The second round of the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series takes place today, 28 August 2022. Here’s a short preview of the race, including route details, contenders, startlist and timings.
Featured image: Joe Cotterill/The British Continental
What is it?
The second race of three in the new Under-23 Men’s National Road Series. The Series itself was originally designed to have five rounds, but two of the rounds – the Worcester Classic and the Future Tour of Wales – were cancelled due to roadworks.
The Stars of the South West is a brand new 136km road race that takes place on the outskirts of Somerton, Somerset in the South West of England.
Route
The race takes in 8 laps of the circuit used for the Kalas Cup National B road race. 17.1 km in length, it’s on the kind of rolling roads the domestic peloton is very familiar with.
Each lap features 197m of elevation, meaning the riders will face just under 1600m of climbing in all. Not a climbers’ race, then, but not one for the flat-track bullies either.
One of the key sections begins about 3 km from the finish line on each lap – the climb of Snap Hill. The stiffest climbing test of the race, it could prove a launch pad for breaks or a last throw of the dice on the final lap. At 1.4 km long and an average of just 3.5%, it is hardly a climb that would get Jay Vine salivating, but it does pitch up to 8.5% in places, enough to make a difference at the end of a hard race.
The provisional startlist (below) isn’t completely up-to-date. Two key names, Josh Whitehead and Toby Barnes, are missing, both on UCI road race duty for their WiV SunGod team this weekend, along with teammates Jim Brown and Euan Macleod.
That potentially makes for a more open race, however. Only one UCI Continental rider will start (Saint Piran’s Jenson Young), leaving the door open for an elite-level domestic espoir to make a name for themselves.
Sam Clark (trainSharp) did just that in round 1, winning the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic and taking the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series lead in the process. He looked in good shape at the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix last weekend (where he finished 10th) and will no doubt be keen to defend his Series lead.
Sam Clark wins the 2022 Yorkshire Under-23 Classic. Image: Joe Cotterill/The British Continental
Spirit BSS, Wales Racing Academy, Cycling Sheffield and Wheelbase CabTech Castelli all arrive at the race with good numbers and will look to make those numbers count.
Farley Barber (Spirits BSS) enjoyed an excellent start to 2022 and sits third in the Series standings, so he’ll be motivated for this race. Wales Racing Academy’s William Truelove was on good form last weekend at Ryedale (16th), while his teammate Ed Morgan was 8th in round 1 of the Series. George Wood and Adam Mitchell are both excellent cards to play for Cycling Sheffield, both no strangers to National B road race wins. While Wheelbase CabTech Castelli’s Callum Thornley has been one of the domestic revelations of the season.
Josh Charlton and Will Tidball (Team Inspired) are both on the GB Senior Academy, meaning they are top talents and cannot be discounted. The latter has fast legs if it comes down to a reduced bunch finish.
Our former journal writer Tom Portsmouth (Mini Discar Cycling Team) bagged a win a Belgium very recently so is clearly going well, and Jamieson Blain (Embark Bikestrong) was 4th in round 1, so will be another rider looking to improve his Series standing.
Finally, Dolan Ellesse’s Joe Wilson has had a great season so far and, after a good stint racing kermesses in Belgium, should be in sharp race form today.
The British Continental will bring you coverage of the race through our Instagram stories. We will also have a report up on our website after the race.
The second round of the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series takes place today, 28 August 2022. Here’s a short preview of the race, including route details, contenders, startlist and timings.
Featured image: Joe Cotterill/The British Continental
What is it?
The second race of three in the new Under-23 Men’s National Road Series. The Series itself was originally designed to have five rounds, but two of the rounds – the Worcester Classic and the Future Tour of Wales – were cancelled due to roadworks.
The Stars of the South West is a brand new 136km road race that takes place on the outskirts of Somerton, Somerset in the South West of England.
Route
The race takes in 8 laps of the circuit used for the Kalas Cup National B road race. 17.1 km in length, it’s on the kind of rolling roads the domestic peloton is very familiar with.
Each lap features 197m of elevation, meaning the riders will face just under 1600m of climbing in all. Not a climbers’ race, then, but not one for the flat-track bullies either.
One of the key sections begins about 3 km from the finish line on each lap – the climb of Snap Hill. The stiffest climbing test of the race, it could prove a launch pad for breaks or a last throw of the dice on the final lap. At 1.4 km long and an average of just 3.5%, it is hardly a climb that would get Jay Vine salivating, but it does pitch up to 8.5% in places, enough to make a difference at the end of a hard race.
Series standings
Series standings after round 1.
Full standings, and report from round 1 here.
Contenders
The provisional startlist (below) isn’t completely up-to-date. Two key names, Josh Whitehead and Toby Barnes, are missing, both on UCI road race duty for their WiV SunGod team this weekend, along with teammates Jim Brown and Euan Macleod.
That potentially makes for a more open race, however. Only one UCI Continental rider will start (Saint Piran’s Jenson Young), leaving the door open for an elite-level domestic espoir to make a name for themselves.
Sam Clark (trainSharp) did just that in round 1, winning the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic and taking the Under-23 Men’s National Road Series lead in the process. He looked in good shape at the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix last weekend (where he finished 10th) and will no doubt be keen to defend his Series lead.
Spirit BSS, Wales Racing Academy, Cycling Sheffield and Wheelbase CabTech Castelli all arrive at the race with good numbers and will look to make those numbers count.
Farley Barber (Spirits BSS) enjoyed an excellent start to 2022 and sits third in the Series standings, so he’ll be motivated for this race. Wales Racing Academy’s William Truelove was on good form last weekend at Ryedale (16th), while his teammate Ed Morgan was 8th in round 1 of the Series. George Wood and Adam Mitchell are both excellent cards to play for Cycling Sheffield, both no strangers to National B road race wins. While Wheelbase CabTech Castelli’s Callum Thornley has been one of the domestic revelations of the season.
Josh Charlton and Will Tidball (Team Inspired) are both on the GB Senior Academy, meaning they are top talents and cannot be discounted. The latter has fast legs if it comes down to a reduced bunch finish.
Our former journal writer Tom Portsmouth (Mini Discar Cycling Team) bagged a win a Belgium very recently so is clearly going well, and Jamieson Blain (Embark Bikestrong) was 4th in round 1, so will be another rider looking to improve his Series standing.
Finally, Dolan Ellesse’s Joe Wilson has had a great season so far and, after a good stint racing kermesses in Belgium, should be in sharp race form today.
Provisional startlist
Timings
Weather
Warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. Simple.
How to follow
The British Continental will bring you coverage of the race through our Instagram stories. We will also have a report up on our website after the race.
Find out more
Under-23 Men’s National Road Series: an explainer
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