UCI World Cup
The site of Cameron Mason’s best cyclocross performance – a silver at the 2023 European Championships – Flamanville in France played host to the third round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
It would however be a much drier parcours than the quagmire that Mason claimed continental medalwear in two seasons ago.
After an auspicious start the Linlithgow rider found himself in 15th place at the terminus of the opening tour. However, in similar vain to recent races, Mason was the quickest rider throughout the middle laps as he chased down the leading group of riders.
At the halfway stage, the Seven Racing rider was in the first chase group, around 12 seconds back from the leading group of three being led by Dutchmen Joris Nieuwenhuis and Lars van der Haar, with Thibaut Nys sitting in the wheels. Mistakes from Nys combined with another superb surge from the Scotsman saw Mason join the leading group come the end of sixth lap – with the win looking to be decided by front quartet.
Nys has been the main star of the season so far, and so it would prove again with victory in France, an attack from the Belgian would be countered by Nieuwenhuis losing his footing behind, and open up the gap to Mason and van der Haar with just over two laps remaining.
Mason led the chase to try to close down his Belgian rival and chase down a World Cup win, but the fatigue from earlier exersions was starting to show, and the gap would remaining at just over five seconds.
In the final lap, van der Haar would bide his time and attack Mason in the final few corners to take second, with the Scotsman now known affectionately in Belgium as Snorremans due to his moustache coming across the line disappointed in third place.
It goes without saying that the fact a maiden elite World Cup podium is a disappointment to Cameron shows the tremendous strides the British Champion has made this season; especially with a number of circuits in Gavere, Namur and the World Championships in Hulst that are more suited to Mason’s skillset still all to come this winter.
The Scotsman will now take a small break to train in Spain, before returning for the kerstperiode later this month. You can watch the highlights from Sunday here.
Pics: 4 Jours de Genéve
4 Jours de Genéve
From France to French-speaking Switzerland with a number of Scots in track action in the Four Days of Geneva.
As a UCI Class 1 event, there was Commonwealth Games qualification standards up for grabs with Logan Maclean (OneLife), Erin Boothman and Kate Richardson all racing at the site of Tony Rominger’s Hour Record attempt in 1992.
There was a Scottish 1-2 in the Women’s Class 1 Madison event with Handsling-Alba teammates Kate Richardson and partner Izzy Sharp taking the overall victory, while Erin Boothman and Welsh rider Carys Lloyd in second place.
2025 has been an exceptional year for Boothman and the new Jayco AlUla recruit scored another massive victory in the omnium – and increasing her chances of racing at the Games in her home city next July.
Not to be outdone, Richardson would claim two further podiums against the high class field in La Suisse. A brace of third places – one in the omnium and and the other in the elimination race – to bag herself a hat-trick of podiums in the Peace Capital.
Overall, Erin Boothman won out across the four days with Lloyd to take victory in the 4 Jours, with Richardson and Sharp taking second place – to round off a special week for the Great Britain Cycling Team.
There would be more success in the men’s events, Maclean scored a second place in the Class 1 Madison with partner Will Perret as the ever-impressive Stirling rider looked to chase down podiums which act as qualifying standards for next summer’s games.
Bunch racing on the track is something the 2024 Scottish Road Race Champion has excelled in, in recent months, and it would be no different in Switzerland. Second place in the scratch race would be followed by third in the elimination, setting up strong form heading into next week’s Scottish Track Championships – which all three days will be streamed for the first time.
SCX Finale
From French speaking countries to a French-named park as Chatelherault Country Park hosted the final round of the HUPcc Scottish Cyclocross Series on Sunday.
Anna Flynn and Charles Fletcher claimed the senior victories in Hamilton.
Full report and standings to follow.