WATCH - East Kilbride cyclist continues dominance to claim third Etape Loch Ness title in Inverness
CATRIONA Lockie continued her dominance of Etape Loch Ness as she claimed the fastest female title for the third successive year.
The 31-year-old from East Kilbride regained the women's title with a time of 3:02.43.
Inverness cyclist Martha Gates of Moray Firth Cycling Club was second in a time of 3:06.36 with Charlotte Dewdney from Edinburgh third in a time of 3:09.18.
Lockie says she was delighted to claim the hat-trick of fastest female titles, saying it was the toughest Etape Loch Ness she has taken part in so far.
"I'm really pleased to get three in-a-row," she said.
"I'm glad I can say that I have done that because every year it seems to get harder to win and I didn't expect to come out on top."
Lockie admitted the poor weather conditions made it the most challenging Etape Loch Ness she has competed in yet.
"This year is the hardest so far because of the weather.
"With the rain, wind and cold temperatures it was difficult to keep warm and maintain a speed that was fast as I did before.
"But it was good to get out."
Lockie says Etape Loch Ness is the reason she fell in love with competitive cycling and hopes to return next year to make it four in-a-row.
"It is really special for me as the first time I did it was in 2019 and I was 15th fastest female.
"It was at that point I wanted to do cycling seriously, two years later I came back and I won it. It is nice to come back and do it and it reminds me why I fell in love with competitive cycling and the sport in general."
Inverness cyclist Gavin Dempster claimed the fastest male rider for the first time.
The 34-year-old took the title when he crossed the line in a time of 2:45.22.
The Moray Firth Cycling Club rider was the fastest cyclist by over six minutes, with Daniel Sutherland of Ross-shire Roads Cycling Club and Scott Davidson of Moray Firth Cyclist Club in joint second with 2:51.43.
Andy Cunningham from Ilkley in Yorkshire won the King of the Mountain Stage in a time of 21:20.
Charlotte Dewdney won the Queen of the Mountain Stage in a time of 26 minutes and 54 seconds.
