WiV SunGod made it two wins from two at the Galashiels round of the 2022 Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series thanks to a remarkable victory for Jim Brown. Cams-Basso also took a brace, as Megan Barker prevailed in a tight three-rider sprint to take her first win of the year.
Report
Women’s race
While the opening round of the season was a breakaway showcase for Sophie Lewis (CAMS-Basso Bikes), Jo Tindley, and Lucy Ellmore (both Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen), this time out was a much more cagey affair with no one really able to make a breakaway move stick.
A few riders did try to force some action at the front – notably Barker and Tindley – but on the rapid 1 km course, it wasn’t so easy to actually stay away for anything more than a few laps.
2022 Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series Round 2 Galashiels, Scottish Borders – Women’s Race – Frankie Hall. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
The first time anyone managed to make a break of any significance was just at the halfway mark as Frankie Morgans Slader (AWOL O’Shea) broke off the front and built up a nine-second gap in just a few laps. However, with National Circuit Race Champion Tindley marshalling the lead group, her lead was snuffed out only a few minutes later.
That was the last break, as the lead group of roughly 16 riders started to battle with each other, the only real distinction in the final third of the race being who was on the front – a position taken quite regularly by Sophie Coldwell (Loughborough Lightning) in what was a great race for her.
Being kept in a large group meant that the race was always going to end in what would be a thrilling sprint finish, and they didn’t disappoint.
Heading out of a left-hand kink onto the wide finishing straight, it was Tindley who seemed to have the initiative, but from behind her rear wheel Barker burst out to Tindley’s left and unleashed a mammoth burst of power to pull just clear.
She crossed the line half-a-bike length ahead, with Emma Jeffers (Jadan-Vive Le Velo) putting in a wicked final punch of her own to take second by what must have been less than half-a-wheel from Tindley despite being a junior, running on junior gears. Second for her in Scotland adds another great result to her impressive fourth-place at Gent-Wevelgem Juniors back in March.
Winning the second sprint, and placing highly in all the others, means Tindley retains the sprint competition jersey heading into the next round in Sunderland on Tuesday 10 May. And her team Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen now have a healthy six point lead in the team competition too.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com 04/05/2022 – Cycling – Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series Round 2 Galashiels, Scottish Borders – Women’s Race – Megan Barker wins from Emma Jeffers and Jo Tindley
Men’s race
Compared to the utter domination of Guisborough, the second round proved to be a real duel for the WiV SunGod squad as defending champions Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling took the race to them.
An early split in the peloton resulted in four Wiv SunGod riders – Matt Gibson, Matt Bostock, Jim Brown and Jacob Scott – all being present in their yellow leaders’ jerseys. Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling more than matched them this time round, however, placing a full complement of riders upfront.
2022 Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series Round 2 Galashiels, Scottish Borders – Men’s Race – Wiv SunGod lead. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
What that resulted in was a pretty cat-and-mouse sort of running, with riders sporadically bursting off the front before being reeled back in. The only thing those attacks really did was force the pace at the front, with only a dozen or so riders really keeping up with the constant Ribble and WiV attacks – Noah Hobbs (Tekkerz), Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy) and Leon Mazzone notable amongst the additions.
The first move of real significance came from a move off the front by Jacob Scott and Ribble’s Stuart Balfour, who pedalled clear just after the 30 minute mark. The pair opened up half-a-dozen seconds or so, but were pulled back in again with just 10 minutes of the 60-minute race to go.
There was no chance to rest, as what proved to be the decisive move came right on the hour mark. Jim Brown broke clear, joined by Finn Crockett (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and despite the pair being caught by the group on the final lap, Brown had enough energy to showcase a blistering sprint to take the win.
Matt Bostock took the runner-up spot for the second race in a row, his speed on the long finishing straight putting him just ahead of Crockett as they sprinted to the line. Junior Noah Hobbs scored another impressive result in fourth place, backing up his sixth at Guisborough’s opening round.
WiV SunGod also took the team victory for the round, meaning they extend their overall team lead over Wales Racing Academy, who remain in second, with Tekkerz in third. Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling’s strong performance moved them up to fourth overall.
Matt Bostock remains the sprints competition leader.
2022 Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series Round 2 Galashiels, Scottish Borders – Men’s Race – Jim Brown Wiv SunGod wins. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
WiV SunGod made it two wins from two at the Galashiels round of the 2022 Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series thanks to a remarkable victory for Jim Brown. Cams-Basso also took a brace, as Megan Barker prevailed in a tight three-rider sprint to take her first win of the year.
Report
Women’s race
While the opening round of the season was a breakaway showcase for Sophie Lewis (CAMS-Basso Bikes), Jo Tindley, and Lucy Ellmore (both Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen), this time out was a much more cagey affair with no one really able to make a breakaway move stick.
A few riders did try to force some action at the front – notably Barker and Tindley – but on the rapid 1 km course, it wasn’t so easy to actually stay away for anything more than a few laps.
The first time anyone managed to make a break of any significance was just at the halfway mark as Frankie Morgans Slader (AWOL O’Shea) broke off the front and built up a nine-second gap in just a few laps. However, with National Circuit Race Champion Tindley marshalling the lead group, her lead was snuffed out only a few minutes later.
That was the last break, as the lead group of roughly 16 riders started to battle with each other, the only real distinction in the final third of the race being who was on the front – a position taken quite regularly by Sophie Coldwell (Loughborough Lightning) in what was a great race for her.
Being kept in a large group meant that the race was always going to end in what would be a thrilling sprint finish, and they didn’t disappoint.
Heading out of a left-hand kink onto the wide finishing straight, it was Tindley who seemed to have the initiative, but from behind her rear wheel Barker burst out to Tindley’s left and unleashed a mammoth burst of power to pull just clear.
She crossed the line half-a-bike length ahead, with Emma Jeffers (Jadan-Vive Le Velo) putting in a wicked final punch of her own to take second by what must have been less than half-a-wheel from Tindley despite being a junior, running on junior gears. Second for her in Scotland adds another great result to her impressive fourth-place at Gent-Wevelgem Juniors back in March.
Winning the second sprint, and placing highly in all the others, means Tindley retains the sprint competition jersey heading into the next round in Sunderland on Tuesday 10 May. And her team Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen now have a healthy six point lead in the team competition too.
Men’s race
Compared to the utter domination of Guisborough, the second round proved to be a real duel for the WiV SunGod squad as defending champions Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling took the race to them.
An early split in the peloton resulted in four Wiv SunGod riders – Matt Gibson, Matt Bostock, Jim Brown and Jacob Scott – all being present in their yellow leaders’ jerseys. Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling more than matched them this time round, however, placing a full complement of riders upfront.
What that resulted in was a pretty cat-and-mouse sort of running, with riders sporadically bursting off the front before being reeled back in. The only thing those attacks really did was force the pace at the front, with only a dozen or so riders really keeping up with the constant Ribble and WiV attacks – Noah Hobbs (Tekkerz), Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy) and Leon Mazzone notable amongst the additions.
The first move of real significance came from a move off the front by Jacob Scott and Ribble’s Stuart Balfour, who pedalled clear just after the 30 minute mark. The pair opened up half-a-dozen seconds or so, but were pulled back in again with just 10 minutes of the 60-minute race to go.
There was no chance to rest, as what proved to be the decisive move came right on the hour mark. Jim Brown broke clear, joined by Finn Crockett (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and despite the pair being caught by the group on the final lap, Brown had enough energy to showcase a blistering sprint to take the win.
Matt Bostock took the runner-up spot for the second race in a row, his speed on the long finishing straight putting him just ahead of Crockett as they sprinted to the line. Junior Noah Hobbs scored another impressive result in fourth place, backing up his sixth at Guisborough’s opening round.
WiV SunGod also took the team victory for the round, meaning they extend their overall team lead over Wales Racing Academy, who remain in second, with Tekkerz in third. Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling’s strong performance moved them up to fourth overall.
Matt Bostock remains the sprints competition leader.
Results
Women’s results
Individual classification
Team classification
Round
Overall
Sprints classification
Round
Overall
Men’s results
Individual classification
Team classification
Round
Overall
Sprints classification
Round
Overall
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