The two-day event saw multi-stage racing, to act as a hors d’oeuvres to the Youth Tour of Scotland for many of the Youth A and B riders.
It was Louis Moore (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) that claimed the win in the Senior Open event after winning both Prologue and Criterium on Saturday, from Callum Sharp (Veloclub Edinburgh) in second and Noah Bleteau (The Cycling Academy) in third.
Isla Easto (Solas Cycling) won out in the female field from Beatrix Kiehlmann (Royal Albert CC) and Rachel Galler (Saint Piran WRT), with just four seconds seperating the top three in a closely fought contest.
There was a dominant victory by Elliot Speedie (Edinburgh RC) who won by a full seven minutes in the Youth A open race, after taking the victory in all three stages: the ITT, 70 minute criterium and 50 minute race. Colin Johnston (Johnstone Wheelers CC) was in second, with Alex Box in third.
The female Youth A general classification was the complete opposite with Kasey Park (Edinburgh RC) and Eve Fairbairn (Discovery JCC) tied on time after the three stages, with Park claiming the win on virtue of her two stage wins to Fairbairn’s one. Ava Luce (Deeside Thistle) was in third.
A huge thanks to West Lothian Clarion for organising a great weekend of racing and kicking off the road events for 2024.
Strathallan CX
It was the final cyclocross race of the winter on Sunday, as Auchterader’s Strathallan Castle played host to its eponymous race.
Congratulations to Edward Lindsay (Carnegie Cyclones), Janine Inman (Stirling BC), Keir Greatorex (Torvelo) and Jackie Chan (Andrew Allan Architecture) on winning their respective races.
Abroad
Kate Richardson (Lifeplus-Wahoo), off the back of her track exploits, claimed victory at the GP Betesco kermesse in Belgium, winning by nearly four minutes.
The race isn’t registered as a UCI event, but it’s a clear statement of intent against a very strong field, as the Lifeplus-Wahoo team head into the classics season. Richardson will be in action in the Netherlands on Saturday with the Drentse Acht van Westerveld 1.1 race.
Mark Stewart (corratec-Vini Fantini) is in action in Italy, after Strade Bianche on Saturday, the Scot has moved slightly further south for Tirreno-Adriatico.
He rode relatively easily in the opening time trial today, and fortunately not donning any new other worldly head gear, so expect to see him in the breakaway throughout the rest of the race.
Ahron Dick (Academy Région Sud p/b Giant) was in action at the UCI Nations Cup race Gran Premie Les Franqueses in Spain on Sunday. The Scot was in contention for victory in the latter stages, but suffered a crash on a wet corner, which forced him to abandon.
It’s been a strong start to the season for the junior rider, after a very respectable top five in the Mapei Classic in France the previous weekend.