Welsh riders top the podium again at round 2 of the HSBC UK National Trophy Series in the tough mud at Westmorland Showground in Milnthorpe, Cumbria led to exciting racing throughout the weekend.
Zoe Backstedt (Storey Racing) executed a trademark ride-away performance to take the under-16 girls win and once again it was her Welsh compatriot Ella Maclean-Howell (Cardiff JIFF) who proved her closest challenger.
But the race was memorable for the performance of Hope Inglis (Team JRC) who as a first year under-16 is proving to be an emerging talent of some stature.
Inglis pushed Maclean-Howell hard and was always in touch with the second placed rider, eventually taking her first podium in third.
The under-14 race saw another repeat performance of round one as Carys Lloyd (VC Londres) rode off the front to take her second, consecutive win.
She was pushed very hard in the final lap by her team-mate Lucy Wollaston who, after an early mistake relegating her as low as 16th on lap one stormed through the field leaving everyone wondering what might have been if she’s had a solid opening lap.
Cat Ferguson (Cycle Sport Pendle) continued a recent run of impressive form by taking third.
Youth boys
The under-14 boys’ race was won in imperious fashion by a strong ride from round one runner-up Sebastian Grindley (North Cheshire Clarion), who rode off the front early and never looked like being caught.
With series leader Alfie Amey (DB Racing) only managing to finish eighth in a chase group slightly distanced from the top three, Grindley took over the overall leader’s green jersey.
After his barnstorming ride to win the first round from a grid position of 63, Max Greensill (Hope Factory Racing) was nailed on favourite to take the win in the under-16s category from a position on the front row.
However, Oliver Akers (Garden-Shed UK-Scott-Verge Sport) had other ideas, attacking early and riding away from the field with a classy performance.
Greensill was nonetheless impressive in finishing second following a couple of early-race mistakes that left him off the pace.
He calmly picked off riders one by one with overall series points in mind, eventually overcoming the diminutive Bjoern Koerdt (East Bradford Race Team), himself on a stellar ride to third, late on the last lap to retain the series leader’s jersey.
Results
Senior men
1 Ian Field (Neon-Velo CT)
2 Goose van der Meer (Bombtrack Bicycles p/b Hunt Wheels)
3 David Conroy (Scott-Eurocycles.com)
Under-23 men
1 David Conroy (Scott-Eurocycles.com)
2 Cameron Mason (Trinity Racing)
3 Toby Barnes (RST/Cycle Division RT)
Senior women
1 Harriet Harnden (T-MO Racing)
2 Millie Couzens (PH-MAS/Paul Milnes)
3 Sophie Thackray (SCOTT Racing)
Under-23 women
1 Harriet Harnden (T-MO Racing)
2 Sophie Thackray (SCOTT Racing)
3 Fiona Turnbull (Slingshot)
Junior women
1 Millie Couzens (PH-MAS/Paul Milnes)
2 Anna Flynn (Edinburgh RC)
3 (RST/Cycle Division RT)
Junior men
1 Rory McGuire (Leslie Bike Shop/Bikers Boutique)
2 Oliver Stockwell (Flamme Rough)
3 Daniel Barnes (Garden Shed UK-SCOTT-Verge Sport)
