Tammy Miller (Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Toby Barnes were the overnight leaders of the Peaks 2 Day after the first day of racing around the picturesque village of Peak Dale, north of Buxton, Derbyshire.
We would like to extend a huge thanks to Tom Hutchison for drafting this report and providing race updates on our Instagram stories for this race. And to Emma Wilcock for kindly supplying the race images.
Report
Women’s race
Stage 1
After a rainy night, the riders were greeted with damp roads but mild conditions in the Peak District, the sun making an appearance through broken clouds. First up on the race schedule was the women’s road bike time trial, a 12-kilometre effort on the hilly, technical, Bole Hill course.
The first rider off was two-time Olympic gold medallist, Katie Archibald, making her first appearance in a road race for a year. She set the early benchmark, although she eventually faded to 16th.
Tamsin Miller on her way to victory on stage 1 of the women’s race. Image: ELW PhotographyConnie Hayes, who finished third on stage 1. Image: ELW Photography
The stage victory was claimed by Tamsin Miller in a time of 20:22.6. The Hutchinson-Brother UK rider, who won Nick’s Big Race stage race (Nat B) last September, finished well clear of her nearest rivals, securing a 23-second lead over her closest challenger, Clare Parkin of FTP Racing. steal 2nd place, a positive sign at the start of her 2023 season. The best-placed under-23 rider was Connie Hayes, who pipped her AWOL O’Shea teammate Hayley Simmonds to claim the final spot on the podium.
Stage 2
Once stage 1 of the men’s race was completed (see below), the women then took on five laps of the Bole Hill circuit, with the finish atop the Bole Hill ascent itself.
The weather had thus far been dry, but as the riders rolled out for the first lap, grey skies loomed overhead. Not five minutes later, the heavens had well and truly opened, making an already challenging course that much harder.
Stage 2 of the Peaks 2 Day, women’s race. Image ELW Photography
After a relatively uneventful first lap, the race quickly below apart on lap 2, Team Boompods pushing hard on the front. A group of 20 forged clear. It featured all the major teams – as well as Archibald and Frankie Hall (Loughborough Lightning) among others – meaning that the split was likely to stick.
As legs grew heavy the race began to splinter even further. On lap 3 Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) was notable at the head of the race, relentlessly driving the pace.
By one lap to go, a select bunch of five riders had formed: race leader Tamsin Miller, DAS-Handsling pair Sammie Stuart and Lucy Lee, Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) and Ella Maclean-Howell (Team Inspired). They took the bell with a 48-second advantage over what remained of the chasing bunch.
The DAS-Handsling duo made their numerical advantage count. Lee attached in the closing three kilometres. She stormed up the Bole Hill climb for the final time to take a convincing win, 11 seconds ahead of first-year under-23 Maclean-Howell. Stuart was third, a further two seconds back, with Langham and Miller also finishing on the same time.
Stuart picked up enough points on the way round to lead the QOM competition with a five-point buffer over Zoe Langham.
Lucy Lee (DAS-Handsling) wins stage 2 of the women’s Peaks 2 Day. Image ELW Photography
“Today’s race was absolutely epic,” Langham told our reported Tom Hutchison after the stage. “Steep descents, pouring rain, leg-breaking climbs, rivers running down the road … it tested every rider to their physical and mental limits. [A] seriously strong field turned up and they did not disappoint which made for one hell of a show! … The weather conditions tested us all but every rider returned through the finish safely.” She added that the start of the season had been an “absolute triumph for women’s cycling” that she is proud to be a part of.
All eyes will be on Miller on the final stage on Day 2. She now leads the general classification by a handsome 44 seconds over second-placed Connie Hayes. Langam is third overall at 47 seconds.
“I wasn’t sure if the time trial would play to my strengths, so I really surprised myself,” Miller told Tom Hutchison, “There were some really strong riders out there so it was definitely a shock. Stage 2 was a lot of fun, really tough but my team were amazing. The aim was for me to finish with the leaders and we did just that. It’s all to play for on stage 3.”
Stage 1 of the men’s race was sandwiched between stages 1 and 2 of the women’s race, with seven laps of the Bole Hill course on the menu.
The stage was animated from the start, with several riders attempting to escape away early, on a course that is well known for breakaway success. Last year’s overall winner George Peden (Team PB Performance) had drawn out a small advantage as he passed the finish line on lap 1. A small group of riders followed closely, in which Cycling Sheffield was the only team to have numbers with George Wood and James McKay. Winner of last week’s Proper Northern Race Series Round 1 at Capenwray, Ollie Peckover (trainSharp) led the chase of the strung-out peloton, riders already being distanced out the back.
The Peaks 2 Day, men’s race, stage 1. Image: ELW Photography
The majority of the break was eventually caught by the third lap, never having gained more than 30 seconds, with just Will Harding (Yomb Bonk Crew composite team) staying out front alone. As the race came back together on the fourth lap, George Wood (Cycling Sheffield) crashed rather spectacularly as he ran wide on the fast and slippery descent. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet, but not his bike. Race over, but he was later given the all-clear for any breaks or concussion at the hospital.
As the peloton crested the Bole Hill climb for the penultimate time Alex Peters (Richardsons Trek DAS) dug deep to take a gap over the fatigued peloton. His effort was brought back just before the race was temporarily neutralised due to a crash.
As the visibly tired bunch climbed past race HQ for one last time, an opportunistic Damien Clayton (Embark Spirit BSS) took advantage of the lull, making a last-ditch solo break. Clayton was on rails down the descent and hit the bottom of the climb with an impressive 20-second gap.
Behind, Toby Barnes kicked from the bunch on the final ascent of Bole Hill, with Jenson Young (ROKiT-SRCT) and Dexter Leeming-Sykes (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) hot on his heels. Sweeping up Clayton, Barnes pipped Jenson to win the stage. It was a bittersweet moment for Barnes, whose team AT85 Pro Cycling had announced its sudden closure just the day before.
Sykes, Peters, and junior Finlay Hawker (Zappi Junior RT) all finished just four seconds behind, while Huw Buck Jones (Wales Racing Academy) led in what remained of the bunch 13 seconds later.
William Harding and George Peden are tied in the KOM competition on 12 points each.
Preview, startlist and route details.
Tammy Miller (Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Toby Barnes were the overnight leaders of the Peaks 2 Day after the first day of racing around the picturesque village of Peak Dale, north of Buxton, Derbyshire.
We would like to extend a huge thanks to Tom Hutchison for drafting this report and providing race updates on our Instagram stories for this race. And to Emma Wilcock for kindly supplying the race images.
Report
Women’s race
Stage 1
After a rainy night, the riders were greeted with damp roads but mild conditions in the Peak District, the sun making an appearance through broken clouds. First up on the race schedule was the women’s road bike time trial, a 12-kilometre effort on the hilly, technical, Bole Hill course.
The first rider off was two-time Olympic gold medallist, Katie Archibald, making her first appearance in a road race for a year. She set the early benchmark, although she eventually faded to 16th.
The stage victory was claimed by Tamsin Miller in a time of 20:22.6. The Hutchinson-Brother UK rider, who won Nick’s Big Race stage race (Nat B) last September, finished well clear of her nearest rivals, securing a 23-second lead over her closest challenger, Clare Parkin of FTP Racing. steal 2nd place, a positive sign at the start of her 2023 season. The best-placed under-23 rider was Connie Hayes, who pipped her AWOL O’Shea teammate Hayley Simmonds to claim the final spot on the podium.
Stage 2
Once stage 1 of the men’s race was completed (see below), the women then took on five laps of the Bole Hill circuit, with the finish atop the Bole Hill ascent itself.
The weather had thus far been dry, but as the riders rolled out for the first lap, grey skies loomed overhead. Not five minutes later, the heavens had well and truly opened, making an already challenging course that much harder.
After a relatively uneventful first lap, the race quickly below apart on lap 2, Team Boompods pushing hard on the front. A group of 20 forged clear. It featured all the major teams – as well as Archibald and Frankie Hall (Loughborough Lightning) among others – meaning that the split was likely to stick.
As legs grew heavy the race began to splinter even further. On lap 3 Lucy Ellmore (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) was notable at the head of the race, relentlessly driving the pace.
By one lap to go, a select bunch of five riders had formed: race leader Tamsin Miller, DAS-Handsling pair Sammie Stuart and Lucy Lee, Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) and Ella Maclean-Howell (Team Inspired). They took the bell with a 48-second advantage over what remained of the chasing bunch.
The DAS-Handsling duo made their numerical advantage count. Lee attached in the closing three kilometres. She stormed up the Bole Hill climb for the final time to take a convincing win, 11 seconds ahead of first-year under-23 Maclean-Howell. Stuart was third, a further two seconds back, with Langham and Miller also finishing on the same time.
Stuart picked up enough points on the way round to lead the QOM competition with a five-point buffer over Zoe Langham.
“Today’s race was absolutely epic,” Langham told our reported Tom Hutchison after the stage. “Steep descents, pouring rain, leg-breaking climbs, rivers running down the road … it tested every rider to their physical and mental limits. [A] seriously strong field turned up and they did not disappoint which made for one hell of a show! … The weather conditions tested us all but every rider returned through the finish safely.” She added that the start of the season had been an “absolute triumph for women’s cycling” that she is proud to be a part of.
All eyes will be on Miller on the final stage on Day 2. She now leads the general classification by a handsome 44 seconds over second-placed Connie Hayes. Langam is third overall at 47 seconds.
“I wasn’t sure if the time trial would play to my strengths, so I really surprised myself,” Miller told Tom Hutchison, “There were some really strong riders out there so it was definitely a shock. Stage 2 was a lot of fun, really tough but my team were amazing. The aim was for me to finish with the leaders and we did just that. It’s all to play for on stage 3.”
Women’s race results.
Men’s race
Stage 1
Stage 1 of the men’s race was sandwiched between stages 1 and 2 of the women’s race, with seven laps of the Bole Hill course on the menu.
The stage was animated from the start, with several riders attempting to escape away early, on a course that is well known for breakaway success. Last year’s overall winner George Peden (Team PB Performance) had drawn out a small advantage as he passed the finish line on lap 1. A small group of riders followed closely, in which Cycling Sheffield was the only team to have numbers with George Wood and James McKay. Winner of last week’s Proper Northern Race Series Round 1 at Capenwray, Ollie Peckover (trainSharp) led the chase of the strung-out peloton, riders already being distanced out the back.
The majority of the break was eventually caught by the third lap, never having gained more than 30 seconds, with just Will Harding (Yomb Bonk Crew composite team) staying out front alone. As the race came back together on the fourth lap, George Wood (Cycling Sheffield) crashed rather spectacularly as he ran wide on the fast and slippery descent. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet, but not his bike. Race over, but he was later given the all-clear for any breaks or concussion at the hospital.
As the peloton crested the Bole Hill climb for the penultimate time Alex Peters (Richardsons Trek DAS) dug deep to take a gap over the fatigued peloton. His effort was brought back just before the race was temporarily neutralised due to a crash.
As the visibly tired bunch climbed past race HQ for one last time, an opportunistic Damien Clayton (Embark Spirit BSS) took advantage of the lull, making a last-ditch solo break. Clayton was on rails down the descent and hit the bottom of the climb with an impressive 20-second gap.
Behind, Toby Barnes kicked from the bunch on the final ascent of Bole Hill, with Jenson Young (ROKiT-SRCT) and Dexter Leeming-Sykes (Wold Top The Edge Pactimo) hot on his heels. Sweeping up Clayton, Barnes pipped Jenson to win the stage. It was a bittersweet moment for Barnes, whose team AT85 Pro Cycling had announced its sudden closure just the day before.
Sykes, Peters, and junior Finlay Hawker (Zappi Junior RT) all finished just four seconds behind, while Huw Buck Jones (Wales Racing Academy) led in what remained of the bunch 13 seconds later.
William Harding and George Peden are tied in the KOM competition on 12 points each.
Men’s race results.
Women’s race results
Provisional results after day one, Saturday 18 March.
Stage 1
Stage 2
General classification
Standings after stage 2.
Queen of the mountains
Standings after stage 2.
Men’s race results
Provisional results after day one, Saturday 18 March.
Stage 1
General classification
Standings after stage 1.
King of the mountains
Standings after stage 1.
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