The 2023 Women’s National Road Series kicks off this Sunday 26 March, with one of the most thrilling races on the domestic road racing calendar – the ANEXO/CAMS 7th Women’s CiCLE Classic.
Set across the undulating landscape of Rutland and East Leicestershire, the CiCLE Classic has a unique parcours, challenging riders with a combination of off-road sectors, short sharp climbs, and a demanding route.
Until now, the race has taken place in June each year, and so with spring rain hitting the route’s farm tracks in the days and weeks leading up to this weekend, this race should be a true spring classic.
A strong field will take to the start, including defending National Road Series champion Sammie Stuart (DAS-Handsling), as every rider will be keen to make their mark in the UK’s biggest road race so far this season.
The National Road Series
The race forms round one of the women’s National Road Series, the premier road racing series in the UK. The series features individual and team competitions, as well as a separate under-23 competition. The overall winners of each of the three competitions will be crowned after the final round of the series, the inaugural East Cleveland Classic on 1 October. With the top domestic riders and teams participating, the winners can claim bragging rights as the best road racing performers in the country.
The course
Starting and finishing in Melton Mowbray, the race is 105km long and features a twisting route that takes in six off-road sectors, including Sawgate Lane, Somerberg, Manor Farm, and Newbold Manor, as well as the three categorised climbs of the day: Burrough Berg, Cold Overton Berg, and Cuckooberg.
The racing begins at 14:00 before eventually returning to Melton at around 16:00 where the ‘Melton Town sprint’ will be contested for the race’s famous giant pork pie award. The competitors then complete a 15km finishing circuit that includes the Sawgate Lane sector ahead of the finish in Sherrard Street at around 16:20. The recent rain will make the course wet, muddy and slippery.
Hutchinson-Brother UK manager Ian Watson told The British Continental ahead of the race:
“The biggest challenge will be the water holding in the holes – the riders won’t know how deep they are. And on the climb of the Somerberg, it is particularly slippy, so riders might lose traction there. I can see it coming to a standstill further down the bunch, so positioning will be more important than ever.”
Watson believes the conditions should make the race more thrilling than ever, “This really will be the British Paris-Roubaix. It’s going to be an exciting race.”
The winner receives the Dame Laura Kenny Trophy and £1000 in prize money, donated by the multiple-Olympic gold medallist herself. Kenny and fellow track cycling legend Ed Clancy OBE will add a touch of stardust to the event, handing out the race prizes at the podium presentation.
Who to watch
Past winners of the CiCLE Classic include current national circuit race champion Josie Nelson, Great Britain Cycling Team’s Neah Evans and Katie Archibald, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB rider Abi Smith, Emily Nelson, and Becky Durrell.
The off-road sectors and muddy conditions will mean the victor will need luck – as well as a great deal of skill and mighty strong legs – on their side.
On paper, UCI Continental team DAS-Handsling has arguably the strongest line-up. The team fields last year’s National Road Series winner Sammie Stuart, 2023 Peaks 2-day stage winner Lucy Lee, and the young Emma Jeffers, who finished fifth in last year’s edition, and also claimed wins in two National Circuit Series wins and two rounds of the Tour Series in her 2023 season, all while she was still just a junior. As another option, they also have fellow 18-year-old Grace Lister, who finished 12th and ninth in this race as a junior.
The Pro-Noctis - Heidi Kjeldsen - 200 Degrees Coffee team have a strong set of contenders, including Bexy Dew (fifth overall at the Peaks 2-day) and former national circuit race champion Jo Tindley.
Tammy Miller (Hutchinson-Brother UK) knows a thing or two about winning savage races after winning the brutally hard Peaks 2-day stage race last weekend. Team Boompods’ Ellen McDermott was second in this race in 2021, having won the reduced bunch sprint after Abi Smith’s solo win.
Talented 19-year-old Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) finished in the lead group in the tough Belgian semi-classic Le Samyn last month, while 18-year-old cyclocross specialist Ella Maclean-Howell (Team Inspired) should be equipped with the bike handling skills to tackle the mud-filled, pot-holed gravel tracks.
Josie Knight (Spectra-Cannondale) could also be a contender after an incredible season on the track that saw her win gold and silver in the European Championships last month.
It's a well-worn cliché, but whoever prevails will be a truly worthy winner in what looks to be another enthralling edition of the race.
You can follow the action on the British Cycling social media channels.
For a more in-depth preview of the race, as well as the latest start lists, head to The British Continental.
