# Hillclimbing (cycling)

Hill climbing is a cycling event, as well as a basic skill of the sport. As events, a hill climb may either be an individual time trial (which forbids cooperation, drafting, or team tactics), a road race or in some cases a gravel race. A hill climb is a competition of sustained climbing, that finishes at a higher altitude than the start line. Occasionally featured as stages in major professional races, such as the Tour de France, they are usually referred to as mountain stages. Mountain stages may take the form of a normal road race stage, or an individual time trials. Time trial stages are not necessarily from the bottom to the top of a hill, and can simply be a time trial over hilly terrain.
Hill climbing is one of the key skills required to make cycling more enjoyable. One of the best ways to learn this skill is through practice. There are several ways to practice, solo using intervals or group rides that focus on hill climbs. Being able to tackle hills efficiently can be a "Race Winner" for anyone. Because downhills can be decided in seconds, uphills takes minutes, and being a good climber makes it possible to drop several riders behind.

## Great Britain

In Great Britain there is an end of season tradition of cycling clubs promoting hillclimb time trials in October, for small cash prizes. The hills tend to be relatively short, usually taking between three and five minutes to complete, and the races attract many spectators, including locals not otherwise interested in cycling, who come to watch the pain in the faces of the competitors. Competitors regularly strive to save grams on their equipment, going as far as to drill holes in their bike.

### British National Champions

| Year | Climb | Winner | Team |
| 2021 | Winnats Pass | Tom Bell | High North Performance |
| 2020 | Streatley Hill | Andrew Feather | HuntBikeWheels.com |
| 2019 | Haytor Vale | Ed Laverack | SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling |
| 2018 | Pea Royd Lane | Andrew Feather | BCR Racing |
| 2017 | Hedley Hill | Dan Evans | ASSOS Equipe UK |
| 2016 | Bank Road | Adam Kenway | Metaltek Kuoata RT |
| 2015 | Jackson Bridge | Richard Bussell | RST Sport/Aero-Coach |
| 2014 | Pea Royd Lane | Dan Evans | Team Elite/Paul Bethall Electrical |
| 2013 | The Stang | Tejvan Pettinger | Sri Chinmoy CT |
| 2012 | The Rake | Jack Pullar | Wheelbase.co.uk |
| 2011 | Long Hill | Gunnar Gronlund | Rst Racing Team – Trigon |
| 2010 | Dover's Hill | Dan Fleeman | Team Raleigh UCI |
| 2009 | Pea Royd Lane | Dan Fleeman | Cervelo Test Team |
| 2008 | Bank Road | Matt Clinton | Mikevaughan.co.uk |
| 2007 | Cheddar Gorge | James Dobbin | Arctic Shorter |
| 2006 | Peak Hill | James Dobbin | Arctic Shorter |
| 2005 | The Rake | Ben Greenwood | Recycling |
| 2004 | Winter's Gibbet | Jon Dayus | Arctic Shorter |
| 2003 | Halifax Lane | Jim Henderson | Southport CC |
| 2002 | Cat and Fiddle | Mark Lovatt | Compensation Group |
| 2001 | Y Bwlch | Jim Henderson | Southport CC |
| 2000 | Westclose Hill | Jim Henderson | Terry Wright Cycles |
| 1999 | The Rake | Jim Henderson | Terry Wright Cycles |
| 1998 | Dover's Hill | Jim Henderson | Oxford University Cycling Club |
| 1997 | Rowsley Bar | Stuart Dangerfeild | Wheelbase CC |
| 1996 | Carlton Bank | Stuart Dangerfeild | Parker Int |
| 1995 | Ditching Beacon | Stuart Dangerfeild | Leo R.T |
| 1994 | Jackson Bridge | Jeff Wright | North East RT |
| 1993 | Newlands Pass | Stuart Dangerfeild | Leo RC-Shorter Rochford |
| 1992 | St John's Chapel | Stuart Dangerfeild | Leo RC-Shorter Rochford |
| 1991 | Park Rash | Chris Boardman | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1990 | Widecombe-in-the-Moor | Chris Boardman | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1989 | The Burway | Chris Boardman | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1988 | Nick O'Pendle | Chris Boardman | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1987 | Rosedale Chimney | Paul Curran | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1986 | Riber Hill | Darryl Webster | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1985 | Challacombe | Darryl Webster | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1984 | Crawleyside | Darryl Webster | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1983 | Weston Hill | Darryl Webster | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1982 | Dover's Hill | Jeff Williams | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1981 | Horseshoe Pass | Jeff Williams | Manchester Wheelers – Trumanns Steel |
| 1980 | Nick O'Pendle | Malcolm Elliott | Rutland CC |
| 1979 | Haytor Vale | Jeff Williams | GS Strada |
| 1978 | Dover's Hill | Gareth Armitage | Oldham Century |
| 1977 | Winnats Pass | John Parker | Southport RCC |
| 1976 | Horseshoe Pass | Joe Waugh | GS Strada Lutz |
| 1975 | Nick O'Pendle | Gareth Armitage | Oldham Century |
| 1974 | Holme Moss | Tyne RC | Tyne RC |
| 1973 | Dover's Hill | Granville Sydney | Huddersfeild SW |
| 1972 | Winnats Pass | Granville Sydney | Huddersfeild SW |
| 1971 | Horseshoe Pass | John Clewarth | Kirby CC |
| 1970 | Nick O'Pendle | Granville Sydney | Huddersfeild SW |
| 1969 | Llywel Hill | Granville Sydney | Huddersfeild SW |
| 1968 | Dover's Hill | Pete Gannon | Leeds St Christopher |
| 1967 | Winnats Pass | Paul Wildsmith | East Bradford CC |
| 1966 | Winnats Pass | PD Greenhalgh | Nottingham Phoenix |
| 1965 | Dover's Hill | Granville Sydney | Huddersfield Star Wheelers |
| 1964 | Peaslow | Eric Wilson | Rossendale RC |
| 1963 | Winnats Pass | Granville Sydney | Huddersfield Star Wheelers |
| 1962 | Nick O'Pendle | P. J Graham | West Pennine RC |
| 1961 | York's Hill | P. J Graham | West Pennine RC |
| 1960 | Saintbury | Eric Wilson | Rossendale RC |
| 1959 | Winnats Pass | Gordon Rhodes | Huddersfield RC |
| 1958 | Monks Lane | P. J Graham | West Pennine RC |
| 1957 | Winnats Pass | Eric Wilson | Rossendale RC |
| 1956 | Saintbury | Les Ingman | Norwood Paragon |
| 1955 | Holly Lane | Eric Wilson | Rossendale RC |
| 1954 | Holme Moss | Les Ingman | Norwood Paragon |
| 1953 | Winnats Pass | R Keighley | Shipley RC |
| 1952 | Mow Cop | Brian Robinson | Huddersfield RC |
| 1951 | Saintbury | R Stringwell | Bramley Wheelers |
| 1950 | Barber's Hill | R Stringwell | Bramley Wheelers |
| 1949 | Winnats Pass | Bob Maitland | Concorde R CC |
| 1948 | Landsdowne | Vic Clark | Coventry CC |
| 1947 | Winnats Pass | Vic Clark | Coventry CC |
| 1946 | Holly Lane | Vic Clark | Manchester Clarion |
| 1945 | Peaslow | Bob Maitland | Solihull CC |
| 1944 | Brasted | Harold F Worthen | Manchester Clarion |

## USA

Notable US hill climbing races include the Mt. Evans Hill Climb, the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, and Broadmoor Cycle to the Summit event on Pikes Peak (which has also been the site of USA Cycling's Hill Climbing National championships)