2024 360cycling Tour of the North West: day two report and results
Jamie Whitcher won the 360cycling Tour of the North West, the final round of the Under-23 Open National Road Series, with Rowan Baker sealing the Series win
Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) won the 360cycling Tour of the North West, the final round of the Under-23 Open National Road Series, thanks to a storming stage 3 time trial win. Cycling Sheffield’s James Hartley was the stage 2 victor, while Rowan Baker finished second overall to seal the Series win.
James Hartley made up for Cycling Sheffield’s disappointment at missing out on a stage 1 win as he emerged victorious in stage 2 of the 360cycling Tour of the Northwest. The stage, set on the short, fast, and flat 16km Caithwaite circuit, comprised five laps totaling an 80km race distance.
The race began with a compact field of 29 riders, with Sam Nisbet (Reflex Racing) looking to defend his precarious race lead, positioned on the same time as Cycling Sheffield’s David Hird and Max Krasinski, and just 14 seconds ahead of another eight riders.
The peloton, thanks primarily to the work of teams like Cycling Sheffield and Saint Piran, ensured that any early attempts to break away were quickly neutralised. Notably, TT specialist Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) made several early attempts to split the race, initially succeeding but ultimately being reeled back in by the relentless efforts of Rowan Baker and James Wordsworth.
Midway through the race, Ryan Williams (HUUB BCC Race Team) made a bold solo attempt, managing to gain a 30-second advantage over the peloton. However, the bunch, demonstrating coordinated effort, brought Williams back into the fold, leaving him visibly exhausted.
As the race progressed towards its final stages, the tempo and tactics began to shift. With 1.5 laps remaining, James Hartley made his decisive move. Capitalising on a brief lull in the peloton’s pace, he and Zak Machin of HUUB BCC Race Team gently rolled off the front. Taking advantage of the tailwind and the downhill stretch of the back straight, Hartley and Machin quickly built a significant gap.
As they approached the final half-lap, race officials indicated that the duo was three minutes ahead of the main bunch, a comfortable lead that seemed insurmountable. In the final uphill section before the left-hand turn into the finish, Machin attempted a last-ditch attack. However, Hartley, showcasing his tactical acumen and sprinting prowess, remained composed.
Leading into the final corner, Hartley positioned himself perfectly behind Machin. In a well-timed sprint, he surged past Machin, securing a clear victory.
Behind Hartley, a GC shake-up was taking place. Ben Pierce (Bridgnorth CC) finished third at the front of a small group of riders that had made it clear of the peloton in the closing stages. The move earned Pierce and co. 51 seconds over the bunch, enough to move Pierce into the overall lead. Krasinski, meanwhile, had finished four seconds ahead of the bunch. The result was that Pierce led the GC standings, leading Krasinski by 27 seconds, with Hird and Nisbet on 31 seconds. Pre-race favourites Rowan Baker and Dylan Hicks (Saint Piran), Archie Peet (Reflex Racing, and Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire Ford CE) were all 45 seconds back.
Stage 3
Jamie Whitcher delivered an impeccable performance to win the 16km time trial on the Caithwaite circuit, the same course used for stage 2. Whitcher’s victory in Stage 3 not only marked his dominance in the time trial discipline but also secured his overall win in the race.
Heavy rain in the afternoon made for difficult time trialling conditions, standing water a feature on part of the course. With time trial bikes allowed in this final stage, gaps were always likely to be large, especially as not all riders had time trial bikes to use, and so it proved.
Whitcher on his way to winning. Image: Emma Wilcock
Whitcher clocked an impressive 00:19:40, averaging a speed of 30.51 km/h, showcasing his superior form and time-trialing prowess. His performance was unmatched on the day, as he managed to carve out a significant lead over his closest competitors.
Rowan Baker of Saint Piran finished second with a time of 00:19:54, 14 seconds adrift of Whitcher. Baker’s solid ride earned him a well-deserved second place overall.
Joe Schillabeer from Shibden-A Fawcett claimed the third spot on the podium with a time of 00:20:20, 40 seconds behind Whitcher. Schillabeer’s effort propelled him to third overall too.
Not all riders had the benefit of TT bikes. Image: Emma Wilcock
Further down the leaderboard, David Hird of Cycling Sheffield, who was previously tied third on GC, took fifth place at 00:21:00. Leader after stage 2, Ben Pierce, finished 9th, 1:56 down on Baker.
Whitcher’s victory in the time trial not only underscored his individual talent but also capped off a successful campaign in the Tour of the North West.
“It was always my plan to leave it down to the TT, but at the same time, I contributed heavily to making the road stages hard to make sure everyone was fatigued for it,” Whitcher told The British Continental after the stage. “If you ride your TT bike enough then it makes a big difference. I’ve always been really comfy on my TT bike so was pretty confident going into it.”
Whitcher will take great confidence from his win, just days after leaving the Spirit TBW Stuart Hall team, a move which resulted in him missing the Rás Tailteann. He now has his sights set on the under-23 time trial at the National Road Championships next month, saying, “I think it sets me in a good place ahead of TT champs.”
Final Series standings
Rowan Baker finished four points above erstwhile Series leader Archie Peet to become the 2024 Under-23 Open National Road Series champion.
The overall Series winner is the rider who gains the highest total number of points across the Series with their best 3 out of 4 rounds counting. Baker never finished lower than fourth in his three rounds, earning him victory over Peet, despite Peet’s round 2 win.
Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) won the 360cycling Tour of the North West, the final round of the Under-23 Open National Road Series, thanks to a storming stage 3 time trial win. Cycling Sheffield’s James Hartley was the stage 2 victor, while Rowan Baker finished second overall to seal the Series win.
Read the stage 1 report here.
Featured image: Emma Wilcock
Report
Stage 2
James Hartley made up for Cycling Sheffield’s disappointment at missing out on a stage 1 win as he emerged victorious in stage 2 of the 360cycling Tour of the Northwest. The stage, set on the short, fast, and flat 16km Caithwaite circuit, comprised five laps totaling an 80km race distance.
The race began with a compact field of 29 riders, with Sam Nisbet (Reflex Racing) looking to defend his precarious race lead, positioned on the same time as Cycling Sheffield’s David Hird and Max Krasinski, and just 14 seconds ahead of another eight riders.
The peloton, thanks primarily to the work of teams like Cycling Sheffield and Saint Piran, ensured that any early attempts to break away were quickly neutralised. Notably, TT specialist Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) made several early attempts to split the race, initially succeeding but ultimately being reeled back in by the relentless efforts of Rowan Baker and James Wordsworth.
Midway through the race, Ryan Williams (HUUB BCC Race Team) made a bold solo attempt, managing to gain a 30-second advantage over the peloton. However, the bunch, demonstrating coordinated effort, brought Williams back into the fold, leaving him visibly exhausted.
As the race progressed towards its final stages, the tempo and tactics began to shift. With 1.5 laps remaining, James Hartley made his decisive move. Capitalising on a brief lull in the peloton’s pace, he and Zak Machin of HUUB BCC Race Team gently rolled off the front. Taking advantage of the tailwind and the downhill stretch of the back straight, Hartley and Machin quickly built a significant gap.
As they approached the final half-lap, race officials indicated that the duo was three minutes ahead of the main bunch, a comfortable lead that seemed insurmountable. In the final uphill section before the left-hand turn into the finish, Machin attempted a last-ditch attack. However, Hartley, showcasing his tactical acumen and sprinting prowess, remained composed.
Leading into the final corner, Hartley positioned himself perfectly behind Machin. In a well-timed sprint, he surged past Machin, securing a clear victory.
Behind Hartley, a GC shake-up was taking place. Ben Pierce (Bridgnorth CC) finished third at the front of a small group of riders that had made it clear of the peloton in the closing stages. The move earned Pierce and co. 51 seconds over the bunch, enough to move Pierce into the overall lead. Krasinski, meanwhile, had finished four seconds ahead of the bunch. The result was that Pierce led the GC standings, leading Krasinski by 27 seconds, with Hird and Nisbet on 31 seconds. Pre-race favourites Rowan Baker and Dylan Hicks (Saint Piran), Archie Peet (Reflex Racing, and Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire Ford CE) were all 45 seconds back.
Stage 3
Jamie Whitcher delivered an impeccable performance to win the 16km time trial on the Caithwaite circuit, the same course used for stage 2. Whitcher’s victory in Stage 3 not only marked his dominance in the time trial discipline but also secured his overall win in the race.
Heavy rain in the afternoon made for difficult time trialling conditions, standing water a feature on part of the course. With time trial bikes allowed in this final stage, gaps were always likely to be large, especially as not all riders had time trial bikes to use, and so it proved.
Whitcher clocked an impressive 00:19:40, averaging a speed of 30.51 km/h, showcasing his superior form and time-trialing prowess. His performance was unmatched on the day, as he managed to carve out a significant lead over his closest competitors.
Rowan Baker of Saint Piran finished second with a time of 00:19:54, 14 seconds adrift of Whitcher. Baker’s solid ride earned him a well-deserved second place overall.
Joe Schillabeer from Shibden-A Fawcett claimed the third spot on the podium with a time of 00:20:20, 40 seconds behind Whitcher. Schillabeer’s effort propelled him to third overall too.
Further down the leaderboard, David Hird of Cycling Sheffield, who was previously tied third on GC, took fifth place at 00:21:00. Leader after stage 2, Ben Pierce, finished 9th, 1:56 down on Baker.
Whitcher’s victory in the time trial not only underscored his individual talent but also capped off a successful campaign in the Tour of the North West.
“It was always my plan to leave it down to the TT, but at the same time, I contributed heavily to making the road stages hard to make sure everyone was fatigued for it,” Whitcher told The British Continental after the stage. “If you ride your TT bike enough then it makes a big difference. I’ve always been really comfy on my TT bike so was pretty confident going into it.”
Whitcher will take great confidence from his win, just days after leaving the Spirit TBW Stuart Hall team, a move which resulted in him missing the Rás Tailteann. He now has his sights set on the under-23 time trial at the National Road Championships next month, saying, “I think it sets me in a good place ahead of TT champs.”
Final Series standings
Rowan Baker finished four points above erstwhile Series leader Archie Peet to become the 2024 Under-23 Open National Road Series champion.
The overall Series winner is the rider who gains the highest total number of points across the Series with their best 3 out of 4 rounds counting. Baker never finished lower than fourth in his three rounds, earning him victory over Peet, despite Peet’s round 2 win.
David Hird finished third, with Hicks fourth.
Results
Stage 2
Stage 3
General classification
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