Track Champs
Starting at the home of track racing in Scotland, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, there was some fantastic racing by all those vying for titles, or perhaps competing at this level for the first time, whilst a travelling contingent of para-cyclist got to enjoy the open events that were added to the schedule.
There was something to shout about across the full range of events, but the Female Sprint events perhaps took centre stage, with some nip and tuck racing from the likes of Commonwealth Games medallist Ellie Stone and rising star Kirsty Johnson.
We produced daily reports throughout the three day event, which you can read in full here:
We also trialled a live stream for the medal sessions on Saturday and Sunday, which you can watch back on the links below:
SCX
Starting in Scotland, the Scottish Cyclocross Series enjoyed a muddy, gruelling finale in Brechin; chapeau to Clive Sharman and his organising team who did a great job in inclement weather, having already rearranged the event after Storm Babet stopped play earlier in the season.
Lewis Martin (Studio Velo), looking resplendent in his Scottish stripes, showed his opposition why he has been unstoppable this season, riding away to a commanding victory to complete his unbeaten run in the series. On the Female side, youngster Arabella Blackburn (Shibden Apex RT) would sweep all before her to cross the line a minute clear of her nearest rival, Lauren Johnston (Hervelo) who would top the senior standings, her consistency securing her the overall series title to boot.
Sam Barbour (Ribble rechrg RT) has enjoyed multiple podium finishes this season, including a win in the opener at Kinneil, and a second place finish in Brechin behind Milo McIntosh (The Cycling Academy) would ensure he took the Open Junior series title. In the same race David Ogden (Deeside) would triumph in the Open V40 category, but Malcolm Bain’s (Granite City RT) third place finish saw him hang on to the series crown by a mere 11 points.
Douglas Cameron would once again triumph in the V50 race, to take the series title, with Brendan Roe (Ryan’s Bike Surgery-Thomson) doing the same in the V60 category. On the Female side, Sian Tovey, Caroline Harvey (Peebles CC) and Elizabeth Clayton (RT23) would all win their respective V40, V50 and V60 age categories, both on the day and in the series overall.
In the Youth races, Melanie Rowe (Deeside) would take the U16 Female win in Brechin, but silver for Freya Mowbray (Scotia Offroad RT) was enough for her to take the series crown. In the U14 equivalent it was a simpler story, Zara Main (Deeside) winning on the day and overall. In the U16 Open Brodie Duncan (West Lothian Clarion) took silver on the day to wrap up the overall title, whilst Lewis McAusland (Falkirk Junior Bike Club) would take the U14 race, an absent Ruairdh Fulton (West Lothian Clarion) having already wrapped up the series.
The full series standing can be found here
A huge well done to SCX, the individual event organisers, commissaires, volunteers and everyone was has played a part in making it a memorable series with a great buzz in the air.
Cyclocross isn’t done though, as we have the small matter of a British Championships coming to Scotland for the very first time in January. Whilst there are elite titles to be won, this is still a race for everyone, and Falkirk’s Callander Park makes the perfect venue, so get your entries in by clicking here.
National Trophy
A number of riders made the long journey south for the penultimate round of the National Trophy Series at Cyclopark in Gravesend – and for most it was well worth the drive. It was Olivia Poole (Deeside Thistle) who had furthest to travel, but she made the trip worth it by taking the win in the U14 Female race, making a second visit to the podium to don the series leader’s green jersey.
It would seem the U14 races are a happy hunting ground for the Scots this year, with Guy Rorke (Peebles CC) leading a Scottish 1-2, with Rhuairdh Fulton (West Lothian Clarion) less than two seconds back at the pair battled all the way to the line, well clear of the rest of the field.
After what is now a rare foray into the cyclocross field at Camperdown last weekend, Isla Short (Ghost Factory RT) was in action again, and reached a Trophy podium for the first time in her career, with a fine third place finish, picking her way through the field from the back of the start grid. Isla will be one of a handful of Scots heading for Belgium over the festive period.
First off on the Saturday morning were the Open Juniors, Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad Race Team) showing his talent, especially in the technically challenging conditions, with a podium finish in third place, despite being only the first year in the age group.
World Cup
Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds) made the trip from his sunny training camp in Spain, to the snow of Val di Sole in Italy, for the next round of the World Cup series. Unlike any other circuit in cyclocross, the race is ridden 100% on snow, if you ignore the start/finish straight, meaning it offers a unique challenge. Ultimately, it was the race the rising Scottish star was hoping for, as he got caught in traffic and suffered a mechanical on lap one – he did battle back well though, and set one of the fastest lap times of the race once he found his groove – eventually he would come home with another solid finish in 11th place.