The hashtag #crossicoming is a popular one during the cyclocross off-season, but we can finally confirm that cross is here after a great weekend of racing, whilst we also take a look at British Gravel titles and sprint action on the continent.
British Gravel Championships
Jane Barr (Velocity 44) took a brilliant bronze medal down in Suffolk as the British Gravel Championships once again took place on a short, fast course in King’s Forest. In a thrilling climax to the Women’s race, the Alloa rider used all her speed to cross the line third in the dash to the line, securing the final podium spot, with Morven Yeoman in seventh, 10 seconds down on the winner.
In the Elite Men’s race Cameron Mason (Trinity Racing) was denied bronze in a two-up sprint to the line, whilst Louis Moore (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) snook into the top 10. Big shout out to Moore’s teammate Davie Lines who took the V45 title and another stripey jumper, with Stirling based Wayne Barr (Velocity 44) in fourth and Silas Goldsworthy (Ryan’s Bike Surgery-Thomson Homes) taking top billing in the V35 category.
Kinneil CX
Kinneil CX kickstarted the Scottish Cyclocross season in earnest on Sunday afternoon, a grassy course at Bo’ness, with plenty of challenging switchbacks, producing some great battles; however the showpiece open races saw runaway winners in the form of Jane Barr (Velocity 44) fresh from gravel success the previous day, and Lewis Martin (Studio Velo).
In the Men’s event there was a great tussle for second, Jared Linden besting Grant Scott (Ronde) and Richard McDonald (Vanelli-Project Go), whilst in the women’s Lauren Johnson (Hervelo) and Stirling University student Lotta Mansfield (Montezuma’s) rounded out the podium.
There was a double effort for Lines, as he regularly does at SCX races, winning the V40 before finishing fifth in the Open, Sam Barbour (Ribble rechrg Race Team) pushing him close in the former to take the Junior Men’s victory; Sarah Darling (West Lothian Clarion) winning the Junior Women’s race.
In the Youths, Gus Lawson (Pentland Racers) outsprinted Brodie Duncan (West Lothian Clarion), whilst Freya Mowbray (Scotia Offroad Race Team) was a runaway winner in the U16 Girls. Mairi Dowens and Rhuairdh Fulton (both West Lothian Clarion) top the U14 charts.
Hope Supercross
Cameron Mason (Trinity Racing) once again led the charge for the Scottish contingent who travelled south in search of valuable UCI points at the third and final race of the Hope Supercross Series– he would match his runner-up finish from the opening weekend, whilst first year senior Reuben Oakley (ROTOR Race Team) was 10th.
Ishbel Strathdee took a fine fifth place finish in the Elite Women’s race, with Beatrix Kiehlmann (Royal Albert) taking a strong tenth place, whilst in the junior races it was third for Daisy Taylor (Royal Albert), whilst Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad Race Team) took 9th in the junior men’s contest.
On the outdoor velodrome in Barcelona, a travelling contingent of Scots got some early season UCI racing at a C2 event, Ellie Stone scoring a fine fourth in the Sprint, with Kirsty Johnson seventh. The Edinburgh rider would take fourth in the Keirin, with Stone ninth, whilst Iona Moir, riding for Team Inspired took fifth in the sprint and seventh in Keirin. Calum Twelves (Torres-Fernando Barcelo), who is now based out in Spain, was leading the omnium with only the Points Race to go, but ultimately had to settle for seventh.
Road
Finn Crocket (Saint Piran) scored victory in the final round of the British Road Series, whilst Eilidh Shaw (Alba RT) bagged the Queen of the Mountains jersey as she continues her comeback.
Crockett, fresh from the Tour of Britain, triumphed in a reduced bunch kick to the line, after he and three teammates put in a monumental team time trial effort to bridge to the decisive breakaway, making the catch just 5km from the line, to take the Beaumont Trophy.
In the Curlew Cup, the ladies equivalent that took place in the morning, Shaw took the first Queen of the Mountains of the day before going on to take every QoM available, building on the Scottish Criterium title she claimed last weekend at Lochgelly. The young talent would go on to finish eighth in the bunch sprint, with Beth Harley-Jepson (Jadan Viva le Velo Gladson) 11th and Beth Morrow (DAS-Handsling Bikes) in 17th.
On the continent at the Tour de Romandie, Anna Shackley (SD Worx) was riding in support of her teammates who took first and third on the General Classification, but that did not detract from her own efforts; she rounded out the three day stage race in seventh overall, second in the Young Riders competition. Once again Shackley was mixing it with the very best riders on the planet.
