A Tumble firefighter is the fastest man in Wales against the clock.
Siôn Jones, a 20-year-old on-call firefighter at the village’s fire station, has been crowned senior open champion at the 2026 Welsh Time Trial Championship, covering the 10-mile course in 20 minutes and 12 seconds.
That is an average of just under 30mph, held for ten miles of fast, rolling terrain near Llanvaches in Newport that Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said tested riders’ endurance, pacing and technical ability.
The time trial is cycling’s race of truth: no bunch to hide in, no wheels to follow, just one rider alone against the watch.
Jones took the title riding for the Ride Revolution Coaching team, and has been racing bikes for most of his life.
He entered his first competitions at four years old, the service said, and the sight of his local cycling club training proved a turning point: after a chat with the club he joined weeks later, and began racing seriously at 16.
The fire service came later, and almost by accident. His father spotted Tumble Fire Station advertising a recruitment open day on social media last year; Jones went along, loved it, and applied shortly afterwards.
He has been an on-call firefighter at the station since October, completing his initial training and building experience through ongoing training and real incidents.
On-call firefighters respond to emergencies from home or work when the pager goes, fitting the role around other jobs, and are paid through retainer fees and call-out payments.
The role appealed, he said, because it let him develop new skills and serve his community without giving up his sport, and he is now considering a career as a wholetime firefighter.
“I’m really enjoying the experience and learning new skills every day,” he said.
“No two incidents are ever the same and the best parts about the role are the people I get to work with and being part of a close-knit team.
“To anyone considering whether to apply, I would encourage them to absolutely go for it. You’ve got nothing to lose and will gain so much from it.”
It caps a golden summer for Carmarthenshire cycling, days after Carmarthen’s Emma Finucane made history with a third Commonwealth gold in Glasgow.
And it comes in a county that raced before almost anyone. Carmarthen Park’s velodrome, built in 1900, is among the oldest in the world, Pembrey’s closed-road circuit was the first in south Wales, and an Ammanford firm’s balance bikes are inside the Tour de France ahead of the race’s first Welsh stage next July.
The service is currently recruiting on-call firefighters, with details at mawwfire.gov.uk.
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