The weekend before the Tour de France commences is typically the weekend where each country in the northern hemisphere holds their National Road Cycling Championships. The highlight of the weekend is usually the Road Race although most countries also hold their Time Trial (TT) a few days prior and since 2021 British Cycling have included the Circuit Race as well.
British Time Trial Championship
After his recent win in the Welsh TT Championships, Gruffudd Lewis was the only WiV SunGod rider participating in the British TT. In fine conditions the race was won for a second consecutive year by Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) in 50min 38sec. Lewis finished in 17th place from the 29 starters, 5min 19sec down on Hayter.
1.Gruffudd Lewis powers through the Time Trial
British Circuit Race Championship
After their convincing win in the recent Tour Series, WiV SunGod were expected to field some strong contenders for the Circuit Race jersey. However, Toby Barnes and Reece Wood were late withdrawals due to illness leaving Matt Bostock, Jim Brown and Rob Scott to carry the mantle for the team.
The damp 1km circuit in Kirkcudbright consisted of mainly wide roads with sweeping turns apart from the U-bend positioned just a couple of hundred metres from the finishing line. The race was scheduled for 1 hour plus five laps in overcast conditions with a threat of some rain.
- The Circuit Race start-line in Kirkcudbright
An early first-lap faller caused gaps to appear towards the front of the peloton and Brown was the initial WiV SunGod rider to force a gap along with two other riders. After they were brought back, Scott was next to try his hand. Eventually it was Bostock who made an aggressive and decisive break after 15 minutes being joined by Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy), Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental) and Bob Donaldson (GB Academy).
- Matt Bostock forges the decisive break tracked by Sam Watson
This quartet of riders rode strongly together building a significant lead with only Donaldson dropping off the group due to an unfortunate puncture. Bostock, Tarling and Watson kept up their metronomic pace and at one point looked as though they would lap the field. However, the battle became more tactical over the closing laps with Tarling making repeated efforts to break free and steal the title from the more fancied sprinters.
- Rob Scott helped control the pace in the chasing peloton
Bostock was the rider to close down the gap to Tarling on each occasion and considering his impressive sprinting capability that was demonstrated so often at the Tour Series, must have been favourite to take the win. Watson took his chance leading into the final U-bend, but it was Bostock who accelerated more strongly into the home straight to take his first senior British Circuit Race Championships title!
- Bostock exclaims his delight in taking the Circuit Race win
Brown and Scott finished in 7th and 12th places respectively having played their part in subduing chasers from the pursuing peloton.
This was a very well-deserved win for Bostock who has been one of the most impressive circuit race riders over the past few years recording many wins in the Tour Series and National Circuit Race Series. Look out for Bostock in his red, white & blue hooped National Champions jersey in the forthcoming circuit races.
- Matt Bostock tops the Circuit Race podium from Sam Watson & Josh Tarling
British Road Race Championship
An extremely strong field including some of Britain’s best World Tour riders assembled in a field of 121 (much reduced from the expected 160 due to illness and others maybe not fancying their chances in the grim conditions) for the highlight of the weekend, the 201km Road Race.
- Matt Bostock warming up in the torrential rain
After starting in the high winds and torrential rain that had dogged the women’s race during the morning, the rain eventually eased during the men’s race providing some weak sunshine along with the persistent wind in the closing stages.
- The Road Race Start-line in Castle Douglas
The undulating course consisted of 4 large laps of 23km followed by 8 smaller loops of 13.7km, the latter containing a short hill which would be the launch site for attacks throughout the day. The parcours and weather conditions would suit powerful one-day classics-style riders commonly known as ‘rouleurs’.
- Ollie Wood leads the peloton in the early stages
WiV SunGod were fielding 9 rather than 11 riders after the withdrawal of Toby Barnes and Reece Wood but that did not deter the other team members from helping to establish the rapid pace at the front of the field with the two Scotts, Jacob and Rob, being particularly prominent.
- Jacob Scott strips for action as the weather improves
A decisive first-lap break was unexpectedly instigated by Nick Cooper (Sweden Cycling Academy) who was shortly joined by the ominous figure of Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and WiV SunGod’s Damien Clayton. They were soon joined by other strong riders including Ethan Hayter & Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), Alex Richardson (BC Private Member) and Circuit Race winner Matt Bostock (WiV SunGod).
- Damien Clayton shadows Mark Cavendish
Over the first half of the race the lead and chasing groups changed quite dynamically as the large peloton remained close behind allowing riders to periodically bridge across. During the second half of the race a lead group of 11 riders established a gap of over 1 minute from the chasing groups and receding peloton.
- Connor Swift leads Cavendish and Bostock in the 11-man leading group
Hayter made a bold move to go it alone with 60km still to go, but he was brought back after leading for a complete lap of the shorter loop. After Hayter was chased down, a group of 5 riders made a decisive break: Cavendish, Richardson, Bostock, Turner and Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental).
- Bostock leads Cavendish, Watson, Richardson and Turner in the closing stages
Unfortunately Bostock was caught in mud and debris towards the left-hand side of the road on an uphill section with just over a lap to go and took a tumble after clipping the wheel of another rider. He was unable to recover the ground and the remaining 4 riders fought out the battle for victory over the closing lap.
Turner was first to make a bid for glory but was then caught and dropped. Richardson also made a move over the final climb but was brought back by Cavendish. The remaining 3 riders jockeyed for position coming into the final sprint with unsurprisingly Cavendish coming out on top in the drag up to the line.
Meanwhile Bostock, having settled back into the chasing group, then led them over the line to take 5th place 1min 41sec behind and no doubt wondering just what might have been.
Jim Brown had ridden strongly over the closing stages and came in at the head of the 3rd group 4min 53sec down and taking the bronze medal for the 3rd Under 23 finisher. Clayton and Jacob Scott also finished in the remnants of that group securing 18th and 20th places respectively.
- Jim Brown leads the chasing peloton in mid-race
Rob Scott was 51st, Thomas Mein 70th and Gruffudd Lewis 72nd. Ollie Wood had crashed out coming into the home straight on an earlier lap and Euan MaCleod was recorded as DNF.
A fabulous race with Cavendish demonstrating he has lost none of his fighting spirit and Bostock proving his quality over the longer distance to back-up his Circuit Race victory.
- Jim Brown takes 3rd place on the Under 23 Podium
Irish Road Race Championships
‘If I do nothing else in cycling, that’s fine by me’ …read how a delighted and emotional Rory Townsend won the Irish National Road Race Championships from this article published in the Independent.ie: https://t.co/Pz8QBNYORL WiV SunGod
- Townsend leads the breakaway in the Irish Road Race Championships
17. Rory Townsend wins Irish National Championships (photo Bryan Keane/Inphosports)
Canadian Road Race Championship
Not to be left out, Ben Perry took 3rd place in a tight sprint finish in the Canadian Road Race Championships.
18. Ben Perry takes 3rd place in the Canadian Road Race
A delighted WiV SunGod team owner Tim Elverson posted on Instagram:
Well that was another weekend for the books, started with national crit champs @mattbostock97 , finished with a massive Irish national road champ @rorytownsendcyclist, with a Canadian national road champs podium @benjefperry and British national u23 podium @jimmersbrown. And bloody good rides by all squad to help in these.
Photos:
1-15: Larry Hickmott, Velo UK
16-17: Bryan Keane lnphosports
Article: Paul and Marina Stedman
