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Illi Gardner won the women’s 2026 National Hill-Climb Championships on Porlock Toll Road in Somerset, claiming her fourth title. She finished in 17:33, 40 seconds ahead of Maria Holdcroft, after a race marked by cold conditions and strong headwinds near the summit.
Illi Gardner won her fourth National Hill-Climb Championships title on Sunday, completing the 6.6-kilometre climb on Porlock Toll Road in Somerset in 17 minutes, 33 seconds. The Cardiff Ajax CC rider finished 40 seconds ahead of Maria Holdcroft in challenging weather, adding the British crown to a season that has also included a successful defence of her Everesting World Championship title.
Gardner’s winning time was recorded at the top of the climb onto the shoulders of Exmoor. Holdcroft, riding for Cowley Road Condors CC, was second. The result gave Gardner her fourth national hill-climb title, according to Cycling Weekly’s report. The source does not list her previous title years or provide the full women’s results.
Conditions were cold and windy, with riders facing headwinds on the upper section. Gardner told Cycling Weekly she had planned to pace the effort and save energy for the climb’s later part, but went out harder than intended. She said the wind made the finish a slog, even though she felt the longer course suited her.
The men’s race was won by Welsh rider Ed Laverack of Assos UK Race Team. However, the fastest time of the day belonged to 16-year-old Ezra Bateman, who completed the course in 14:31, 0.2 seconds faster than Laverack. Bateman was awarded the junior title rather than the senior one. In the women’s provisional results, third place was initially attributed to Rebekah Hendrickse, then she was listed as disqualified; Karolina Zydelyte was subsequently shown as the third-place finisher.
Gardner Adds a Fourth National Crown
The win confirms Gardner’s standing in British hill climbing and adds another national title to a season shaped by a very different endurance challenge. She had defended her Everesting World Championship title about four weeks before the hill-climb, an event she described as lasting 14 hours. Her performance on Porlock Toll Road shows she could turn from that long-duration effort to a shorter, steep race and still take the women’s title.
The result also illustrates how the course and conditions affected race strategy. Gardner said she intended to reserve energy for the exposed upper section but accelerated too early. Her account makes clear that winning did not mean the effort went exactly to plan: she had to manage cold, wind and fatigue after opening at a pace she later felt was too aggressive.
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From Everesting to Porlock
The National Hill-Climb Championships were held on Porlock Toll Road in Somerset, a 6.6-kilometre route climbing toward Exmoor. Gardner said she had not completed as many hill-climb efforts in the lead-up as she had hoped because she was focused on preparing for the Everesting World Championships, held around four weeks earlier.
In an Everesting event, riders repeatedly climb a chosen ascent to accumulate the equivalent of 8,848 metres of elevation gain. The source describes Gardner’s event as a 14-hour effort. That preparation differed from the demands of a single hill climb, where pacing and the ability to sustain a hard effort against the course and conditions are central to the result.
“On the day I kind of freaked out a bit, and didn’t handle it very well.”
— Illi Gardner, speaking to Cycling Weekly
Final Results and Race Details
The source reports a change in the provisional women’s podium: Hendrickse was first listed in third place and later marked disqualified, with Zydelyte shown in the final podium position. It says the apparent issue was a failure to sign on properly, but does not provide an official ruling or a final statement from race organisers. The precise status and reason should therefore be treated as reported provisional-results information.
The report also does not provide a calendar date, full race results, detailed weather measurements or Gardner’s previous title years. It is not clear from the supplied information whether organisers issued later corrections or further clarification about the women’s third-place result.
Official Results and Future Races
The immediate next step is confirmation of the final results, particularly the women’s third-place position and the reported disqualification. The supplied report does not identify a later results notice or give a date for one.
Gardner’s next race plans are also not specified. Her comments establish that the Everesting championship shaped her preparation for Porlock, but do not say which event she will target next or whether she plans to return to the national hill-climb championships.
Key Questions
Who won the women’s 2026 National Hill-Climb Championships?
Illi Gardner, riding for Cardiff Ajax CC, won the women’s race on Porlock Toll Road.
What was Gardner’s winning time?
Gardner completed the 6.6-kilometre climb in 17:33, finishing 40 seconds ahead of Maria Holdcroft.
What made the race difficult?
Gardner described cold conditions and strong headwinds, particularly near the top. She said she started harder than planned and struggled into the wind on the upper section.
Who finished third in the women’s race?
The report says Rebekah Hendrickse was initially listed in third, then marked disqualified in provisional results, and Karolina Zydelyte was subsequently shown in third. The supplied source does not include an official ruling confirming the reason or any later update.
Who set the fastest time of the day?
Ezra Bateman, 16, recorded 14:31, 0.2 seconds faster than men’s race winner Ed Laverack. Bateman was awarded the junior title rather than the senior title.
Source: cyclingweekly.com
