***The 2023 edition of this race has had to be cancelled due to lack of entries***
This years Roy Hillman Memorial road race will be held on Sunday 1st October, at it's usual venue of the Benenden/Sandhurst circuit in Kent.
The National B race has been running since 2018 with Rory Townsend, Canyon DHB winning the first edition on the Lingfield circuit. In 2019 it was held on the Benenden circuit with Ollie Robinson, Team Wiggins taking victory. The 2020 edition unfortunately had to be cancelled due the pandemic. In 2021 we used the Beachy Head course on the South Downs, which provided a super tough race won by Connor McGoldrick, Primera Team Jobs.
last years race returned to the Benenden.Sandhurst course and was won by Jack Rootkin of Team Inspired.
The Benenden circuit is a 17.1km undulating course taking in the Kent villages of Benenden, Sandhurst and Rolvenden. Strava GPS Link: https://www.strava.com/routes/7682549
A bit about Roy Hillman: Roy was a strong racer back in the 50’s & 60’s and also a main player in everything cycling in the South East region. His passion for cycling was passed onto his son Andrew, who also went on to be a great road man and latterly a top respected sougnier on the continent and in the UK. Roy was a member of the mighty Polehill CC back in the day riding all the big events, but with a particular love for the London – Battle – London event. This probably came from his love of the Hastings area, stemming from regular training rides there and back from London. Roy eventually married and settled in the area.
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Tobias Bartlett - Doddington Cycling Club
Andrew Rigg - Foran CCC
Sebastian Garry - Kala Motip Race Team
Oliver Hucks - Kalas Motip Race Team
Michael Weavers - Lewes Wanderers
Lee Curtis - Primera Team Jobs
Jordan Giles - Primera Team Jobs
Finn Dunton - Project 51
Ian Vagg - Project 51
Isaac Wright - Project 51
Jack Crook - Richardsons Trek DAS
Rhys Howells - Richardsons Trek DAS
James Jenkins - Richardsons Trek DAS
Chris McNamara - Sigma Sports - Cannondale RT
Simon McNamara - Sigma Sports - Cannondale RT
Thomas Heal - Stolen Goat Race Team
Callum Slade - Stolen Goat Race Team
Sam Hodge - Team IBT - Tripeak
Lance Childs - TAAP Endura
Jamie Pullen - TAAP Endura
Connor Backhouse - trainSharp Development Team
Len Delicaet - VC Londres
Ryan Klein - Velo Schils Interbike RT
Benjamin Hellebo - Wheelsuckers
Frank Longstaff - BC Private Member
Daniel Tilley - BC Private Member
Sunday 1st October 2023.
Race Start - 10.30am
Please park in the village hall carpark and park as considerately as possible, just using one parking space to enable as many people to fit in as possible.
Please do not park on Benenden Road (adjacent to village green and hall), This road is part of the course.
A tough course this one, that certainly lends itself to trying to conserve energy, as it is a gradual wearing down process.
For 2023 we’ve moved the finish to the village approx. 100m before the HQ. Riders will have to get their effort on the climb spot on as they’ll have to stay clear for another km after the summit.
0.0km Start on B2086 Benenden Road, adjacent village green.
0.6km TURN LEFT at cross roads on to New Pond Road
2.2km Enter Ide Green
3.8km Fast descent
4.8km course climbs
5.5km TURN LEFT at T-Junction on to A268
6.6km Enter Sandhurst village
9.2km TURN LEFT on A28, Hastings Road
13.0km Enter Rolvenden village
13.5km TURN LEFT on to B2086, Regent Street
15.0km Final climb
17.1km Complete lap. Finish line will be just at the start of the village green.
Videos below of the course broken down into sections between each of the junctions, detailing some details on the terrain as well as some safety notes on the course.
The course starts with a short 0.4km flat stretch of road along the main road through the centre of Benenden (The Street). SAFETY NOTES: Although not a busy village, there is a pub, village green and shop, so please watch out for general public traffic and pedestrian movement.
Strava Link: hq to Iden green junction | 0.4 km Cycling Route on Strava
This section starts with 1.5km of fast undulating roads, then has a 1.3km descent of 5.5% average and 8.7% maximum gradient. This is followed by a 1.4km undulating climb with an average gradient of 6.5%, followed a 1km undulating run to the junction. SAFETY NOTES: A twisty road with some blind bends, so staying on the correct side of the road is important. A couple of farms are located along this stretch of road, plus a few parked cars in Iden Green.
Starts with a 600m drag immediately after the junction maxing at a 1.9% gradient, then it’s ptetty much 3km of slight downhill all the way to the junction. SAFETY NOTES: With a pub, shop and petrol station, it can be a bit busy with local traffic through the village. After the village, the oncoming traffic often travels a high speed, DO NOT CROSS THE WHITE LINE here.
Sandhurst A267 junction to A28 Hastings road junction | 3.7 km Cycling Route on Strava
Starts with a fast 500m descent, which maxes at 8.1%. Then 500m of flat road before taking on two climbs to Rolvenden, the first on being 1.5km with a max gradient of 7.8%. A steepish 600m descent (10.1% max) leads you into a 1km 4% climb (7.7% max) to Rolvenden Village. SAFETY NOTES: A nice safe stretch of road with only the descents the only section that requires an extra bit of caution.
A28 Hastings road junction to Rolvenden | 4.0 km Cycling Route on Strava
A straight flat stretch of road along the Rolvenden High Street from Maytham Road to the left turn into Regent Road.
SAFETY NOTES: This is quite a busy village with many parked cars. Caution and extra awareness required through the village.
This section starts with a flattish / undulating 1km stretch, followed by 1.6km of gentle climbing (around 0.5 – 2.0% gradient), which leads you into approx. 500m of steeper climbing maxing at 8.2%, before dropping into Benenden to finish adjacent to the village green.
SAFETY NOTES: A good safe stretch of road. A little extra caution needed on the run in to Benenden village with a bit more local traffic movement.
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