Cyclocross National Trophy Rd 5, Cyclopark: report and results
Xan Crees and Ben Chilton took their first National Trophy - and first UCI - wins as they dominated their races in Cyclopark. In the Juniors, it was success once again for Alice Colling and Seb Grindley
Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale p/b DAS) and Ben Chilton (Ribble Collective) both took their first UCI-level cyclocross wins as they dominated their respective elite races at the penultimate round of the 2023 National Trophy at Cyclopark in Gravesend on Saturday 10 December.
In the junior races, Seb Grindley’s last lap blitz secured him the men’s win, while Alice Colling secured her third win of the series in the women’s race.
Featured Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
Reports
Men’s junior
A wet and rainy day greeted the Men’s Junior field in Gravesend, morning rain mixed with overnight showers to create what was a slippery and muddy course for the fifth round of the National Trophy.
It didn’t deter the field, though, as they shot off from the start like a rocket and left no blade of grass untouched as they powered through the opening sequence and onto the #RideForCharlie steps for the first time with Alfie Amey (GKR Racing) shoulder-to-shoulder with National Champion Seb Grindley (Trinity Racing) for the lead.
Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
With that duo battling ahead, the rider making significant gains was Oscar Amey (GKR Racing) who powered through to take a slender lead over Grindley, despite having a small slip going through a hairpin – the rain causing icy conditions under wheel.
Come the final lap Grindley was just a handful of seconds shy of Oscar Amey and knew he had to push if he wanted to add to his success last time out in Torbay. Push he did. A monster of a final lap 14.4 seconds quicker than his rival overhauled the GKR Racing rider and gave him a couple of bike lengths of breathing space over the line.
Oscar Amey took second, strengthening his hold on the Series Leader’s jersey heading into the final round in Tong in January, while Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad Race Team) had a storming final tour to put himself onto the podium.
Jamie Stewart (Shibden CC) took fourth having lost a bit of time to McDonald in the latter laps, and Alfie Amey rounded out the top five.
Women’s junior
With the rain only increasing in volume, the second race of the day for Junior Women proved to be an increasingly muddy affair and a factor in the race as the already churned up parcours became a true slog.
At the end of the first lap, it was Madeline Moorhouse-Smith (Hope Tech Factory Racing) and Isabel Mayes (Shibden Hope Tech Apex) who were part of a leading bunch at the sharp-end of the race, with series leader Alice Colling (Shibden Cycling Club) shadowing the pair across the line.
As the laps ticked on, it became a battle between Moorhouse-Smith and Colling with the former holding about half-a-dozen seconds of a lead in the middle-portion of the race.
Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
However, as the race went on, Colling demonstrated why she’s already a two-time winner in the National Trophy this season as she set consistently quick laps to overhaul the recently crowned North of England Champion to take an uncontested victory.
Within striking distance of the leading trio from the end of the opening lap, Rebecca Woodvine (RR23 – runandride) took a hat-trick of podiums in the Series as she caught and passed Mayes on the second lap and then extended her advantage to take third.
Women’s elite
By the time the Elite Women tackled the technical Kent course, the rain had finally relented to give at least one less challenge for the field.
From the start, it was Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS) and Mille Couzens (Fenix Deceuninck) who shot off into the lead with Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing) a fraction behind.
That trio didn’t stay the same for too long, as Series Leader – and Crees’s team-mate – Elena Day replaced James up front. With Day’s help, the three finally started to open up something of a margin on the chasing pack behind.
Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
With mud getting thicker, Crees proved most adept at handling the conditions and quickly broke away from Couzens and Day, who were locked in a captivating scrap.
As the race went on, the leader’s advantage started to shrink but it was too late for anyone to truly try and challenge for the race win as Crees comfortably crossed the line to take her first career UCI victory. Day prevailed in her early battle with Couzens to take the runner-up spot and confirm a dominant one-two for the squad, as well as extending her own lead in the points table.
Couzens ultimately finished fourth, second in the U23s behind Day, as she was relegated from the final spot on the overall podium by a remarkable ride from Ghost Factory Racing’s Isla Short who came from the back-of-the-grid to snatch third (second in the Seniors).
Derwentside CC’s Kacey Eyeington rounded out the U23 podium, with James doing the same in the Seniors.
Men’s elite
In a sign that cyclopark really does have its own climate, blue skies and what might be described as sunshine greeted the Men’s Elite peloton for race four of the day – causing quite a bit of confusion to spectators who were sheltering under hoods and umbrellas just hours earlier.
Like every other event so far today, the Men’s race got off at rocket pace and it was Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport) who was finding the grooves made by those earlier riders to pick his way round the lap – via a couple of slips here and there – with Series Leader Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing) and Ben Chilton (Ribble Collective) in hot pursuit.
Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
While Barnes & Mein were putting in their usual strong showings, Chilton was on an absolute charge and didn’t look like he was going to be stopped. Using his 6’6″ frame to his advantage, he was able to put more power through the pedals and tore through the sticky mud to open up a handy lead.
By the time he heard the bell, his lead was up at one minute and he didn’t lessen his pace – taking his first UCI win in the process.
Barnes held off pressure from Mein to take second in what was a back-and-forth race between the pair, with the latter rounding out the overall podium.
In the Senior category, Wout Vervoort joined Barnes & Mein on the podium, while in the U23s it was Team Inspired’s Joseph Blackmore and Simon Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS) who stood alongside Chilton.
Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale p/b DAS) and Ben Chilton (Ribble Collective) both took their first UCI-level cyclocross wins as they dominated their respective elite races at the penultimate round of the 2023 National Trophy at Cyclopark in Gravesend on Saturday 10 December.
In the junior races, Seb Grindley’s last lap blitz secured him the men’s win, while Alice Colling secured her third win of the series in the women’s race.
Featured Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
Reports
Men’s junior
A wet and rainy day greeted the Men’s Junior field in Gravesend, morning rain mixed with overnight showers to create what was a slippery and muddy course for the fifth round of the National Trophy.
It didn’t deter the field, though, as they shot off from the start like a rocket and left no blade of grass untouched as they powered through the opening sequence and onto the #RideForCharlie steps for the first time with Alfie Amey (GKR Racing) shoulder-to-shoulder with National Champion Seb Grindley (Trinity Racing) for the lead.
With that duo battling ahead, the rider making significant gains was Oscar Amey (GKR Racing) who powered through to take a slender lead over Grindley, despite having a small slip going through a hairpin – the rain causing icy conditions under wheel.
Come the final lap Grindley was just a handful of seconds shy of Oscar Amey and knew he had to push if he wanted to add to his success last time out in Torbay. Push he did. A monster of a final lap 14.4 seconds quicker than his rival overhauled the GKR Racing rider and gave him a couple of bike lengths of breathing space over the line.
Oscar Amey took second, strengthening his hold on the Series Leader’s jersey heading into the final round in Tong in January, while Innes McDonald (Scotia Offroad Race Team) had a storming final tour to put himself onto the podium.
Jamie Stewart (Shibden CC) took fourth having lost a bit of time to McDonald in the latter laps, and Alfie Amey rounded out the top five.
Women’s junior
With the rain only increasing in volume, the second race of the day for Junior Women proved to be an increasingly muddy affair and a factor in the race as the already churned up parcours became a true slog.
At the end of the first lap, it was Madeline Moorhouse-Smith (Hope Tech Factory Racing) and Isabel Mayes (Shibden Hope Tech Apex) who were part of a leading bunch at the sharp-end of the race, with series leader Alice Colling (Shibden Cycling Club) shadowing the pair across the line.
As the laps ticked on, it became a battle between Moorhouse-Smith and Colling with the former holding about half-a-dozen seconds of a lead in the middle-portion of the race.
However, as the race went on, Colling demonstrated why she’s already a two-time winner in the National Trophy this season as she set consistently quick laps to overhaul the recently crowned North of England Champion to take an uncontested victory.
Within striking distance of the leading trio from the end of the opening lap, Rebecca Woodvine (RR23 – runandride) took a hat-trick of podiums in the Series as she caught and passed Mayes on the second lap and then extended her advantage to take third.
Women’s elite
By the time the Elite Women tackled the technical Kent course, the rain had finally relented to give at least one less challenge for the field.
From the start, it was Xan Crees (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS) and Mille Couzens (Fenix Deceuninck) who shot off into the lead with Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing) a fraction behind.
That trio didn’t stay the same for too long, as Series Leader – and Crees’s team-mate – Elena Day replaced James up front. With Day’s help, the three finally started to open up something of a margin on the chasing pack behind.
With mud getting thicker, Crees proved most adept at handling the conditions and quickly broke away from Couzens and Day, who were locked in a captivating scrap.
As the race went on, the leader’s advantage started to shrink but it was too late for anyone to truly try and challenge for the race win as Crees comfortably crossed the line to take her first career UCI victory. Day prevailed in her early battle with Couzens to take the runner-up spot and confirm a dominant one-two for the squad, as well as extending her own lead in the points table.
Couzens ultimately finished fourth, second in the U23s behind Day, as she was relegated from the final spot on the overall podium by a remarkable ride from Ghost Factory Racing’s Isla Short who came from the back-of-the-grid to snatch third (second in the Seniors).
Derwentside CC’s Kacey Eyeington rounded out the U23 podium, with James doing the same in the Seniors.
Men’s elite
In a sign that cyclopark really does have its own climate, blue skies and what might be described as sunshine greeted the Men’s Elite peloton for race four of the day – causing quite a bit of confusion to spectators who were sheltering under hoods and umbrellas just hours earlier.
Like every other event so far today, the Men’s race got off at rocket pace and it was Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport) who was finding the grooves made by those earlier riders to pick his way round the lap – via a couple of slips here and there – with Series Leader Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing) and Ben Chilton (Ribble Collective) in hot pursuit.
While Barnes & Mein were putting in their usual strong showings, Chilton was on an absolute charge and didn’t look like he was going to be stopped. Using his 6’6″ frame to his advantage, he was able to put more power through the pedals and tore through the sticky mud to open up a handy lead.
By the time he heard the bell, his lead was up at one minute and he didn’t lessen his pace – taking his first UCI win in the process.
Barnes held off pressure from Mein to take second in what was a back-and-forth race between the pair, with the latter rounding out the overall podium.
In the Senior category, Wout Vervoort joined Barnes & Mein on the podium, while in the U23s it was Team Inspired’s Joseph Blackmore and Simon Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS) who stood alongside Chilton.
Results
Men’s Junior
Women’s Junior
Women’s Elite
Men’s Elite
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