British Track Championships
It was a hectic week of racing at the National Cycle Centre in Manchester for the British Track Championships.
Friday
A new World Record on the tandem by Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin, a strong silver and breakout bronze from Katie Archibald and Erin Boothman (Tofauti-Everyone Active) in a thrilling scratch race were the headlines from Day One of the British Track Championships in Manchester.
The evening’s racing started with the Women’s Tandem racing, and it kicked off with Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl taking a narrow victory in an unofficial world record of 4:36.737 over 4km.
Pursuit medals were to come too with silver for Michael Gill in the individual pursuit, with an impressive 4:08.903 in qualifying. Callum Deboys in the C2 Kilometre time trial claimed silver with a time of 1:17.603.
Defending men’s sprint champion Pete Mitchell claimed silver behind an indominable Matthew Richardson – riding in GB colours for the first time.
In the women’s team sprint, Lauren Bell was part of the Team Inspired A squad that claimed gold – with a time of 47.437, with Iona Moir claiming silver. A young Scotland PD squad claimed fourth place.
Saturday
Lauren Bell’s stunning keirin victory stole the show on Saturday; Bell went from the front in the women’s keirin final to hold off a stacked field to claim her second gold of the week.
Lyall Craig and Niall Monks became British Champions in the team sprint, with Craig’s opening 18.173 setting the pace for the Team Inspired/GTRC composite team to take gold. Ali Fielding was part of the Team Inspired squad that claimed bronze.
Fin Graham produced an excellent effort in the Men’s C3 individual pursuit to take gold, while there was a second gold for Jenny Holl and Sophie Unwin on the tandem in the kilometre.
Callum Deboys claimed silver in the Men’s C2 pursuit – his second trip to the podium in as many days.
Mark Stewart showed his form in a thrilling points race, narrowly missing out on a medal in fourth and Lauren Dickson (Handsling-Alba) showed great strides in a maiden individual pursuit to come home in seventh
Sunday
A dominant display in the women’s points race, which the saw Katie Archibald off the front of the field for 11 laps – on her way to take a victory which stole the show on Sunday.
An active start saw Neah Evans, Eilidh Shaw and Ferguson in the mix, with Sophie Lewis also attempting an early attack that didn’t stick.
Archibald continued to show her sprinting prowess to pick up maximum points at the front, winning five of the eight sprint laps available. With 20 laps to go, the Scottish rider made a decisive move, powering off the front to gain a lap as the home crowd roared her home -to claim her first British title in six years.
Neah Evans (Handsling-Alba) looked strong throughout and just missed out on a medal in fourth in the final sprint.
Lauren Bell claimed her hat-trick of the weekend with an excellent victory in the final of the women’s sprint. Bell qualified fastest, clocking 10.684 seconds, and sailing through her opening round heats, quarters and semi-finals.
In the race for gold, Bell and Edmunds left it late, sprinting in the final lap, with Bell taking the win. It was a cagey second race with the two riders watching each other cautiously. Edmunds pushed high on the track, before diving under Bell with one lap to go, and took the win by a bike length to make it a best of three.
The final race was another closely contested feat, with Edmunds and Bell battling closely to the line. Edmunds pushed Bell out wide, resulting in a relegation, which left Bell to take her third title of the championships.
Pete Mitchell just about managed to hold the wheel of Matty Richardson in the men’s keirin final to come home with a well-earned silver medal.
A thrilling scratch race saw many attacks from Logan Maclean, Mark Stewart (Vini-Fantini) and Alex Ball, as well as confident racing from youngsters Struan Shaw and Elliot Speedie to make the final with rising star Elliot Rowe (Visma-Lease A Bike Dev) coming home the top Scot in seventh.
Callum Deboys claimed his third piece of silverware of the week in the Mixed Team Sprint, claiming bronze.
A huge word to the coaches, parents and volunteers that supported all the Scottish riders throughout the week in Manchester.
Banyoles
The Scots continued their Spanish early-season MTB action with a trip to Banyoles, but there was to be no Spanish Sun.
Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale) claimed second in the Men’s Elite with Isla Short in fifth in the women’s race – that resembled the muddiest of cross races rather than the dirt you’d expect in MTB XC.
Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad RT) claimed second in the UCI Junior Series event, after another strong ride in the Catalan quagmire.
Teammate Freya Mowbray came home in 17th place, despite the mud clogging up her bike, and having to stop every lap to clean it – which kyboshed a good result after running as high as fifth. Corran Carrick-Anderson claimed 22nd in the U23 event.
Road
Despite raising the ire of cycling twitter for his controversial food choice, Oscar Onley was flying at the UAE Tour over the past week.
Going toe-to-toe with Tadej Pogacar, the Kelso native claimed second on the summit finish to Jebel Jais, before taking fifth on the Jebel Hafeet queen stage – which would be his overall finish.
At the Volta ao Algarve, the two Cal(l)um’s were in action, with messers Johnston and Thornley both riding.
Johnston (Caja Rural) looked to have made the right move on Stage 1 – coming home 15th over the line, in a chaotic stage which saw a large number of riders go the wrong way – but the stage would eventually be neutralised.
Thornley (Red Bull-Bora) would be rooming and riding for Primoz Roglic – making his proper debut for the senior team. The Peebles rider would help deliver the Slovenian former ski jumper to eighth in the overall classification.
A spell at the Croatian one-day races are to come for Thornley next with the Development squad.
Cyclocross
As one season begins, another ends and Sunday was the final UCI cyclocross race of the season in Oostemalle. Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) ended his season with a strong ninth place.
Mason’s winter has been a mixed bag, with his stuttering early season form reversed from December onwards, with the highs of a third British title in Kent, and a best-ever World Cup finish of fifth in Hulst – which saw the Scot lap as the quickest on course in the latter stages.
Three World Cup top ten finishes is a best to-date, with plenty to build from looking toward the summer season.
Champions crowned at Chatelherault
Back home, Chatelherault played host to a round of the HUPcc Scottish Cyclocross Series at the second time of asking, the inclement weather making the 24/25 Series finale one to remember.
With Royal Albert and the Clydesdale Colts having been forced to cancel their race in November due to Storm Bert, the weather forecast wasn’t much better for this late February edition, but alas, it went ahead and what a day it was!
With Series crowns up for grabs as well as individual race wins, there was plenty at stake as riders took on a ‘proper cross course’, with Lettie McDonald (Vanelli) prevailing in the Senior Female, husband Richard just edged out by Neil Scott in the Senior Open. Xander Graham (Scott Racing) and Josh Stewart (SteppingStanes) won on the day and wrapped up their respective U16 and U14 Open Series titles, whilst Millie Boothman (Glasgow Riderz) and Eilidh Scally (Glasgow Riderz) were winners on the day in the Female equivalents.
Full report on the Scottish Cyclocross Association website here.