Sammie Stuart had one hell of a 2022. A swashbuckling appearance in the Tour Series, featuring two wins and a second, led to a move to CAMS-Basso (now DAS-Handsling) and ultimately the National Road Series title. All that, whilst balancing a ‘normal’ job in the emergency services.
That’s just how it goes for Stuart, who had to use annual leave to make her debut for CAMS-Basso at the Women’s Tour before heading back to Lancashire Fire Service and her day job as a Crew Manager and Trainer.
It was a really good season for me last year. None of it expected! To be able to hold onto that leader’s jersey, especially the last tough couple of races that I had, it’s a very proud achievement to have that
It’s a balance that she’s mastered over the last months, with a podium at the Capernwray Road Race last month adding to her long list of strong domestic road racing performances.
Joe Hudson caught up with her a few days ahead of the opening round of the 2023 National Road Series, an epic edition of the ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic.
Stuart was such a consistent presence at the pointy end of races last year, her excellent results were something we became well-accustomed to, so much so that it’s perhaps tempting now to take it for granted that Stuart will almost always be a contender in the big domestic races. But Stuart is not complacent whatsover, her form last year coming as a surprise.
“It was a really good season for me last year, none of it expected,” she says, reflecting on her National Road Series title win. “To be able to hold onto that leader’s jersey, especially the last tough couple of races that I had, it’s a very proud achievement to have that.”
The hard battle she describes provided a thrilling narrative to the latter half of last year’s Series, with Stuart locked in a three-way battle Bianchi HUNT Morvélo’s Alice McWilliam and now-teammate Lucy Lee (then of Team LDN-Brother UK) that providing plenty of entertainment and a tense Series finale at at the Curlew Cup.
Stuart modestly concedes that luck played a part in her eventual triumph. “We all had a bad race at Ryedale, and we all finished outside the top 20 so noone scored any points. Then, Curlew was just a nightmare for me. I had a problem with my chain on my bike. I managed to get it back on and sorted and then I followed Elinor Barker into a pothole and just completely shattered my back rim.
2022 Manx Telecom International Stage Race. Isle of Man Stage 3 Time Trial – Sammie Stuart of Team CAMS Basso. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
“I had to ride a cube for like a little while until the team car caught up and I could swap bikes and ride that to the finish. I knew that I only needed a ninth place to finish and win the jersey. I looked around and I was with nine riders going into the finish. I was like, this is perfect! I’m not even going to try, this is amazing!”
One of the highlights Stuart points to in last year’s National Road Series was her home race at the Lancaster Grand Prix, despite it being “one of the toughest of the year”.
“My heart rate was just extortionate and it was a dead hot day,” she explains. “I felt awful all race. The main climb that was out on the circuit I had quite a lot of support on, but still every time I went up it I was just shaking my head like, ‘this isn’t my race’.
“Alice McWilliam was in the front group with us there as well, and Lucy Lee actually, and I kind of overtook Alice down at the bottom of the hill and put a leg in towards the finish line. Lucy came with me and she overtook me going through the gates to the park and I thought she had third place. But yeah, I kept pushing and then she just run out of gas and yeah, I got the third place. I wouldn’t have put any money on me getting third there, that was a crazy result for how I felt.”
There’s no pressure to defend it [The National Road Series]. I got out there and got it, whether that be by luck or ability, and that’s a massive achievement.
With the 2022 series leader’s jersey framed on her wall, Stuart already has designs on trying to defend her title this year. But she’s not putting any pressure on herself to make it happen. Instead she’s focusing on trying to take in as many top races as possible as she continues to build her racing experience.
2022 Manx Telecom International Stage Race. Isle of Man. Stage 4 Women’s Road Race – Sammie Stuart. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
“There’s no pressure to defend it. I got out there and got it, whether that be by luck or ability, and that’s a massive achievement. I just want to go out there and enjoy the races again, that’s all I’m looking to do. I’ve not set myself any big targets,” Stuart explained.
“I’d like to do as many top-end races as possible. DAS-Handsling has got RideLondon so I’d really like to be involved with that. As long as I’m participating that’s the main thing for me.
I just want to go out there and enjoy the races again, that’s all I’m looking to do. I’ve not set myself any big targets
“Wearing the leader’s jersey was actually harder for me because then there’s this pressure, do you know what I mean? I’d rather not be in the jersey, I’d rather be going for it than being sat in it and trying to hold it. I don’t like pressure when I’m racing, I just like to enjoy my racing.”
Her desire not to put pressure on herself unnecessarily plays perfectly into the dynamic of her team, with Stuart commenting on how the support from the DAS-Handsling squad has helped her in her racing.
“We’ve got a really good group dynamic and the support that we’ve got within that team, whether it’s the soigneurs or the mechanics is really good and that just makes the racing so much more enjoyable as well because you know that you’re being looked after.
“It just makes it easier, you’ve just got to go out there and do your job. And there’s no pressure for you to perform, they just want you to enjoy it. And I think they believe that maybe the results will come out of that. The more relaxed you are, the more that you can perform and get the results that you need.”
Stuart got off to a solid start to the National Road Series, finishing 19th after needing to change bikes at an important moment due to a mechanical. Despite her bad luck, Stuart certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. If she continues that mindset it’s surely only a matter of time before she is once again stepping onto the podium in the biggest domestic races.
Sammie Stuart had one hell of a 2022. A swashbuckling appearance in the Tour Series, featuring two wins and a second, led to a move to CAMS-Basso (now DAS-Handsling) and ultimately the National Road Series title. All that, whilst balancing a ‘normal’ job in the emergency services.
That’s just how it goes for Stuart, who had to use annual leave to make her debut for CAMS-Basso at the Women’s Tour before heading back to Lancashire Fire Service and her day job as a Crew Manager and Trainer.
It’s a balance that she’s mastered over the last months, with a podium at the Capernwray Road Race last month adding to her long list of strong domestic road racing performances.
Joe Hudson caught up with her a few days ahead of the opening round of the 2023 National Road Series, an epic edition of the ANEXO/CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic.
Stuart was such a consistent presence at the pointy end of races last year, her excellent results were something we became well-accustomed to, so much so that it’s perhaps tempting now to take it for granted that Stuart will almost always be a contender in the big domestic races. But Stuart is not complacent whatsover, her form last year coming as a surprise.
“It was a really good season for me last year, none of it expected,” she says, reflecting on her National Road Series title win. “To be able to hold onto that leader’s jersey, especially the last tough couple of races that I had, it’s a very proud achievement to have that.”
The hard battle she describes provided a thrilling narrative to the latter half of last year’s Series, with Stuart locked in a three-way battle Bianchi HUNT Morvélo’s Alice McWilliam and now-teammate Lucy Lee (then of Team LDN-Brother UK) that providing plenty of entertainment and a tense Series finale at at the Curlew Cup.
Stuart modestly concedes that luck played a part in her eventual triumph. “We all had a bad race at Ryedale, and we all finished outside the top 20 so noone scored any points. Then, Curlew was just a nightmare for me. I had a problem with my chain on my bike. I managed to get it back on and sorted and then I followed Elinor Barker into a pothole and just completely shattered my back rim.
“I had to ride a cube for like a little while until the team car caught up and I could swap bikes and ride that to the finish. I knew that I only needed a ninth place to finish and win the jersey. I looked around and I was with nine riders going into the finish. I was like, this is perfect! I’m not even going to try, this is amazing!”
One of the highlights Stuart points to in last year’s National Road Series was her home race at the Lancaster Grand Prix, despite it being “one of the toughest of the year”.
“My heart rate was just extortionate and it was a dead hot day,” she explains. “I felt awful all race. The main climb that was out on the circuit I had quite a lot of support on, but still every time I went up it I was just shaking my head like, ‘this isn’t my race’.
“Alice McWilliam was in the front group with us there as well, and Lucy Lee actually, and I kind of overtook Alice down at the bottom of the hill and put a leg in towards the finish line. Lucy came with me and she overtook me going through the gates to the park and I thought she had third place. But yeah, I kept pushing and then she just run out of gas and yeah, I got the third place. I wouldn’t have put any money on me getting third there, that was a crazy result for how I felt.”
With the 2022 series leader’s jersey framed on her wall, Stuart already has designs on trying to defend her title this year. But she’s not putting any pressure on herself to make it happen. Instead she’s focusing on trying to take in as many top races as possible as she continues to build her racing experience.
“There’s no pressure to defend it. I got out there and got it, whether that be by luck or ability, and that’s a massive achievement. I just want to go out there and enjoy the races again, that’s all I’m looking to do. I’ve not set myself any big targets,” Stuart explained.
“I’d like to do as many top-end races as possible. DAS-Handsling has got RideLondon so I’d really like to be involved with that. As long as I’m participating that’s the main thing for me.
“Wearing the leader’s jersey was actually harder for me because then there’s this pressure, do you know what I mean? I’d rather not be in the jersey, I’d rather be going for it than being sat in it and trying to hold it. I don’t like pressure when I’m racing, I just like to enjoy my racing.”
Her desire not to put pressure on herself unnecessarily plays perfectly into the dynamic of her team, with Stuart commenting on how the support from the DAS-Handsling squad has helped her in her racing.
“We’ve got a really good group dynamic and the support that we’ve got within that team, whether it’s the soigneurs or the mechanics is really good and that just makes the racing so much more enjoyable as well because you know that you’re being looked after.
“It just makes it easier, you’ve just got to go out there and do your job. And there’s no pressure for you to perform, they just want you to enjoy it. And I think they believe that maybe the results will come out of that. The more relaxed you are, the more that you can perform and get the results that you need.”
Stuart got off to a solid start to the National Road Series, finishing 19th after needing to change bikes at an important moment due to a mechanical. Despite her bad luck, Stuart certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. If she continues that mindset it’s surely only a matter of time before she is once again stepping onto the podium in the biggest domestic races.
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