Kaden Hopkins captured a third national time-trial men’s title and first in two years in fading light at Southside, St David’s, yesterday.

He maintained a steady pace over the entire 19.2-mile course which made light of the trying conditions to take the win comfortably in 39min 38sec.

It was the outcome Hopkins had truly hoped for having been denied a third straight title after finishing second to Conor White in last year’s event.

“Last year was a big disappointment for me because I came back from being away and was here for a couple of days and didn’t feel good. I did the race and really underperformed,” he said.

“However, this year I gave myself enough days to get over the travel, felt really good and did for sure the best TT I’ve ever done in nationals.”

The 23-year-old admits he felt confident about his chances of success heading into the event.

“I’ve been in a good place mentally with my riding and keeping myself healthy,” he added.

“I’ve been riding at a decent level this whole year, so I knew coming into nationals I was in good shape, and today I was really able to push, so it was good.”

Hopkins coped well in the breezy conditions that made life difficult for the competitors.

“It really affects the pacing strategy because normally on a course where’s there’s no wind you want to try and pace it pretty similar all the way around in terms of your effort,” he said.

“But today you had a really strong tailwind in one direction and a really strong headwind in the other, so it was almost like feeling you weren’t doing enough then turning around with the headwind and feeling like you were almost over exerting yourself.“It was hard, but I feel like I paced it well and was able to be pretty consistent the whole way through so I am happy with it.”With one title under his belt, Hopkins has now set his sights on securing a maiden national road race title and an impressive double on Sunday.

“It’s going to be hard, everybody is at a high level,” he added.

“But luckily this year it’s a harder course, and I think it’s going to be a lot more testing for everybody.

“I am hoping for good legs and decent weather, but we’ll see and take it on no matter what.

“I am feeling good, so I am going into it with a good mindset and we will see how it goes.”

White was forced to settle for second this time around with a time of 39:57, with Nicholas Narraway rounding off the podium finishers in third in 41:50.

Also standing tallest on the podium was Caitlin Conyers who stormed to an emphatic victory in the 16-mile open women’s category race in 37:18.

“I am really happy with it,” she said.

“I was three minutes faster than last year, so I am really happy and felt a lot better than last year.”Conyers cited all the hard work she has been doing in training as the key to her success.“I’ve been putting in the training so just glad I had a good night and different because we have never done a night time-trial,” she added. “So it’s been different but it was good.”

Conyers said she encountered no difficulty dealing with the strong wind sweeping across the course which enabled her to finish seven minutes ahead of nearest rival Panzy Olander.

“I got a new bike recently and feel a lot more confident on that bike, so the wind wasn’t bothering me,” she added.

“In the past I haven’t been too good in the wind. But tonight I felt really good and was able to stay in the arrow position for the majority of the race which I was really happy with.”

Conyers will now look to defend her road race title and duplicate last year’s impressive double.“I am going for double-double and I am excited,” she said.

“I like the course which they have switched up. It’s not the same as it was in the past, so I am excited.”

Olander finished second in 44:55 with Liana Medeiros, the only other competitor in the open women’s field, crossing in 45:56.

Jackson Langley (32:22) won the junior men’s title with Cameron Morris (33:40) taking second and Thomas Quarterly (33:57) third.

Annabelle Miller (35:29) reigned supreme in the junior women’s category followed by Charlotte Millington (36:45) and Skye Ferguson (41:26).

Steven Smith (46:36) and Nicole Mitchell (43:29) took home the men’s and women’s masters titles.

Dylan Eiset (26:58) won the youth 13-14 title, Jens Drea (19:35) topped the 11-12 category while Walker Smith (11:08) claimed honours in the ten-and-under division.