The Mark Stewart Velodrome in Dundee was the setting for the Scottish National Omnium Championships in the city’s Caird Park, organised by Discovery Junior CC.
Open
Despite a number of attempts to break up the field, particularly from Andy Bruce (Vanelli-Project GO), the opening salvo in the Omnium – the 10km scratch race – would come down to a bunch sprint.
Sam Barbour (Cycling Sheffield) would best Ben Gibson (Team PB Performance) and Robert Smart to the win.
An early move in the elimination race by Andy Bruce was not followed by the rest of the field, the Scottish Hour record holder had quickly gained a sizeable advantage of over 100 metres. Behind, it would be a battle for second, Sam Barbour taking best of the rest from Robert Smart.
Bruce would cross the line in the sophomore omnium event with enough time for a well-deserved victory salute. An attack by Barbour and Robert Smart would set the pace for the tempo race, with the duo sweeping up the points on offer each lap, with Smart taking the final sprint to the line and the tempo race by a brace of points to his breakaway compatriot.
The attacking would continue in the points race, with Barbour attacking midway through the 30-lap race in an attempt to gain a lap on the 400m track. A solid attempt by the Dumfriesshire native would see his efforts rewarded with a lap gain on the field.
The 20 points gained by the attack – which is usually something of a forlorn hope at Caird Park – was enough to secure Barbour with the National title.
Bruce would win the sprint for second and take silver with winner of the tempo race, Smart, taking bronze.
Female
The 25-lap scratch race would come down to the sprint for the line, with Millie Thomson (Solas Cycling) taking the win from Jude Paterson (Team Ohten Aveas) and Eva Murphy (Deeside Thistle).
Omnium leader, Millie Thomson would exit the elimination race in third place, setting up an all-Team Ohten Aveas battle for the victory.
Jude Paterson would take the win, riding away from teammate Alison Winship Mackay in the final lap.
Thomson would return to the head of the field in the penultimate event of the day, with victory in the tempo race; a run of 12 consistent laps at the front and the final sprint would set up the Solas rider well for the final event.
The final points race would see more of the same from the Stonehaven rider, as she scored maximum points at the sprints to take the national title.
The battle for silver would be tight – but it would be Jude Paterson besting teammate Alison Winship Mackay.
Eva Murphy (Deeside Thistle) would ride strong to pick up a number of second places to take the junior title. Silver would go to Tess Byrne (Solas Cycling) with Abigail Chaplin (Solas Cycling) claiming bronze.
Youths
Youth A/B Female
Following a win in the 800m Time Trial, an excellent sprint from Zara Main (Deeside Thistle) in the scratch race, would leave the Grampian rider with a four-point lead over Eve Fairbairn (Discovery Junior) in second.
Early sprint wins would bolster Main’s advantage, but Fairbairn would take the final dash to the line in the all-important points race.
It would however be the Deeside rider that would take the title – by a matter of four points. Izzy Barbour (Edinburgh RC) claimed bronze.
In the Youth B, Eilidh Scally would take the win from Emma Nicholson and Lucy Leslie in third.
Youth A/B Open
An early move by two Youth B riders Callum Atkinson (Discovery Juniors) and Thomas MacLeod (Falkirk Junior BC) set the tone for the feisty scratch race.
A flurry of attacks would follow, including from Fraser Gemmell (West Lothian) and Micah Myles (Edinburgh RC) but none would stick.
Gemmell would take the sprint to win, to add to his earlier 800m success, with Xander Graham (Grit Cartel) second in both.
Gemmel would seal the win in the points race, taking maximum points from the sprints, with Graham in silver. A solid ride from Micah Myles (Edinburgh RC) throughout would be enough for bronze.
In the Youth B, Josh Stewart (SteppingStanes) would win out from Thomas MacLeod and Calum Atkinson.
Congratulations to our Youth C winners Isla S. and Cobey S. for claiming top honours in those titles.
A massive thanks to our organising team at Discovery Juniors and to our wonderful team of commissaires for their support in what has been a very busy and successful weekend of racing in Scotland’s Premier City.