Steve Abbott displays iron will to win gruelling event

Steve Abbott – a member of Hoppers Rollers cycling team – won the gruelling event, which features a 31km bike ride, booked-ended by 2.4km and 5km hilly runs.

The weekend of events involved over 200 entrants and Abbott won in a time of just over one hour and 25 minutes – beating his nearest rival by more than a minute and a half.

Abbott rides for Hoppers Rollers, which is a British Cycling-affiliated club based at Preston Grasshoppers, and last year rode in the sportive world championships.

In 2017, he was the national veterans’ road race champion.

In the last 12 months he has also won the tough Slateman and Sandman duathlons and is fast becoming one of the leading duathletes in the region.

Abott, pictured, said: “It was a super hard event over tough, hilly terrain.

“I switched to compete in duathlons this year but the combination of running and cycling is very hard on the body. I was delighted to take the win.”

The Hoppers Rollers is supported with a sponsorship by a number of local Preston businesses such as Harrison Drury Solicitors, Haleys Business Advisors, Bailey Financial Services and Approved Inspectors.

The club caters for riders of all abilities with rides every Wednesday evening through the summer from Preston Grasshoppers, meeting at 6.30pm.

Different groups of different fitness levels set off around the lanes of Lancashire with new starters welcome and looked after by experienced riders.