In the second biggest road race on UK soil on Sunday, Ben Granger (Mg.K VIS Colors for Peace VPM) and Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods) were the victors at the inaugural Trofeo Terrington.
As the world’s best male road racers rolled out of Edinburgh towards Glasgow for one of the races of the century, around 70 of the domestic peloton’s finest set off in pursuit of more modest glory at the Yomp Bonk Crew’s Trofeo Terrington in Howardian Hills AONB.
Aggressive racing resulted in splits aplenty in the first two hours of racing but no move was given more than a slender advantage, with every split missing one or two of the favourites, who would then duly force the move back. The resulting pace quickly reduced the bunch size, with 20-30 riders shelled from the bunch in the first half of the race.
On the last couple of laps, Dean Watson (Embark Spirit BSS) attacked along with junior rider Ryan Williams (BCC Race Team). The pair were shortly joined by Watson’s teammate Clayton and Matt King of X-Speed United, before Adam Lewis (Saint Piran) and Ben Granger also bridged across (Mg.K VIS Colors for Peace VPM).
The six worked well together, prompting James McKay (Cycling Sheffield), Thomas Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli), and Jacob Smith (Unattached) to set off in pursuit, with Granger’s teammate Matt Kingston sitting on for the ride. Armstrong was dropped on the last lap, with McKay forcing the group onto the leaders on the final ascent of Bulmer Bank.
With Granger sensing the chasers closing the gap, he attacked, managing to crest the climb with a short lead over a slightly reformed chasing group. Watson, Williams, and Smith had been dropped on Bulmer, with McKay, King, Lewis and Clayton now leading the case, Kingston still sat on the back.
In the final kilometres the chasers were never more than a few hundred metres away but failed to make inroads into the Cumbrian’s advantage. Kingston cramped up around 3km to go, showing how hard even holding the wheel was over the circuit.
Granger soloed to a classy win. Behind, King led out the sprint, with McKay jumping on his wheel and going over the top to take second. Lewis pipped Clayton for third as both came around King in the final few metres before the line.
Women’s race
A slim field of 18 riders contested the women’s race, each finisher guaranteed to accumulate national road rankings points.
Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix Robyn Clay (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) was one of the early movers, going away with a few others, including two Team Boompods riders. The move was brought back, however, sparking a counterattack by Jayati Hine (Team Boompods).
Hine carved out a good lead, ahead by over a minute at one stage. She looked impressive and, egged on by her supporters at the side of the road, looked for a while like a good bet for solo glory. It was not to be for Hine, however. Her legs tiring, she was caught through the start/finish line as the riders took the bell.
The splintering bunch had dwindled to around 11 riders by the time they reached the finish line with Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods) launching early to take victory ahead of her teammate Ellen McDermott. Clay rounded out the podium with third.
In the second biggest road race on UK soil on Sunday, Ben Granger (Mg.K VIS Colors for Peace VPM) and Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods) were the victors at the inaugural Trofeo Terrington.
Featured image: Adam Wright
Report
Men’s race
As the world’s best male road racers rolled out of Edinburgh towards Glasgow for one of the races of the century, around 70 of the domestic peloton’s finest set off in pursuit of more modest glory at the Yomp Bonk Crew’s Trofeo Terrington in Howardian Hills AONB.
Aggressive racing resulted in splits aplenty in the first two hours of racing but no move was given more than a slender advantage, with every split missing one or two of the favourites, who would then duly force the move back. The resulting pace quickly reduced the bunch size, with 20-30 riders shelled from the bunch in the first half of the race.
On the last couple of laps, Dean Watson (Embark Spirit BSS) attacked along with junior rider Ryan Williams (BCC Race Team). The pair were shortly joined by Watson’s teammate Clayton and Matt King of X-Speed United, before Adam Lewis (Saint Piran) and Ben Granger also bridged across (Mg.K VIS Colors for Peace VPM).
The six worked well together, prompting James McKay (Cycling Sheffield), Thomas Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli), and Jacob Smith (Unattached) to set off in pursuit, with Granger’s teammate Matt Kingston sitting on for the ride. Armstrong was dropped on the last lap, with McKay forcing the group onto the leaders on the final ascent of Bulmer Bank.
With Granger sensing the chasers closing the gap, he attacked, managing to crest the climb with a short lead over a slightly reformed chasing group. Watson, Williams, and Smith had been dropped on Bulmer, with McKay, King, Lewis and Clayton now leading the case, Kingston still sat on the back.
In the final kilometres the chasers were never more than a few hundred metres away but failed to make inroads into the Cumbrian’s advantage. Kingston cramped up around 3km to go, showing how hard even holding the wheel was over the circuit.
Granger soloed to a classy win. Behind, King led out the sprint, with McKay jumping on his wheel and going over the top to take second. Lewis pipped Clayton for third as both came around King in the final few metres before the line.
Women’s race
A slim field of 18 riders contested the women’s race, each finisher guaranteed to accumulate national road rankings points.
Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix Robyn Clay (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) was one of the early movers, going away with a few others, including two Team Boompods riders. The move was brought back, however, sparking a counterattack by Jayati Hine (Team Boompods).
Hine carved out a good lead, ahead by over a minute at one stage. She looked impressive and, egged on by her supporters at the side of the road, looked for a while like a good bet for solo glory. It was not to be for Hine, however. Her legs tiring, she was caught through the start/finish line as the riders took the bell.
The splintering bunch had dwindled to around 11 riders by the time they reached the finish line with Gemma Mitchell (Team Boompods) launching early to take victory ahead of her teammate Ellen McDermott. Clay rounded out the podium with third.
Results
Men’s race
Women’s race
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