Race guide: 2017 HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series concludes in Builth Wells

Race guide: 2017 HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series concludes in Builth Wells

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The Royal Welsh Showground hosts the final round of the 2017 HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series this weekend.

Champions will be crowned in Builth Wells after a summer of fierce competition over five rounds.

About the series

2017 HSBC UK | National Cross-country Series

The HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series is a five-round competition which takes place between April and August, with a rider’s best four scores from the series counting towards their overall total.

The series opened at Pembrey Country Park, with the second round taking place at Wasing Park in Berkshire.

The action then headed to Aske Estate before round four in Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, in June.

The final round of the 2017 series takes place in Wales at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells.

Elite men

Phillip Pearce (BW Cycling) has a commanding lead in the HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series - and while he is yet to officially seal the title, he will be crowned series champion on Sunday.

Pearce has 224 points and is 52 points clear of Grant Ferguson - but the 2016 Olympian will not be in action in Builth Wells as he is competing at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Canada.

Third-placed rider Gareth McKee has 169 points, but a race win would only take him to 195 points, meaning Pearce is guaranteed to take the title.

Podium places are all still up for grabs, with Giles Drake (Leisure Lakes Bikes.com) currently fourth on 161 points and David Fletcher (Sherwood Pines Cycles Felt) fifth, one point behind.

Jason Bouttell

Due to only the best four results counting towards the overall competition score, KTM Impsport RT’s Jason Bouttell is possibly best-placed to climb the standings.

Bouttell has 144 points from just three races and a third podium finish of the series would guarantee him second place.

Elite women

Velocity 44 RT’s Jane Barr is the series leader with one round remaining, having secured 187 points from the first four rounds.

2017 HSBC UK | National Cross Country Series leader Jane Barr

The second-placed rider Marlena Drozdziok (Scott Eurocycles) has 162 points - but is not set to compete in Builth Wells.

The only rider who could catch Barr and prevent her from taking the title is BW Cycling’s Sophie Halhead.

Halhead is currently fifth in the standings on 129 points and a race win would take her to 189 which could secure the series win.

Amy-Jo Hansford (Mud Sweat n Gears CC) is currently third in the standings on 150 points and will be confident of improving her position - a top seven finish would see her leapfrog the absent Drozdziok.

Lucy Allan will have similar ambitions - the TORQ Performance rider is four points behind Halhead in fourth place.

100% ME's Evie Richards

100% ME’s Evie Richards will be in action at the Royal Welsh Showground but is unable to win the title, having missed a number of rounds on world cup duty.

Richards has 120 points and currently sits eighth in the standings - a third round win of the series would virtually guarantee the Great Britain Cycling Team star second place in the overall standings.

Start list

Schedule

Elite races take place on Sunday, with the women’s competition at 1pm and the men’s race at 3.15pm.

Races last approximately 90 minutes, with riders taking a mass start before negotiating a series of 15-minute laps. Courses are designed to be spectator friendly and events are free to watch.

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