Clarke moving up in the world (From Dudley News)

Clarke moving up in the world

6:00pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in Sport

HAGLEY cycling star Matt Clarke showed his growing strength for gradient with two fifth places in Derbyshire.

The 18-year-old Halesowen Cycling Club rider entered two different hill climbs in Matlock last Sunday.

First, Clarke clocked a time of three minutes 53 seconds up the 1.98km Riber Road climb, which reached a gradient of 25 per cent in some places, to finish just 13 seconds down on winner Lee Baldwin.

Four hours later he was at it again, completing the 700-yard Bank Hill course in two minutes six seconds, again coming home 13 seconds behind winner and former national hill climb champion Matt Clinton.

Clarke will look to finish his year in style this weekend when he competes against 150 of the country’s best climbers at up the notorious Rake in Ramsbottom, Lancashire.