Preview – 88th HMT Hospitals Monsal Hill Climb

The event this year is expected to be a a very close run race for the top prizes. Unsurprisingly with so many riders and the event being one of, if not the most prestigious of the hill climbs, there are a lots of potential winners.

Kenway won at Peaslows last week and broke Malcolm Elliott’s 30 year record and Calum Brown won and broke the record at the Urban Hill Climb last weekend is flying and again proved this with his win at Hardwick Hall in September. Leon Wright, Race Hub, Kieran Hotson Kingsnorth, International Wheelers and Kieran Smith, Bolsover and District CC could be up at the think end and we have Brown’s team mate, Andrew Nichols entered who was 2nd last week on Pea Royd Lane.

The HMT ladies cup is a battle between several riders. Hannah Larbalestier, Boompods EDCO NRG was 2nd at Bradfield this year and has had a great season on the road. She won the Magnificent 7 in March and could be the one to push Sarah Storey hard. Sarah Storey is back after having a baby and has a good record at Monsal. Emilie Verroken, Maxx R. T. was second last year with a time of 1.54.5 and a sure favourite for a podium place. She was 2nd at Pea Royd Lane last week so she might go one better and claim the top spot.

Everyone us in search of a slice from the £2500.00 prize fund. First prize is £250.00 and there is an equal prize for men and women and top 3 prizes for all categories.

The big question is, can anyone be a real threat to the 37 year old record set by Elliott in 1981? Year after year, talk of riders breaking the record is always a hot topic in the run up to the event. Times last year were slower but 2016 was a different story with Adam Kenway posting an amazing time of 1:16.5 – Just 2.3 seconds off the record pace.

The vets race is also looking like a one horse race with Russell Downing now a vet. Defending vets champion Andy Hibbard, Rapha CC is back to try and retain his Monsal crown. Pushing them all hard will be Olly Humphries and Gavin Alcock. The whole field is a great mix of youngsters, ladies and seniors with many local clubs represented. Writer of 100 Greatest Climbs, Simon Warren, Norwood Paragon CC is again at Monsal and knows the climb well having written about the famous climb in his much publicised books.

First run in 1930, Monsal Hill Climb has been on the hill climb calendar for an amazing 88 years. This event was first started by a few mates riding out to Monsal Head at the end of the track season and timing each other up the hill, at this time it was an unmade road. How times have changed. The course is a one-in-six and 675 yards long.

This year is again supported by the Healthcare Management Trust. HMT were founded in 1985 as a registered charity to provide consultancy services to healthcare providers.

HMT’s aim has always been to develop and promote the services offered by associated charitable hospitals and care homes so that they can be a viable alternative to the commercial companies both now and into the future. Event organiser, Marc Etches commented “This is a great partnership and the support from HMT has made this prestigious event now very prestigious. We are excited to be able to offer such a great prize list to all the riders and we will now continue to lead the way in setting the standard very high in hill climb promotion nationally”.

The Healthcare Management Trust Chief Executive, Tony Barrett commented, “It is an honour for HMT Hospitals to be supporting such a historic event, and one that really brings professional cycling close to communities. The Monsal Hill Climb gives local club cyclists the opportunity to compete against world-class athletes and serves to promote cycling in general. Cycling is a sport that aligns with our goal of promoting health and wellbeing to all ages and abilities, and that is epitomised in this event. Each year we see more and more people coming back to compete and spectate, and encouragingly for us we are seeing families riding their bikes to cheer on those racing.”

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