Reece Wood (Canyon DHB Sungod) and Megan Barker (CAMS-Basso) were the individual winners of the Ilkley men’s and women’s Grand Prix as the HSBC_UK National Circuit Series drew to a close with round two in Yorkshire.
Victory for Wood, 23, also clinched him the overall title in the National Circuit Series, an annual round of races that had been shortened to just two events in 2021.
Meanwhile, despite not placing on the podium in Ilkley, Eluned King (Team Breeze) took the women’s National Circuit Series overall title, by virtue of her win in the first race in Otley at the end of last month.
For Wood’s team, the Lister Horsfall Men’s Grand Prix marked a spectacular success with Canyon DHB Sungod enjoying a clean sweep of the top three as Jacob Scott outsprinted team-mate Thomas Mein for second place.
On a challenging 1.5km circuit, which featured a 200m climb with a 14 per cent gradient, Wood’s team dominated from the fifth lap when a group of 11 riders broke away - a selection that included six from Canyon.
Crucially, Matt Gibson - who won in Otley and, therefore, took the series lead into Illkley - missed the break, leaving Canyon to dominate the evening and the overall series leader board.
Eventually Yorkshireman Wood made a bold attack with over five laps remaining, quickly extending his lead to around 20 seconds, as his fellow Canyon riders gave up the chase, before crossing the line with six seconds in hand.
Team-mate Rob Scott finished sixth, tying him with Wood for the series lead but Wood’s victory in Ilkley earned him the title on count back.
“The plan was to split the race for Rob because he was second (in the series) so the plan was for him to win,” said Wood.
“But we were pretty dialled in all night and it’s great, ideal, to get the 1-2-3.”
Earlier, Welsh rider Barker had won a thrilling and tactical three-rider sprint to take victory.
Series leader King joined Barker, Beth Morrow of Storey Racing and Barker’s CAMS-Basso team-mate Illi Gardner in a four-rider break on the seventh lap.
But King was soon dropped on the brutal Riddings Road climb, leaving the trio to keep the peloton at bay and settle the sprint between them, with Morrow eventually separating the two CAMS-Basso riders on the podium after Barker proved to have by far the strongest sprint.
“It’s been a really hard 18 months with no racing and mentally, and confidence wise, it’s been tough getting back into the bunch,” said Barker.
“It’s taken a few races to get back into the swing of it but getting the win sets up the rest of the season.”
At least King, who worked hard to keep herself placed high in the peloton to finish sixth, had the consolation of winning the series title.
