winter. For some, the local hill climb is a last summit to stretch out the fitness regime before the descent towards mince pies and too much wine around Christmas; for others it’s the biggest block of the year, with hours, days, weeks spent honing their hill-climbing craft, which includes preparing the perfect bike.
While there are equipment regulations – no TT bars or bikes, nor tandems, and all must have working brakes – a competitor has a great deal of freedom when it comes to designing the perfect climbing bike. Methods might include anything from simply borrowing a pair of lightweight wheels, to the more costly and/or mathematically justified alterations: event-specific groupsets, stripping bar tape, bodged bike lights (compulsory), hacking bits off handlebars, drilling holes wherever is possible (hopefully) without damaging the bike’s integrity …
Among the 450 riders qualified to race on Sunday, there were plenty who’d gone the whole nine yards, while others were just there to measure themselves against past attempts. One of the main draws for hill climb season – says I, who have never yet been tempted to race such an event – is the atmosphere around the race. Cycling clubs, families, and friends put in a lot of effort to support their riders, some more than others. You’re guaranteed to see a variety of noise-making paraphernalia from horns to kitchen pans and wooden spoons, and all sorts of costumes of varying effort. What’s more, as the day stretches on, the roadside becomes ever-more saturated with bodies as racers finish their efforts, recover, and join the throng.
It’s one heck of a day out, and on this last Sunday of October, the weather – more or less – held! Here is a small selection of photos from The Struggle, including a taste of some of the tech on show.
Of the 450 riders, 74 of the sign-ups were from the UK’s junior ranks, the youngest just 12. One of those whippersnappers is seen here warming up in a carpark, the sort of scene that will become familiar if he continues to race his bike.This pair has been around the block, their van decked out for just such a weekend competition.The Struggle has been home to an annual hill climb since 2019, and this year earned hosting responsibility for the national event, run by Struggle Hill Climb founder Jack Talbot. His job ranged from corralling the volunteers to chasing sheep off the climb at 6am on the morning of the event.Reigning hill climb champ and eventual winner Andrew Feather – there’s nominative determinism at play there – broke with tradition in many ways, including leaving his handlebars intact and running disc brakes on his Cannondale Lab71, which weighed in at about 5.7kg.A working set of lights is compulsory for all competitors, but there’s no minimum lumen level. Andrew Feather was one of the many who got creative with their lighting for the national event.As lightweight as possible – Rebecca Richardson went minimal too, with light and saddle. Note the skateboard tape for maximum grip on what she expected would be a predominantly seated climb – max. watts!Tom Andrews exhibited some classic alterations for his hill climb steed.A peaceful pastoral scene. And some ruddy cyclists.2024 hosts Muckle CC were out in force. They’ll be welcoming the circus to Northumberland in a year’s time.Margaret Docking of Ruthin Cycling Club/Clwb Seiclo Rhuthun travelled from Wales to defend her title in the 70-74 age group.You can see the ‘pea soup’ beginning to lift at the top, way way way off in the very far distance for Mr 217.The road was lined with other riders once recovered, or even lower down the hill, those yet to race.The ‘Lanterne Rouge’ Geoff Pickin was one of the riders of the day, cheered on his way for his 50-minute effort. My arms hurt just writing this. Chapeau, Geoff!One of the local host clubs, Barrow Central Wheelers (alongside Lakes Road Club), was naturally well represented.Simon Warren, of 100 Climbs fame, logging his entry for Best Pain Face.Simon Warren is a seasoned hill climber and his bike shows it: the classic carbon saddle with 5 grams drilled out of it, over a pair of featherweight Zipp 303 wheels that Simon bought in 2004.One of the most prestigious of the titles up for grabs is the Best Pain Face, which whittles down a 32-strong shortlist until the winner is chosen by Cold Dark North’s Instagram followers on Sunday (5th November). And yes, this chap (Ben Huddart of Lancashire Road Club) is a finalist …
Update 5th Nov: He won!The crowds are never not fantastic at hill climbs.Another local lad, Edward Quick (great name) of Barrow Central Wheelers, after his effort. The St John’s Ambulance was ready and waiting, along with volunteer ‘catchers’, at the top of the climb to rescue the riders from their own self-flagellation. The event itself was raising money for the Great North Air Ambulance, and by the end of Sunday, the amount raised was nudging £14,000.A climber’s POV.Is that … a shadow?If in doubt: up.Chocolate fixes everything, a story in two parts, part 1.… and part 2.Men’s national champion Andrew Feather, who also set a course record of 11:48 on his Cannondale Lab71 (he thinks it’s also the first win for disc brakes ever).
