By kazimladimeji 
In British cycling, few events distil the essence of the sport quite like the National Hill Climb Championship — two minutes of pure, lung-searing effort up gradients that seem to defy gravity. And no one has conquered that suffering more completely in recent years than Harry MacFarlane, whose back-to-back titles have confirmed him as the rider to beat on the UK’s steepest roads.
The Making of a Champion
Harry MacFarlane’s route to the top wasn’t a straight line. As he told The British Continental, his early racing years were unremarkable — he spent time searching for the right discipline before discovering that his physiology and mindset were tailor-made for the hill-climb scene.
By 2020, he was quietly rising through club events. In 2024, he made his major breakthrough at the Dipton Mill Road Championship in Hexham, where he claimed his first national title and established himself as one of the sport’s most dedicated specialists. That win wasn’t about luck or pure genetics; it was the result of methodical preparation and relentless refinement.
“I’m not the most gifted rider,” he told Cycling Weekly after his 2025 victory. “But I’ve worked very hard for this.”
2025: A Record-Breaking Ride
When the 2025 National Hill Climb Championship rolled into Matlock’s Bank Road, all eyes were on the defending champion. The course was brutally simple — around 750 metres, averaging 14 percent, and finishing with gradients tipping over 20 percent.
MacFarlane delivered a masterclass:
-
Time: 2 min 14.72 sec — a new course record
-
Winning margin: 5 seconds ahead of the runner-up
-
Average power: ~707 watts
-
Estimated power-to-weight: ~9.9 W/kg
-
Average speed: 23.3 km/h
Those numbers tell a story of controlled fury. The climb offered no pacing errors, no room for recovery, and MacFarlane hit every metre with clinical precision.
The 4.8 kg Marvel: MacFarlane’s Hill-Climb Weapon
His victory owed as much to mechanical ingenuity as physical brilliance. His 2025 championship bike — a heavily modified Trek Émonda SLR — has already gained mythical status among weight-weenies.
According to CyclingNews and BikeRadar, the bike tipped the scales at just 4.8 kg, achieved through extreme weight-saving measures:
-
Frame stripped to bare carbon, clear of paint and logos
-
Lightweight Meilenstein Obermayer wheels (~950 g a pair)
-
Minimal bar tape, carbon saddle (~70 g), titanium bolts throughout
-
“Fake brakes” used to meet regulations while saving grams
It was a machine built for one purpose — to fly uphill for less than three minutes. Every component was selected, shaved or customised to achieve the perfect balance of stiffness, control and minimal mass.
Power, Precision and Pacing
Numbers only tell half the story. What makes MacFarlane stand out is how he converts those metrics into performance. A near-10 W/kg output requires not just strength, but exact pacing. Too hard too early, and you implode; too steady, and you lose seconds that can’t be recovered.
On Bank Road, MacFarlane’s effort was textbook — a steady ramp to peak power, surging only in the final 200 metres where the crowd’s roar and gradient hit hardest. That discipline under pressure is what separates national champions from strong club riders.
Rivalries and Respect
In the world of British hill climbing, one name looms large: Andrew Feather. A multiple-time national champion and perennial podium finisher, Feather has been the sport’s benchmark for a decade.
When MacFarlane beat him outright in 2024 and again in 2025 (Feather finishing third), it wasn’t just a victory — it marked a generational handover. Yet there’s clear mutual respect: both riders embody the obsessive, experimental, almost monk-like devotion that defines this corner of cycling.
The Human Side of the Obsession
Hill-climb racing may look solitary, but it thrives on community — club riders, local fans, and fellow obsessives tinkering with their own featherweight bikes in sheds across Britain.
MacFarlane’s story resonates because it’s about more than wattage and carbon fibre. He represents what’s possible when meticulous preparation meets genuine passion. His training blocks are short and brutal; his mindset focused entirely on one peak effort each autumn.
He’s not chasing sponsorships or UCI points — just perfection over a two-minute hill.
What Comes Next
MacFarlane’s back-to-back titles have already earned him a place among the sport’s modern greats. The question now is whether he can sustain that dominance — and how far the technology will go to support him.
Expect him to return in 2026 with another evolution of his Émonda: perhaps lighter still, with even more experimental components. But rivals will come armed too — riders like Feather, Jacob Woods, and Ed Laverack are all pushing the limits of what’s physically and mechanically possible.
One thing is certain: the margins are shrinking, and the bar keeps rising.
Planning to Watch or Ride a Hill Climb?
Whether you’re inspired to spectate or to take on one of Britain’s iconic ascents yourself, it’s worth making a weekend of it. The atmosphere at these events — cowbells, club banners, the smell of embrocation — is unlike anything else in UK cycling.
👉 Find local accommodation near major climbs and race venues:
-
Hotels.com – flexible bookings and easy comparisons
-
Expedia – bundle hotel and travel options for a smooth trip
Supporting local towns along the course helps keep this grassroots tradition thriving — and gives fans the best vantage points for those heart-in-mouth final metres.
The Legacy in Motion
From an unheralded rider searching for purpose to a double national champion breaking records, Harry MacFarlane’s journey embodies the essence of the British hill-climb scene: raw effort, human ingenuity, and a refusal to accept limits.
His 4.8 kg Trek, his 9.9 W/kg engine, and his unshakeable focus have made him more than just the fastest man uphill — he’s a symbol of what dedication and creativity can achieve in cycling’s purest test.
For now, Britain’s king of the hill stands alone at the summit. But as every rider knows, the next climb is never far away.