Harry MacFarlane (Rule 28 Outliers) retained his UK National Hill Climb Championship crown and smashed the course record with an astonishing effort up Matlock\u2019s infamous Bank Road on Sunday.<\/p>\n
MacFarlane blasted up the 834m climb \u2013 which averages a leg-shredding 14 per cent \u2013 in 2 minutes 14.7 seconds, beating Andrew Feather to the top spot, while Rachel Galler (FTP Fulfil The Potential RT) claimed the women\u2019s crown against pre-race favourite Illi Gardner (Cardiff Ajax CC) in 2 minutes 59.8 seconds.<\/p>\n
So just how fast and powerful was MacFarlane\u2019s winning ride? Here\u2019s the champion\u2019s astonishing effort in six numbers.<\/p>\n
2:14.7<\/p>\n
MacFarlane\u2019s winning time set a new course record on Bank Road, one of the steepest and most iconic climbs in the British hill climb calendar. Averaging 14 per cent and ramping into the high teens through Matlock\u2019s town centre, it\u2019s a short, savage ascent that leaves no room for error.<\/p>\n
Matlock last hosted the National Championships in 2016, when Adam Kenway won the men’s title with a time of 2 minutes and 18.2 seconds.<\/p>\n
4.8<\/p>\n
Hill climb racing is as much about perfecting the bike as the body, and MacFarlane’s approach to this year’s race was no different, stripping his Trek \u00c9monda back to a feathery 4.8kg.<\/p>\n
707<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the enormous average power<\/a> MacFarlane sustained for the length of the climb.\u00a0<\/p>\n The data, recorded using a single-sided Favero Assioma power meter<\/a>, represents a personal best for MacFarlane. \u201cIt was a power PB by a long shot \u2013 I can only pull something out of the bag like that once a year,\u201d he told BikeRadar.<\/p>\n 9.9
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MacFarlane recorded a power PB at the event. Michael Steele \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n