Winter Membership Campaign
Guide: Field and Mellor on the start line as National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series begins in Southampton

Guide: Field and Mellor on the start line as National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series begins in Southampton

Navigation:
Home » Cyclo-cross

Reigning elite series champions Ian Field and Amira Mellor are on the start list as the 2015/16 British Cycling National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series kicks off in Southampton on Sunday 11 October, the first of six exciting rounds visiting Britain’s iconic cyclo-cross venues.

After Southampton, the series moves on Derby at the end of October before two November rounds in Durham and Ipswich. December sees action move to Bradford’s Peel Park before the series finale in the New Year at Milton Keynes Bowl.

  • Round 1 - 11 October 2015, Southampton Sports Centre
  • Round 2 - 25 October 2015, Moorways Centre, Derby
  • Round 3 - 8 November 2015, University Cricket Club, Durham
  • Round 4 - 29 November 2015, Trinity Park Showgrounds, Ipswich
  • Round 5 - 13 December 2015, Peel Park, Bradford
  • Round 6 - 17 January 2016, Milton Keynes Bowl

The contenders

Elite and under-23 men

Ian Field

Ian Field completed a memorable double in the 2014/15 season, taking both the National Trophy and British titles in a dominant display.

The Hargroves Cycles – Ridley RT rider is back on the start line for round one and is on Hargroves’ home turf with a quartet of teammates; Mike Butler, Tom van den Bosch, Steve James and Jody Crawforth. Field began his cross season early over in Las Vegas, placing 26th in the first round of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup.

Hope Factory Racing bring a strong team including last year's under-23 runner-up Jack Clarkson (now riding in the senior class) and former National Trophy and British champion Paul Oldham, who took the illustrious Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race in September, triumphantly marking his return from long term injury.

Beeline Bicycles' Ben Sumner also moves up to the senior ranks having won the under-23 series in 2014.

Interesting inclusions on the Southampton start list include JLT Condor road man Graham Briggs and 2002 British junior champion (and son of world masters champion Phil), Steven Roach.

Junior men’s runner-up Arthur Green moves up to an ultra-competitive under-23 category, which is also likely to see Nick Barnes, Jack Humphreys and Billy Harding vying for the opening win.

Start list

Elite women

Amira Mellor was consistently brilliant last year, the talented junior a regular visitor to the podium, with a win and two second places sealing her victory.

The Oldfield/Paul Milnes Cycles ERT rider returns to the National Trophy after two weeks of racing and training in Las Vegas and Vermont and the 17-year-old will once again be hard to beat.

However Southampton will see no shortage of challengers for Mellor, with Hope Factory Racing’s Adela Carter and Annie Simpson chief amongst them.

There too will be Team Kinesis UK’s Hannah Payton, Beeline’s Merce Pacios Pujado and North West Cycling Club’s Bethany Crumpton.

Start list

Junior men

Alfie Moses

Last season saw Alfie Moses dominate the junior men’s competition, beating runner-up Arthur Green by 60 points thanks largely to a string of wins in the opening three rounds.

With Green now riding in the under-23 category and Moses absent from the starting line-up due to a fractured hip, the landscape will be different in Southampton, more so with the talented Harry Yates and Dan Tullett moving up from the under-16 boys categories.

Yates and Tullett tussled for the top youth prize last year and it will be fascinating to see them make the jump, mixing it with established juniors such as David Barnes and Joshua Waters.

Start list

Venue

Southampton Sports Centre is a regular fixture on the cyclo-cross calendar having hosted many National Trophy events in the past, the venue a favourite with competitors and spectators alike.

Event schedule

Race one

  • Veteran men 40-49 - 10:15am
  • Veteran men 50+ - 10:16am

Race two

  • Youth under-16 girls - 11:15am
  • Youth under-14 girls - 11:16am

Race three

  • Youth under-16 boys - 12:05pm
  • Youth under-14 boys - 12:06pm

Race four

  • Junior men - 1:30pm
  • Elite and under-23 women - 1:31pm
  • Veteran women - 1:32pm

Race five

  • Elite and under-23 men - 2:45pm

How to follow the racing

  • A report, results, images and reaction will appear on the British Cycling website.
  • Follow @BritishCycling for updates on Twitter.