‘I thought it was going to be tougher’ – Meet the first and only hand-cyclist at the British National Hill Climb Championships

Over ten minutes behind the men’s winner at the British National Hill Climb Championships last weekend, Geoff Pickin completed his own ascent of the Dipton Mill Road in Hexham, Northumberland (UK).

However, Pickin isn’t just any other cyclist; he is the first, and to date the only, hand-cyclist to compete at the British hill climb nationals, the blue-ribbon event in the short season of uphill races that take place each autumn. The 61-year-old from south Wales raced his first nationals in 2022, and has been back every year since. Winner Harry MacFarlane might be ten minutes ahead of him, but he’s riding a very different race.