Location: Ilchester, Somerset
Event: 7 April 2013
Report and photos:

Mathew Higgins (Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT) won a closely fought Ham Hill race near to Yeovil in Somerset just edging out James Lewis (NFTO) on the line after 96km of racing.

There were four laps of the demanding course with four climbs up Coppits Hill just outside of Ilchester. Yeovil Cycling Club were the promoting club also holding the Pittards Trophy running at the same time on the same course at the same time.

After the first lap a group of twelve riders finally got away and they soon built up a 30secs lead over the bunch, but with most of the leading teams represented the gap was allowed to go out on lap three. The group did split at one point into two equal groups but it did come back together with a lap to go.

The last time up the hill Mathew found his way to the front and on the descent towards the twisty section between Marston Magna and Queens Camel he managed to pull a handful of seconds over the chasing remnants’ of the leading group.

In the group were two of Mathew’s team mates from Felt, Justin Hoy and Andrew Hargroves, James Lewis from (NFTO), Will Bjergfelt (MG Maxifuel),Luke Dunbar (Equip CMI),Grant Bayton (Ride 24/7) and James Wilson (AW Cycles) and Josh Waller (Spirit Bikes RT).

As the race neared a conclusion Mathew eased away as the race turned onto the finish straight 2km out from the finish line. Along with James these two were now head down sprinting towards the line, but the rest were not far behind.

Results:

1 Mathew Higgins (Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT) 2:17:42
2 James Lewis NFTO @ same time
3 Sam Williams NFTO @3secs
4 Will Bjergfelt MG Maxifuel
5 Mark Baines Spirit Bikes RT
6 Andrew Hargroves Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT
7 Justin Hoy (Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT)
8 Grant Bayton (Ride 24/7)
9 John Whittington (Team Diabetes UK)
10 James Wilson (AW Cycles)
11 Nick Pilborough (Spin Rotor Primal C-Originals RT)
12 James Cartridge (Cadence RT)
13 Edward Laverack (Rapha Condor JLT)
14 Luke Dunbar (Equipe CMI)
15 Lewis Atkins (Pedal Heaven RT)
16 Peter Wager (Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT)
17 Liam Stones (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling)
18 Mark Dolan (Mid Devon CC)
19 Andrew Hitchens (Mid Devon CC)
20 Lee Smith (Felt Colbornes Hargroves RT)

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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.