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Archibald and French Crowned RTTC Road Bike Champions in the Scottish Borders.
The 2026 RTTC National Road Bike Championship took place on Sunday in the beautiful Scottish Borders, with riders tackling a scenic 22-mile course near Peebles that culminated in a short but sharp climb to the finish – a sting in the tail that proved decisive after nearly an hour of hard racing.
Promoted by Edinburgh RC and run alongside the ever-popular Tour of the Meldons event, the championship attracted more than 70 riders and formed part of a packed day of competition that also included the final round of the RTTC Classic Series and an accompanying time trial bike event. The Tour of the Meldons has become a well established fixture on the Scottish cycling calendar and continues to grow in popularity year after year.
Conditions were generally favourable, with riders enjoying pleasant weather throughout the day. A light breeze and a brief rain shower added some variety, but overall the Scottish Borders provided an excellent setting for championship racing.
The event itself received widespread praise from competitors. Extensive signing, excellent marshalling and seamless organisation by Edinburgh RC ensured the day ran smoothly from start to finish, showcasing the very best of volunteer-led event delivery.
The Open Championship produced one of the rides of the season as John Archibald (WattShop) claimed the national title in 48:48. Archibald finished 26 seconds ahead of teammate Casper von Folsach, with George King (Velo Club Venta) taking the bronze medal a further 28 seconds back.
Despite securing the championship, Archibald revealed afterwards that he had dropped his chain near the finish after hitting a pothole and was forced to stop and refit it before continuing. Reflecting on the course, he said: “It’s always challenging and I always enjoy doing it. You have the hard climb at the start, then you’re hanging on through the descending before the final climb to the finish.”
The Women’s Championship was won by Olivia French (Otley CC) in a time of 58:49. French finished 29 seconds clear of Ellen Reynolds (Elevate RT), while Leah Cuthbertson (George Fox Cycling Solutions) secured the bronze medal in 1:00:37.
French praised both the course and the organisation, saying it suited a championship event perfectly. “I tried to execute the plan as best I could and had nothing left at the end,” she said after the finish. “It’s a great course – challenging without being overly hilly – and it was really well organised.”
There was another thrilling contest in the Junior Female Championship where Seraphina Green (Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy) edged out Boo Williams (Royal Albert Cycling Club) by just 16 seconds, recording a winning time of 1:05:15. Green praised the route afterwards, describing it as a scenic course and saying she would love to return and race it again next year.
In the Junior Open category, Roch Morgan (Utmost-Mezzo Isle of Man Junior Cycling Team) delivered an outstanding ride to take the title in 52:27 ahead of Hamish Mayes (Edinburgh RC) and Nicholas Smith (Manchester Bicycle Club). Morgan was equally complimentary about the event, describing it as “a great course and a well-organised championship” and saying he thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The team competition was won by GTR – Return To Life p/b Streamline, whose trio of Marc Anderson, Ray Wilson and Oliver Pemberton combined for a winning aggregate time of 2:34:29. In the Tour of the Meldons event, the Open category was run by promoting clubs Alan Dean in 50:43 ahead of Richard Sanderson and Sean Quinn. The female category was won by local rider Claire Cameron.
One of the highlights of the day came after the racing had finished. There was a real buzz around the event headquarters as the overwhelming majority of riders stayed for the presentations, creating a fantastic atmosphere and giving the championship ceremonies the audience they deserved. The sense of community and camaraderie on display was a fitting conclusion to a memorable day of championship racing.
Cycling Time Trials would like to thank Edinburgh RC, all event officials, marshals, volunteers and supporters whose efforts made the championship possible. Their commitment delivered a first-class event and a worthy showcase for road bike time trialling.