We’re hitting that time of the year when there’s more racing, home and abroad, than you can shake a stick at, but as ever, we’ve done our best to capture it all!
MTB
There was off-road action home and abroad this weekend, with the world’s best cross country racers doing battle at the opening round of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Brazil, whilst the best in Britain took on the opening round of the British Cycling National XC Series at Cannock Chase; on the big bikes, the Scottish Downhill Association Series also kicked off at Innerleithen.
Starting at home, the Scottish Downhill Association (SDA) Series got off to a sensationally sunny start, with former World Champion Reece Wilson (Aon Racing – Tourne Campervans) labelling it as one of his favourite ever weekend’s of racing the UK – no pressure for the rest of the SDA Series this summer!
There was an extremely popular winner in the Elite Female race in the form of home rider Emily Carrick-Anderson (T-Mo Racing), who put her local trail knowledge to good use to produce a scorching run and best a strong field that included Aimi Kenyon (Unior Sinter Factory Racing) in third, Nina-Yves Cameron (West Highland Wheelers) fourth and Beth McCully in fifth.
In the Elite Open it was the aforementioned Wilson who tore down the Innerleithen trails to record a rapid 2.51 winning time; he was chased home by William Brodie and Jacob Dickson (MS Racing). In the Junior categories it was wins for riders on Reece Wilson’s new team, Heather Wilson taking the Female win by some 10 seconds, whilst Stan Nisbet would make the trip to the top step of the Open podium with a similarly healthy margin.
Next up Fort William on 11th May.
Cross Country
Starting overseas, Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Corran Carrick-Anderson (Trinity Racing) were flying the Saltire in Araxa, Aldridge getting off to a great start with a 9th place finish in the XCC (short track), just 12 seconds off the win on a fast, punchy track. In the U23 race, Peebles based Carrick-Anderson looked back to his best after an illness ruined 2024 – he would take 10th place, just seven seconds off the win.
A day later the duo would line up for the classic XCO event, unfortunately both failing to finish, Corran with a bent chainring.
Closer to home, Isla Short was also in international action, winning the XCO Premantura Rocky Trails in Croatia, to continue her fine start to 2025.
Back in the UK, another rider who has stepped up a whole new level in 2025, Grace Inglis, took the win at the opening British Series round at Cannock Chase in the Midlands. Inglis, who like Short, lives and trains in the borders, made extremely light work of victory, winning by some nine minutes! Also making the top 10 was Kim Baptista (Spectra Racing) in seventh. In the Junior Female race it was sixth and ninth for SORT duo Freya Mowbray and Daisy Wilkinson, both in their first year in the age group.
On the male side Sam Chisholm (Team HUP) was top finisher in the Elite Men’s race, 10th among a strong field, but it was in the age group racers where the real success came. Innes McDonald (SORT) is another rider who has been on sensational form in 2025, and he would take third overall, and first junior in the XCC on Saturday, before a fine second place in the XCO the next day. In the Youth equivalent Gus Lawson (Pedal Power RT) would match McDonald’s efforts with a first and second – Zach Buchan (Pentland Racers) and Joel Gillan (SORT) also cracked the top 10 – whilst Guy Rorke (Pentland Racers) would take the Juvenile XCO win, with teammate Sam Kingan 8th. On the female side, Olivia Poole (Deeside Thistle) would take the win by almost a minute in the Youth race, continuing her good form, whilst there was a strong ride by Mairi Dowens (West Lothian Clarion) in seventh. In the Juvenile race, Eilidh Scally (Johnstone Jets) would also produce a quality ride to come home fourth.
Road
Over in Belgium, the culmination of ‘Holy Week’ is the Tour of Flanders, which featured Edinburgh’s Sean Flynn (Picnic PostNL) for the first time in his young career, and what a debut it was. Flynn joined the break of the day, enjoying the adoration of the fanatical Flandrien crowds, only caught inside the last 50km when Pogajar, van der Poel and co ripped the race apart. In the end it was a 74th place finish as he drifted back through the groups, but he can be very proud of his efforts.
Also in action in Europe were Alba Development RT, the Volta NXT Classic (1.2) surprisingly ending in a bunch sprint, Lauren Dickson coming home a very strong 12th.
Back in Britain another young talent in the form of Arabella Blackburn (Shibden Apex) would take second place in the three stage Witham Hall Junior Women’s Two Day, with second place in both the stage two Kermesse and the third and final stage, a Road Race. In the Open race Sam Martin (BCC RT) would would take a fine second place on the final stage, whilst Evan Marsh (BCC RT) would take third overall.
At the Capenwray Proper Northern Road Races Kate Richardson (Alba) continued her comeback with solid fifth place finish, whilst Alex Ball (BCC RT) would match that at the Danum Trophy.
Back in Scotland, the second round of the Youth Circuit Series took place at West Lothian Cycle Circuit, home rider Fraser Gemmell (West Lothian Clarion) improving on his second place at the Ben Forsyth to win the Youth A Open and move top of the series standings. In the Youth A Female race Zara Main (Deeside Thistle) would also upgrade silver for gold at the West Lothian GP, whilst in the Youth B Female race Sarah McCormac (Edinburgh RC) would take the spoils. Mr Consistent, Josh Stewart (Stepping Stanes) would be the only rider to take back to back wins, doing so in the Youth B Open.
In the senior E123 races Ciaran McSherry (Team Defined) would take a dominant win after a long solo breakaway in the Open event, eventually lapping the field as they played cat and mouse for the minor places. In the Female equivalent it was a Solas one-two, Isla Easto keeping the pressure on after the midway Prime to take a dominant win, Tess Byrne coming home second in the bunch kick.
BMX
The opening rounds of the British BMX Series took place in Manchester at the National Cycle Centre, over the weekend. There’s too many Scots to mention, but a special word for Eilidh Watson (Cumbernauld Centurions) who claimed a brace of seconds in the Female 15 category and to Ruby Warren (Western Titans) finishing second and third in the two rounds of the Female 13.