Horsham Cycling has an active racing scene and runs a number of time trials on different courses, as well as an annual hill climb event.
- We use the Spond app to organise rides and communicate with members. More details will be given on joining. Racing is organised by the Racing Sub-Committee and supported by a team of marshals, timekeepers and other volunteers.
- Guide to preparing and riding for one of our time trials.
- In winter we organise virtual races on the Zwift platform, competing with other teams worldwide.
- Our affiliations with racing organisations mean members can compete in Open and Association time trials advertised on the Cycling Time Trials website.
- Horsham Cycling members can also compete in Open road races advertised on the British Cycling website or those organised by the Surrey Cycle Racing League.
To race in a Surrey League event you will need to have completed two novice race days hosted by Surrey League. You can race as an affiliated member as part of Horsham Cycling. To do this you will need to join the Surrey League via their website. This will cost £20 as Horsham Cycling have a discount of 50% on the usual joining fee. You will also receive a discount on the entry fee for each race you participate in. To participate in a road race event you must have the following as a minimum: British Cycling silver membership, 4th category road race licence from British Cycling (this is separate to the licence you get as part of your BC membership), Standard road bike (no tribars / aero bars).
Time Trials
The Club organises time trials and hill climb races. TT races are run on Saturdays and Tuesdays throughout Spring and Summer.
Time trials are a simple test of your fitness against the clock. It’s a great way to set personal challenges and provide focus to training, irrespective of fitness level. Our Club events are open to all members from all groups, plus guests from local clubs if space allows.
Most races are club oriented, but we also organise open events which are advertised nationally and attract strong fields.
Hill Climb
We also have the annual Club Hill Climb competition in the autumn at Denbies Vineyard, which is always hotly contested.
Awards & Trophies
We award a number of trophies each year, awarded at our Annual Awards Evening. All competitions award equal prices to men and women.
Points Trophy: This will be awarded to the first-claim Club Member with the largest points total from any 10 Club races after the Hill Climb in October (the final TT race of the year). There will be a maximum of 30 points for the fastest rider down to 1 point for the 30th placed Club rider in each of our 10-mile, 14.06-mile and 25-mile events, the Interclub and the Hill Climb. (Note that Social TT excluded).
Scratch Trophy: This will be awarded to the first-claim Club Member who produces the fastest aggregate time for a Club 10-mile and 14.06-mile race. All Club events count plus our Open Time Trial. There is a separate Road Bike Scratch Trophy, with the same criteria as above but for those riding road bikes (without tri-bars).
Hill Climb Trophy: This will be awarded to the fastest first-claim Club Member in the Club Hill Climb (normally October).
The 25 Trophy: This will be awarded to the fastest first-claim Club Member in the Club 25-mile time trial on a course and date announced at the beginning of the season.
Junior Trophy: This will be awarded to the first-claim Junior Club Member who produces the fastest aggregate time for a Club 10-mile and 14.06-mile race. Their times must be recorded up to the end of the year in which their 18th birthday falls. All Club events count plus our Open Time Trial.
Veterans’ Trophy: This will be awarded to the first-claim Club Veteran Member (over 40) who produces the best aggregate of age adjusted times against the CTT standards for a Club 10-mile and 14.06-mile race. All Club events count plus our Open Time Trial. Veterans’ standard times will be based on their ages at 1 March each year.
Handicap Trophy: This will be awarded to the fastest first-claim Club Member on a handicap basis. To be eligible for this trophy, a rider must have ridden four or more Club 10-mile TT races before the Handicap Race (the final 10-mile TT of the season). The aim of the competition (similar to a handicap in golf) is to enable a close competition – on a given day – between riders of vastly different abilities: young or old, male or female, faster or slower.
The Time Trial sub-committee will review all riders’ times prior to the Handicap Race. Each rider will be given a handicap time, based on their best recorded TT time, compared to the time of the fastest rider over the season. The fastest rider will be given Scratch (i.e. no time allowance); a slower rider will be given a handicap time of, say +7 minutes, reflecting the fact that, over the season, their best time is 7 minutes slower than the scratch rider’s best time. In the Handicap Race, handicap allowances will be subtracted from actual times recorded. The rider with the fastest net time will be declared the winner. Note that the Handicap Race will, in all other respects, be the same as a normal TT, with actual times contributing to the various competitions as usual (Points, Scratch, Veterans etc).
Social Downhill Trophy: This will be awarded to the first-claim Social Group Member that covers the greatest distance in the Social Groups’ Downhill ‘Freewheeling’ Competition. To qualify for this Competition members of the Club must be recognised members of the Social groups. In the event of any queries on eligibility for this Trophy the Social Group Ride Co-ordinators will advise.
Club TT Entry Rules
In order to guarantee your entry and to help smooth the administration, please observe the following rules:
The first 30 Club members to pre-enter an evening TT before 5pm on the day of the event, or before 5pm on the evening before a Saturday morning TT, will be guaranteed a place on the start sheet. Any Club members over and above the 30 who pre-enter will be placed on a reserve list. Entries should be via Spond or emailed or phoned through to Stewart Forbes.
If, having pre-entered you are unable to attend please notify Stewart at least one hour before the start time, so that your start time can be given to someone else.
If you have not signed on and been given your start number 20 minutes before the start of the event, then we will give your start time to a reserve, firstly from the Club List and then from the non-Club reserves. If you subsequently turn up later than 20 minutes before the start, you will be placed on the reserve list behind those who have asked to be reserves, irrespective of whether they are Club members or not.
Previous Years’ Results