Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) became the 2022 National Circuit Race Champion after outsprinting 17-year-old Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) by a matter of millimetres.
In the men’s race that followed, Matt Bostock (WiV SunGod) took his first National Circuit Race crown after out-duelling Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental) and Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy).
Featured photo: SWPix
Women’s race
Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) emulated her win at last weekend’s CiCLE Classic, taking victory in a tight sprint finish by a margin of millimetres.
The race was a tightly contested affair throughout, with no rider allowed the breathing space to definitively break clear from the peloton. There were attacks and probes in the early stages, naturally, most notably from defending champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen), but her every move was closely marked, each rider wary of letting her go clear.
2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Kate Richardson (Alba Road Development Team), Charlotte Broughton (AWOL O’Shea), Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso), Amy Gornall (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) and Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) were all constant presences at the front of the bunch. Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) was there too, seemingly always in the top five, but never putting her nose in the wind.
A crash after about 15 minutes took out several riders and held up many more, reducing the leading bunch to around 25-30 riders. But as the race continued it was more of the same. Attacks and surges, followed by lulls and regrouping.
In the remaining few laps, our journal contributor Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo) put in two strong accelerations, which both briefly looked like they might snap the elastic behind before she was pulled back by her rivals. Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) was another rider to put in a stinging dig to no avail.
In the last two laps, Sammie Stuart drove at the front in characteristic fashion, hoping to power clear. But the riders behind were equal to her.
As the leading riders dived into the final 180-degree turn before the finish line, Jo Tindley looked to be in prime position to hit the front first, before locking up her wheels and running the corner wide. This left the door open for Nelson to take the initiative, coming out of the bend first and accelerating hard towards the line.
2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Jeffers was in her wheel and then slowly drew level as they reached the line, but just couldn’t quite find the power – or gears (she is still a junior on junior gearing) – to edge in front.
It was a tense wait for both riders as the judges reviewed the photo finish before Nelson was declared the winner. First-year senior Perkins was third – her finest result yet – with her teammate El King in fourth. Kate Richardson continued her strong run of form with fifth, while comeback girl Charlotte Broughton was sixth. Last year’s winner Tindley recovered from her wide cornering to finish seventh.
2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
In contrast to the women’s race, the men’s race was defined by breakaways, and decisively so. In the early laps, Yorkshireman Jim Brown (WiV SunGod) drove a three-man break clear. Fan favourite Alec Briggs (Tekkerz CC) bridged across before Sam Waston (Groupama-FDJ Continental) closed things down.
Brown’s teammates – winners at the recent Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series – were then prominent at the front, keen to make good on their circuit race expertise. First Rob Scott drove the peloton, before circuit racer deluxe Matt Bostock decided to try his chances, breaking clear after around 15 minutes.
Bostock’s move took Watson, junior wonderkid Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy) and Bob Donaldson (Team Inspired) clear. 20 minutes in the four escapees had already carved out a dangerous-looking lead. With the bunch behind not working cohesively hindered in part by effective policing by Bostock and Watson’s teammate – it looked like this could be the winning move, and so it proved.
Donaldson was therefore unfortunate to pull the short straw, puncturing out of the break and then out the race entirely. This left Bostock, Watson and Tarling to work together to maintain – and extend – their advantage. Such was their efficiency that it seemed at one point they would lap the bunch, before appearing to decide to reign things in, their lead assured.
2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
The pre-race favourite Bostock – the superior sprinter – looked composed. With the leading trio almost certain to contest the victory, the question then turned to when Tarling and Watson would make their move to try and lose the Manxman. It was no surprise, then, to see Tarling try repeatedly to test Bostock’s strength and resolve. He put in several accelerations in the closing laps, but each time Bostock carefully, assuredly pulled him back. There was no panic on Bostock’s part.
Behind, Watson lurked, glued to Bostock’s wheel. He was saving energy, perhaps hoping Tarling’s attacks would help to blunt Bostock’s speed. It seemed for a moment that Watson’s tactic might pay off. As the trio approached the final 180-degree corner, Watson moved to the front and hit the bend first. Bostock showed his circuit race class, however, cornering perfectly to take the inside line and hit the finishing straight first. He then put in his trademark sprint and after that the contest was over.
2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
It was an emotional win for Bostock. He has been the outstanding circuit race rider in the men’s domestic peloton in recent years but victory in the National Circuit Race had eluded him until now.
Watson finished just behind Bostock, while junior Tarling confirmed his class with third. For Watson and Tarling both it seems just a matter of time before both join the WorldTour. Bostock too deserves a pro contract.
An emotional Bostock is congratulated by his girlfriend Meg Barker (CAMS-Basso). 2022 National Road Championships – Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Photo: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran) led in the bunch to take an excellent fourth, pipping WorldTour rider Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ). 18-year-old Benjamin Peatfield (Vendée U – Pays de la Loire) took a fine sixth, with Brown seventh and former National Circuit Race Champion Matt Gibson (Human Powered Health) eighth.
Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) became the 2022 National Circuit Race Champion after outsprinting 17-year-old Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) by a matter of millimetres.
In the men’s race that followed, Matt Bostock (WiV SunGod) took his first National Circuit Race crown after out-duelling Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental) and Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy).
Featured photo: SWPix
Women’s race
Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) emulated her win at last weekend’s CiCLE Classic, taking victory in a tight sprint finish by a margin of millimetres.
The race was a tightly contested affair throughout, with no rider allowed the breathing space to definitively break clear from the peloton. There were attacks and probes in the early stages, naturally, most notably from defending champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen), but her every move was closely marked, each rider wary of letting her go clear.
Kate Richardson (Alba Road Development Team), Charlotte Broughton (AWOL O’Shea), Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso), Amy Gornall (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) and Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) were all constant presences at the front of the bunch. Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) was there too, seemingly always in the top five, but never putting her nose in the wind.
A crash after about 15 minutes took out several riders and held up many more, reducing the leading bunch to around 25-30 riders. But as the race continued it was more of the same. Attacks and surges, followed by lulls and regrouping.
In the remaining few laps, our journal contributor Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo) put in two strong accelerations, which both briefly looked like they might snap the elastic behind before she was pulled back by her rivals. Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) was another rider to put in a stinging dig to no avail.
In the last two laps, Sammie Stuart drove at the front in characteristic fashion, hoping to power clear. But the riders behind were equal to her.
As the leading riders dived into the final 180-degree turn before the finish line, Jo Tindley looked to be in prime position to hit the front first, before locking up her wheels and running the corner wide. This left the door open for Nelson to take the initiative, coming out of the bend first and accelerating hard towards the line.
Jeffers was in her wheel and then slowly drew level as they reached the line, but just couldn’t quite find the power – or gears (she is still a junior on junior gearing) – to edge in front.
It was a tense wait for both riders as the judges reviewed the photo finish before Nelson was declared the winner. First-year senior Perkins was third – her finest result yet – with her teammate El King in fourth. Kate Richardson continued her strong run of form with fifth, while comeback girl Charlotte Broughton was sixth. Last year’s winner Tindley recovered from her wide cornering to finish seventh.
Men’s race
In contrast to the women’s race, the men’s race was defined by breakaways, and decisively so. In the early laps, Yorkshireman Jim Brown (WiV SunGod) drove a three-man break clear. Fan favourite Alec Briggs (Tekkerz CC) bridged across before Sam Waston (Groupama-FDJ Continental) closed things down.
Brown’s teammates – winners at the recent Sportsbreaks.com Tour Series – were then prominent at the front, keen to make good on their circuit race expertise. First Rob Scott drove the peloton, before circuit racer deluxe Matt Bostock decided to try his chances, breaking clear after around 15 minutes.
Bostock’s move took Watson, junior wonderkid Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy) and Bob Donaldson (Team Inspired) clear. 20 minutes in the four escapees had already carved out a dangerous-looking lead. With the bunch behind not working cohesively hindered in part by effective policing by Bostock and Watson’s teammate – it looked like this could be the winning move, and so it proved.
Donaldson was therefore unfortunate to pull the short straw, puncturing out of the break and then out the race entirely. This left Bostock, Watson and Tarling to work together to maintain – and extend – their advantage. Such was their efficiency that it seemed at one point they would lap the bunch, before appearing to decide to reign things in, their lead assured.
The pre-race favourite Bostock – the superior sprinter – looked composed. With the leading trio almost certain to contest the victory, the question then turned to when Tarling and Watson would make their move to try and lose the Manxman. It was no surprise, then, to see Tarling try repeatedly to test Bostock’s strength and resolve. He put in several accelerations in the closing laps, but each time Bostock carefully, assuredly pulled him back. There was no panic on Bostock’s part.
Behind, Watson lurked, glued to Bostock’s wheel. He was saving energy, perhaps hoping Tarling’s attacks would help to blunt Bostock’s speed. It seemed for a moment that Watson’s tactic might pay off. As the trio approached the final 180-degree corner, Watson moved to the front and hit the bend first. Bostock showed his circuit race class, however, cornering perfectly to take the inside line and hit the finishing straight first. He then put in his trademark sprint and after that the contest was over.
It was an emotional win for Bostock. He has been the outstanding circuit race rider in the men’s domestic peloton in recent years but victory in the National Circuit Race had eluded him until now.
Watson finished just behind Bostock, while junior Tarling confirmed his class with third. For Watson and Tarling both it seems just a matter of time before both join the WorldTour. Bostock too deserves a pro contract.
Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran) led in the bunch to take an excellent fourth, pipping WorldTour rider Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ). 18-year-old Benjamin Peatfield (Vendée U – Pays de la Loire) took a fine sixth, with Brown seventh and former National Circuit Race Champion Matt Gibson (Human Powered Health) eighth.
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