Eluned King (Le Col-Wahoo) won the Ilkley Cinema Women’s Grand Prix with a fine sprint from a reduced bunch finish, pipping Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) to the line.

In the men’s race, a farcical finish saw Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental) after the leading five riders got caught up with a large group of backmarkers as they reached the finish.

Reports

Ilkley Cinema Women’s Grand Prix

The people of Ilkley came out in their numbers to enjoy the racing on a warm summer’s evening, with cheers, whistles and the clanging of cow bells spurring the riders on as they tackled the tough 1.5 km circuit with its 32 meters of climbing.

The rain clouds that had showered quite heavily on the MAS Design U16 race had been chased away allowing the sun to break through and dry the course for the elite women’s race.

68 riders took to the start, with the winner of the first National Circuit Series round in Otley, Charlotte Broughton (AWOL – O’Shea), one of the key omissions. Broughton told us earlier today that she was resting up after feeling ill, hoping to recover in time for Sunday’s Stockon Cycling Festival Grand Prix.

The race started with Le Col-Wahoo leading the charge up the climb for the first time. The pace remained hard with everyone packed together for the entire circuit. There was a large group still together on completion of the first lap with Lucy Lee of Team LDN – Brother UK taking pole position with her teammate Tiffany Keep just behind. By the second lap, the pack began was already beginning to thin, with some riders being dropped by the hard pace set by the large front group.

At about 18 minutes in to 45-minute race the first attack of the evening came from Flora Perkins of Le Col – Wahoo, accelerating away on the Riddings Road climb. She powered on to create a significant distance between her and her pursuers. CAMS – Basso led a concerted chase, however, and managed to reel Perkins back well ahead of the closing stages. With all the leaders all back together again the women continued to race hard.

Our pre-race pick Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen) animated the action on the climb on the 10th lap but was unable to get clear.

On the penultimate lap Mary Wilkinson (Team Boompods), the Yorkshire road champion, drove on the front, trying to shake off the sprinters. She continued to lead on the final ascent but was unable to lose her rivals.

It left a reduced front group of around 15 riders to hurtle towards the finishing straight, with Le Col–Wahoo hitting the front first. The frantic sprint that ensued saw Eluned King (Le Col–Wahoo) pip Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) to the line, with King’s teammate Perkins in third.
Wahoo into third.

The result means King now takes over as the leader of the National Circuit Series, six points ahead of Perkins, With Amira Mellor (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus) in third. Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen now lead the team standings and enjoy a 30-point margin over second-placed Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus.

Lister Horsfall Men’s Grand Prix

85 men lined up at the start line to contest the second round of the men’s National Circuit Series. As soon as the racing started the bunch strung out, the pace frantic. Unluckily for them and the spectators, the rain that had stayed away from the women’s race now made a return visit, and soon the road was slippery under wheel and umbrellas lined the way.   

The men’s national champions jersey was in full view as Matt Bostock of WiV SunGod dominated from the front, taking first place across the line on the first lap. 

A small group of four riders gained an early advantage, including Bostock and his teammate Robert Scott, Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ Continental) and Ollie Rees (TRINITY Road Racing). Despite the fast pace set by the men, WiV SunGod pair Jacob Scott and Jim Brown managed to bridge across, adding to the team’s numerical advantage.

As the race progressed, gathering rain on the road added to the jeopardy on the climbs and descents. Bostock showed his strength by leading the break on consecutive laps, helping the six to pull out a significant lead. It soon became apparent that this group was not prepared to give up their position without a fight.

Just after the halfway mark Rob Scott gritted his teeth and put in an attack to try and split the group, passing lagging riders to his right, who were happy to move out of the way. Just two riders managed to keep hold of his wheel: Watson and Rees. Bostock, who had dominated for so much of the race until then was now noticeable by his absence. 

The three worked together well, combining their efforts to move clear from the pursuers who were not that far behind. Frequent looks over their shoulders confirmed to the trio that their place out front was far from secure. 

Disaster nearly struck for Rees, an issue with his rear derailleur threatening his position with the leading group. Adopting as aero position as possible he reached down and fiddled with the mechanism. Luckily for him with a little bit of manual manipulation, he managed to resolve the issue and stay out front. 

It was then Rees who was the first to break up the harmony of the trio with an attack on the Riddings Road climb. An exchange of glances between the two left behind followed, and they worked together to put in a big dig to close Rees down.

With cracks appearing in the harmony of the lead group with 4 laps still to go, and the chase group of three WiV Sungod riders close behind, the certainty that the win would come from the front group was diminishing. 

The leaders passed dropped rider after dropped rider as they came to their penultimate lap. The cooperation between them had vanished with Scott and Watson not coming through to take their turns on the front, leaving the work to Rees. But with a look over his shoulder to the WiV chasers behind, Watson took to the front to help pull.    

Bostock nonetheless powered through to catch the trio as they turned on to the descent for the final time, his teammate Jim Brown close behind him, also latching on to the back.

What should have been a straight sprint to the line for the five leaders, however, turned to disaster. Between the race leaders and the finish line was a large group of back riders and a motorbike. With nowhere to go and their sprint impeded it was carnage. Bostock surged ahead and squeezed himself between the barriers and the backmarkers seemingly about to take the win, before Watson fought his way through the chaos to nip in front of him. In the melee of bodies and wheels behind, Jim Brown went down hard and hands were raised in protest from the WiV SunGod team. 

If the sprint had been a clean one, would Bostock have taken his first victory in his national circuit race champions jersey? Would Watson have held him off? Would Rees or Brown come around them both? We just won’t know. 

Following protest and discussions with race officials, the race was awarded to Watson with WiV SunGod given second and third respectively with Bostock and Rob Scott.

Watson now leads the National Circuit Series standings, six points ahead of Otley winner Jake Scott, with Jim Brown and Ollie Rees tied in third a further four points back. Wiv SunGod continues to dominate the team standings, with Saint Piran moving into second place ahead of Groupama-FDJ.

Results

Ilkley Cinema Women’s Grand Prix

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	89	Eluned King	Le Col – Wahoo	41:34
2	52	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	+
3	90	Flora Perkins	Le Col – Wahoo	st
4	67	Amira Mellor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
5	46	Isabel Darvill	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
6	16	Grace Lister	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	st
7	21	Samantha Stuart	CAMS-Basso	st
8	48	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
9	81	Lucy Lee	Team LDN – Brother UK	st
10	91	Millie Couzens	Plantur-Pura	st
11	38	Ella Jamieson	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	st
12	77	Mary Wilkinson	Team Boompods	st
13	23	Beth Morrow	CAMS-Basso	st
14	6	Kate Richardson	Alba Development Road Team	+4
15	10	Connie Hayes	AWOL- O’Shea	st
16	20	Jessica Finney	CAMS-Basso	+27
17	49	Amy Gornall	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	+28
18	47	Bexy Dew	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
19	62	Christina Wiejak	Saint Piran WRT	+48
20	63	Xan Crees	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+1:38
21	82	Heather Mayer	Team LDN – Brother UK	+2:03
22	11	Alice Lethbridge	AWOL- O’Shea	st
23	42	Amber Harding	Loughborough Lightning	st
24	14	Jessie Carridge	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	+2:09
25	33	Beth Harley-Jepson	Jadan – Vive le Velo	st
26	60	Elizabeth Sanders	Saint Piran WRT	+2:11
27	35	Emma Jeffers	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+18:26
28	61	Gemma Sargent	Saint Piran WRT	st
29	68	Madeleine Nutt	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
30	39	Matilda McKibben	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	st
31	94	Jessica Roberts	Team Coop-Hitec Products	+4Laps
32	83	Dannielle Watkinson	Team LDN – Brother UK	+4Laps
33	13	Ellen Bennett	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	+4Laps
34	80	Tiffany Keep	Team LDN – Brother UK	+4Laps
35	2	Arianne Holland	Alba Development Road Team	+4Laps
36	70	Erin Avill	Storey Racing	+4Laps
37	85	Libby Smithson	AWOL Worx Galliard	+4Laps
38	53	Sarah Briggs	RFDA	+4Laps
39	32	Suzetta Guerrini	Jadan – Vive le Velo	+4Laps
40	19	Emma Edwards	CAMS-Basso	+4Laps
41	50	Millie Skinner	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	+4Laps
42	31	Kirstie Drakeford	Jadan – Vive le Velo	+4Laps
43	96	Elizabeth McKinnon	Tofauti Everyone Active	+4Laps
44	4	Beth Maciver	Alba Development Road Team	+4Laps
45	44	Emily Tillett	Loughborough Lightning	+4Laps
46	15	Ellen Inglis	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	+4Laps
47	58	Emily Chilton	Saint Piran WRT	+4Laps
48	5	Erin Murphy	Alba Development Road Team	+4Laps
49	99	Adele Battersby	Wahoo Endurance Zone p/b Le Col	+4Laps
50	9	Maisy Vasic	AWOL- O’Shea	+4Laps
51	56	Freya Whiteside	RFDA	+4Laps
52	54	Katie Hadnum	RFDA	+4Laps
53	34	Bethany Bennett	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+4Laps
54	84	Jacqueline Kinsey	AWOL Worx Galliard	+4Laps
55	37	Shona Mosley	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+4Laps

Lister Horsfall Men’s Grand Prix

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	85	Samuel Watson	GROUPAMA – FDJ	58:55
2	3	Matthew Bostock	WiV Sungod	+
3	6	Robert Scott	WiV Sungod	st
4	4	Jim Brown	WiV Sungod	st
5	98	Oliver Rees	TRINITY Road Racing	st
6	7	Jacob Scott	WiV Sungod	+10
7	61	Joshua Giddings	Team Inspired	+1:00
8	78	Callum Thornley	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
9	63	Jack Rootkin-Gray	Team Inspired	st
10	44	Theodor Obholzer	Saint Piran	+2:09
11	82	Alex Beldon	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	st
12	49	Cooper Sayers	Saint Piran	st
13	71	William Truelove	Wales Racing Academy	st
14	109	Jacob Bush	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	st
15	20	Tom Couzens	Embark – Bikestrong	+1:05
16	52	Isaac Mundy	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
17	38	Conor McGoldrick	Richardsons Trek DAS	st
18	21	Cai Davies	Embark – Bikestrong	st
19	37	James Jenkins	Richardsons Trek DAS	st
20	13	Adam Mitchell	Cycling Sheffield	st
21	17	Matthew Taylor	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	st
22	97	Alec Briggs	TEKKERZ CC	st
23	65	Toby Jarvis	Team PB Performance	+4 Laps
24	99	Sam Kettlewell	TS Racing	+4 Laps
25	24	David Hird	Embark – Bikestrong	+4 Laps
26	48	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	+4 Laps
27	91	Matthew Ellis	SRCT MUC-OFF	+4 Laps
28	88	Jordan Giles	Primera-TeamJobs	+4 Laps
29	100	Chris Sherriffs		+4 Laps
30	39	Steven Parsonage	Richardsons Trek DAS	+4 Laps
31	18	Joe Wilson	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	+4 Laps
32	72	Matthew Fox	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+4 Laps
33	35	Samuel Asker	Richardsons Trek DAS	+4 Laps
34	12	James McKay	Cycling Sheffield	+4 Laps
35	47	Leon Mazzone	Saint Piran	+4 Laps
36	108	Ben Mewes	X-Speed United Continental Team	+4 Laps
37	103	Benjamin Tuchner	TEKKERZ CC	+4 Laps
38	54	Josh Housley	Spirit BSS	+4 Laps
39	41	Sean Mullen	Richardsons Trek DAS	+4 Laps
40	43	Michael Gill	Saint Piran	+4 Laps
41	15	Jack Crook	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	+4 Laps
42	46	Oliver Hucks	Saint Piran	+4 Laps
43	55	Thomas Price	Spirit BSS	+4 Laps
44	77	Tim Shoreman	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+4 Laps
45	64	William Tidball	Team Inspired	+4 Laps
46	25	Joseph Rees	Embark – Bikestrong	+4 Laps
47	105	Lucas Jowett	FlandersColor Galloo	+4 Laps
48	94	Nicholas Cooper	Sweden Cycling Academy	+4 Laps
49	75	Fraser Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+4 Laps
50	83	Ben Wiggins	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	+4 Laps
51	19	James Bevan	Embark – Bikestrong	+4 Laps
52	96	Harvey Stroh	TAAP Cervelo	+4 Laps
53	104	Felix Whetter	Mid Devon CC	+4 Laps
54	16	Declan Hudson	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	+4 Laps
55	23	Iwan Evans	Embark – Bikestrong	+4 Laps

National Circuit Series standings

Women

Individual

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Eluned King	Le Col – Wahoo	54
2	Flora Perkins	Le Col – Wahoo	48
3	Amira Mellor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	42
4	Isabel Darvill	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	36
5	Grace Lister	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	32
6	Charlotte Broughton	AWOL- O’Shea	30
7	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	29
8	Jenny Holl	TEKKERZ CC	28
9	Emma Jeffers	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	26
10	Robyn Clay	Otley CC	20
11	Mary Wilkinson	Team Boompods	19
12	Samantha Stuart	CAMS-Basso	18
13	Monica Greenwood	Team Boompods	16
14	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	16
15	Lucy Lee	Team LDN – Brother UK	14
16	Millie Couzens	Plantur-Pura	12
17	Ella Jamieson	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	10
18	Jessica Finney	CAMS-Basso	10
19	Francesca Morgans-Slader	AWOL- O’Shea	9
20	Xan Crees	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	9
21	Beth Morrow	CAMS-Basso	8
22	Kate Richardson	Alba Development Road Team	7
23	Jessica Roberts	Team Coop-Hitec Products	7
24	Connie Hayes	AWOL- O’Shea	6
25	Niamh Murphy	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	6
26	Amy Gornall	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	4
27	Abbie Taylor	Sheffield Dirt Society	4
28	Polly Burge	Jadan – Vive le Velo	3
29	Bexy Dew	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	3
30	Sian Botteley	Team LDN – Brother UK	2
31	Christina Wiejak	Saint Piran WRT	2

Team

Rank	Team	Points
1	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	81
2	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	51
3	AWOL- O’Shea	45
4	CAMS-Basso	36
5	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	32
6	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	26
7	Team LDN – Brother UK	16
7	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	16
9	Alba Development Road Team	7
10	Jadan – Vive le Velo	3
11	Saint Piran WRT	2

Men

Individual

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Samuel Watson	GROUPAMA – FDJ	56
2	Jacob Scott	WiV Sungod	50
3	Jim Brown	WiV Sungod	46
4	Oliver Rees	TRINITY Road Racing	46
5	Callum Thornley	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	36
6	Robert Scott	WiV Sungod	35
7	Matthew Bostock	WiV Sungod	28
8	Finlay Pickering	GROUPAMA – FDJ	28
9	Tom Mazzone	Saint Piran	18
10	Joshua Giddings	Team Inspired	18
11	Leon Mazzone	Saint Piran	16
12	Robert Donaldson	Team Inspired	14
13	Jack Rootkin-Gray	Team Inspired	14
14	Max Rushby	Acrog-Tormans	12
15	Theodor Obholzer	Saint Piran	12
16	Matthew Fox	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	10
17	Alex Beldon	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	10
18	Cooper Sayers	Saint Piran	9
19	William Truelove	Wales Racing Academy	8
20	Oliver Peckover	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	8
21	Jacob Bush	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	7
22	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	7
23	Tom Couzens	Embark – Bikestrong	7
24	Cai Davies	Embark – Bikestrong	7
25	Matthew Taylor	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	6
26	Isaac Mundy	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	5
27	Alistair Slater	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	5
28	Conor McGoldrick	Richardsons Trek DAS	4
29	David Hird	Embark – Bikestrong	3
30	James Jenkins	Richardsons Trek DAS	2
31	Chris Sherriffs		2
32	Adam Mitchell	Cycling Sheffield	1

Team

Rank	Team	Points
1	WiV Sungod	139
2	Saint Piran	62
3	GROUPAMA – FDJ	54
4	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	46
4	Team Inspired	46
6	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	17
6	Embark – Bikestrong	17
8	Richardsons Trek DAS	6
8	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	6
10	Cycling Sheffield	1