Gifford
Scotia
The opening round of the Scotia Series saw 42 riders take to the start for the 52km race – contesting four laps of the circuit in East Lothian.
The team from Handsling-Alba were keen to whittle down the group to contest the win, setting a high pace despite the windy conditions and by the halfway mark a group of five had found their way well clear of the rest of the race.
Amelia Tyler, Anna Flynn and Arabella Blackburn were the alliterative Alba trio and were joined by Lydia Louw (Solas Cycling) and Melanie Rowe (camsmajaco).
On the penultimate tour, Rowe and Blackburn had made their way clear – with the pair of Deeside Thistle alumni holding around 15 seconds on the trio. However with the gusting wind, the advantage would come back within the final half lap setting up a five up sprint.
For the second week in a rowe, Melanie would take the sprint from the group but this time it would be for the race win. The Junior rider rode several bike lengths clear of Flynn in second, with Blackburn in third. Tyler would take fourth, with Louw fifth, the bunch sprint would be won by Miriam Jessett.
Rowe takes the series lead and goes into the Santini Leaders’ Jersey.
Behind it was great to see so many first time racers take to the start and with 38 finishers too, despite the blustery conditions.
Round Two of the series takes place at the Lake of Menteith APR in Stirlingshire on the 19th April. Enter Here.
Alba Series
The afternoon’s open race was the longest of the day – with 121km and nine tours of the circuit for the riders to contend with.
The wind picked up and crosswinds were an even bigger decider, with the 12 riders of Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT very keen to make their presence known, covering many of the early moves.
Four laps in and a group of six would make the key move; Ahron Dick (Edinburgh Bike Fitting), Logan Maclean, Finn Mason (Hubo–Scott), Jack Hartley and Joel Hurt (both Moonglu SpatzWear), and Deetray Jarret (Vigo–Rías Baixas) and would build a lead of over two minutes that would not be relinquished.
On the final lap, Mason attacked on the Bolton climb at the feed zone – the habitual flashpoint of the race, a sharp ramp curling through the trees before the long drag to the summit. The break chased him down.
Dick would immediately pounce on the lull in the group and made his move. The group behind were unable to chase him down, and it would be Ahron Dick that would take the win just as the sun was starting to set in East Lothian and deliver on the lofty intentions of his team.
Jarrett finished best of the rest in second, Hartley in third, while Mason would have to accept fourth.
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BMX
Round 1 of the Scottish Regional BMX Series took place on Sunday at Broadwood, with Cumbernauld Centurions playing host.
The racing had to be cut short due to an incident on track but from the racing that happened, it was a 1-2-3 for Centurions on the open field, as Brodie Geddes won out in the 17-29, from Lewis Cook and Alexander Ferns.
Tillie McCrum (Centurions) won out in the main female race and taking the 17-29 win from teammate Eilidh Watson, with Western Titans’ Holly Diver in third – enough to take the 13-14 category win.
MTB XC
Plymouth’s Newnham Park was the venue for the opening round of the Lloyds National MTB XC Series.
Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad RT) was in the battle for the win in the elite open, and stayed with the leading three for the first five laps of six. However, the Scot just couldn’t keep with Ineos Grenadiers’ Max Standen and Max Greensill (Hope FR) in the last half lap and managed to hold on to take a very creditable third place.
Daisy Taylor (The Hera Project) claimed third place in the elite female field with a very measured ride throughout. Gus Lawson (Pedal Power) claimed an excellent victory in the junior event, doing enough on the final lap to take his first win, having made the move from youth this season.
In the youth categories, Invernesian Olivia Poole (Specialized Youth) dominated to claim the win by nearly three minutes, powering away from her opponents on the opening lap, and holding a high pace to take the win. Zach Buchan (Pentland Racers) followed Poole’s achievement in the open category, winning by over 30 seconds after making his move on the second of four laps – Gregor McNaught (FJBC) was also sixth in that one. In the juvenile category, Eilidh Coutts (Edinburgh RC) rode to a marvellous second place.
Over the channel in France at the French MTB Cup in Pernes-les-Fontaines, Isla Short rode to an impressive second place finish, while Corran Carrick-Anderson finished a strong eighth place in the men’s elite event.
Turkey
Callum Johnston now riding for Li Ning Star rode to an excellent third place at the GP Syedra Ancient City in Turkey. The race featured a 3km climb at 10% to the finish, which would suit the Glasgow climber – formerly of Caja-Rural – very well.
Johnston was able to take third place – 16 seconds off the race win.
Over at the Volta a Catalunya, Mark Stewart was in fine form for Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, 127km in the breakaway on Stage 3 was rewarded with tenth on the stage as the Dundonian managed to stay in the bunch and sprint strongly. The Scot would replicate the feat again on the shortened Stage 4 – finishing tenth in the reduced bunch sprint uphill in his adopted home race.
Oscar Onley, coming back from illness at Paris-Nice would finish 12th overall.
Track
Colin Johnston (Spokes Racing Team – Oscar Onley Dev.) headed down to the Lee Valley Velodrome to compete in the two-day UCI London Futures cup.
A successful first day saw him come forth in the elimination and out sprinting the international field to win the Scratch race. Day two riders competed in the omnium, with Johnston winning both the scratch and tempo races, a second place in the elimination put him in pole position going into the final points race. Scooping up points in six of the sprints he put in an impressive attack on the last lap to take the double points on offer and secure the omnium win.