Bowditch sixth in national 25-miler

ANN BOWDITCH has gained another top-10 finish in a national event. Having finished ninth in the national 10-mile time trial last month, this weekend she climbed to sixth in the 25-miler with her second quickest time over the distance.

'I felt under some pressure to perform and am pleased to finish in the top 10 again in such a competitive field,' she said.

'I drew on my mental strength to get me through the ride. It felt like the hardest race I've done this year.

'But I gave it my all and am pleased with my effort.'

Conditions in Wales were poor with a strong headwind on the long 16-mile outward leg, but this did not stop Bowditch catching her minute marker, Jersey's Helen Goulding, after just six miles.

The next target was Liz Milne, a rider the Guernsey woman normally gets the better of.

On this occasion, however, Milne was 15sec. up on Guernsey's finest at the 16-mile point.

But not only did Bowditch eat up that deficit on the inward leg, she pulled out a further 16sec. advantage on the GS Strada rider.

Time splits showed that only the first three riders were faster than Bowditch over the final nine miles.

Having covered them in 17min. 6sec., she averaged 30mph for the inward section.

Some riders struggle to pedal at such a high rate, but Bowditch has noted that UK time

trials usually involve very high speed sections and has worked hard on her fast-pedalling technique.

She now plans to ease back in order to be at her best for next month's NatWest Island Games and other major events in the second half of the summer.