2025 RTTC National Hill Climb Championships: report and results
Crowds packed the streets of Matlock as riders fought gravity and pain at the 2025 RTTC National Hill Climb Championships — where Harry Macfarlane, Rachel Galler, Harry Hudson and Ruby Isaac rose above the rest to claim national glory on Bank Road
Harry Macfarlane (Rule28 Outliers) produced a blistering ride of 2 minutes 14.7 seconds to retain his National Hill Climb Championship crown in dominant fashion up Bank Road on an afternoon where Rachel Galler (FTP Fulfil The Potential RT) claimed the women’s championship for the first time, beating three time champion Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC) to the prize.
Meanwhile Harry Hudson lit up an overcast Matlock in his rainbow jersey, the Junior World Road Race Champion adding a third straight Junior title to his growing palmares his final race for the Harrogate Nova RT, while Ruby Isaac (Tofuati Everyone Active) bounced back from injury to reclaim the junior women’s title she won on the Struggle in 2023. Christopher Scott of Le Col Race Team and Morgan Newberry of Loughborough Students CCC were the inaugural paracgcling champions.
Featured image: Mark James
Report
Women
Rachel Galler ended her excellent season in the finest way, claiming her first National Hill Climb championship as the only women to break the three minute mark on Bank Road.
Maria Holdcroft (Cowley Road Condors CC) was the best of the early starters, the indoor specialist’s time of 3.10.9, which put her in the lead, eventually enough for 5th place.
Image: Mark James
Her time was overthrown by Lucy Lee. The DAS-Hutchinson rider, who entered the race as a relative hill climb novice, demonstrated what makes her one of Britain’s finest road racers, the Curlew Cup winner producing a steadfast effort, mostly seated, up the gruelling slopes to shave 3.3 seconds off the leading time.
With Lee’s teammate and silver medalist from 2024 Lizi Brooke failing to make an impact on the top of the timesheets, Maddie Heywood (Elevate RT) briefly set the quickest time with 3.04.6, a tough mark to beat with only Galler and Gardner remaining in the start area.
Galler, the penultimate rider to take on the climb, stormed up the steepest section through the large crowds, setting a strong tempo out of the saddle and driving to the line to become the first rider to dip under three minutes: 2.59.8 the mark for three time champion Illi Gardner to beat.
Image: Mark James
Gardner has made the event her own in recent years, the only reservations surrounding her quest for a fourth title the length of Bank Road making the effort required too explosive for her. Despite this, she powered up the climb in similar style to Galler, out the saddle with a grimace on her face, setting the fastest time at the halfway point. Sockless, with a baggy long sleeve jersey on, her lack of marginal gains may have ended up costing her as her effort faded in the final metres, however, a brave time of 3.01.8 only enough for the silver medal.
At the presentation, Galler reflected on what the win meant to her and her team. “I’m proud to be taking the jersey back up north,” she said. “Thanks to everyone for their support — I couldn’t have got up that last bit without it.”
Open
With 460 starters, the favourites for the Open title were faced with a long wait to begin their ascent of Bank Road, the 834m climb ending in glory for one rider and a world of pain for the others.
Matt Holmes (Wigan Wheelers), clad in a skinsuit baring the logo of event sponsors OGT, was the first of the seeded riders off the line at a shade after 3pm, aggressively riding out of the saddle most of the way up as he set the then fastest time of the day of 2.26.5.
The biggest hitters were still to come, however, road racers turned hill climb specialists Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz) and Gabe Dellar (Primera-TeamJobs) bettering Holmes’ time by just 0.1 and 2.1 seconds respectively.
Image: Mark James
As predicted, it would come down to a four way fight between the favourites for the title. The crowd, three deep at the steepest part of the hill, going wild as the first of those, Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com), the four time champion, danced up the 15% gradients with grace and seeming ease – his time of 2.20.4 setting a new benchmark. It was one Andrew Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products) couldn’t match despite winning last week’s open event on the same climb, tapping out a good rhythm to finish just 0.3 seconds off Feather’s time.
The penultimate rider off the start ramp was Keiran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products), the Welshman heading into the competition as the Spindata number one and Dan Evans’ pick for the win. He would set a new fastest time at the top of the climb as the sun began to peek through, the first man under the 2.20 barrier with 2.19.8 the target for defending champion Harry MacFarlane. The crowd full of anticipation for the final rider of the day.
After playing up to being the underdog in his interview with The British Continental this week, Macfarlane arrived to the start line after his unconventional warm up, which involves wrapping a snood round his mouth and nose, looking every inch the champion, lean and powerful in his Rule28 Outliers skinsuit. Powering up the climb, mostly out of the saddle, he crossed the line over 5 seconds clear of Wynne-Cattanach, taking an emotional, and popular, second title with it.
Image: Mark James
Macfarlane was almost lost for words as he pulled on the national champion’s jersey. “It’s a great climb, it’s great to have it here, and it’s great to share the podium with such hitters,” he said, still catching his breath. “You may have seen the YouTube video I put out recently — it shows what you can do if you dedicate yourself to something.” It was a moment of vindication for the Rule 28 Outliers rider, whose journey from former smoker to national champion has captured the imagination of fans across the country.
Junior
The crowd expected. Harry Hudson duly delivered – the Sheffield rider making the most of his new found star attraction status, the 18-year-old dazzling fans with a display of speed the hill climb community now take for granted.
Clad in the rainbow jersey, the Junior World Road Race Champion stopped the clock in 2.20.8, bettering Ezra Bateman’s time of 2.27.0 by over six seconds. It was a strong ride from the Clifton CC York rider who, at only 15, looks to have a bright future ahead. It was a Hudson family affair on the podium with Harry’s younger brother Finley, another rider to watch in years to come, taking bronze, 14 seconds off his brother’s time.
In the Junior Women’s race it was Ruby Isaac who claimed a comeback win, the Junior National Road Race Champion dominating the field to claim a second Junior Hill Climb title after coming back from injury following a crash. It was a test which the Tofuati Everyone Active rider passed with flying colours, driving up the climb in a big gear to set a time of 3.24.6.
Isaac, Hudson, Galler and Macfarlane. Image: Mark James
Local rider Phoebe Langlands (Matlock CC) caused an upset, using her local knowledge to finish with the silver medal, 15 seconds back, while Ayeha Vose (Shibden Cycling Club) pipped defending champion and teammate Maia Howell to the bronze medal, 3 seconds further back.
Para
In the paracycling category – a first for the national hill climb championships – the titles went to Christopher Scott of Le Col Race Team and Morgan Newberry of Loughborough Students Cycling Club.
Scott set the benchmark with a powerful 3 minutes 16 seconds on Matlock’s steep Bank Road to claim the Open victory, while Newberry impressed with a composed 4 minutes flat to take the women’s crown.
Harry Macfarlane (Rule28 Outliers) produced a blistering ride of 2 minutes 14.7 seconds to retain his National Hill Climb Championship crown in dominant fashion up Bank Road on an afternoon where Rachel Galler (FTP Fulfil The Potential RT) claimed the women’s championship for the first time, beating three time champion Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC) to the prize.
Meanwhile Harry Hudson lit up an overcast Matlock in his rainbow jersey, the Junior World Road Race Champion adding a third straight Junior title to his growing palmares his final race for the Harrogate Nova RT, while Ruby Isaac (Tofuati Everyone Active) bounced back from injury to reclaim the junior women’s title she won on the Struggle in 2023. Christopher Scott of Le Col Race Team and Morgan Newberry of Loughborough Students CCC were the inaugural paracgcling champions.
Featured image: Mark James
Report
Women
Rachel Galler ended her excellent season in the finest way, claiming her first National Hill Climb championship as the only women to break the three minute mark on Bank Road.
Maria Holdcroft (Cowley Road Condors CC) was the best of the early starters, the indoor specialist’s time of 3.10.9, which put her in the lead, eventually enough for 5th place.
Her time was overthrown by Lucy Lee. The DAS-Hutchinson rider, who entered the race as a relative hill climb novice, demonstrated what makes her one of Britain’s finest road racers, the Curlew Cup winner producing a steadfast effort, mostly seated, up the gruelling slopes to shave 3.3 seconds off the leading time.
With Lee’s teammate and silver medalist from 2024 Lizi Brooke failing to make an impact on the top of the timesheets, Maddie Heywood (Elevate RT) briefly set the quickest time with 3.04.6, a tough mark to beat with only Galler and Gardner remaining in the start area.
Galler, the penultimate rider to take on the climb, stormed up the steepest section through the large crowds, setting a strong tempo out of the saddle and driving to the line to become the first rider to dip under three minutes: 2.59.8 the mark for three time champion Illi Gardner to beat.
Gardner has made the event her own in recent years, the only reservations surrounding her quest for a fourth title the length of Bank Road making the effort required too explosive for her. Despite this, she powered up the climb in similar style to Galler, out the saddle with a grimace on her face, setting the fastest time at the halfway point. Sockless, with a baggy long sleeve jersey on, her lack of marginal gains may have ended up costing her as her effort faded in the final metres, however, a brave time of 3.01.8 only enough for the silver medal.
At the presentation, Galler reflected on what the win meant to her and her team. “I’m proud to be taking the jersey back up north,” she said. “Thanks to everyone for their support — I couldn’t have got up that last bit without it.”
Open
With 460 starters, the favourites for the Open title were faced with a long wait to begin their ascent of Bank Road, the 834m climb ending in glory for one rider and a world of pain for the others.
Matt Holmes (Wigan Wheelers), clad in a skinsuit baring the logo of event sponsors OGT, was the first of the seeded riders off the line at a shade after 3pm, aggressively riding out of the saddle most of the way up as he set the then fastest time of the day of 2.26.5.
The biggest hitters were still to come, however, road racers turned hill climb specialists Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz) and Gabe Dellar (Primera-TeamJobs) bettering Holmes’ time by just 0.1 and 2.1 seconds respectively.
As predicted, it would come down to a four way fight between the favourites for the title. The crowd, three deep at the steepest part of the hill, going wild as the first of those, Andrew Feather (HuntBikeWheels.com), the four time champion, danced up the 15% gradients with grace and seeming ease – his time of 2.20.4 setting a new benchmark. It was one Andrew Nichols (Team Lifting Gear Products) couldn’t match despite winning last week’s open event on the same climb, tapping out a good rhythm to finish just 0.3 seconds off Feather’s time.
The penultimate rider off the start ramp was Keiran Wynne-Cattanach (Team Lifting Gear Products), the Welshman heading into the competition as the Spindata number one and Dan Evans’ pick for the win. He would set a new fastest time at the top of the climb as the sun began to peek through, the first man under the 2.20 barrier with 2.19.8 the target for defending champion Harry MacFarlane. The crowd full of anticipation for the final rider of the day.
After playing up to being the underdog in his interview with The British Continental this week, Macfarlane arrived to the start line after his unconventional warm up, which involves wrapping a snood round his mouth and nose, looking every inch the champion, lean and powerful in his Rule28 Outliers skinsuit. Powering up the climb, mostly out of the saddle, he crossed the line over 5 seconds clear of Wynne-Cattanach, taking an emotional, and popular, second title with it.
Macfarlane was almost lost for words as he pulled on the national champion’s jersey. “It’s a great climb, it’s great to have it here, and it’s great to share the podium with such hitters,” he said, still catching his breath. “You may have seen the YouTube video I put out recently — it shows what you can do if you dedicate yourself to something.” It was a moment of vindication for the Rule 28 Outliers rider, whose journey from former smoker to national champion has captured the imagination of fans across the country.
Junior
The crowd expected. Harry Hudson duly delivered – the Sheffield rider making the most of his new found star attraction status, the 18-year-old dazzling fans with a display of speed the hill climb community now take for granted.
Clad in the rainbow jersey, the Junior World Road Race Champion stopped the clock in 2.20.8, bettering Ezra Bateman’s time of 2.27.0 by over six seconds. It was a strong ride from the Clifton CC York rider who, at only 15, looks to have a bright future ahead. It was a Hudson family affair on the podium with Harry’s younger brother Finley, another rider to watch in years to come, taking bronze, 14 seconds off his brother’s time.
In the Junior Women’s race it was Ruby Isaac who claimed a comeback win, the Junior National Road Race Champion dominating the field to claim a second Junior Hill Climb title after coming back from injury following a crash. It was a test which the Tofuati Everyone Active rider passed with flying colours, driving up the climb in a big gear to set a time of 3.24.6.
Local rider Phoebe Langlands (Matlock CC) caused an upset, using her local knowledge to finish with the silver medal, 15 seconds back, while Ayeha Vose (Shibden Cycling Club) pipped defending champion and teammate Maia Howell to the bronze medal, 3 seconds further back.
Para
In the paracycling category – a first for the national hill climb championships – the titles went to Christopher Scott of Le Col Race Team and Morgan Newberry of Loughborough Students Cycling Club.
Scott set the benchmark with a powerful 3 minutes 16 seconds on Matlock’s steep Bank Road to claim the Open victory, while Newberry impressed with a composed 4 minutes flat to take the women’s crown.
Results
Results for the top 50 in each category only.
Women
Open
Junior
Women
Open
Para
Women
Open
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