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With the popular Assen Youth Tour only just completed and the inaugural Ride London 100 taking place on the Olympic Road Race route, there were a number of high profile absentees for the latest round of the British Cycling National Youth Circuit Series but, despite that – and despite leaden black skies – there were big fields in most of the categories and some of the best racing we’ve seen all season.
The two youngest age groups tackled a twisting, technical course that took in the pit lane and the main straight – with a tricky, wet hairpin at each end – while the older riders tackled the full, windswept 3km long circuit.
Under 8
In the Under 8s the battle between the Isle of Man’s Niall Colquitt of Team Royal London 360 Isle of Man and Abergavenny RC’s Daniel Wylie-Morris was put on hold as an injury kept Colquitt away.
The battle on the day, though, was between Finlay Tarling of West Wales Cycle Racing Team and Awen Roberts of Towy Riders. Those two went away with Daniel Lloyd of San Fairy Ann CC and Joseph O’Brien of Hillingdon Slipstreamers and mopped up both sets of Series points in the primes – Roberts taking the win on both occasions from Tarling with Lloyd and O’Brien taking a third and a fourth each.
Behind them Wylie-Morris was battling his way through the pack and by the last lap managed to pick off O’Brien to take fourth overall. Ahead of him, though, Tarling had finally shaken off Roberts to take the win with Towy Riders rider second overall and first girl. Lloyd took third while O’Brien hung on for fifth.
1 Finlay TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
2 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders
3 Daniel LLOYD San Fairy Ann Cycling Club
4 Daniel WYLIE-MORRIS Abergavenny Road Club
5 Joseph O'BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers
6 Bethany BENNETT Towy Riders
7 Yusuf MORGAN Maindy Flyers Youth Cycling Club
8 Garan JONES Towy Riders
9 Harry CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC
10 Finn HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
11 Thomas ASHCROFT Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
12 Caitlin LOVELESS Hillingdon Slipstreamers
13 Lowri RICHARDS West Wales Cycle Racing Team
14 Carys LLOYD San Fairy Ann Cycling Club
15 Rebecca CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC
16 Alaw LEWIS West Wales Cycle Racing Team
17 Fallon HAIRD West Wales Cycle Racing Team
DNS Lilly THOMPSON Andover Wheelers
DNS Marshall THOMPSON Andover Wheelers
DNS Niall COLQUITT Royal London 360 Isle of Man
Sprint Lap 1
1 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders
2 Finlay TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
3 Joseph O'BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers
4 Daniel LLOYD San Fairy Ann Cycling Club
Sprint Lap 2
1 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders
2 Finlay TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
3 Daniel LLOYD San Fairy Ann Cycling Club
4 Joseph O'BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers
Under 10
The Under 10s and Under 12s have been dominated by Ben and Lewis Askey respectively - who were both absent from this round – but Joshua Tarling did his best to make the youngest two age categories a family affair. The West Wales Cycle Racing Team rider took the first sprint from Beven Smith of Maindy Flyers Youth CC, Mitchell Lacey of Barking and Dagenham CC and team mate Griff Lewis.
A strong lead group dominated the race and it was Smith that took the second sprint ahead of Tarling, Lacey and Isabella Escalera of Hillingdon Slipstreamers.
Lacey had made a couple of tentative attacks earlier in the race but he bided his time and timed his effort to perfection on the run in to the chequered flag. He took a comfortable win from Smith and Tarling with Escalera pipping Cal Gorvy of Palmer Park Velo for fourth and Lewis rounding out the top six.
1 Mitchell LACEY Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
2 Bevan SMITH Maindy Flyers Youth CC
3 Joshua TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
4 Isabella ESCALERA Hillingdon Slipstreamers
5 Cal GORVY Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
6 Griff LEWIS West Wales Cycle Racing Team
7 Alexa HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
8 Ayrton SMITH Maindy Flyers Youth CC
9 James ASHCROFT Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
10 Zoë BACKSTEDT Maindy Flyers Youth CC
11 Maya TEUFEL TARLTON Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club
12 Heledd HUNT Towy Riders
13 Libby SMITH Matlock CC
14 James BULLAR Gannet CC
15 Celt DAVIES West Wales Cycle Racing Team
16 Shannon HAIRD West Wales Cycle Racing Team
17 Harvey TADMAN Hillingdon Slipstreamer
18 Sannah ZAMAN Bigfoot Go Ride
19 Rosie DIAS Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
DNS Sam SMITH Towy Riders
DNS Innes HARVEY Velo Club De Londres
Sprint Lap 1
1 Joshua TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
2 Bevan SMITH Maindy Flyers Youth CC
3 Mitchell LACEY Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
4 Griff LEWIS West Wales Cycle Racing Team
Sprint Lap 2
1 Bevan SMITH Maindy Flyers Youth CC
2 Joshua TARLING West Wales Cycle Racing Team
3 Mitchell LACEY Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
4 Isabella ESCALERA Hillingdon Slipstreamers
Under 12
The under 12s rolled out on the main circuit for their race. The tempo was high throughout with riders shelled out of the back on from the start, but the main group stayed together for most of the race.
Zach Bridges of Newport Olympic Cycling Club was rewarded for his efforts throughout the race with a comfortable win. At the sharp end throughout, he took second in the first Sprint – behind Joe Nethell of Maindy Flyers and ahead of Owain Roberts of Towy Riders and Nethell’s team mate James Codd. He went one better next time around, taking maximum points ahead of Roberts, Elena Smith of Matlock CC and Ava-Mae Oxley-Szilaggi of Kirklees Cycling Academy.
Bridges – who’d had a couple of attempts early - on finally broke away and was well clear at the finish with Angus Hawkins of Palmer Park Velo – who’d been in the lead group throughout but never quite in the points in the Sprints – taking second ahead of Roberts and Nethell.
1 Zach BRIDGES Newport Olympic Cycling Club
2 Angus HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
3 Owain ROBERTS Towy Riders
4 Joe NETHELL Maindy Flyers Youth CC
5 George SOUTHBY East Bradford Cycling Club
6 Sam WATSON Aire Valley RT
7 Elena SHAW Maindy Flyers Youth CC
8 Elena SMITH Matlock CC
9 Oliver KNIGHT Team Milton Keynes
10 Caitlin PETERS Fareham Wheelers CC
11 Elynor BACKSTEDT Maindy Flyers Youth CC
12 Adam PHILLIPS Wolverhampton Wheelers
13 India GLOAG Velo Club De Londres
14 Finay COOPER-OLDROYD Kirklees Cycling Academy
15 Thomas GLOAG Velo Club De Londres
16 James CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC
17 Hollie OWENS Wolverhampton Wheelers
18 Samuel CLARK i-team Cyclist's Club
19 Eve MARTIN Ribble Valley Juniors
20 Joe PIDCOCK Aire Valley Cycles
21 Lauren BOOTH Newport Velo Youth CC
22 Ryan PHILLIPS Maindy Flyers Youth CC
23 Rhys THOMAS Abergavenny Road Club
24 NoahTRESHAM Team Milton Keynes
25 Max REED Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
26 Sam SKEGGS Team Milton Keynes
27 Molly KONCHESKY Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
28 Liam HANKS Barking and Dagenham Cycling Club
29 Ava-Mae OXLEY-SZILAGGI Kirklees Cycling Academy
DNF Irfan ZAMAN Bigfoot Go Ride
DNS Eva BARNET ERC Marie Curie Race Team
DNS Jemma BOWLER Hillingdon Slipstreamers
DNS Emily CONN Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
DNS Amy CANTELO Solent Pirates
Sprint Lap 1
1 Joe NETHELL Maindy Flyers Youth CC
2 Zach BRIDGES Newport Olympic Cycling Club
3 Owain ROBERTS Towy Riders
4 James CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC
Sprint Lap 2
1 Zach BRIDGES Newport Olympic Cycling Club
2 Owain ROBERTS Towy Riders
3 Elena SMITH Matlock CC
4 Ava-Mae OXLEY-SZILAGGI Kirklees Cycling Academy
Under 14 Boys
Despite suffering the heaviest downpour of the meeting, the under 14 boys was, for a time, probably the best race of the Series so far. Another long running duel was interrupted with National Champion Dan Tuilett who dominated the early rounds not present but William Turnbull of Marton RT who had pipped him on a number of occasions recently hoping to take advantage and keep his Series run going.
The first Sprint of a lively race saw Scott Hookway of Sherwood Pines Cycles cross the line first ahead of Anthony Anderson of Kingston Wheelers. Anderson’s probably led as many laps as anyone this season, but too often in the wrong half of the race. Matthew Cox of Bristol Cycling Development Squad took third from Ryan White of 1st Chard Wheelers.
The second half of the race was dominated by Elliott Lassiter of Swindon Road Club who got away and stayed away until the closing stages of the race. He picked up the second Sprint with Anderson leading the chase behind, with Harry Hardcastle of Kirklees Cycling Academy and Tom Pidcock of Aire Valley Cycles also scoring.
Elliott’s brave effort faltered and he was reeled in by the bell and a bunch sprint was inevitable. The finish was incredibly close – a single pixel, or about 2mm separating the riders on the line. Anderson was slightly ahead on the run in but Turnbull’s impressive sprint had given him the momentum. There was an anxious wait for the result but in the end it was Anderson that had hung on to take the win and a deserved reward for his efforts throughout the year. White took third with Jamie Ridehalgh of Airedale Chemicals RT fourth.
1 Anthony ANDERSON Kingston Wheelers CC
2 William TURNBULL Marton RT
3 Ryan WHITE 1st Chard Wheelers
4 Jamie RIDEHALGH Airedale Chemicals RT
5 Rhys BRITTON Cardiff JIF
6 Tom PIDCOCK Aire Valley Cycles
7 Thomas HUMPHREY Sports City Velo
8 Harry HARDCASTLE Kirklees Cycling Academy
9 William CROFTS Performance Cycles
10 Theo HARTLEY Bolton Hot Wheels
11 Charles PAGE Hillingdon Slipstreamers
12 Louis ROSE-DAVIES Hillingdon Slipstreamers
13 Elliot LASSITER Swindon Road club
14 Matthew COX Bristol Cycling Development Squad
15 Scott HOOKWAY Sherwood Pines Cycles – SRAM Race Team
16 Matthew ELLIS Sherwood Pines Cycles – SRAM Race Team
17 Alexander CROSS Oakley Pedallers
18 Jacob TRESHAM Team Milton Keynes
19 Carl JOLLY Hillingdon Slipstreamers
20 Oscar MINGAY Cardiff JIF
21 Micheal PARRY Welwyn Wheelers
22 Tom EASLEY Crawley Wheelers
23 Tom DUSSEK Nottingham Clarion
24 Michael SHAW Solihull Cycling Club
25 Alex HALL Andover Wheelers
DNF Harry TADMAN Hillingdon Slipstreamer
DNF Joe PHILLIPS Wolverhampton Wheelers
DNS Benjamin MOODY Achieve Cycle Coaching
DNS Tyla LOFTUS Beacon Wheelers
DNS James DOYLE Clarence Wheelers Cycling Club
DNS Alexander TARLTON Lee Valley Youth Cycling Club
Sprint Lap 1
1 Scott HOOKWAY Sherwood Pines Cycles – SRAM Race Team
2 Anthony ANDERSON Kingston Wheelers CC
3 Matthew COX Bristol Cycling Development Squad
4 Ryan WHITE 1st Chard Wheelers
Sprint Lap 2
1 Elliot LASSITER Swindon Road club
2 Anthony ANDERSON Kingston Wheelers CC
3 Harry HARDCASTLE Kirklees Cycling Academy
4 Tom PIDCOCK Aire Valley Cycles
Under 14 Girls
A small field of nine riders and the wide open spaces of Castle Combe inevitably meant that the under 14 Girls did the sensible thing and stuck together for the duration. Runaway Series leader Jessica Robers of Towy Riders opted to miss this round but, as always, the Welsh were well represented at the front of the race.
Sophie Williams of Cardiff Jif took the first Sprint from Lauren Murphy of Team Milton Keynes, Lowri Thomas of Abergavenny Road Club and Madeleine Gammons of Bourne Wheelers CC. The same four girls took the points second time through, with Thomas taking the win from Williams, Murphy and Gammons.
Sophie Jo Wylie-Morrs of Abergavenny RC managed to get in the mix at the finish, pipping Gammons to third with Murphy taking fifth – but it was Williams that took the win from Thomas to complete and all Welsh podium.
1 Sophie WILLIAMS Cardiff JIF
2 Lowri THOMAS Abergavenny Road Club
3 Sophie Jo WYLIE-MORRIS Abergavenny Road Club
4 Madeleine GAMMONS Bourne Wheelers CC
5 Lauren MURPHY Team Milton Keynes
6 Jayati HINE Sheffield Stars CSC
7 Rebecca SIMMONDS Wolverhampton Wheelers
8 Alice LAW Wolverhampton Wheelers
9 Sophie TAYLOR Bristol Cycling Development Squad
DNF Samantha VERRILL Marton Race Team
DNS Lucy EDMUNDS Bournemouth Arrow CC / Hotel Collingwood
DNS Lorna BOWLER Hillingdon Slipstreamers
DNS Jessica WATTS Marton Race Team
DNS Jessica ROBERTS Towy Riders
Sprint Lap 1
1 Sophie WILLIAMS Cardiff JIF
2 Lauren MURPHY Team Milton Keynes
3 Lowri THOMAS Abergavenny Road Club
4 Madeleine GAMMONS Bourne Wheelers CC
Sprint Lap 2
1 Lowri THOMAS Abergavenny Road Club
2 Sophie WILLIAMS Cardiff JIF
3 Lauren MURPHY Team Milton Keynes
4 Madeleine GAMMONS Bourne Wheelers CC
Under 16 Girls
Despite the absence of a couple of big name riders – notably Grace Garner of RST Racing team – a bigger field in the under 16 Girls made for a much more active race with a series of attacks stretching out the bunch and firing half a dozen riders out the back.
Megan Chard of Bush Healthcare took the first sprint from Megan Barker of Cardiff Ajax CC, Rebecca Raybould of Poole Wheelers CC and Lucy Shaw of Solihull CC.
Barker went one better in the second sprint, heading home RST Racing’s Abby-Mae Parkinson, Bethany Taylor of Bristol Cycling Development Squad and Henrietta Colborne of Beacon Wheelers.
At the finish it was Barker and Charlotte Broughton of MG Décor that contested the final sprint with Barker notching up the fourth Welsh win of the day. Shaw took third from Abbie Dentus of Team De Ver with Raybould and Parkinson rounding out the top 6.
1 Megan BARKER Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club
2 Charlotte BROUGHTON MGDecor
3 Lucy SHAW Solihull Cycling Club
4 Abigail DENTUS De Ver Cycles
5 Rebecca RAYBOULD Poole Wheelers CC
6 Abby-Mae PARKINSON RST Racing Team
7 Henrietta COLBORNE Beacon Wheelers
8 Bethany TAYLOR Bristol Cycling Development Squad
9 Rosa MARTIN Ribble Valley Juniors
10 Megan CHARD Bush Healthcare
11 Bethany COUPLAND Mid Shropshire Wheelers
12 Jessica WILLETT Sherwood Pines Cycles - SRAM Race Team
13 Elizabeth SHIRLEY Team Milton Keynes
14 Sophia CHASTELL Welwyn Wheelers
15 Tanwen JONES Towy Riders
16 Harriet DODD Salisbury Road and Mountain CC
17 Emily HALL Andover Wheelers
DNF Hester STEMBRIDGE Hammer Sports
DNF Phoebe MARTIN Lichfield City Cycling Club
Sprint Lap 1
1 Megan CHARD Bush Healthcare
2 Megan BARKER Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club
3 Rebecca RAYBOULD Poole Wheelers CC
4 Lucy SHAW Solihull Cycling Club
Sprint Lap 2
1 Megan BARKER Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club
2 Abby-Mae PARKINSON RST Racing Team
3 Bethany TAYLOR Bristol Cycling Development Squad
4 Henrietta COLBORNE Beacon Wheelers
Under 16 Boys
Like Anthony Anderson in the under 14s, Karl Baillie of Witham Wheelers has done his fair share of the work at the front of the under 16 Boys National Series Races this year – and has made a number of solo breaks – but his best result so far was a second at Curborough.
He started as he meant to go on, off the front on lap one – but it was Series leader Joe Holt of County Cycles Racing Team that took the first Sprint of the day from Tom Weeds of Derby Mercury RC and Peter Kibble Cycology Bikes with Baillie very much in the mix in fourth.
The decisive move of the race came around the half way mark when Robert Hogg of 1st Chard Wheelers broke away from the pack. Alexander Braybrooke of Velocity WD40 and Bailliee bridged across and the three set about controlling the race.
Robert Hogg took the second sprint ahead of Braybrooke and Baillie with Hefin Evans of Towy Riders at the head of the chasing pack but with three to go Hogg had slipped back in to the pack, which was closing down Baillie and Braybrooke at an impressive rate.
Seeing the danger, Baillie took off and rode away from the rest of the race extending his slender lead to 10 seconds at the bell. It was half that by the chequered flag, but that was plenty to win what most observers agreed was the race of the season so far, with the one of the best rides of the season. Holt won the sprint for second from Jack Mattock of One and All and Peter Kibble of Cycology Bikes. Cameron Thompson of Andover Wheelers just held off Hogg for fifth with fellow escapee Braybrooke behind him.
1 Karl BAILLIE Witham Wheelers / Echo Personnel
2 Joe HOLT County Cycles Racing Team
3 Jack MATTOCK One and All
4 Peter KIBBLE Cycology Bikes
5 Cameron THOMPSON Andover Wheelers
6 Robert HOGG 1st Chard Wheelers
7 Alexander BRAYBROOKE Velocity WD40 RT
8 Oliver PECKOVER Nottingham Clarion CC
9 Tom WEEDS Derby Mercury RC
10 Alex JOLIFFE Poole Wheelers Cycling Club
11 Alex EVANS Morton Race Team
12 Matthew WALLS Velocity WD40 RT
13 Brett NETHELL County Cycles Racing Team
14 Rob HARPER RST Racing Team
15 Oscar WILLIAMSON Mossley CRT
16 Callum McBREARTY Nottingham Clarion CC
17 Ryan PHILLIPS Wolverhampton Wheelers
18 Tim JAMES Bourne Wheelers
19 Christopher ROTHWELL Swindon Cycles Race Academy
20 Brendan DREWETT Fareham Wheelers CC
21 Tom SEFTON Palmer Park Velo RT / AW Cycles
22 Zak CORUM_HAINES VC Jubilee
23 George WOODHEAD Lichfield City Cycling Club
24 Elliot DUDLEY Sherwood Pines Cycles / SRAM
25 Hefin EVANS Towy Riders
26 Jed WEBBER Andover Wheelers
27 Aaron THOMPSON Portsmouth North End CC
28 Scott PEARCE Newport Olympic Cycling Club
29 Joseph CLARK i-team Cyclist’s Club / KSL / in Tandem
DNF Matt WITS Dream Cycling
DNF Robert SCOTT East Bradford Cycling Club
DNF Jamie HUTCHINSON i-team Cyclist’s Club / KSL / in Tandem
DNF Jake DOBSON Newcastle Phoenix CC
DNF Thomas LANE Stratford CC
DNF James IRESON Wolverhampton Wheelers
DNS Ellis KIRKBRIDE Border City Wheelers Cycling Club
DNS Luke MORGAN Cycle Club Luton / Pedalworks/Bandon
DNS MatthiasBARNET ERC Marie Currie Race Team
DNS Patrick FOTHERINGHAM Halesowen A & CC
DNS Sean WILSON Lee Valley youth Cycling Club
DNS William KELLY Mid Devon Cycling Club
DNS Ryan McGILLICK Mossley CRT
DNS Joey WALKER RST Racing Team
DNS Matthew THORNE Towy Racing Cycle Club
DNS Archie WISHART Welwyn Wheelers
Sprint Lap 1
1 Joe HOLT County Cycles Racing Team
2 Tom WEEDS Derby Mercury RC
3 Peter KIBBLE Cycology Bikes
4 Karl BAILLIE Witham Wheelers / Echo Personnel
Sprint Lap 2
1 Robert HOGG 1st Chard Wheelers
2 Alexander BRAYBROOKE Velocity WD40 RT
3 Karl BAILLIE Witham Wheelers / Echo Personnel
4 Hefin EVANS Towy Riders
