The road races mark the climax of the National Road Championships this Sunday on one of the toughest courses ever featured at the nationals.
This preview takes a close look at the route, outlines the contenders and explains how you can follow the race.
Featured photo: SWPix
What is it?
There are two races, a women’s and men’s race, each deciding both the elite and under-23 national road race champions. The winners then don the red, white and blue stripes on their jerseys for the ensuing year (white shorts optional).
It’s a great honour for any rider to win this race, a career-defining moment for some.
Take a moment and read through the list of riders to have won the British National Championship, and then think of the enormity of adding your name to that esteemed company. You earn the right to wear the stripes on sleeves for life. It is an honour and should be fought tooth and nail for
Colin Sturgess, former national road race champion
Wikipedia tells us that the national road race has been around, in some guise or other, since 1938 for the men, and 1947 for the women. The list of winners includes many of the greats of British road racing.
On the women’s side, the great Beryl Burton won the race an astonishing 12 times. More recently, Nicole Cooke won it nine times in a row. Other women’s victors include Lizzie Deignan, Hannah Barnes and Laura Trott, and Pfeiffer Georgi.
2021 National Road Championships – Rapha Lincoln GP – Lincoln, England – Team DSM’s Pfeiffer Georgi reacts to winning the women’s National Road Championships at Lincoln. Image: Will Palmer/SWpix.com
The men’s race has a long list of well-known winners, including Sid Barras, John Herety, Paul Sherwen, Colin Sturgess, Sean Yates, Malcolm Elliot, Robert Millar, Roger Hammond, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish.
The reigning elite champions are Alice Towers and Mark Cavendish. Towers, only 19 when she won last year, is also the defending under-23 champion. Sam Watson won last year’s under-23 title and is also back on the start line in 2023. Cavendish’s absence means the men’s elite national road race stripes are guaranteed to pass to another rider.
Course
This is a course that has us licking our lips.
Starting and finishing in Saltburn by the Sea, the circuit has climbing aplenty, culminating with a finish just after Saltburn Bank, a short, twisting climb with a maximum gradient of more than 22%.
Both the men and women will follow an 18.8km loop, with the women completing seven laps to cover 132km, and the men taking on 10 laps and 189km.
VeloViewer suggests each lap involves over 400m of climbing, meaning that the women’s race features 2,826m of climbing in total, while the men will tackle 4,073m of climbing. Even if this overestimates the total elevation, it’s a course for the punchers and climbers.
To put the elevation into context, the women’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège features 2,478m of climbing over 142.8km this year. Not too dissimilar, then, in terms of numbers at least, to the women’s road race. The men’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège might be more fearsome – it typically involves over 4,300m of elevation over the course of more than 250km. But still, if the men’s nationals road race is packing in 3,500-4,000m of climbing in just 189km, it is a stiff test to say the least.
Cycling Sheffield’s James McKay, who has ridden the course tells us that the course “is pretty lumpy but there is not a key section that is especially hard”.
Each lap begins on Glenside in Saltburn. The route then heads out of Saltburn, dragging upwards for the first two kilometres, taking in Saltburn Golf Club along the way. A left turn sees the route join the A174.
Then, after a steep descent, the first climb begins just before Skelton-in-Cleveland, with historic Skelton Castle on the right.
It is almost two kilometres long, with an average of 5.4%, but it becomes steeper toward the top, peaking out at around 14% according to VeloViewer.
“This is the longest climb of the circuit and the last section is actually the hardest part of the course, definitely harder than Saltburn Bank,” McKay tells us.
“Over the top of this section is where I think the best place to attack is because the last and final third of the course is a windy lane with high hedges. You can get out of sight easily and it favours being in a small group here.”
The course then rolls along for the next seven kilometres or so through the villages of Boosbeck, Lingdale and Kilton Thorpe.
As the circuit heads back toward the coast, there is another very steep descent between two roundabouts on the A174. At the second of the two roundabouts, the course turns left into Brotton. Here the riders will face the second main climb of the circuit.
Shorter than the first climb through Skelton-in-Cleveland, the Forge is less than a kilometre, but once again features double-digit gradients in places. Another leg-sapper, especially after multiple ascents.
Once at the top of the climb, four kilometres from the finish line, there is a long downhill section. It is perilously steep in places, a semi-technical descent; there is a short section as the road leaves Brotton that is over 24% according to VeloViewer. You can imagine riders punching clear on the Forge and then using this descent to stay clear all the way back to Saltburn.
Once into Saltburn though, there is the small matter of Saltburn Bank to tackle. Beginning less than a kilometre from the finish line, the climb is the punchiest test on the course. 300 metres long, with two tight hairpin bends, the wall of a climb will be familiar to anyone who has raced the Klondike Grand Prix in the past. It averages 14.5% and goes above 20% in places, according to British Cycling.
Once at the top, it is only around 200 metres to the finish line, so it will be all out on Saltburn Bank for any riders arriving together at the bottom of it on the final lap. It should provide a brilliant finale to what promises to be a savage two races.
Contenders
One thing that is certain is that the national road race championships are almost always predictably unpredictable. Lacking the control of a WorldTour race, the skill is often picking the right move. The races are more akin to junior races, with attacks from the flag drop, with no team able to fully control events. Last year’s races in Dumfries and Galloway were great examples of that. And with this year’s route being as selective as it is, we could see riders all over the road very quickly, especially when you factor in the forecast rain and thunderstorms for the men’s race.
Our caveats out the way, who are the riders most likely to be in the thick of the action?
Arguably the two big favourites are Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), the 2021 road race champion, and Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), for whom a national road race title has so far been elusive.
2021 National Road Championships – Rapha Lincoln GP – Lincoln, England – Jumbo Visma’s Anna Henderson climbs the cobbles of Michaelgate. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Georgi, still only 22, is in the midst of her finest season yet, with wins in the Classic Brugge-De Panne (a Women’s WorldTour race) and Dwars door de Westhoek to her name among many other top results. Henderson doesn’t yet have a win in 2023 but a string of top tens in the WorldTour races in March, including the Tour of Flanders, shows she is among the best one-day racers in the world at her best. More recently, she has come close to wins on stages of the RideLondon Classique and the abandoned CIC-Tour Féminin Pyrénées, suggesting her form is in a good place. Neither rider is a climber, but both have the punch, power and talent to succeed on this course.
Speaking of climbers, however, Claire Steels (Israel-Premier Tech Roland) is someone who thrives when ascending. A brilliant solo win in reVolta at the end of April kickstarted a fine run of stage race results, finishing on Tuesday with 6th overall at the Tou de Suisse. The 36-year-old is a real threat.
Elinor Barker (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) is another rider who has caught the eye this year, her first full season since returning from maternity leave. Third place in the time trial on Wednesday demonstrates her form, and she is another rider that should be suited to the parcours.
Speaking of form riders, Lizzie Holden (UAE Team ADQ) won the time trial on Wednesday in impressive fashion. She had some excellent stage race results last season, 4th at the Lotto Belgium Tour for example, although remarkably her time trial win was her first UCI-level career win. Could the road race be win number two?
2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Elite Women’s Time Trial – Elizabeth Holden, UAE Team ADQ. Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
Anna Shackley (SD Worx) seems made for a race like this. The Scottish climber was 4th overall at the UAE Tour earlier this season but without any racing since the beginning of April her form is an unknown.
Last year’s champion Alice Towers (CANYON//SRAM Racing), just 20, has not had any huge results since, but any winner of the national road race is a worthy one, so another victory is not completely out of the question. Elynor Backstedt’s (Trek-Segafredo) 5th place on Wednesday suggests she could be in the mix, while Hayley Simmonds (AWOL O’Shea) seems to be coming back into shape after a torrid time out with injury last year.
The list of talent in the race doesn’t stop there. Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) and her sister HannahBarnes (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products), April Tacey (Lifeplus-Wahoo) and Natalie Grinczer (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) are among the other UCI-level riders that take part. And if you want a domestic pick Tammy Miller (Hutchinson-Brother UK), winner of the Peaks 2 Day earlier this year, thrives in hilly conditions, as does Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee).
Prediction? Georgi to claim her second national road race title.
When British Cycling revealed the startlist for these championships, Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) was the poster boy for its announcement. Unfortunately Thomas, second in the Giro this year, has decided he’s not in the right condition to compete for another road race title, and has subsequently withdrawn.
There are still nonetheless some richly talented riders still competing, so much so that it isn’t easy to pick out any obvious favourites. So where to start?
Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) came oh-so-close to a win in 2021 bested by Ben Swift on the final ascent of Michaelgate in Lincoln when he was still an under-23. Two seasons on and Wright has blossomed on the WorldTour, picking up two top tens in the Tour of Flanders and narrowly missing out on stage wins in both the Tour and the Vuelta. He is in great form and a win here would not only be a deserved breakthrough win for him, it would also be a beautiful tribute to his former teammate Gino Mäder, who so tragically died nine days ago.
2023 Ronde Van Vlaanderen – Belgium, Fred Wright, Bahrain Victorious. – 2023 Tour of Flanders, Men’s Race. Image: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
Ineos Grenadiers may not have Geraint Thomas but they still have several potential winners. Recent Tour of Norway winner Ben Tulett, a transfer to Jumbo-Visma on the horizon for 2024, excels on this type of terrain and will be looking forward to stretching his legs on the climbs. Cousins Ben Swift and Connor Swift are both former national road race champions. Both have been on domestique duties this year and will no doubt look forward to the opportunity to race for themselves. Ben Turner is another punchy rider that could feature.
EF Education-EasyPost pair Simon Carr and James Shaw both climb very well and are dangermen, Carr a recent stage winner at the Route d’Occitanie, while Shaw impressed at the Critérium du Dauphiné, finishing 24th overall. Groupama-FDJ also has riders that could rival the Ineos contingent, in Lewis Askey, Sam Watson (second last year) and Jake Stewart.
In fact, there is a whole host of pro riders that climb well and could feature. Harrison Wood (Cofidis), Paul Double (Human Powered Health), Mason Hollyman, Stevie Williams (both Israel – Premier Tech), Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and James Knox (Soudal-Quickstep) all fall into that category.
At the UCI Continental level, Baby Giro stage winner Lukas Nerurkar (TRINITY Racing) is an excellent climber, while Saint Piran duo Jack Rootkin-Gray and Alex Richardson have been on fire so far this season.
Elsewhere, James McKay (Cycling Sheffield) has been the breakthrough domestic riders of 2023 and has been training specifically for this race, mountain biker Jospeh Blackmore can handle the climbs, while Finn Crockett (The Cycling Academy) is ever-dangerous.
Prediction?This feels a little bit like pot luck but our heart says Fred Wright.
Timings
Women’s race: 9.00
Men’s race: 13.45
How to follow
There will be live coverage through GCN+, Discovery+ and British Cycling’s YouTube channel (UK-only), plus a full highlights programme on ITV4 at 6pm on Wednesday 28 June.
Keep an eye out too for updates on British Cycling’s social media channels, and we’ll also be on the ground, so stay tuned to our Instagram channel.
Weather
The weather forecast suggests it will be dry, sunny and warm for the women’s race, with a moderate breeze. For the men’s race, however, rain and thunderstorms could make conditions more treacherous.
The road races mark the climax of the National Road Championships this Sunday on one of the toughest courses ever featured at the nationals.
This preview takes a close look at the route, outlines the contenders and explains how you can follow the race.
Featured photo: SWPix
What is it?
There are two races, a women’s and men’s race, each deciding both the elite and under-23 national road race champions. The winners then don the red, white and blue stripes on their jerseys for the ensuing year (white shorts optional).
It’s a great honour for any rider to win this race, a career-defining moment for some.
Wikipedia tells us that the national road race has been around, in some guise or other, since 1938 for the men, and 1947 for the women. The list of winners includes many of the greats of British road racing.
On the women’s side, the great Beryl Burton won the race an astonishing 12 times. More recently, Nicole Cooke won it nine times in a row. Other women’s victors include Lizzie Deignan, Hannah Barnes and Laura Trott, and Pfeiffer Georgi.
The men’s race has a long list of well-known winners, including Sid Barras, John Herety, Paul Sherwen, Colin Sturgess, Sean Yates, Malcolm Elliot, Robert Millar, Roger Hammond, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish.
The reigning elite champions are Alice Towers and Mark Cavendish. Towers, only 19 when she won last year, is also the defending under-23 champion. Sam Watson won last year’s under-23 title and is also back on the start line in 2023. Cavendish’s absence means the men’s elite national road race stripes are guaranteed to pass to another rider.
Course
This is a course that has us licking our lips.
Starting and finishing in Saltburn by the Sea, the circuit has climbing aplenty, culminating with a finish just after Saltburn Bank, a short, twisting climb with a maximum gradient of more than 22%.
Both the men and women will follow an 18.8km loop, with the women completing seven laps to cover 132km, and the men taking on 10 laps and 189km.
VeloViewer suggests each lap involves over 400m of climbing, meaning that the women’s race features 2,826m of climbing in total, while the men will tackle 4,073m of climbing. Even if this overestimates the total elevation, it’s a course for the punchers and climbers.
To put the elevation into context, the women’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège features 2,478m of climbing over 142.8km this year. Not too dissimilar, then, in terms of numbers at least, to the women’s road race. The men’s version of Liège-Bastogne-Liège might be more fearsome – it typically involves over 4,300m of elevation over the course of more than 250km. But still, if the men’s nationals road race is packing in 3,500-4,000m of climbing in just 189km, it is a stiff test to say the least.
Cycling Sheffield’s James McKay, who has ridden the course tells us that the course “is pretty lumpy but there is not a key section that is especially hard”.
Each lap begins on Glenside in Saltburn. The route then heads out of Saltburn, dragging upwards for the first two kilometres, taking in Saltburn Golf Club along the way. A left turn sees the route join the A174.
Then, after a steep descent, the first climb begins just before Skelton-in-Cleveland, with historic Skelton Castle on the right.
It is almost two kilometres long, with an average of 5.4%, but it becomes steeper toward the top, peaking out at around 14% according to VeloViewer.
“This is the longest climb of the circuit and the last section is actually the hardest part of the course, definitely harder than Saltburn Bank,” McKay tells us.
“Over the top of this section is where I think the best place to attack is because the last and final third of the course is a windy lane with high hedges. You can get out of sight easily and it favours being in a small group here.”
The course then rolls along for the next seven kilometres or so through the villages of Boosbeck, Lingdale and Kilton Thorpe.
As the circuit heads back toward the coast, there is another very steep descent between two roundabouts on the A174. At the second of the two roundabouts, the course turns left into Brotton. Here the riders will face the second main climb of the circuit.
Shorter than the first climb through Skelton-in-Cleveland, the Forge is less than a kilometre, but once again features double-digit gradients in places. Another leg-sapper, especially after multiple ascents.
Once at the top of the climb, four kilometres from the finish line, there is a long downhill section. It is perilously steep in places, a semi-technical descent; there is a short section as the road leaves Brotton that is over 24% according to VeloViewer. You can imagine riders punching clear on the Forge and then using this descent to stay clear all the way back to Saltburn.
Once into Saltburn though, there is the small matter of Saltburn Bank to tackle. Beginning less than a kilometre from the finish line, the climb is the punchiest test on the course. 300 metres long, with two tight hairpin bends, the wall of a climb will be familiar to anyone who has raced the Klondike Grand Prix in the past. It averages 14.5% and goes above 20% in places, according to British Cycling.
Once at the top, it is only around 200 metres to the finish line, so it will be all out on Saltburn Bank for any riders arriving together at the bottom of it on the final lap. It should provide a brilliant finale to what promises to be a savage two races.
Contenders
One thing that is certain is that the national road race championships are almost always predictably unpredictable. Lacking the control of a WorldTour race, the skill is often picking the right move. The races are more akin to junior races, with attacks from the flag drop, with no team able to fully control events. Last year’s races in Dumfries and Galloway were great examples of that. And with this year’s route being as selective as it is, we could see riders all over the road very quickly, especially when you factor in the forecast rain and thunderstorms for the men’s race.
Our caveats out the way, who are the riders most likely to be in the thick of the action?
Women’s race
Final women’s race startlist here.
Arguably the two big favourites are Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), the 2021 road race champion, and Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), for whom a national road race title has so far been elusive.
Georgi, still only 22, is in the midst of her finest season yet, with wins in the Classic Brugge-De Panne (a Women’s WorldTour race) and Dwars door de Westhoek to her name among many other top results. Henderson doesn’t yet have a win in 2023 but a string of top tens in the WorldTour races in March, including the Tour of Flanders, shows she is among the best one-day racers in the world at her best. More recently, she has come close to wins on stages of the RideLondon Classique and the abandoned CIC-Tour Féminin Pyrénées, suggesting her form is in a good place. Neither rider is a climber, but both have the punch, power and talent to succeed on this course.
Speaking of climbers, however, Claire Steels (Israel-Premier Tech Roland) is someone who thrives when ascending. A brilliant solo win in reVolta at the end of April kickstarted a fine run of stage race results, finishing on Tuesday with 6th overall at the Tou de Suisse. The 36-year-old is a real threat.
Elinor Barker (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) is another rider who has caught the eye this year, her first full season since returning from maternity leave. Third place in the time trial on Wednesday demonstrates her form, and she is another rider that should be suited to the parcours.
Speaking of form riders, Lizzie Holden (UAE Team ADQ) won the time trial on Wednesday in impressive fashion. She had some excellent stage race results last season, 4th at the Lotto Belgium Tour for example, although remarkably her time trial win was her first UCI-level career win. Could the road race be win number two?
Anna Shackley (SD Worx) seems made for a race like this. The Scottish climber was 4th overall at the UAE Tour earlier this season but without any racing since the beginning of April her form is an unknown.
Last year’s champion Alice Towers (CANYON//SRAM Racing), just 20, has not had any huge results since, but any winner of the national road race is a worthy one, so another victory is not completely out of the question. Elynor Backstedt’s (Trek-Segafredo) 5th place on Wednesday suggests she could be in the mix, while Hayley Simmonds (AWOL O’Shea) seems to be coming back into shape after a torrid time out with injury last year.
The list of talent in the race doesn’t stop there. Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) and her sister Hannah Barnes (Uno-X Pro Cycling), Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products), April Tacey (Lifeplus-Wahoo) and Natalie Grinczer (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) are among the other UCI-level riders that take part. And if you want a domestic pick Tammy Miller (Hutchinson-Brother UK), winner of the Peaks 2 Day earlier this year, thrives in hilly conditions, as does Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee).
Prediction? Georgi to claim her second national road race title.
Men’s race
Provisional men’s road race startlist here.
When British Cycling revealed the startlist for these championships, Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) was the poster boy for its announcement. Unfortunately Thomas, second in the Giro this year, has decided he’s not in the right condition to compete for another road race title, and has subsequently withdrawn.
There are still nonetheless some richly talented riders still competing, so much so that it isn’t easy to pick out any obvious favourites. So where to start?
Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) came oh-so-close to a win in 2021 bested by Ben Swift on the final ascent of Michaelgate in Lincoln when he was still an under-23. Two seasons on and Wright has blossomed on the WorldTour, picking up two top tens in the Tour of Flanders and narrowly missing out on stage wins in both the Tour and the Vuelta. He is in great form and a win here would not only be a deserved breakthrough win for him, it would also be a beautiful tribute to his former teammate Gino Mäder, who so tragically died nine days ago.
Ineos Grenadiers may not have Geraint Thomas but they still have several potential winners. Recent Tour of Norway winner Ben Tulett, a transfer to Jumbo-Visma on the horizon for 2024, excels on this type of terrain and will be looking forward to stretching his legs on the climbs. Cousins Ben Swift and Connor Swift are both former national road race champions. Both have been on domestique duties this year and will no doubt look forward to the opportunity to race for themselves. Ben Turner is another punchy rider that could feature.
EF Education-EasyPost pair Simon Carr and James Shaw both climb very well and are dangermen, Carr a recent stage winner at the Route d’Occitanie, while Shaw impressed at the Critérium du Dauphiné, finishing 24th overall. Groupama-FDJ also has riders that could rival the Ineos contingent, in Lewis Askey, Sam Watson (second last year) and Jake Stewart.
In fact, there is a whole host of pro riders that climb well and could feature. Harrison Wood (Cofidis), Paul Double (Human Powered Health), Mason Hollyman, Stevie Williams (both Israel – Premier Tech), Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and James Knox (Soudal-Quickstep) all fall into that category.
At the UCI Continental level, Baby Giro stage winner Lukas Nerurkar (TRINITY Racing) is an excellent climber, while Saint Piran duo Jack Rootkin-Gray and Alex Richardson have been on fire so far this season.
Elsewhere, James McKay (Cycling Sheffield) has been the breakthrough domestic riders of 2023 and has been training specifically for this race, mountain biker Jospeh Blackmore can handle the climbs, while Finn Crockett (The Cycling Academy) is ever-dangerous.
Prediction? This feels a little bit like pot luck but our heart says Fred Wright.
Timings
Women’s race: 9.00
Men’s race: 13.45
How to follow
There will be live coverage through GCN+, Discovery+ and British Cycling’s YouTube channel (UK-only), plus a full highlights programme on ITV4 at 6pm on Wednesday 28 June.
Keep an eye out too for updates on British Cycling’s social media channels, and we’ll also be on the ground, so stay tuned to our Instagram channel.
Weather
The weather forecast suggests it will be dry, sunny and warm for the women’s race, with a moderate breeze. For the men’s race, however, rain and thunderstorms could make conditions more treacherous.
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