There are few things that have stood the test of time over the last decade. In October 2016, Tadej Pogačar hadn’t won a pro race, Chris Froome was Tour de France champion again, and Donald Trump had not yet been elected US President.
However, on Bank Road in Matlock, the start of a dynasty was set up, as Team B38/Underpin Racing took their first men’s team prize at the National Hill-Climb Championship. That trio, of Patrick Clark (21st), Andy Nichols (13th) and Kieran Savage (12th) didn’t know it, but 10 editions later, the squad was still winning.
They didn’t set up to have such dominance over a category at nationals, even if they’re only a few more years away from setting the record of Manchester Wheelers from the 1980s and 1990s.
“It’s been a bit of a weird one, because we’re basically just a bunch of mates from uni who like riding hill climbs,” Nichols explained to Cycling Weekly earlier this month. “Then we got a bit carried away, so we’re still knocking about.
“There aren’t many teams that do hill climbs, it tends to be very much individual riders, so we sort of found our niche, and then when we got a new headline sponsor, we became just a hill climb team. At the time of year when most teams are winding down, we’re starting up.”
Being a team, however, has its perks. “We talk to each other a lot about the courses, so everyone knows the ins and outs,” Nichols explained. “Then we share equipment where we can, or if someone finds a bargain, and then we share the skinsuits between us. It’s even down to finding the best place to park, I mean that’s half the challenge with these things. We try to keep training together as a group.”
“You think cyclists are a bit weird, and then you meet hill climbers,” he said. “It’s weird in a good way. I’d certainly say for anyone wanting to get into cycling as a competitive sport, I think it’s the best way in. It’s really friendly, really fun. A lot of these courses these days, the shorter ones, they’re quite good at getting road closures too. There’s something for everyone.”
As for what is next for the champions: “We’ll keep trying. Every year it seems to get harder. Maybe it’s me getting older, or maybe it’s other riders coming through. There’s always another to watch out for.”
