If the cancellation of the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic last month was a huge blow to domestic fans and riders a like, at least the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix is just around the corner to lift our spirits. Yes, the iconic race is back this weekend for its 68th edition! Cobbles, cowbells and crowds await…

Featured image: SWpix.com

What is it?

If the CiCLE Classic is the UK’s answer to Paris-Roubaix, then the Lincoln Grand Prix is surely the Flanders of Great Britain. The comparison to Flanders might seem like hyped up, but the significance of the Lincoln Grand Prix to British road cycling cannot be overstated. Featuring a course that winds through the beautiful, historic centre of Lincoln, complete with the challenging cobbled climb, this event has a storied history and is a favourite among cyclists, teams, and spectators. It’s difficult to name a more important one-day race within the UK.

Debuting in the summer of 1956, and including a women’s race since 2015, this year marks the 68th running of the event. The race, with its steep cobbled ascent of Michaelgate and a circuit reminiscent of a Flemish kermesse, the connection to Flanders extends beyond the racecourse; back in the 1100s, when Lincoln Castle was constructed, Lincoln was a prosperous town enriched by its cloth and wool trade with Flanders.

The list of past winners features many of the greats of domestic road racing. In the men’s race, these include four-time winners Paul Curran and Russell Downing, as well as Chris Walker, Brian Smith, Steve Joughin, Chris Lillywhite, Dean Downing, Pete Kennaugh, Tom Stewart and Ian Bibby, to name but a few. The women’s race, which began in 2016, has been won twice each by Becks Durrell and Alice Barnes, while Lizzie Deignan won in 2015 when the race hosted the National Road Championships. Pfeiffer Georgi (2021) and Becky Storrie (2022), both now at Team dsm-firmenich PostNL.

Last year the winners were Robyn Clay (then of Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee, now at DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Saint Piran’s Alex Richardson, winning the race for a second time.

As ever, the race is a key round of the National Road Series, this year forming round 2 of the open Series and round 3 of the women’s Series.

The National Road Series so far

Women’s Series

Eluned King clinched the ANEXO CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic crown for Lifeplus Wahoo as she improved from her previous best of third in 2022 to prevail in a close sprint in the opening round of the National Road Series.

In Round 2, Cat Ferguson (Shibden Apex RT) bounced back from a penultimate lap crash and bike change to take a first National Road Series victory in the inaugural East Cleveland Classic.

Pos	Rider	Age	Team	Pts
1	Eilidh Shaw	U23	Alba Development Road Team	96
2	Alice McWilliam	Senior	HESS CYCLING TEAM	86
3	Morven Yeoman	U23	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	74
4	Amelia Tyler	U23	Alba Development Road Team	68
=	Lucy Harris	Senior	Loughborough Lightning	68
6	Matilda McKibben	U23	Doltcini – O’Shea	53
7	Bexy Dew	Senior	Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting	52
8	Jessica Finney	Senior	Doltcini – O’Shea	51
9	Eluned King	U23	Lifeplus – Wahoo	50
=	Cat Ferguson	Junior	Shibden Apex RT	50

Open Series

Rowan Baker took a stunning solo victory to ensure Saint Piran continued the same imperious form the squad showed in last year’s National Road Series in this year’s season-opener at the East Cleveland Classic.

Pos	Rider	Age	Team	Pts
1	Rowan Baker	U23	Saint Piran	50
2	Tim Shoreman	Senior	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	48
3	James McKay	Senior	Saint Piran	46
4	Dylan Hicks	U23	Saint Piran	44
5	Damien Clayton	Senior	Le Col Race Team	42
6	William Perrett	Senior	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	40
7	Harry Macfarlane	Senior	TAAP Kalas	38
8	William Taylor	U23	Moonglu Race Team	36
9	Oliver Rees	U23	Sabgal – Anicolor	34
10	Jacob Smith	U23	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	32

Course

The race is set on a 12.9 km circuit that begins and ends in Lincoln’s centre. It has been used for every edition of the race since Paul Curran’s win in 1987. The women’s race entails 8 laps, while the men tackle 13, allowing spectators to see the race unfold 21 times if they stay the entire day. The course layout is ideal for spectators who can easily move from the finish line at Castle Square to the base of Michaelgate and further, enjoying various views of the race throughout the day.

Starting in Lincoln’s historic centre, the course extends flatly north from the city to Burton-by-Lincoln along the B1398. Upon reaching Burton, cyclists descend swiftly through the village, then make a sharp left onto the A57. In this section, crosswinds can cause splits in the peloton, creating tactical challenges. Although it’s too brief to have a lasting impact alone, the cumulative effect over multiple laps can be significant.

Riders then face a mild climb on Long Leys Road, known as the ‘feed-zone’ climb. While seemingly gentle, its repeated ascent gradually wears down the competitors. This is followed by a crucial positioning battle before the high-speed, downhill approach to Michaelgate.

Michaelgate is the race’s focal point, featuring a challenging cobbled climb that ascends sharply to Castle Square where the finish line awaits. The climb is not much more than about 200 metres long but its notably steep, averaging a 12.9% gradient and peaking at 27.6%. This section demands a vigorous effort for 30-45 seconds, spurred on by vocal crowds, often deciding the race outcome.

Michaelgate leads directly onto the twisty finishing ‘straight’ on Castle Square, also cobbled, meaning the final ascent often comes down to a battle royale between whoever is left at the front of the race.

Weather

At the time of writing the forecast suggests the weather will be warm and sunny.

Contenders

You can see the provisional startlists here. These are sure to change ahead of the race so keep an eye out for updates closer to Sunday.

Women’s race

Cat Ferguson (Shibden Apex RT) might still be a junior but she starts the race as favourite. Winner at the East Cleveland Classic, Ferguson is in oustanding form this season, winning two Nations Cup stage races (the Omloop Borsele Juniors and the Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie) along the way. Her worst position on the road this year has been second place, and on each occasion she lost out only to her teammates. Michaelgate should suit her punchy style perfectly too. Not far behind Ferguson in the pecking order is her teammate Imogen Wolff. Wolff’s form hasn’t been far off Ferguson’s this year, counting Trofeo Binda Juniors and the Peaks 2 Day among her highlights.

Ferguson and Wolff will have plenty of challengers though, so a win for either is far from a foregone conclusion. 2023 National Road Series winner Monica Greenwood (Team Coop‐Repsol) returns to racing after some time out after Paris-Roubaix Femmes. She’ll be looking to improve on last year’s 7th place. Lifeplus-Wahoo fields three riders including 2024 ANEXO CAMS CiCLE Classic winner El King, who will be ably backed up by Kate Richardson and Maddie Leech. HESS Cycling Team’s classics specialist Mayo Van’t Geloof is also on the startlist and will come into the race off the back of three straight UCI road race top tens.

The domestic UCI Continental teams are sure to mount a challenge too. Eilidh Shaw of the Alba Road Development Team has finished second in both National Road Series rounds so far, earning her the Series leader’s jersey. Alba’s new signing Caitlin Dimbleby is also one to watch. The RCR FatCreations road race winner has not finished lower than 4th in a road race this year.

DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK has been consistently good in the National B road racing this season. Unfortunately last year’s winner Robyn Clay won’t race for them after breaking her collarbone at the Cyclis Classic recently. But they do have Tiffany Keep (5th at the East Cleveland Classic), Morven Yeoman (a top ten finisher at East Cleveland and the CiCLE Classic), Oakenclough road race winner Tamsin Miller, and Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne, second in this race last season, among a very strong squad.

Local team Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting won the race last season with Robyn Clay and will be motivated to make another strong showing in front of home crowds. Their strongest options are likely to be new signing Lucy Gadd, a stage winner at the Peaks 2 Day this season, and Zoe Langham.

Others to watch include Loughborough Lightning’s Lucy Harris, a rider who has finished in the top ten of both National Road Series rounds this season, CANYON//SRAM Generation’s Awen Roberts, who finished 15th recently at La Classique Morbihan in her first senior season, and Molly Patch (The Phoenix Collective).

Prediction. It’s obvious, but also very hard to look past Cat Ferguson for the win.

Open race

Saint Piran was dominant in last year’s race, and although the men in black perhaps don’t have their complete ‘A team’ here – riders like East Cleveland Grand Prix winner Rowan Baker are preparing to race in Greece – they still have enough firepower to take this race by the scruff of the neck, especially with Britain’s other UCI Continental team, TRINITY Racing, absent.

Alexandar Richardson won the race last season, heading a Saint Piran 1-2-3 and will be gunning for his third Lincoln Grand Prix win this time around. He is coming into form at the right time, having won his last two National B road races (last weekend’s Timmy James Memorial Grand Prix and the PNE National B road race). James McKay is another rider peaking at the right time – he was third at the East Cleveland Classic. He was the best of the rest last year, finishing fourth when riding for Cycling Sheffield, so will be hoping for a podium, or better, this time. Other options for Saint Piran include 20-year-old Huw Buck Jones, who has been consistently good this season without yet winning, and Wally Gimber Trophy winner Dylan Westley.

Wheelbase CabTech Castelli have been Saint Piran’s strongest rivals domestically this year. In Tim Shoreman (second at the East Cleveland Classic and a fast finisher) they have a genuine contender. 2024 Peaks 2 Day winner Tom Martin is another rider capable of top finish. With youngsters like Joseph Smith (4th in the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic last weekend) and Jacob Smith (10th at the East Cleveland Classic), the team has cards to play too.

Beyond Wheelbase CabTech Castelli, it is the freelancers that perhaps stand the best chance of rivalling Saint Piran. Tom Portsmouth, a professional with Bingoal WB is an intriguing addition to the startlist. He thrives in a Belgian-style race, so should be at home with the kermesse-style action at Lincoln. Damien Clayton (Le Col) has been the top domestic rider this year outside of Saint Piran, winning three National B road races. 5th place at the East Cleveland Classic suggests he should be there or thereabouts. Ollie Rees (Sabgal-Anicolor) should be feeling the benefit of 20 days of UCI road racing already this season. He was ninth at the East Cleveland Classic. Amazingly though, he has never ridden the Lincoln Grand Prix.

Don’t discount the other elite teams either. William Taylor (Moonglu RT) has been a regular in the top ten this season and the under-23 rider finished an impressive 8th at the East Cleveland Classic. Tom Williams (Thriva-SRCT) won the Yorkshire Under-23 Classic last weekend, seemingly benefitting from a stint of racing in the US earlier this year, while cyclocross specialist Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) seems to be finding his road racing legs after his second at the Timmy James Memorial last weekend.

And what about Matthew Holmes. The former WorldTour pro, stage winner at the Tour Down Under and a former National Road Series winner, is coming out of retirement, with the Lincoln Grand Prix the first race on his comeback trail. Could he begin his return with a fairytale finish on Castle Square?

Prediction. A Saint Piran win is the likely outcome. But after picking the obvious favourite for the women’s race, we’ll go for a more leftfield choice: Tim Shoreman.

Timings

	Start	Estimated finish
Women’s race	9.00	12.00 (approx)
Open race	13.00	16.45 (approx)

How to follow

You will be able to stream the races with Monument Cycling TV. Get 10% of your subscription using this link.

We’ll also have Joe Hudson at the race, bringing you interviews and updates on our Instagram stories.

Podcast

Listen out for a preview of the race on our podcast too. Episode coming soon!