The 2026 National Hill Climb Championships up Porlock Toll Road. 6.6km, 357m of climbing, a forecast 50 kph headwind, and my 6kg aero QuickPro on 60mm wheels. Could I finally get solidly inside the top 100, and could I catch GCN’s Ollie Bridgewood starting 90 seconds ahead of me?
Full bike breakdown: https://youtu.be/mqQ0joSA8pc
CHAPTERS
0:00 Porlock in a headwind
2:33 The GCN side quest
3:28 The race
8:13 The final mile
9:57 Finish reaction
11:08 Results and the junior rule
13:35 Kit verdict and debrief
THE BIKE AND KIT
QuickPro AR:One frameset (Panda Podium): https://www.pandapodium.cc/product/quickpro-arone-carbon-road-bike-frameset?ref=25637
Magene P715 power pedals: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3g0AiMF
FOLLOW
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom_bowers_/
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/1876048
30 Comments
Well done Tom
Good job Tom
Massive result! I heard your club is doing the national next year. No excuses for that one…
love your take on it, i 100% agree, neither Ezra or Ed make the rules, not nice seeing all the hate going around on social media.
Great performance Tommy!
Good man Tom.
Congrats on the result, and also the motivation it will provide over the winter, to potentially going a bit stronger next year. I look forward to watching your progress. Well done 🙂
Slight correction to your commentary, Ed and Ezra were actually riding different races, but on the same course. 2 races, 2 winners. Those are the rules. People should blame the game, not the players.
Well done Tom. Great effort. 💪💪👍👍
Great effort!
Good Job!
Thx for sharing
Great result, chapeau!
Grand job Tom❤
A cheek charging for that road
Mr Big Bones spotted at 4:40
Over 5w/kg well done! Great result! Think Ollie's recent concentration on being heavier and stronger on the short climbs might have effected his longer efforts (or he got his pacing completely wrong and blew up halfway up).Yeah if Ezra didn't win overall and got 2nd best time then should he have podiumed twice in the same event? Of course not. Junior winner and overall fastest time which is a real feather in his cap. I mean how can he win a senior race if he's not a senior? 🤔
i did say not to take too much notice of wind speeds and directions .They veer around all over the place .aero bike not really needed .kg lighter would have been a bit better.absolutely great run with amazing watts kept up over 350 .I can t even get up to 350 watts and hold it for more than a minute
love your take on it, i 100% agree, neither Ezra or Ed make the rules, not nice seeing all the hate going around on social media. ……
Good effort Tom. Congrats on your placing.
nice! Two GCN presenters in a shot!
Good effort Tom 💪🏻
Nice work Tom. I'm the plonker who thought that was the finish line 🤦you were my 30s second man. Ended up with 17.27 – not ideal to do an effort mid-climb, recover and go again! Great event though, amazing organisation, hope you enjoyed it too.
Bonjour, la pas de guidoline je peux comprendre mais alors pourquoi garder la lampes avant ( et peut être arrière)? beau chrono belle effort
Well done Tom. Great video as always and love your GCN vendetta! 😂
Great effort on Sunday Tom, sub-18, nice one!
Well done pal, great ride that 👏
Not sure i understand the controversy, if a weightlifter totals 400 in the 90kg class and a weightlifter totals 390 in the 100kg class- they don't just give both medals to the 90kg lifter. They both have gold in their respective events. Same bar, same stage, two events.
Well done TB.
Great ride, can confirm the weather was way worse earlier in the day. Lashing rain and several people almost getting stopped dead in their tracks by the head wind gusts
A Classic hill that one ! Never ridden it myself but thanks to this video it gives an excellent overview of it. Nicely judged effort Tom . You got your entry fees worth this year distance wise :).
Cracking ride mate that was awesome really rooting for you to overtake the dude I front love it