Lucy Gadd (Le Col RT) pipped junior Imogen Wolff (Shibden Apex RT) to stage 3 victory at the Peaks 2 Day in a two-up spring, but it wasn’t enough to stop Wolff completing an outstanding overall win.

In the Open race, Wheelbase CabTech Castelli’s Jacob Smith repeated his 2023 stage 2 time trial victory on Holme Moss. And in a thrilling finale, Max Krasinski (Cycling Sheffield) secured a breakthrough stage win as Tom Martin (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) wrestled overall victory from Damien Clayton (Le Col RT).

2024 Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield: day one report and results

2024 Peaks 2 Day p/b Giant Sheffield: preview and startlist

Report

Open race 

Stage 2

The day began with blue skies, a welcome contrast to the sleet and hail of the day before, although the wind remained a factor, even if it was not as strong as it was on Saturday.

A three kilometre road bike time trial on the infamous Holme Moss awaited the men on stage 2 , featuring two kilometres of climbing on an average gradient of 9.5%, a strong head wind adding to the challenge on the exposed climb.

In a carbon copy of the 2023 race, Jacob Smith (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) stormed to stage victory in a time of 8 minutes and 18 seconds, with Spectra Racing’s Toby Barnes, who was third on the stage last season, finishing second, 15 seconds behind Smith. Huw Buck Jones (USKIS Saint Piran) completed the podium a further 4 seconds back. Overnight leader Damien Clayton (Le Col RT) could only finish 30th, ceding a minute and 8 seconds to Smith.

Nonetheless, Clayton retained the leader’s jersey thanks to the generous buffer he’d etched out on stage 1. Going into the final stage he held a 26 second advantage over Smith and 41 seconds over Buck Jones. Joseph Smith (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) was the next nearest challenger on GC at a minute and 2 seconds.

Stage 3

A breathtaking finale of the race culminated in a thrilling showdown that reshaped the general classification and led to a breakthrough win for Cycling Sheffield rider Max Krasinski.

As the stage unfolded, the initial King of the Mountain (KOM) sprint set the tone for a day of aggressive racing as Tyler Hannay (Saint Piran) and William Truelove (Thriva-SRCT) led the charge, signalling their intent with nine laps remaining. However, it was an audacious attack by Toby Barnes of Spectra Racing and Bradley Symonds of Saint Piran, with 8 laps to go, that truly ignited the race. Their move appeared to catch the peloton off guard, its response scattered and uncoordinated.

A breakaway subsequently formed, comprising Tom Martin of Wheelbase CabTech Castelli and Max Krasinski, along with Symonds and Barnes. They carved out a 50-second lead over the bunch, with Martin, positioned 1 minute 30 seconds behind the general classification leader Damien Clayton of Le Col RT at the start of the stage, emerging as a significant threat.

The breakaway’s gap widened to 1 minute 25 seconds with 6 laps to go, and with 4 laps remaining, the quartet held a minute’s lead over lone chaser Will Taylor of Moonglu RT, with the main group, including Clayton, trailing further behind. Clayton’s grasp of the leader’s jersey seemed to be slipping away.

The intensity escalated over the final three laps. The leaders extended their advantage to two minutes over Taylor, now accompanied by Josh Housley of HUUB BCC RT, with Martin assuming the status of virtual leader on the road.

Entering the last lap, the four frontrunners maintained a commanding 2 minute 30 second lead over a three-man chasing group, with Clayton, the race leader, fighting valiantly 11 seconds further adrift.

The stage concluded with a sprint victory for Krasinski, closely followed by Barnes, Symonds, and Martin. This quartet’s remarkable performance not only defined the day’s racing but also the overall standings. Tom Martin emerged victorious in the general classification, overturning his deficit to claim the Peaks 2 Day crown. Damien Clayton finished a commendable second after battling to sixth on the stage, with stage 2 winner Jacob Smith of Wheelbase CabTech Castelli rounding out the podium.

Krasinski’s victory on the final stage felt like redemption after a disappointing start to the race and coming off the back of a challenging 2023.

“My 2023 season was tough as I didn’t start riding until February due to a bad crash involving a van at the end of August 2022,” Krasinski told The British Continental after the race, revealing the depth of adversity he faced. Further setbacks included a broken collarbone at the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix and then another due to an unfortunate incident with a dog. Yet, Krasinski’s spirit remained unbroken, showcasing a remarkable comeback at the Peaks 2 Day.

“After a disappointing race in stage 1 due to breaking my rear wheel because of a pothole and chasing back to a group for most of the race, the plan today was to race for the win and possibly try to aid David [Hird] and Matt [Warhurst] in improving their GC,” Krasinski shared.

Once break was established, Krasinski put all his energy into winning the stage: “My focus went on trying to win the stage and conserving some energy,” he said. His tactical nous and physical condition came to the fore in the race’s dying moments. “Coming into the last lap, the Wheelbase rider [Martin] started to do the majority of the work and led up the final climb. I felt good, and with about 200m to go up the final climb, the other riders launched their sprint, and I jumped at the same time, coming around with speed and holding it to the line.”

Women’s race

Stage 3

In a thrilling conclusion to the Peaks 2 Day race, the third and final stage unfolded on the challenging 10.6km Carlecotes course, with the peloton tackling 8 gruelling laps. The stage set the scene for a dramatic showdown between the race leader, Imogen Wolff of Shibden Apex RT and Lucy Gadd of Le Col RT, offering a spectacle that had onlookers on tenterhooks.

From the outset, Wolff stamped her authority on the race, claiming the first two Queen of the Mountains (QOM) primes ahead of Gadd on laps 2 and 4. The intensity of the competition began to take its toll on the peloton, with the group starting to stretch thin over the lap 4 QOM climb, hinting at the cracks that would soon widen under the pressure of relentless attacks.

It was at this point the pivotal moment of the stage came, with Gadd and Wolff launched a daring attack. Their move paid dividends, creating a significant gap from their chasers. With 3 laps remaining, the dynamic duo had carved out a commanding lead of two minutes and 45 seconds over the second group on the road.

As the race neared its climax, with the bell signaling the final lap, Gadd and Wolff had extended their lead to an astonishing five and a half minutes. The duo had turned the race into a two-woman show, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

The final sprint was nailbiting, with Gadd edging out Wolff in a breathtakingly close finish to take the stage win. Despite the stage loss, Wolff’s performance over the two days was unmatched, securing her the overall victory in the Peaks 2 Day race.

“Conditions were tough again today with the wind, but the sun was shining,” Gadd told The British Continental after the race. The wind, a constant adversary over the course of the race, played into their strategy on the main climb, which, thanks to the direction of the wind, became an ally rather than a foe. “The main climb of the day was a tailwind today which suited me. I rode it hard on the second prime lap, looked back and only had Imogen on my wheel,” Gadd revealed, underscoring the moment she realised the race was theirs for the taking.

“We worked well together making it super tough for ourselves,” Gadd shared, detailing their mutual effort to distance themselves from the peloton. “I knew that if we rode solidly in the headwind, there wouldn’t be a coordinated chase behind and we would grow the gap.”

As the race neared its conclusion, Gadd’s thoughts turned to victory—not just the stage win but the tantalizing possibility of overturning the overall lead. “On the final lap I started thinking about how I could win the stage, and how I could take the overall lead,” Gadd mused. Despite launching a strategic attack in the headwind before the final climb, Wolff’s resilience saw her rejoin Gadd, setting up a nail-biting sprint finish.

Describing the finale, Gadd shared her calculated approach to the sprint: “I was leading out the sprint but I wasn’t worried as it was a roaring tailwind.” Her decision to increase the speed early meant Wolff would struggle to overtake her—a gamble that paid off handsomely. “We were going so fast already I knew she would have a tough time getting round me. I just hung on to take the win!” Gadd exclaimed.

Results

Open race

Stage 2

Pos	Name	Club	Time	Time Gap
1	Jacob Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	0:08:18.0	0:00:00.0
2	Toby Barnes	Spectra Racing	0:08:33.0	0:00:15.0
3	Huw Buck Jones	USKIS Saint Piran	0:08:37.0	0:00:19.0
3	Jenson Young	Spectra Racing	0:08:37.0	0:00:19.0
5	Matthew Lord	Richardsons Trek DAS	0:08:38.0	0:00:20.0
6	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	0:08:40.0	0:00:22.0
7	Joseph Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	0:08:41.0	0:00:23.0
8	Edward Morgan	Spectra Racing	0:08:43.0	0:00:25.0
8	William Taylor	Moonglu Race Team	0:08:43.0	0:00:25.0
10	Ben Pease	Moonglu Race Team	0:08:46.0	0:00:28.0
11	Tom Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	0:08:48.0	0:00:30.0
11	William Truelove	THRIVA-SRCT	0:08:48.0	0:00:30.0
13	Maxwell Hereward	360cycling	0:08:48.0	0:00:30.0
14	Tyler Hannay	Saint Piran	0:08:56.0	0:00:38.0
15	Matthew Warhurst	Cycling Sheffield	0:09:07.0	0:00:49.0
16	Sam Walsham	Beeston Cycling Club	0:09:08.0	0:00:50.0
17	Nathan Hardy	Team PB Performance	0:09:10.0	0:00:52.0
17	Alexander Speirs	TAAP Kalas	0:09:10.0	0:00:52.0
19	Benjamin Bright	THRIVA-SRCT	0:09:12.0	0:00:54.0
20	Cai Davies	Richardsons Trek DAS	0:09:15.0	0:00:57.0
21	David Hird	Cycling Sheffield	0:09:15.0	0:00:57.0
22	Tom Palfrey	Caffi Gruff	0:09:19.0	0:01:01.0
23	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	0:09:19.0	0:01:01.0
24	Luke Brennan	Stratford CC	0:09:21.0	0:01:03.0
25	Alex Luhrs	Leadout Performance	0:09:22.0	0:01:04.0
26	Matthew Ellis	THRIVA-SRCT	0:09:23.0	0:01:05.0
26	Jordan Giles	Richardsons Trek DAS	0:09:23.0	0:01:05.0
26	George Stephen	University of Nottingham CC	0:09:23.0	0:01:05.0
29	Andrew Nichols	Team Lifting Gear Products	0:09:26.0	0:01:08.0
30	Damien Clayton	Le Col Race Team	0:09:26.0	0:01:08.0
31	Oliver Dawson	Wolf Cycles	0:09:28.0	0:01:10.0
32	Joel Hurt	Prologue Racing Team	0:09:29.0	0:01:11.0
33	Jamie Gostick	Team PB Performance	0:09:36.0	0:01:18.0
33	Henry Hunter	Kendal Cycle Club	0:09:36.0	0:01:18.0
35	Jake Jackson	THRIVA-SRCT	0:09:37.0	0:01:19.0
36	Josh Housley	HUUB BCC Race Team	0:09:38.0	0:01:20.0
37	Daniel McDermott	Ride Revolution Coaching	0:09:39.0	0:01:21.0
37	Joseph Yee	Knights of Suburbia London	0:09:39.0	0:01:21.0
39	Bernard Galea	SPRNT	0:09:43.0	0:01:25.0
40	James McKay	Saint Piran	0:09:48.0	0:01:30.0
41	Reuben Orr	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	0:09:49.0	0:01:31.0
42	Ruan Vorster		0:09:49.0	0:01:31.0
43	Jack Cook	trainSharp Development Team	0:09:52.0	0:01:34.0
44	Cai Curtis-Roberts	360cycling	0:09:53.0	0:01:35.0
45	Finn McHenry	The Cycling Academy	0:09:57.0	0:01:39.0
46	Ben Mewes	Moonglu Race Team	0:09:58.0	0:01:40.0
47	Milo McIntosh	The Cycling Academy	0:09:59.0	0:01:41.0
48	Charlie Lacaille	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	0:10:09.0	0:01:51.0
49	Conor Williams	trainSharp Development Team	0:10:12.0	0:01:54.0
50	Tobias Bartlett	HUUB BCC Race Team	0:10:13.0	0:01:55.0
51	Noah Bleteau	The Cycling Academy	0:10:14.0	0:01:56.0
52	Max Krasinski	Cycling Sheffield	0:10:15.0	0:01:57.0
53	Sam Llewelyn	Team PB Performance	0:10:18.0	0:02:00.0
54	George Daly	Geared Up RT	0:10:27.0	0:02:09.0
55	Sam Kettlewell	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	0:10:31.0	0:02:13.0
56	Carl Stubbs	Moonglu Race Team	0:10:59.0	0:02:41.0
57	Matthew Holland	DAP Cycling Club	0:11:05.0	0:02:47.0
58	Oliver Hurdle	Stolen Goat Race Club	0:11:23.0	0:03:05.0
59	Tobias Edwards	Team Lifting Gear Products	0:11:26.0	0:03:08.0

Stage 3

Pos	Name	Club	Time	Time Gap
1	Max Krasinski	Cycling Sheffield	2:49:04	0:00:00
2	Toby Barnes	Spectra Racing	2:49:04	0:00:00
3	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	2:49:10	0:00:06
4	Tom Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:49:11	0:00:07
5	Ben Pease	Moonglu Race Team	2:51:57	0:02:53
6	Damien Clayton	Le Col Race Team	2:52:00	0:02:56
7	Josh Housley	HUUB BCC Race Team	2:52:11	0:03:07
8	Matthew Lord	Richardsons Trek DAS	2:52:11	0:03:07
9	Jenson Young	Spectra Racing	2:53:12	0:04:08
10	Tyler Hannay	Saint Piran	2:53:27	0:04:23
11	James McKay	Saint Piran	2:53:27	0:04:23
12	Jacob Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:53:29	0:04:25
13	William Truelove	THRIVA-SRCT	2:53:30	0:04:26
14	Luke Brennan	Stratford CC	2:53:32	0:04:28
15	Huw Buck Jones	USKIS Saint Piran	2:53:32	0:04:28
16	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:53:33	0:04:29
17	Joseph Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:53:36	0:04:32
18	David Hird	Cycling Sheffield	2:53:36	0:04:32
19	Alex Luhrs	Leadout Performance	2:53:46	0:04:42
20	Maxwell Hereward	360cycling	2:54:02	0:04:58
21	Benjamin Bright	THRIVA-SRCT	2:54:28	0:05:24
22	Jordan Giles	Richardsons Trek DAS	2:54:55	0:05:51
23	Daniel McDermott	Ride Revolution Coaching	2:58:39	0:09:35
24	William Taylor	Moonglu Race Team	3:01:29	0:12:25
25	George Stephen	University of Nottingham CC	3:01:29	0:12:25
26	Andrew Nichols	Team Lifting Gear Products	3:01:32	0:12:28
27	Matthew Warhurst	Cycling Sheffield	3:01:51	0:12:47
28	Ruan Vorster	The Cycling Academy	3:02:26	0:13:22
29	Joel Hurt	Prologue Racing Team	3:02:31	0:13:27

General classification

Pos	Name	Club	Time	Time Gap
1	Tom Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	5:48:53.0	0:00:00.0
2	Damien Clayton	Le Col Race Team	5:50:12.0	0:01:19.0
3	Jacob Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	5:52:07.0	0:03:14.0
4	Huw Buck Jones	USKIS Saint Piran	5:52:25.0	0:03:32.0
5	Joseph Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	5:52:50.0	0:03:57.0
6	Tyler Hannay	Saint Piran	5:52:51.0	0:03:58.0
7	William Truelove	THRIVA-SRCT	5:53:35.0	0:04:42.0
8	Matthew Lord	Richardsons Trek DAS	5:53:51.0	0:04:58.0
9	Jordan Giles	Richardsons Trek DAS	5:56:17.0	0:07:24.0
10	Ben Pease	Moonglu Race Team	5:56:40.0	0:07:47.0
11	David Hird	Cycling Sheffield	5:57:29.0	0:08:36.0
12	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	5:58:36.0	0:09:43.0
13	Alex Luhrs	Leadout Performance	5:59:05.0	0:10:12.0
14	Maxwell Hereward	360cycling	6:01:51.0	0:12:58.0
15	James McKay	Saint Piran	6:02:27.0	0:13:34.0
16	Bradley Symonds	Saint Piran	6:02:51.0	0:13:58.0
17	Toby Barnes	Spectra Racing	6:03:17.0	0:14:24.0
18	Matthew Warhurst	Cycling Sheffield	6:07:01.0	0:18:08.0
19	Max Krasinski	Cycling Sheffield	6:07:12.0	0:18:19.0
20	Josh Housley	HUUB BCC Race Team	6:10:12.0	0:21:19.0
21	Jenson Young	Spectra Racing	6:10:45.0	0:21:52.0
22	Luke Brennan	Stratford CC	6:11:02.0	0:22:09.0
23	Benjamin Bright	THRIVA-SRCT	6:11:57.0	0:23:04.0
24	William Taylor	Moonglu Race Team	6:15:52.0	0:26:59.0
25	Daniel McDermott	Ride Revolution Coaching	6:16:20.0	0:27:27.0
26	Andrew Nichols	Team Lifting Gear Products	6:18:51.0	0:29:58.0
27	George Stephen	University of Nottingham CC	6:19:19.0	0:30:26.0
28	Ruan Vorster	The Cycling Academy	6:31:25.0	0:42:32.0
29	Joel Hurt	Prologue Racing Team	6:31:28.0	0:42:35.0

Women’s race

Stage 3

Pos	Name	Club	Time	Time Gap
1	Lucy Gadd	Le Col Race Team	2:44:27	0:00:00
2	Imogen Wolff	Shibden Apex RT	2:44:27	0:00:00
3	Abi Plowman	Alba Development Road Team	2:50:18	0:05:51
4	Caitlin Dimbleby	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:50:18	0:05:51
5	Molly Patch	Phoenix Collective	2:50:18	0:05:51
6	Morven Yeoman	DAS-Handsling Bikes	2:50:18	0:05:51
7	Robyn Clay	DAS-Handsling Bikes	2:50:20	0:05:53
8	Ellen McDermott	Keukens Redant Cycling Team	2:50:20	0:05:53
9	Esther Wong	Shibden Apex RT	2:50:20	0:05:53
10	Amelia Tyler	Alba Development Road Team	2:50:20	0:05:53
11	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – 200deg Coffee – Hargreaves	2:50:32	0:06:05
12	Rachel Galler	Saint Piran WRT	2:50:37	0:06:10
13	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves	2:50:57	0:06:30
14	Emma Matthews	Alba Development Road Team	2:54:25	0:09:58
15	Annabel Ramsay	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves	2:54:28	0:10:01
16	Abigail Miller	Tofauti Everyone Active	2:54:45	0:10:18
17	Millie Skinner	Alba Development Road Team	2:57:29	0:13:02
18	Evie Smith	Shibden Apex RT	2:57:29	0:13:02
19	Gemma Mitchell	Team Boompods	2:57:29	0:13:02
20	Elizabeth Sanders	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:57:39	0:13:12
21	Melissa Denman	Stolen Goat Race Team	2:57:48	0:13:21
22	Rosie Simmons	Brother UK – On Form	2:57:54	0:13:27
23	Lotty Dawson	Brother UK – On Form	2:57:54	0:13:27
24	Nicola Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	2:58:29	0:14:02
25	Lucy Neatham	London Academy	2:59:38	0:15:11

General classification

Pos	Name	Club	Time	Time Gap
1	Imogen Wolff	Shibden Apex RT	4:00:13.0	0:00:00.0
2	Lucy Gadd	Le Col Race Team	4:00:37.0	0:00:24.0
3	Morven Yeoman	DAS-Handsling Bikes	4:06:21.0	0:06:08.0
4	Caitlin Dimbleby	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	4:08:08.0	0:07:55.0
5	Abi Plowman	Alba Development Road Team	4:08:11.0	0:07:58.0
6	Robyn Clay	DAS-Handsling Bikes	4:08:13.0	0:08:00.0
7	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting	4:08:25.0	0:08:12.0
8	Molly Patch	Pheonix Collective	4:08:27.0	0:08:14.0
9	Ellen McDermott	Keukens Redant Cycling Team	4:08:29.0	0:08:16.0
10	Amelia Tyler	Alba Development Road Team	4:08:38.0	0:08:25.0
11	Esther Wong	Shibden Apex RT	4:11:12.0	0:10:59.0
12	Rachel Galler	Saint Piran WRT	4:11:37.0	0:11:24.0
13	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting	4:13:00.0	0:12:47.0
14	Emma Matthews	Alba Development Road Team	4:15:26.0	0:15:13.0
15	Abigail Miller	Tofauti Everyone Active	4:15:49.0	0:15:36.0
16	Evie Smith	Shibden Apex RT	4:22:32.0	0:22:19.0
17	Elizabeth Sanders	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	4:22:44.0	0:22:31.0
18	Nicola Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	4:23:48.0	0:23:35.0
19	Lotty Dawson	Brother UK – On Form	4:23:56.0	0:23:43.0
20	Annabel Ramsay	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting	4:24:00.0	0:23:47.0
21	Melissa Denman	Stolen Goat Race Team	4:25:52.0	0:25:39.0
22	Millie Skinner	Alba Development Road Team	4:26:15.0	0:26:02.0
23	Gemma Mitchell	Team Boompods	4:26:43.0	0:26:30.0
24	Rosie Simmons	Brother UK – On Form	4:29:49.0	0:29:36.0
25	Lucy Neatham	London Academy	5:13:59.0	1:13:46.0