Amira Mellor took her second win of the HSBC UK | National Trophy Series while Joseph Blackmore edged out Toby Barnes by a whisker in the elite men’s race.
Rain turned to sunshine as competitors lined up at Westmorland Showground in Cumbria over the weekend to compete in the second round of top-level cyclo-cross racing this season.
Amira Mellor was under pressure to perform as the winner of the opening round in Derby and she stepped up to the plate with a dominant display for Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus, winning by over two minutes ahead of her teammate, Xan Crees, and Abbie Manley of Montezuma’s Race Team. Mellor was fastest out of the blocks, but she had company after the first lap in the form of Crees, Manley, Anna Flynn (Edinburgh RC), and Millie Couzens (Crelan-IKO).
A lap later, Mellor pushed on over the technical ramps that made up the middle section of the course. She soon distanced her companions and set about building an unassailable lead. Manley and Crees tried to hold the gap at a manageable distance, and in the process pulled away from the other chasers.
With the lead in the under 23 series at the back of their minds, Manley and Crees traded blows over the remaining laps. Neither rider would find an edge until the finishing straight, where Crees held off Manley to take second on the day behind an unstoppable Mellor.
As the elite men took to the course, the previously muddy surface was drying up, promising a fast and aggressive race.
Toby Barnes (Schamel p/b Kloster Kitchen), saw an opportunity in the new conditions; as the flag dropped, he hit the front and set the fastest lap of the day to put daylight between himself and a group of nine riders.
Leading the charge behind was a quartet of Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus riders: Daniel Barnes; Simon Wyllie; Ian Field; and Ben Chilton. Joining them was eventual winner Joseph Blackmore (ROTOR Race Team) and the impressive Corran Carrick-Anderson (T-Mo Racing).
Sensing the danger in allowing Barnes to go clear, Blackmore dug deep to bridge the gap. Once together, the pair would work well to keep clear of the chasing group; the gap was never much more than 20 seconds, and the pressure wouldn’t relent until the final lap.
Coming into the final straight, Blackmore got the jump on Barnes, edging out a small gap over the hurdles just a few hundred meters from the finish. With Barnes bearing down on him, Blackmore lunged for the line and the pair crossed in unison.
After what seemed like an age, the judges confirmed the result - Blackmore had won by the narrowest of margins. The sprint for third was no less nail biting as four riders entered the finishing straight together, with Corran Carrick-Anderson taking the final step of the podium.
Juniors
The junior women’s race was characterised by a tug-of-war between Ella Maclean-Howell (Tofauti Everyone Active), Elizabeth McKinnon (Derwentside CC), and Niamh Murphy (Montezuma's Race Team).
A hard attack from Maclean-Howell on lap two put daylight between the trio, and the successive laps were a lesson in discipline as she held onto her slim lead until the finish.
Behind, Murphy and McKinnon quickly settled into a rhythm and the elastic would snap on the penultimate lap as McKinnon cemented her second place.
In the junior men’s race, there was a changing of the guard as the series leader, Callum Laborde (Tofauti Everyone Active), was unable to match the pace of eventual winner Nathan Smith (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport).
Off the pace all race, Laborde would finish in fifth while Smith took the win by 40 seconds ahead of Ben Askey (Backstedt Bike Performance RC) - the latter going on to take the series lead - with Oliver Akers (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport) rounding out the podium, capping a good day for the team.
Men’s U16
Sebastian Grindley (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport) won by five seconds ahead of Alfie Amey (DB Racing) and Peter Carpenter (Sutton Cycling Club). In a repeat of round one, the minor podium placings were decided by the narrowest of margins, with Amey beating Carpenter in the final meters.
Men’s U14
Leon Atkins (Welwyn Wheelers CC) was closely matched by Jacob Steed (Sherwood Pines Cycles Forme) until the last lap, where Atkins pulled away to win by two seconds. George Cooper (Sherwood Pines Cycles Forme) came in third a further 40 seconds back.
Women’s U16
Cat Ferguson (Hope Factory Racing) led from the front in the U16 women’s race and took the win with plenty of time to celebrate. Alice Colling (Shibden Cycling Club) took another second place in the series ahead of Carys Lloyd (VC Londres), who just edged onto the podium ahead of Bethany-Ann Jackson (WXC World Racing).
Women’s U14
Aelwen Davies (Velo Myrddin CC p/b Y Beic) battled it out with Zoe Roche (WXC World Racing) for the win, before breaking free on the final lap to win by two seconds. Josephine Hurst (Marsh Tracks Racing) soloed in for third place.
Women’s Veterans 40-49
Ceris Styler was unable to match her performance from round one where she won by two minutes. Instead, Caroline Reuter (Dulwich Paragon CC) reversed her fortunes and took the win ahead of Styler. Celia Brown (Gorilla Coffee Cycling Club) would round out the podium yet again.
Women’s Veterans 50-59
Catriona Ross (Bridport CC) finished 12 seconds ahead of Helen Pattinson (Montezuma’s Race Team) to win the Women’s Veterans 50-59 category. Kate Dixon (Oscar Bravo) came in a further three minutes down.
Women’s Veterans 60+
Nicola Davies (www.cyclocrossrider.com) took the win ahead of Sally Reid (Magspeed Racing) and Carolyn Speirs (Kendal Cycle Club) with a healthy margin of victory.
Men’s Veterans 40-49
Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) and Adrian Lansley (Pedalon.co.uk) went the distance, only separated on the final lap by a small gap. Lewis Craven (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) was distanced in the latter stages of the race and came in alone to take third place.
Men’s Veterans 50-59
Nicholas Craig (SCOTT Racing) won a hard-fought race against Mike Simpson (Beeline Bicycles RT) and Nicholas Whitley (Chester RC) in the men’s 50-59 veteran race. An attack just after halfway decided the race and, despite a fast-finishing Simpson. Craig held on to take the win.
Men’s Veterans 60+
Robin Delve (Mid Devon CC) continued his run of good form, beating Michael Davies (Pedal Power Loughborough) and Peter Harris (Pearce Cycles RT) in the veterans 60+ race.
Podiums
A full list of podium placings is below:
Elite Men
Joseph Blackmore (ROTOR Race Team)
Toby Barnes (SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER)
Corran Carrick-Anderson (T-Mo Racing)
Elite Women
Amira Mellor (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus)
Xan Crees (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus)
Abbie Manley (Montezuma's Race Team)
Under-23 Men
Joseph Blackmore (ROTOR Race Team)
Toby Barnes (SCHAMEL P/B KLOSTER)
Corran Carrick-Anderson (T-Mo Racing)
Under-23 Women
Xan Crees (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus)
Abbie Manley (Montezuma's Race Team)
Millie Couzens (Crelan-IKO)
Junior Men
Nathan Smith (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport)
Ben Askey (Backstedt Bike Performance RC)
Oliver Akers (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport)
Junior Women
Ella Maclean-Howell (Tofauti Everyone Active)
Elizabeth McKinnon (Derwentside CC)
Niamh Murphy (Montezuma's Race Team)
Men’s U16
Sebastian Grindley (Garden Shed UK-Ribble-Verge Sport)
Alfie Amey (DB Racing)
Peter Carpenter (Sutton Cycling Club)
Men’s U14
Leon Atkins (Welwyn Wheelers CC)
Jacob Steed (Sherwood Pines Cycles Forme)
George Cooper (Sherwood Pines Cycles Forme)
Women’s U16
Cat Ferguson (Hope Factory Racing)
Alice Colling (Shibden Cycling Club)
Carys Lloyd (VC Londres)
Women’s U14
Aelwen Davies (Velo Myrddin CC p/b Y Beic)
Zoe Roche (WXC World Racing)
Josephine Hurst (Marsh Tracks Racing)
Women’s Veterans 40-49
Caroline Reuter (Dulwich Paragon CC)
Ceris Styler
Celia Brown (Gorilla Coffee Cycling Club)
Women’s Veterans 50-59
Catriona Ross (Bridport CC)
Helen Pattinson (Montezuma’s Race Team)
Kate Dixon (Oscar Bravo)
Women’s Veterans 60+
Nicola Davies (www.cyclocrossrider.com)
Sally Reid (Magspeed Racing)
Carolyn Speirs (Kendal Cycle Club)
Men’s Veterans 40-49
Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing)
Adrian Lansley (Pedalon.co.uk)
Lewis Craven (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli)
Men’s Veterans 50-59
Nicholas Craig (SCOTT Racing)
Mike Simpson (Beeline Bicycles RT)
Nicholas Whitley (Chester RC)
Men’s Veterans 60+
Robin Delve (Mid Devon CC)
Michael Davies (Pedal Power Loughborough)
Peter Harris (Pearce Cycles RT)
