Callum Thornley (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) scored a brilliant silver medal in the U23 Men’s Time Trial, as Dumfries and Galloway hosted the opening day of the British Road Championships.
Thornley, was one of the early starters and was the first rider to enter the “hot seat” in the picturesque setting of The Crichton. His time of 26:17 over the 22.1km course was the time to beat, and despite some close efforts from Joe Laverick and Charles Bailey – the Scot was able to stay in his seat, until the very last riders.
Oscar Onley (Team DSM) was the last of the Scots to come in, and after a solid ninth place finish in the Giro d’Italia U23 last week, was seen as one of the favourites to claim a medal and usurp fellow Borders man Thornley on the podium.
As the time passed, the relief on Thornley’s face was clear as he knew he was guaranteed a medal and a place on the podium.
The final rider to come into the finish was the reigning champion Leo Hayter (Hagens Berman Axeon), who just came off the back of dominating the U23 Giro d’Italia. Despite a puncture on the course, the Englishman was able to catch his minute man Onley on the line to produce a time of 26:00, just pipping the Wheelbase rider to the gold medal.
The 18-year-old told Scottish Cycling:
“I’m chuffed! It’s been a pretty big goal this year, especially the last two months. I knew I had the power, but I didn’t know where it would place me, there’s some big riders in that field. I’m absolutely over the moon to be honest, to get on the podium and get that medal.
“When I got into the hotseat, I wasn’t really thinking about where I was going to place, I was still burst from my effort! I was quietly confident, but I never thought I was going to be second! I thought that I [might] have been Top 10, maybe Top 5, but I’m super happy with that”
In the U23 Women’s Kate Richardson (Alba Development RT) produced a great ride early in the running with her time of 31:45 taking provisional second place as she finished.
It was a nervy wait for the Scot in the podium hotseats, but two of the later starters Elynor Backstedt and defending champion Pfeiffer Georgi were able to improve upon her time, meaning that the Scot eventually ended up finishing in fourth place. The 19-year-old continues to impress and build up on her raft of strong results in recent months.
It was a fourth place too for John Archibald, in the Elite Men’s Time Trial after his excellent ride of 52:24. The Scotsman had left it all out on the Dumfries roads as he went quickest provisionally. The final three riders all showed their class with former housemate Dan Bigham, James Shaw (EF Education EasyPost) and Ethan Hayter (INEOS-Grenadiers) all going quicker.
Kyle Gordon (RT23) was one of the early pacesetters in the Elite Men’s race as the Men were riding 44.1km (two loops of the circuit) in the baking heat that the afternoon provided. His time of 55:17 was more than respectable. After a strong ride from Charlie Quarterman, who took the lead with a 52:36, it was clear that the times need for a medal were going to be quicker than some predicted.
Mark Stewart (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) had come into the TT with relatively low expectations having recovered from a crash suffered at the Tour of Belgium but went into provisional third place with his time of 54:32, showing some promising form heading into the weekend, but enough to finish 13th in the end.
Anna Shackley and Neah Evans were in action in the final race of the day – the Women’s Elite Time Trial. Katie Archibald, Sophie Lankford and Becky Storrie were all withdrawn. Aberdeenshire’s Evans (HUUB) started strongly but suffered a puncture that removed her from contention on the 22km course.
Anna Shackley (SD Worx), making the step up from U23 level in 2021, showed her class with a brilliant ride of 29:17, which was good enough for fifth place. The incredibly condensed battle for the podium saw the Glasgow Riderz alumni only four seconds short of the podium, not bad for the Scots first proper time trial of the year.
On her performance Shackley told Scottish Cycling:
“I’m pretty happy with that because it’s not really a course that suits me as there was no freewheeling at all, and I really wanted to freewheel; but every corner was one you could pedal through. I’m quite pleased looking to Commonwealths with that Time Trial”
Tomorrow sees the riders face the Circuit Champs in Kirkcudbright and you can read our preview here.
