Keira Bond (Alba Development Road Team) and Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) were the victors at the Sheffield Grand Prix, 17 July 2024, Round 5 of the National Circuit Series
Keira Bond continued Alba Development Road Team’s golden run in the National Circuit Series, taking a stunning solo win in the McLaren Automotive Sheffield Women’s Grand Prix.
Later, Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) took a brilliant solo victory in the BikeBox Alan Open Sheffield Grand Prix, putting him right in the mix for the overall series after a shortened race which finished in the dark.
Featured image: SWpix.com
Reports
The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix
On the day summer finally arrived in Sheffield, a cooling evening breeze greeted the 80 strong women’s field on the start line, the series hotting up with only three rounds remaining; Isabel Darvill (Doltcini-O’Shea) looking to consolidate her series lead after battling through a nasty crash in Dudley last Friday.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix – Riders pass through the start/finish line, Frankie Hall of DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, Isabel Darvill of Doltcini – O’Shea, Lucy Glover of Shibden Apex RT. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
A large group stayed together at the head of the race in the early stages, Emily Proud (Le Col RT) setting the pace before the major players in the series came to the fore to string the group out.
Frankie Hall (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK), the winner in Otley, took up the pace setting at the head of the race, putting in the fastest lap of the race to that point after 15 minutes, the elastic snapping behind her as a leading group of around 30 riders, containing all the favourites, formed.
Halfway through the race the first big attack came courtesy of former National Champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting), the Lincolnshire squad having the extra motivation following the news they are requiring a new title sponsor for next year. Tindley’s move thinned the group further with only 17 riders remaining. Keira Bond (Alba Development RT), who played a starring role in Dudley, was the next to try her luck off the front a lap later.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix – Frankie Hall of DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
However, the race was halted straight after for around 25 minutes due to a major crash on another part of the circuit. The unusual scenario was something else for the riders to contend with on top of the technical circuit through the Steel City’s pedestrianised centre.
The commissaires ruled the race would be an eight lap dash after the restart, with the leading group comprising of all riders on the leading lap at the time of the stoppage. Could those riders previously dropped make the most of their newly improved position?
The race re-started at an infernal pace, Hall straight back on the front piling on the pressure, the Tekkerz CC pairing of Megan Barker and Amy Perryman glued to her wheel as the group was forced into single file.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix – Keira Bond of Alba Development Road Team. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Hall’s teammate Lucy Lee came to the front a lap later, setting up Hall for an attack, Barker immediately responding as the DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK squad looked intent on breaking up what remained of the leading group in the final five laps.
With Hall unable to get a gap it was Bond who moved off the front with a little over three laps to go, setting the fastest lap of the race in the process. With teammate Eilidh Shaw getting a free ride six seconds behind in the bunch, it looked like the Alba Development Road Team had again played it tactically perfect following Shaw’s win in Dudley on Friday.
Bond continued to press on in her home city and had a gap of almost 20 seconds as the bell rang to signal the last lap, Tekkerz CC moving to the front of the chasing group for one last desperate attempt to catch the solo leader who looked set for a stunning win.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix – Keira Bond of Alba Development Road Team wins. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Bond pressed hard on the pedals for the final 1.3km, high-fiving team manager Bob Lyons through the pits as she sat up with her arms raised to take a stunning win in front of a large, raucous crowd. Behind, the bunch wound up for a ferocious sprint, track star Jenny Holl (Loughborough Lightning) demonstrating her turn of speed to bring them home ahead of Barker and Shaw.
Darvill was a non-finisher, perhaps a victim of the crash, meaning Shaw has now taken over as the leader in the individual series standings, just seven points in front of Hall, who was tenth on the night, and eight points ahead of teammate Bond.
DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK continue to lead in the team standings but their lead has narrowed slightly to Alba Development Road Team, the Scottish team now 96 points in arrears with two rounds remaining.
The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix
With a further delay to the start of the race due to another incident on course after the women’s race was stopped earlier in the evening, the riders made their way to the start line as the light began to fade, series leader Rob Scott (Tekkerz CC) deciding his sunglasses would be surplus to requirements, handing them to a commissaire.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix – William Truelove of THRIVA-SRCT. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Given the lengthy delay the race was shortened to only 25 minutes + 5 laps, an unprecedented distance for a national series event.
Home team Cycling Sheffield made their intentions clear from the off, Jack Hartley leading the race through the first lap at an infernal pace with the peloton lined out behind him.
With 17 seconds separating the front of the bunch to the back, positioning was crucial with the constant threat of splits opening. Harry Tanfield and Matt Gibson (Saint Piran) were among the big names caught at the wrong end of the race.
A lap later the splits started to appear as Jacob Scott (REMBE Pro Cycling Team Sauerland) dragged a small group clear, Max Rushby’s (Ribble Rebellion) early DNF a blow to Matt Bostock’s chances of taking the win and series lead.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix – Joe Holt of TEKKERZ CC, Oliver Rees of Sabgal/Anicolor. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
As the light began to fade even further, the lead motorbike’s headlights piercing through the dulling atmosphere, the Wheelbase CabTech Castelli squad came to the fore led by Thomas Armstrong. Saint Piran’s Will Roberts also contributed to the pace as the leading group was whittled down to just 21 riders after ten minutes.
Series leader Rob Scott put in a big move a lap later, joined by Roberts as the pair looked to stretch their slender advantage; the chasing group knowing only too well Scott’s ability to go from a long way out after his exploits in Guildford.
Matt Bostock (Ribble Rebellion) sensed the danger and moved to bridge across, his speed causing a reaction in the bunch as the race came back together, Ben Marsh (Project1) the final rider in an elite leading group.
Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) has never been too far from the action in the series thus far and his attack brought him a sizeable gap, the in-form Thomas Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) joined by the might of Saint Piran, who fielded their strongest squad of the series to date, in chasing the rider from Lichfield.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix – Toby Barnes of Spectra Racing. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Jack Brough, plying his trade in France with AVC Aix-en-Provence, attempted to bridge across as the gap reached ten seconds, the clock constantly ticking down in this truncated race. However, his move was quickly neutralised, Harry Tanfield moving to the front with Rob Scott to man the chase as the gap continued to increase.
As the five laps to go board made its appearance a lack of impetus seemed to hit the chasing group, Roberts and Scott looking at eachother as Barnes continued to ride away, the light from the freshly illuminated streetlights bouncing off his colourful Spectra jersey.
With the gap at 17 seconds a lap later, Rob Scott unleashed another electric attack in a now or never effort, another race win in his sights. However, his effort was short lived as the status quo returned, Jacob Scott left to lead the chase.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix – Toby Barnes of Spectra Racing wins. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
With two laps to go the gap was 27 seconds, Barnes cruising to his first National Circuit Series win after showing such brilliant form in recent rounds. Back in the bunch thoughts turned to the series overall, the likes of Scott and Bostock backing off the chase an waiting for the sprint finish.
As Barnes punched the air to mark his outstanding solo victory, the bunch were travelling at pace at the start of the finishing straight, Matt Bostock unleashing his trademark finish to win the sprint for second, gaining vital points on series rival Rob Scott who could only manage 6th. Thomas Armstrong rounded out the podium, another impressive result for the Wheelbase climber.
2024 National Circuit Series: Round 5 – Sheffield Grand Prix – Sheffield, Yorkshire, England – The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix – Matthew Bostock of Ribble Rebellion sprints to second. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Rob Scott still leads the individual classification of the National Circuit Series, but with a reduced buffer of 20 points over challenger Bostock. Barnes’ victory propels him to third in the standings.
Keira Bond continued Alba Development Road Team’s golden run in the National Circuit Series, taking a stunning solo win in the McLaren Automotive Sheffield Women’s Grand Prix.
Later, Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) took a brilliant solo victory in the BikeBox Alan Open Sheffield Grand Prix, putting him right in the mix for the overall series after a shortened race which finished in the dark.
Featured image: SWpix.com
Reports
The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix
On the day summer finally arrived in Sheffield, a cooling evening breeze greeted the 80 strong women’s field on the start line, the series hotting up with only three rounds remaining; Isabel Darvill (Doltcini-O’Shea) looking to consolidate her series lead after battling through a nasty crash in Dudley last Friday.
A large group stayed together at the head of the race in the early stages, Emily Proud (Le Col RT) setting the pace before the major players in the series came to the fore to string the group out.
Frankie Hall (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK), the winner in Otley, took up the pace setting at the head of the race, putting in the fastest lap of the race to that point after 15 minutes, the elastic snapping behind her as a leading group of around 30 riders, containing all the favourites, formed.
Halfway through the race the first big attack came courtesy of former National Champion Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting), the Lincolnshire squad having the extra motivation following the news they are requiring a new title sponsor for next year. Tindley’s move thinned the group further with only 17 riders remaining. Keira Bond (Alba Development RT), who played a starring role in Dudley, was the next to try her luck off the front a lap later.
However, the race was halted straight after for around 25 minutes due to a major crash on another part of the circuit. The unusual scenario was something else for the riders to contend with on top of the technical circuit through the Steel City’s pedestrianised centre.
The commissaires ruled the race would be an eight lap dash after the restart, with the leading group comprising of all riders on the leading lap at the time of the stoppage. Could those riders previously dropped make the most of their newly improved position?
The race re-started at an infernal pace, Hall straight back on the front piling on the pressure, the Tekkerz CC pairing of Megan Barker and Amy Perryman glued to her wheel as the group was forced into single file.
Hall’s teammate Lucy Lee came to the front a lap later, setting up Hall for an attack, Barker immediately responding as the DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK squad looked intent on breaking up what remained of the leading group in the final five laps.
With Hall unable to get a gap it was Bond who moved off the front with a little over three laps to go, setting the fastest lap of the race in the process. With teammate Eilidh Shaw getting a free ride six seconds behind in the bunch, it looked like the Alba Development Road Team had again played it tactically perfect following Shaw’s win in Dudley on Friday.
Bond continued to press on in her home city and had a gap of almost 20 seconds as the bell rang to signal the last lap, Tekkerz CC moving to the front of the chasing group for one last desperate attempt to catch the solo leader who looked set for a stunning win.
Bond pressed hard on the pedals for the final 1.3km, high-fiving team manager Bob Lyons through the pits as she sat up with her arms raised to take a stunning win in front of a large, raucous crowd. Behind, the bunch wound up for a ferocious sprint, track star Jenny Holl (Loughborough Lightning) demonstrating her turn of speed to bring them home ahead of Barker and Shaw.
Darvill was a non-finisher, perhaps a victim of the crash, meaning Shaw has now taken over as the leader in the individual series standings, just seven points in front of Hall, who was tenth on the night, and eight points ahead of teammate Bond.
DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK continue to lead in the team standings but their lead has narrowed slightly to Alba Development Road Team, the Scottish team now 96 points in arrears with two rounds remaining.
The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix
With a further delay to the start of the race due to another incident on course after the women’s race was stopped earlier in the evening, the riders made their way to the start line as the light began to fade, series leader Rob Scott (Tekkerz CC) deciding his sunglasses would be surplus to requirements, handing them to a commissaire.
Given the lengthy delay the race was shortened to only 25 minutes + 5 laps, an unprecedented distance for a national series event.
Home team Cycling Sheffield made their intentions clear from the off, Jack Hartley leading the race through the first lap at an infernal pace with the peloton lined out behind him.
With 17 seconds separating the front of the bunch to the back, positioning was crucial with the constant threat of splits opening. Harry Tanfield and Matt Gibson (Saint Piran) were among the big names caught at the wrong end of the race.
A lap later the splits started to appear as Jacob Scott (REMBE Pro Cycling Team Sauerland) dragged a small group clear, Max Rushby’s (Ribble Rebellion) early DNF a blow to Matt Bostock’s chances of taking the win and series lead.
As the light began to fade even further, the lead motorbike’s headlights piercing through the dulling atmosphere, the Wheelbase CabTech Castelli squad came to the fore led by Thomas Armstrong. Saint Piran’s Will Roberts also contributed to the pace as the leading group was whittled down to just 21 riders after ten minutes.
Series leader Rob Scott put in a big move a lap later, joined by Roberts as the pair looked to stretch their slender advantage; the chasing group knowing only too well Scott’s ability to go from a long way out after his exploits in Guildford.
Matt Bostock (Ribble Rebellion) sensed the danger and moved to bridge across, his speed causing a reaction in the bunch as the race came back together, Ben Marsh (Project1) the final rider in an elite leading group.
Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) has never been too far from the action in the series thus far and his attack brought him a sizeable gap, the in-form Thomas Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) joined by the might of Saint Piran, who fielded their strongest squad of the series to date, in chasing the rider from Lichfield.
Jack Brough, plying his trade in France with AVC Aix-en-Provence, attempted to bridge across as the gap reached ten seconds, the clock constantly ticking down in this truncated race. However, his move was quickly neutralised, Harry Tanfield moving to the front with Rob Scott to man the chase as the gap continued to increase.
As the five laps to go board made its appearance a lack of impetus seemed to hit the chasing group, Roberts and Scott looking at eachother as Barnes continued to ride away, the light from the freshly illuminated streetlights bouncing off his colourful Spectra jersey.
With the gap at 17 seconds a lap later, Rob Scott unleashed another electric attack in a now or never effort, another race win in his sights. However, his effort was short lived as the status quo returned, Jacob Scott left to lead the chase.
With two laps to go the gap was 27 seconds, Barnes cruising to his first National Circuit Series win after showing such brilliant form in recent rounds. Back in the bunch thoughts turned to the series overall, the likes of Scott and Bostock backing off the chase an waiting for the sprint finish.
As Barnes punched the air to mark his outstanding solo victory, the bunch were travelling at pace at the start of the finishing straight, Matt Bostock unleashing his trademark finish to win the sprint for second, gaining vital points on series rival Rob Scott who could only manage 6th. Thomas Armstrong rounded out the podium, another impressive result for the Wheelbase climber.
Rob Scott still leads the individual classification of the National Circuit Series, but with a reduced buffer of 20 points over challenger Bostock. Barnes’ victory propels him to third in the standings.
Tekkerz CC scored enough points to leapfrog to the top of the team standings, their rivals Ribble Rebellion failing to score any points after not fielding enough riders to be considered for the team classification in this race. Tekkerz CC’s lead is a slender 26 points with two rounds to go.
Results
The McLaren Automotive Women’s Grand Prix
The Bike Box Alan Open Grand Prix
National Circuit Series
Women
Individual
Team
Open
Individual
Team
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