Hillclimbing (cycling)

Hill climbing is a cycling event, as well as a basic skill of the sport. As events, a hill climb may either be an individual time trial (which forbids cooperation, drafting, or team tactics), a road race or in some cases a gravel race. A hill climb is a competition of sustained climbing, that finishes at a higher altitude than the start line.^[2] Occasionally featured as stages in major professional races, such as the Tour de France, they are usually referred to as mountain stages. Mountain stages may take the form of a normal road race stage, or an individual time trials. Time trial stages are not necessarily from the bottom to the top of a hill, and can simply be a time trial over hilly terrain.^[3]

Hill climbing

Winnats Pass was used for the 2021 British Hill Climb National Championship for the first time since 1977[1]
Highest governing body	UCI
Nicknames	HC
Characteristics
Contact	No
Team members	Individuals
Mixed-sex	No
Type	Cycle sport
Equipment	Road bicycle
Venue	Paved roads
Presence
Country or region	Worldwide

An Oxford University Cycling Club rider on his way to a hillclimbing victory

Hill climbing is one of the key skills required to make cycling more enjoyable. One of the best ways to learn this skill is through practice. There are several ways to practice, solo using intervals or group rides that focus on hill climbs.^[4] Being able to tackle hills efficiently can be a "Race Winner" for anyone. Because downhills can be decided in seconds, uphills takes minutes, and being a good climber makes it possible to drop several riders behind.

Great Britain

In Great Britain there is an end of season tradition of cycling clubs promoting hillclimb time trials in October, for small cash prizes. The hills tend to be relatively short, usually taking between three and five minutes to complete, and the races attract many spectators, including locals not otherwise interested in cycling, who come to watch the pain in the faces of the competitors.^[5] Competitors regularly strive to save grams on their equipment, going as far as to drill holes in their bike.^[6]

British National Champions

Year	Climb	Winner	Team
2024[7]	Dipton Mill Rd	Harry MacFarlane	TAAP Kalas
2023[8]	The Struggle	Andrew Feather	HuntBikeWheels.com
2022[9]	The Old Shoe climb	Andrew Feather	HuntBikeWheels.com
2021[10]	Winnats Pass	Tom Bell	High North Performance
2020[11]	Streatley Hill	Andrew Feather	HuntBikeWheels.com
2019[12]	Haytor Vale	Ed Laverack	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
2018[13]	Pea Royd Lane	Andrew Feather	BCR Racing
2017[14]	Hedley Hill	Dan Evans	ASSOS Equipe UK
2016[15]	Bank Road	Adam Kenway	Metaltek Kuoata RT
2015[16]	Jackson Bridge	Richard Bussell	RST Sport/Aero-Coach
2014[17]	Pea Royd Lane	Dan Evans	Team Elite/Paul Bethall Electrical
2013[18]	The Stang	Tejvan Pettinger	Sri Chinmoy CT
2012[19]	The Rake	Jack Pullar	Wheelbase.co.uk
2011[20]	Long Hill	Gunnar Gronlund	Rst Racing Team – Trigon
2010[21]	Dover's Hill	Dan Fleeman	Team Raleigh UCI
2009[22]	Pea Royd Lane	Dan Fleeman	Cervelo Test Team
2008[23]	Bank Road	Matt Clinton	Mikevaughan.co.uk
2007[24]	Cheddar Gorge	James Dobbin	Arctic Shorter
2006[25]	Peak Hill	James Dobbin	Arctic Shorter
2005[26]	The Rake	Ben Greenwood	Recycling
2004[27]	Winter's Gibbet	Jon Dayus	Arctic Shorter
2003[28]	Halifax Lane	Jim Henderson	Southport CC
2002[29]	Cat and Fiddle	Mark Lovatt	Compensation Group
2001[30]	Y Bwlch	Jim Henderson	Southport CC
2000[31]	Westclose Hill	Jim Henderson	Terry Wright Cycles
1999[32]	The Rake	Jim Henderson	Terry Wright Cycles
1998	Dover's Hill	Jim Henderson	Oxford University Cycling Club
1997	Rowsley Bar	Stuart Dangerfeild	Wheelbase CC
1996[33]	Carlton Bank	Stuart Dangerfeild	Parker Int
1995	Ditching Beacon	Stuart Dangerfeild	Leo R.T
1994	Jackson Bridge	Jeff Wright	North East RT
1993	Newlands Pass	Stuart Dangerfeild	Leo RC-Shorter Rochford
1992	St John's Chapel	Stuart Dangerfeild	Leo RC-Shorter Rochford
1991	Park Rash	Chris Boardman	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1990	Widecombe-in-the-Moor	Chris Boardman	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1989[34]	The Burway	Chris Boardman	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1988[35]	Nick O'Pendle	Chris Boardman	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1987[36]	Rosedale Chimney	Paul Curran	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1986[37]	Riber Hill	Darryl Webster	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1985	Challacombe	Darryl Webster	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1984	Crawleyside	Darryl Webster	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1983	Weston Hill	Darryl Webster	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1982	Dover's Hill	Jeff Williams	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1981	Horseshoe Pass	Jeff Williams	Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel
1980	Nick O'Pendle	Malcolm Elliott	Rutland CC
1979[38]	Haytor Vale	Jeff Williams	GS Strada
1978	Dover's Hill	Gareth Armitage	Oldham Century
1977	Winnats Pass	John Parker	Southport RCC
1976	Horseshoe Pass	Joe Waugh	GS Strada Lutz
1975	Nick O'Pendle	Gareth Armitage	Oldham Century
1974	Holme Moss	Tyne RC	Tyne RC
1973	Dover's Hill	Granville Sydney	Huddersfeild SW
1972	Winnats Pass	Granville Sydney	Huddersfeild SW
1971	Horseshoe Pass	John Clewarth	Kirby CC
1970	Nick O'Pendle	Granville Sydney	Huddersfeild SW
1969	Llywel Hill	Granville Sydney	Huddersfeild SW
1968	Dover's Hill	Pete Gannon	Leeds St Christopher
1967	Winnats Pass	Paul Wildsmith	East Bradford CC
1966	Winnats Pass	PD Greenhalgh	Nottingham Phoenix
1965	Dover's Hill	Granville Sydney	Huddersfield Star Wheelers
1964	Peaslow	Eric Wilson	Rossendale RC
1963	Winnats Pass	Granville Sydney	Huddersfield Star Wheelers
1962	Nick O'Pendle	P. J Graham	West Pennine RC
1961	York's Hill	P. J Graham	West Pennine RC
1960	Saintbury	Eric Wilson	Rossendale RC
1959	Winnats Pass	Gordon Rhodes	Huddersfield RC
1958	Monks Lane	P. J Graham	West Pennine RC
1957	Winnats Pass	Eric Wilson	Rossendale RC
1956	Saintbury	Les Ingman	Norwood Paragon
1955	Holly Lane	Eric Wilson	Rossendale RC
1954	Holme Moss	Les Ingman	Norwood Paragon
1953	Winnats Pass	R Keighley	Shipley RC
1952	Mow Cop	Brian Robinson	Huddersfield RC
1951	Saintbury	R Stringwell	Bramley Wheelers
1950	Barber's Hill	R Stringwell	Bramley Wheelers
1949	Winnats Pass	Bob Maitland	Concorde R CC
1948	Landsdowne	Vic Clark	Coventry CC
1947	Winnats Pass	Vic Clark	Coventry CC
1946	Holly Lane	Vic Clark	Manchester Clarion
1945	Peaslow	Bob Maitland	Solihull CC
1944	Brasted	Harold F Worthen	Manchester Clarion

USA

Notable US hill climbing races include the Mt. Evans Hill Climb, the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, and Broadmoor Cycle to the Summit event on Pikes Peak (which has also been the site of USA Cycling's Hill Climbing National championships)

See also

• List of climbs in cycle racing

External links

• https://cyclinguphill.com