Ilkley Cycles Races: report and results

Megan Barker (CAMS-Basso Bikes) and Reece Wood (Canyon dhb SunGod) won the second and final rounds of the National Circuit Series at the Ilkley Cycle Races.

Ilkley Cinema Women’s Grand Prix: race summary

The women’s race was a tough, attritional affair. The ramp of Riddings Road quickly took its toll and the bunch was whittled down to around 15 riders quite early on.

CAMS-Basso Bikes were well-represented in that group, so it was no surprise when two of their riders – Megan Barker and Illi Gardner – were in the first meaningful break. They were joined by Otley Grand Prix winner El King (Team Breeze) and Beth Morrow (Storey Racing).

The four worked well together and quickly pulled out a solid lead. The pace they set on the climbs was too tough for King, however, who was dropped after a few laps. With the leading trio’s lead stretching out to over 30 seconds by the half way stage, it quickly became apparent that the winner would come from these three riders.

Barker made a probing attack after the halfway mark but was quickly reeled back in. The three then stayed together all the way to the finish. Morrow and Barker edged clear on the final descent back to the finish, with Barker edging the win in the sprint. Gardner finished third, with Jess Finney leading in the chase group to complete a 1-3-4 for CAMS-Basso Bikes, enough to seal the series win in the team competition. El King came in 6th to take the individual National Circuit Series win.

Lister Horsfall Men’s Grand Prix: race summary

If CAMS-Basso Bikes were the form team in the women’s race, Canyon dhb SunGod absolutely crushed the race men’s race.

After brief forays from riders like Josh Tarling (FlandersColor Gallo), Canyon dhb SunGod quickly set about ripping the field to shreds with a dominant team display. Setting a fierce pace, they pulled an eleven-man group clear of the race, dropping Series leader Matt Gibson and his Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling teammates in the process.

The lead group included no less than six Canyon dhb SunGod riders: Matt Bostock, Jacob Scott, Rob Scott, Reece Wood, Jim Brown and Thomas Mein. With them were Ollie Peckover and Alex Peters (SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling), Joey Walker and Leon Mazzone (Crimson Orientation Marketing RT) and Ollie Rees (TRINITY Racing).

With Canyon forcing the pace at the front it wasn’t long before the lead group started to splinter. First Thomas Mein was dispatched off the front of the group in an early test of the chasers’ resolve before being reeled back in after a handful of laps alone at the front.

There were various attempts to get clear. Thomas Mein got a good gap for a while before being closed down by Ollie Rees. Walker attacked and took Mein and Peters with him. But nothing stuck. But, as legs started to tire through repeated ascents of the wickedly steep Riddlings Road, Reece Wood put the lead group to the sword as he made his decisive move. 

Riding clear of the pack – helped by his Canyon dhb SunGod team-mates becoming spoilers in any attempts to bridge the gap – Wood quickly opened up a gap of more than 10 seconds. 

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling’s Alex Peters and TRINITY Road Racing’s Oliver Rees made fruitless attempts to try and reel in Wood but ultimately the 23-year-old pulled off what is arguably the biggest success of his career to date as he cruised to victory in Ilkley. Behind, Canyon dhb SunGod rammed home their dominance taking a 1-2-3, with Jacob Scott second and Mein third. With teammate Rob Scott 6th, Wood’s victory also earned him the individual series win, on countback. Canyon dhb SunGod took a resounding team win the series.

Talking points

• Puncheurs’ delight. The course proved to be far tougher than the Otley circuit, favouring punchy riders. And with a technical course and tight bends, positioning was also crucial. If you weren’t at the front of the race from the off, you could easily miss the moves and wave goodbye to any race victory hopes. It made for entertaining racing worthy of the National Circuit Series, in front of enthusiastic crowds. We hope Ilkley retains its National A status in future years.
• CAMS-Basso Bikes hit back. We said in our preview that UCI Continental team CAMS-Basso Bikes would have a point to prove after a disappointing outing in Otley. And boy did they do it. Aggressive from the off, they bullied the race from start to finish.
• Reece Wood comes of age. Reece Wood has always been a hugely talented bike rider. A fast finisher who can get over the lumpy stuff, he has regularly bagged strong results over the years. But his first National A road race win against a stellar domestic field is arguably his best result yet.

Standings

See the final series standings here.

Results

Ilkley Cinema Women’s Grand Prix

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	8	Megan Barker	CAMS-Basso	49:19
2	78	Beth Morrow	Storey Racing	+
3	11	Illi Gardner	CAMS-Basso	+3
4	10	Jessica Finney	CAMS-Basso	+32
5	76	Lucy Ellmore	SKODA DSI Cycling Academy	st
6	41	Eluned King	Team Breeze	+44
7	33	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen	st
8	37	Isabel Darvill	Team Boompods	st
9	35	Amira Mellor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
10	31	Amy Gornall	Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen	st
11	85	Rebecca Seal	Torelli-Cayman Islands-Scimitar	st
12	26	Millie Couzens	PH-MAS – Paul Milnes Cycles	st
13	27	Madelaine Leech	PH-MAS – Paul Milnes Cycles	st
14	4	Connie Hayes	AWOL OShea	st
15	34	Xan Crees	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
16	20	Mary Wilkinson	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	+1:39
17	19	Samantha Stuart	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
18	53	Nicole Coates	Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar	st
19	45	Harriet Dodd	Team LDN – Brother UK	+1:56
20	22	Francesca Hall	Loughborough Lightning LRT	+2:08
21	9	Emma Edwards	CAMS-Basso	+1Lap
22	21	Alderney Baker	Loughborough Lightning LRT	st
23	2	Olivia Bent	AWOL OShea	st
24	49	Marine Guerin	Team Watto-LDN	st
25	42	Abi Smith	Team Breeze	st
26	13	Katie Scott	CAMS-Basso	st
27	54	Alice Lethbridge	Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar	st
28	5	Phoebe Martin	AWOL OShea	st
29	28	Lily Young	PH-MAS – Paul Milnes Cycles	st
30	50	Maddie Heywood	Team Watto-LDN	st
31	23	Flora Knight	Loughborough Lightning LRT	st
32	1	Hannah Bayes	AWOL OShea	st
33	38	Georgia Hilleard	Team Boompods	st
34	65	Polly Burge	Jadan – Vive le Velo	st
35	67	Emma Jeffers	JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team	st
36	36	Abbie Taylor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
37	72	Sarah Briggs	RFDA	st
38	66	Madeleine Gammons	Jadan – Vive le Velo	st
39	18	Melissa Greaves	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
40	7	Louise Scupham	AWOL OShea	st
41	44	Francesca Cutts	Team LDN – Brother UK	st
42	46	Lauren Higham	Team LDN – Brother UK	st
43	71	Josie Cram	PMRR	st
44	17	Sophie Earl	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
45	24	Meg Smith	Loughborough Lightning LRT	st
46	77	Erin Avill	Storey Racing	st
47	25	Chloe Vickers	Loughborough Lightning LRT	st
48	64	Charlotte Williams	Jadan – Vive le Velo	st
49	69	Eleanor Hunt	Otley CC	st
50	55	Jacqueline Kinsey	AWOL Worx Gailliard	st
51	82	Ria Mobbs		st
52	59	Amelie Wayte	Cero – Cycle Division Racing Team	st
53	73	Katie Hadnum	RFDA	st

Lister Horsfall Men’s Grand Prix

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	8	Reece Wood	Canyon DHB Sungod	59:52
2	4	Jacob Scott	Canyon DHB Sungod	+6
3	6	Thomas Mein	Canyon DHB Sungod	st
4	27	Alex Peters	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling	st
5	26	Oliver Peckover	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling	+8
6	3	Robert Scott	Canyon DHB Sungod	st
7	49	Joey Walker	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
8	1	Matthew Bostock	Canyon DHB Sungod	+12
9	44	Leon Mazzone	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
10	29	Oliver Rees	TRINITY Road Racing	st
11	2	Jim Brown	Canyon DHB Sungod	+19
12	83	Owain Roberts	Wales Racing Academy	+1Lap
13	11	Cameron Jeffers	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
14	86	Jack Rootkin-Gray	Team Inspired	st
15	40	Alistair Slater	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	st
16	90	Max Poole	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	st
17	91	Joshua Tarling	FlandersColor Galloo	st
18	42	Toby Barnes	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
19	63	Tom Couzens	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
20	43	Ed Beecher	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
21	84	William Truelove	Wales Racing Academy	st
22	89	Theodor Obholzer	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	st
23	45	Adam Mitchell	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
24	69	Josh Whitehead	Team PB Performance	st
25	68	Joshua Price	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
26	74	George Peden	Team PB Performance	st
27	66	Angus Hawkins	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
28	53	Matthew Taylor	Cycling Sheffield	st
29	71	Toby Jarvis	Team PB Performance	st
30	85	Oscar Nilssen-Julien	Team Inspired	st
31	99	Matthew Kingston	Zappi Racing Team	st
32	104	Joe Coukham	Prologue Racing Team	st
33	72	Matthew King	Team PB Performance	st
34	79	Joe Holt	Wales Racing Academy	st
35	58	James Jenkins	Richardsons-Trek RT	st
36	67	George Kimber	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
37	41	Dean Watson	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	st
38	94	Tim Shoreman	RT23	st
39	24	Ross Lamb	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling	st
40	105	Josh Housley	Willebrord Wil Vooruit	st
41	31	Jamieson Blain	Bikestrong KTM	st
42	51	James McKay	Cycling Sheffield	st
43	21	Will Bjergfelt	SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling	st
44	20	Jacob Hennessy	Saint Piran	st
45	18	Matthew Ellis	Saint Piran	st
46	54	George Wood	Cycling Sheffield	st
47	10	Matthew Gibson	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
48	82	William Roberts	Wales Racing Academy	st
49	57	Aaron Freeman	Richardsons-Trek RT	st
50	9	William Brown	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
51	103	Aidan Lawrence	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	st
52	102	Ben Houlihan	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
53	46	Chris Sherriffs	Crimson Orientation Marketing RT	st
54	36	Samuel Tillett	Bikestrong KTM	st
55	93	Matti Dobbins	RT23	st
56	98	Fraser Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
57	16	Joe Wilson	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
58	88	Jack Crook	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	st
59	95	Matthew Lock	TAAP Cervelo	st
60	78	Matthew Burke	Wales Racing Academy	st
61	62	Frazier Carr	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
62	19	Iwan Evans	Saint Piran	st
63	59	Aaron Stone	Richardsons-Trek RT	st
64	61	Farley Barber	Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor	st
65	107	Declan Hudson	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	st
66	17	Conor Davies	Saint Piran	st
67	81	Harvey McNaughton	Wales Racing Academy	st
68	76	Christopher Walkinshaw	Team PB Performance	st