Tim James Memorial Road Race: race preview

The B-side: a closer look at National B road racing

With road racing returning to the UK after such a long hiatus, the season so far has already been packed with momentous occasions. But this Sunday’s National B road race based around the village of Upton in West Yorkshire is perhaps the most poignant yet…

What is it?

In a touching tribute to Tim James, the young, talented climber who sadly passed away earlier this year from a rare form of cancer, his team SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling has created a new National B road race: the Tim James Memorial Road Race.

A minute silence to remember Tim will be observed before the race, with SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling riders then forming the front row of the peloton for the roll out.

The race is sponsored by Informate UK Limited.

Route

The race will use the Upton road race circuit in West Yorkshire. The riders will complete just under 13 laps of the 9.6 km per lap, with a total race distance of 122 km. With just 51 m of ascent per lap, it’s a fairly flat course. It might not be one for the climbers then, but this doesn’t make it easy. Races on this course tend to be attritional ones. The course is very exposed, meaning the wind is often a factor. And with no real descents to speak of, riders are on the pedals all day.

Riders to watch

National B road race startlists have been packed with quality since the resumption of racing, and the trend continues this weekend. 18 of the 80 riders on the provisional startlist are from UCI Continental teams and another 6 of from the GB Senior Academy (Team Inspired).

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling top the bill, fielding a team full of quality riders. Most of the team hasn’t raced much this year, although Alex Peters has already shown his form, finishing second at the Return to Racing for Big Dogs, and will be one to watch here in particular.

The Crimson Orientation Marketing team is also out in force, fielding ten riders. Isaac Peatfield is an in-form rider, with three top tens from his four races so far this season. Joey Walker also seems in good shape and this course could suit him.

Team Inspired is also well-represented, with six riders on the provisional startlist. Sam Watson is in fantastic shape (4th at the Otley GP on Wednesday, 1st at the Crimson Performance Road Race last weekend) and if we could only pick one rider to win here, it would probably be him. Rhys Britton is very quick if it comes down to a bunch sprint.

This run-down is far from comprehensive, but other riders to keep an eye on include Chitterne Road Race winner Zeb Kyffin (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling), fast finisher Stephen Bradbury (Saint Piran), Damien Clayton (Canyon dhb SunGod), and Tom Couzens (Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor).

Timings

Date: Sunday, 4 July 2021

Start 10.00

Provisional startlist

#	Name	Team/Club
1	William Bjergfelt	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
2	Alexander Braybrooke	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
3	Ben Hardy	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
4	Ross Lamb	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
5	Christopher Latham	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
6	Ollie Peckover	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
7	Alex Peters	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
8	Andrew Turner	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
9	Peter Williams	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
10	Maciej Furczyk	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
11	Elliot Harrison	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
12	Oliver Huszar	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
13	Adam MacRae	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
14	Leon Mazzone	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
15	Adam Mitchell	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
16	Isaac Peatfield	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
17	Chris Sherriffs	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
18	Alistair Thomas	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
19	Joey Walker	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT
20	Joseph Clark	Cycling Sheffield
21	William Harding	Cycling Sheffield
22	James McKay	Cycling Sheffield
23	Billy Robinson	Cycling Sheffield
24	Matthew Taylor	Cycling Sheffield
25	Michael Bray	Geared Up & CN Cycles RT
26	Thomas Davison	Geared Up & CN Cycles RT
27	Sam Shepherd	Geared Up & CN Cycles RT
28	Eliot Ward	Inflite-Dynamic Rides Race Team
29	William Foster	JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team
30	James Jobber	Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
31	Andrew Nichols	Lifting Gear Prod- CyclesInMotion
32	Christopher Humphries	Onimpex Bioracer RT
33	Matthew Clements	Private Member
34	Marco Ruggeri	Rapha Cycling Club
35	Farley Barber	Spirit Racing Team
36	William Brown	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
37	Zeb Kyffin	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
38	Simon Wilson	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
39	Steven Parsonage	Richardsons-Trek RT
40	Tim Shoreman	RT23
41	Stephen Bradbury	Saint Piran
42	Oliver Maxwell	Saint Piran
43	Tom Mazzone	Saint Piran
44	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran
45	Michael Gill	Saint Piran Development
46	Tom Couzens	Spirit Racing Team
47	David Brearley	Squadra RT
48	Liam Fenner	API-Metrow/Bodyby  JR
49	Damien Clayton	Canyon DHB Sungod
50	Graham Briggs	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
51	Michael Chadwick	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
52	Charlie Renshaw	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
53	Alistair Slater	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
54	Dean Watson	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
55	Matthew Dobbing	Cleveland Whls RT/Catley Lakeman
56	Struan McInnes	Clifton CC
57	Matthew Lock	TAAP Cervelo
58	Rhys Britton	Team Inspired
59	Robert Donaldson	Team Inspired
60	Alfred George	Team Inspired
61	Oscar Nilsson-Julien	Team Inspired
62	Max Rushby	Team Inspired
63	Sam Watson	Team Inspired
64	Corey Ashley	Team PB Performance
65	James Bentley	Team PB Performance
66	Toby Jarvis	Team PB Performance
67	Matthew King	Team PB Performance
68	Christopher Walkinshaw	Team PB Performance
69	Alexander Ball	Vanelli-Project Go
70	Josh Housley	Willebrord Wil Vooruit
71	David Shackleton	Wilsons Wheels Race Team
72	Joshua Ravn	Wold Top The Edge RT
73	Ben Granger	Zappi Racing Team
74	Matthew Kingston	Zappi Racing Team
75	Ben Mewes	Zappi Racing Team
76	Marcus Burnett	BC Private Member
77	Tom Lowe	BC Private Member
78	Daniel McDermott	BC Private Member
79	Cameron Richardson	BC Private Member
80	Jamie Ridehalgh	BC Private Member

Reserves

2	Oliver Cole	HUUB Ribble Performance Academy
3	Liam Davison	JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team
4	Jack Moore	East Lancashire RC
5	George Peden	Team PB Performance
6	Alexander Pritchard	OVB
7	Alexander Shepherd	Ilkeston Cycle Club
8	Daniel Smith	TS Racing
9	Mark Walker	Wold Top The Edge RT
10	Josh Whitehead	Team PB Performance