BLACKBURN and District CTC warmed up for this weekend's National Hill Climb championships with victory on the Nick O'Pendle.

Victory for the Blackburn team follows last weekend's success on The Rake in Ramsbottom -- where they dramatically won the national title just two years ago.

Now the Blackburn team will be out to regain the hill climb crown from Southport in the national finals on the Cat and Fiddle in Macclesfield.

Blackburn took three of the top four places to win the team title at the annual Nick O'Pendle climb -- and had five in the top 10 placings.

In fact, they should have had four in the top five but Ian Stott, who recorded the second fastest time on the day, was penalised for turning up late and eventually finished outside of the top 10.

Instead, Carl Helliwell, Dave Collinge and Neil Reynolds made up the trio of riders who clinched the team prize.

However, Blackburn were beaten to top spot in the individual stakes with Steve Feeney of Leigh causing something of an upset to win in 3mins 59.10 secs.

Helliwell was in second placed in 4.04.10 with Collinge in third spot in 4.19.40. Reynolds underlined Blackburn's cycling strength in depth when he was fourth fastest in 4.25.00 ahead of Peter Greenwood of Clayton Velo who was first Vet 50 in 4.25.40.

Chris Lee was the fourth fastest Blackburn rider and sixth overall with a time of 4.34.80 ahead of team-mate Chris Edmondson in 4.43.40.

Jonathan Ealing of Rossendale Road Club was eighth in 4.44.30 with John Barrow of Pendle Forest in ninth spot in 4.49.10. The top 10 was completed by Chris Barrow of Kent Valley Road Club in 4.50.00.

While Stott would have been disappointed to finished outside of the top 10 after receiving his time penalty, he showed he was in top form having beaten the reigning hill climb champion, Jim Henderson of Southport, in a meeting the previous day.

Stott, Helliwell, Edmondson, Collinge, Lee, Paul Smith and top rider Dave Ebbrell will make up the Blackburn team going for national glory next weekend.