Tour de France
The world’s greatest bike race departed from Lille on Saturday. for it’s 112th lap of its homeland. For the first time ever, two Scots would take to the startline – Oscar Onley and debutant Sean Flynn riding for Team Picnic-PostNL.
After a brutal opening stage in Lille, which saw both Scots lose 39 seconds in the crosswinds, Sunday’s second stage saw a brilliant ride by Onley in the race to the sea at Boulogne-sur-Mer with three punchy climbs in the closing kilometres setting up exciting racing.
A group of six riders forced their way clear at the top of the first climb, with Onley at the head of the action alongside Pogacar, Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel – despite efforts from Onley and Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B), the leaders would be joined on the descent by another group of riders that included the Red Bull duo of Roglic and Lipowitz.
A reduced bunch sprint on the uphill run to the finish would ensue, with the former Spokes RT rider in prime position to take sixth place, well within the hunt of a stage, where the five riders in front included: three World Champions and four Tour de France wins.
At the finish Onley, did admit to the surreal nature of hunting a stage win at the Tour, telling the team:
“In that last kilometre there was a bit where I was on Alaphilippe’s wheel with Pogacar and Van der Poel ahead of me, and I thought to myself it doesn’t get much bigger than this. It’s nice racing against these guys, it’s a pleasure and you can get a lot of satisfaction out of it. In the end I just gave everything I had, and it’s not the type of parcours that suits me 100 percent, so we can be happy with that and the sixth place. The legs are good so we’ll keep hunting for those stages.”
Onley currently sits 16th in the general classification, 49 seconds behind van der Poel, and on the same time as Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic.
British Junior Champs
Peterborough was the venue for the British Junior Road Championships over the weekend with the Scots hunting for more success.
Erin Boothman (Tofauti Everyone Active) produced a sublime time trial to take home the British title in style over the 32km course.
The victory came only a day after it was confirmed that the former East Kilbride Road Club rider would be joining the UCI Women’s WorldTour with Liv-Jayco-AlUla from the 1st August on a three year deal.
In the open event, Evan Marsh and Jamie Sweeney (BCC RT) spent the part of the road race on the attack, but were unable to punch clear on the pan flat route in the South of England.
British Youth Circuit Champs
Pembrey in Wales was home to the British Youth Circuit Championships.
It was double delight for Deeside Thistle – with Melanie Rowe taking the win to become Under-16 British Champion, Rowe won from the break, with teammate Zara Main taking the sprint for third in the bunch sprint – to claim a bronze medal.
Scotia Series
Mille Thomson (Solas Cycling) claimed the win at the third round of the Scotia Series – the Rothiemay Road Race on Sunday. It’s Thomson’s first road race of the season, after focusing on criteriums – and she kicks off her racing block in style.
Gemma Mitchell (FTP Racing) claimed second, with Solas’ Isla Easto in third – and claiming important series points too.
The open event was won by rim brake aficionado Tarn Fynn (JG CC), five seconds clear of Ciaran McSherry (Defined CT) with Ray Wilson (GTR-Return to Life) in third.
The racing on Sunday did also double-up as the North Regional Championships. Congratulations to Oonagh Thin (Moray Firth CC) and Matiss Robertson (RT23) for taking the wins as regional champions.
Elsewhere
There were plenty of bears on sight at the Sibiu Cycling Tour, but it was Callum Thornley (Red Bull-BORA hansgrohe Rookies) that feeling bullish.
The young Scot rode to an excellent time trial victory in Romania, in another week of success. Two top four finishes in the opening three stages was backed up by the win in the ultra-short, quasi-pursuit time trial on the cobbles of Sibiu.