Emma Jeffers continued her impressive rise through the circuit series ranks as she prevailed in a thrilling sprint finish to take victory in the women’s Barnsley Town Centre race – the third round of the 2022 National Circuit Series.

In the men’s race, WiV SunGod seized the initiative as Jake Scott powered away to a commanding victory – heading a podium lock-out for the team.

Featured: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com. 2022 National Circuit Series, Round 3. The Barnsley GP and Town Centre Races – Emma Jeffers wins.

Reports

Women’s race

There was action from the off in the women’s race, as Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Red Chilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen) launched from the pack and opened up a handful of seconds on the chasing bunch as the 2021 national circuit race champion looked to put in an early test to see how her rivals were shaping up on the undulating, technical Barnsley course.

There was no desperate rush to pull her back, but when she was finally reeled in she became a key part of a group of 14 riders working together to distance the remainder of the field – the leaders electing to thin out the group rather than choosing to make a lone break for glory.

National circuit race champion Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products), Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso Bikes), Robyn Clay (Otley CC), Beth Morrow (CAMS-Basso Bikes) and Maria Apolonia van’t Geloof (Le Col-Wahoo) were among the notable names logging decent stints on the front.

With just over ten minutes remaining, it was clear to see riders were starting to shape up for what was going to be a ferocious run to the finish as Tindley once again tried to push clear. Knowing the threat of the Lincolnite, she wasn’t given much leeway by the pack, as van’t Geloof quickly shut down the move and status quo resumed.

Indeed, it was van’t Geloof who was a key player in the closing lap, launching first as they approached the slightly uphill finishing straight. Benefitting from an early attack from Pro-Noctis rider Lucy Ellmore, upping the pace around the twists and turns at the back end of the circuit, van’t Geloof broke out of her slipstream on the final quarter of the lap. 

It looked like she was going to power all the way to the line, but 17-year-old Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) – a break-out star of the Tour Series – was quick to respond and as they climbed to the line she defied her junior gearing to pull alongside the Dutch rider and sweep under her left shoulder to take her first National Circuit Series victory by 0.119sec. 

Van’t Geloof finished second, with Tindley half-a-second behind in third, with Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) fourth.

Jeffers’ victory moves her into the Series lead, with just one round to go – the Newark Town Centre races later in July. Tindley in second, just one point behind, while Ilkley winner El King – who didn’t race this round – is third and only one further point in arrears. With Amira Mellor (Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus) in fourth just four points back from Jeffers, the Series is poised beautifully ahead of the final round.

There is no such tension in the team standings, however, as Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen enjoy a 68-point lead over nearest rivals Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus.

Men’s race

If you’ve watched anything of the Tour Series, National Circuit Series or the National Circuit Race Championships this year, you could probably predict how the third round of the circuit series in Barnsley was going to play out.

Straight from the off, four of the WiV SunGod riders – Rob Scott, Otley Grand Prix winner Jake Scott, Toby Barnes and Jim Brown – muscled their way to the front and took control of the race.

Joined for a time by Finn Crockett (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and Callum Thornley (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli), the six broke clear from a depleted field and didn’t look back.

The high pace dropped 18-year-old Thornley, despite a gallant effort, and just as it looked like things were settling into a mid-race lull Jake Scott attacked.

Breaking seven seconds clear of his four fellow breakaway riders just one lap after he launched his attack, he used a combination of his own brute power and his WiV teammates to spoil any potential attack from Crockett and build an imposing lead.

At its biggest, he had 40 seconds over his namesake Rob – just under half-a-lap – and as the race got into its closing stages, he had the opportunity to ease off the gas somewhat – perhaps looking ahead to save some energy for Sunday’s National Road Series race in Lancaster.

He ultimately took the win by 27 seconds, heading what became a WiV SunGod lock-out of the podium. It wasn’t a simple 1-2-3, however, as Australian Cooper Sayers (Saint Piran) put in a late charge to try and scoop a maiden podium for himself.

He wasn’t able to sustain the monumental pace being put in at the front of the pack, though, with Rob Scott taking second and Jim Brown just over nine seconds further back in third.

Crockett took fourth, with Thornley just losing out in a sprint with his fellow Scot to settle for fifth. Sayers slipped to sixth at the chequered flag.

In the overall standings, his dominant victory has secured the leader’s jersey for Jake Scott with two rounds of the men’s series remaining. With Scott’s nearest rivals in the Series his teammates Jim Brown and Rob Scott, it feels safe to say that the individual Series winner is likely to be a WiV SunGod rider with just two rounds remaining.

Unsurprisingly WiV SunGod dominates the team standings, 129 points ahead of Saint Piran, with elite team Wheelbase CabTech Castelli in an impressive third place.

The next stop for the men is Colne, for the Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix on Tuesday 26 July. 

Results

Women’s race

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	32	Emma Jeffers	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	49:35
2	74	Maria Apolonia van t Geloof	Le Col – Wahoo	st
3	47	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
4	84	Josie Nelson	Team Coop-Hitec Products	st
5	8	Sophie Enever	Alba Development Road Team	st
6	24	Beth Morrow	CAMS-Basso	st
7	61	Lee Boon	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	st
8	78	Robyn Clay	Otley CC	st
9	23	Samantha Stuart	CAMS-Basso	st
10	43	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
11	3	Xan Crees	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
12	42	Isabel Darvill	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
13	5	Amira Mellor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
14	44	Amy Gornall	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	st
15	4	Samantha Fawcett	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+8
16	37	Amber Harding	Loughborough Lightning	+1:21
17	62	Annamarie Lipp	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	st
18	48	Sarah Briggs	RFDA	st
19	79	Abbie Taylor	Sheffield Dirt Society	st
20	30	Beth Harley-Jepson	Jadan – Vive le Velo	st
21	7	Gabriella Shaw	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	st
22	68	Hope Inglis	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	st
23	60	Chloe Bateson	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	+1:26
24	63	Claire Cameron	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	st
25	21	Emma Edwards	CAMS-Basso	+4Laps
26	77	Lauren Robinson	Moonglu Race Team	+4Laps
28	27	Sophie Thackray	CAMS-Basso	+4Laps
29	75	Matilda McKibben	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	+4Laps
30	6	Madeleine Nutt	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+4Laps
31	20	Sarah Bonillo	CAMS-Basso	+4Laps
33	49	Nicola Greenwood	RFDA	+4Laps
34	2	Charlotte Berry	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+4Laps
35	19	Jessica Wood	Army Cycling Union	+4Laps
36	28	Kirstie Drakeford	Jadan – Vive le Velo	+4Laps
37	76	Lucy Nelson	Liverpool University Cycling Club	+4Laps
38	52	Emily Chilton	Saint Piran WRT	+4Laps
39	12	Erin Murphy	Alba Development Road Team	+4Laps
40	35	Rosie Allen	Loughborough Lightning	+4Laps
41	69	Freya Evans	Cero – Cycle Division Racing Team	+4Laps
42	45	Millie Skinner	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	+4Laps
43	38	Flora Knight	Loughborough Lightning	+5Laps
44	53	Sophie Earl	Saint Piran WRT	+5Laps
45	71	Nicola Soden	Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling	+5Laps
46	80	Georgia Lancaster	Sleaford Wheelers Cycling Club	+5Laps
47	33	Amy Loftus	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+5Laps
48	34	Shona Mosley	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+5Laps
49	41	Chloe Vickers	Loughborough Lightning	+5Laps
50	50	Amy Mourne	RFDA	+6Laps
51	66	Lola Ellis	Backstedt Bike Performance JRT	+6Laps
52	55	Charlotte Gibson	Saint Piran WRT	+6Laps
53	31	Holly Bailey	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+6Laps
54	17	Sarah Hunter Johnston	Army Cycling Union	+6Laps
55	39	Roisin Lally	Loughborough Lightning	+6Laps
56	16	Simone Gout	Army Cycling Union	+6Laps
57	29	Karolina Chudzikiewicz	Jadan – Vive le Velo	+7Laps

Men’s race

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	6	Jacob Scott	WiV Sungod	50:22
2	5	Robert Scott	WiV Sungod	+27
3	3	Jim Brown	WiV Sungod	+36
4	22	Finn Crockett	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
5	56	Callum Thornley	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
6	27	Cooper Sayers	Saint Piran	st
7	87	Joseph Beckingsale	Wales Racing Academy	st
8	80	Alec Briggs	TEKKERZ CC	st
9	65	Jacob Bush	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	st
10	30	Theodor Obholzer	Saint Piran	+38
11	45	Harry Birchill	Team Inspired	st
12	51	Matthew Fox	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
13	23	Harry Tanfield	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	st
14	2	Toby Barnes	WiV Sungod	st
15	35	Ben Chilton	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+1:58
16	10	Jamieson Blain	Embark – Bikestrong	+1Lap
17	7	Euan MacLeod	WiV Sungod	+2Laps
18	37	Frederik Scheske	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+2Laps
19	64	Joe Wilson	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	+4Laps
20	88	William Truelove	Wales Racing Academy	+4Laps
21	28	Tom Mazzone	Saint Piran	+4Laps
22	42	Josh Housley	Spirit BSS	+4Laps
23	32	Jenson Young	Saint Piran	+4Laps
24	78	Kieran Riley	Team PB Performance	+4Laps
25	55	David Duggan	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+4Laps
26	46	Ross Birrell	Team Inspired	+4Laps
27	11	Michael Chadwick	Embark – Bikestrong	+4Laps
28	89	Ben Mewes	X-Speed United Continental Team	+4Laps
29	71	Adam Kenway	Private member	+4Laps
30	26	Adam Lewis	Saint Piran	+4Laps
31	25	Stephen Bradbury	Saint Piran	+5Laps
32	85	Sam Kettlewell	TS Racing	+5Laps
33	70	Joe Howcroft	Otley CC	+5Laps
34	34	Travis Bramley	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	+5Laps
35	73	Daniel Kain	Ribble rechrg Race Team	+5Laps
36	50	Matti Dobbins	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+5Laps
37	54	Tom Merry	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+5Laps
38	67	Felix Whetter	Mid Devon CC	+6Laps
39	43	Thomas Price	Spirit BSS	+6Laps
40	60	Isaac Lawrence	Brother UK-Orientation marketing	+6Laps
41	79	Christopher Walkinshaw	Team PB Performance	+6Laps
42	17	Ethan Browne	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+6Laps
43	76	Tiago Fougo	Strada 2020	+6Laps
44	13	Bryn Davies	Embark – Bikestrong	+6Laps
45	15	Iwan Evans	Embark – Bikestrong	+6Laps
46	19	Liam Davison	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+7Laps
47	20	William Jewitt	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	+7Laps

National Circuit Series standings

Women’s

Individual

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Emma Jeffers	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	56
2	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	55
3	Eluned King	Le Col – Wahoo	54
4	Amira Mellor	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	50
5	Flora Perkins	Le Col – Wahoo	48
6	Isabel Darvill	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	45
7	Robyn Clay	Otley CC	36
8	Grace Lister	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	32
9	Samantha Stuart	CAMS-Basso	32
10	Charlotte Broughton	AWOL- OShea	30
11	Jenny Holl	TEKKERZ CC	28
12	Maria Apolonia van t Geloof	Le Col – Wahoo	28
13	Beth Morrow	CAMS-Basso	28
14	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	28
15	Josie Nelson	Team Coop-Hitec Products	24
16	Sophie Enever	Alba Development Road Team	22
17	Mary Wilkinson	Team Boompods	19
18	Xan Crees	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	19
19	Lee Boon	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	18
20	Monica Greenwood	Team Boompods	16
21	Lucy Lee	Team LDN – Brother UK	14
22	Millie Couzens	Plantur-Pura	12
23	Amy Gornall	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	11
24	Ella Jamieson	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	10
25	Jessica Finney	CAMS-Basso	10
26	Francesca Morgans-Slader	AWOL- OShea	9
27	Jessica Roberts	Team Coop-Hitec Products	7
28	Kate Richardson	Alba Development Road Team	7
29	Connie Hayes	AWOL- OShea	6
30	Niamh Murphy	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	6
31	Samantha Fawcett	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	6
32	Abbie Taylor	Sheffield Dirt Society	6
33	Amber Harding	Loughborough Lightning	5
34	Annamarie Lipp	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	4
35	Bexy Dew	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	3
36	Polly Burge	Jadan – Vive le Velo	3
37	Sarah Briggs	RFDA	3
38	Christina Wiejak	Saint Piran WRT	2
39	Sian Botteley	Team LDN – Brother UK	2
40	Beth Harley-Jepson	Jadan – Vive le Velo	1

Team

Rank	Team	Points
1	Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes by Heidi Kjeldsen	128
2	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	75
3	CAMS-Basso	70
4	JRC-INTERFLON Race Team	56
5	AWOL- OShea	45
6	Brother UK-Orientation Marketing	32
7	Torelli-Cayman-Islands-Scimitar	22
8	Team LDN – Brother UK	16
8	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films	16
10	Alba Development Road Team	7
11	Loughborough LightninG	5
12	Jadan – Vive le Velo	4
13	RFDA	3
14	Saint Piran WRT	2

Men’s

Individual

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Jacob Scott	WiV Sungod	80
2	Jim Brown	WiV Sungod	72
3	Robert Scott	WiV Sungod	63
4	Callum Thornley	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	58
5	Samuel Watson	GROUPAMA – FDJ	56
6	Oliver Rees	TRINITY Road Racing	46
7	Cooper Sayers	Saint Piran	29
8	Matthew Bostock	WiV Sungod	28
9	Finlay Pickering	GROUPAMA – FDJ	28
10	Finn Crockett	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	24
11	Theodor Obholzer	Saint Piran	24
12	Jacob Bush	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	21
13	Matthew Fox	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	19
14	Tom Mazzone	Saint Piran	18
15	Joseph Beckingsale	Wales Racing Academy	18
16	Joshua Giddings	Team Inspired	18
17	Leon Mazzone	Saint Piran	16
18	Alec Briggs	TEKKERZ CC	16
19	Jack Rootkin-Gray	Team Inspired	14
20	Robert Donaldson	Team Inspired	14
21	Max Rushby	Acrog-Tormans	12
22	Harry Birchill	Team Inspired	10
23	Alex Beldon	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	10
24	William Truelove	Wales Racing Academy	9
25	Oliver Peckover	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	8
26	Harry Tanfield	Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling	8
27	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	7
28	Toby Barnes	WiV Sungod	7
29	Tom Couzens	Embark – Bikestrong	7
30	Cai Davies	Embark – Bikestrong	7
31	Ben Chilton	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	6
32	Matthew Taylor	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	6
33	Jamieson Blain	Embark – Bikestrong	5
34	Alistair Slater	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	5
35	Isaac Mundy	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	5
36	Euan MacLeod	WiV Sungod	4
37	Conor McGoldrick	Richardsons Trek DAS	4
38	David Hird	Embark – Bikestrong	3
39	Frederik Scheske	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	3
40	James Jenkins	Richardsons Trek DAS	2
41	Joe Wilson	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	2
42	Adam Mitchell	Cycling Sheffield	1

Team

Rank	Team Name	Points
1	WiV Sungod	223
2	Saint Piran	94
3	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	77
4	Team Inspired	56
5	GROUPAMA – FDJ	54
6	Embark – Bikestrong	22
7	Fensham Howes – MAS Design	17
8	Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus	9
9	Richardsons Trek DAS	6
9	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	6
11	Cycling Sheffield	1