When asked whether her breakthrough second place in the Otley Grand Prix, the opening round of the National Circuit Series, came as a surprise, Danni Watkinson wastes little time in responding simply: “Yeah, it did actually.”
The 28 year-old Londoner, who came to the sport late, broke away halfway through the treasured 50-minute criterium, jumping on the wheel of winner Frankie Hall, the pair then working well together, duking it out for the win between them. Despite losing the sprint, Watkinson demonstrated what she is capable of.
“We kind of knew I had the legs,” she says, pointing to a lack of experience as to why she hasn’t been in such a position before. “I’m not particularly great at positioning, which is why the breakaway was quite useful!”
In 2022, my first year of it, I was terrible at them
Watkinson reveals she had no set plan to go on the move during the race, her previous experiences of town centre races two seasons ago proving a baptism of fire. A best result of 28th in the Barking round of the Tour Series the highlight of a chastening experience. “I started Otley last year, but pulled out with an injury. In 2022, my first year of it, I was terrible at them,” she reflects.
“I’m not an established town centre crit rider, so, I was kind of going to see what happens and take what opportunities arise,” she continues, explaining how she spent the first part of the race in Otley at the back of 100 strong field.
When the opportunity arose, everyone swung left, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to go now, let’s go chase Frankie’
“So we’d lined up at the barriers, and they opened the barriers at the side I was lined up at, so I ended up at the back on the start line. I thought I was going to spend my whole race chasing. When the opportunity arose, everyone swung left, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to go now, let’s go chase Frankie’.”
A prolific winner on the Hillingdon Circuit on summer weeknights in London, Watkinson found herself in uncharted territory as the laps counted down, a chance of a National A win very much on the cards. “I didn’t really have a huge amount of thought process going on, I was so surprised to still be there,” she admits.
Describing herself as an all-rounder, Watkinson looks back on the finish with hindsight. “It was a little bit frustrating because I could have raced that sprint a whole lot better,” she reflects.
I think If I’d have decided when I wanted to go, and gone underneath Frankie in the corner, I think I could have got her on the line.
“I have got a good sprint on me and I should have dictated the sprint. I think If I’d have decided when I wanted to go, and gone underneath Frankie in the corner, I think I could have got her on the line.
“In my head I thought we’ll probably come out the corner and then start sprinting, but hadn’t really thought about the fact that Frankie’s going to come out the corner in front of me, and isn’t going to wait for me!”
Watkinson, as previously mentioned, has honed her circuit races skills on the Hillingdon tarmac, the fast flowing circuit quite different from a technical town centre criterium, but an important place to learn. “It’s helped me learn what I’m cappble of more than anything else,” she explains.
I came to cycling fairly late, so it’s not second nature to me to be able to move round the bunch so easily, so when the bunch gets bigger, I’m still struggling with it a bit
“It’s made me more confident racing in a group, but we don’t really get more than ten riders max, so it’s still a big difference going from a ten rider crit to a town centre crit with 100 riders. That’s where I let myself down a bit. I came to cycling fairly late, so it’s not second nature to me to be able to move round the bunch so easily, so when the bunch gets bigger, I’m still struggling with it a bit.”
A convert to track racing over the winter, Watkinson impressed in the points race at her first National Track Championships this year, winning her heat with an attacking display.
The speed, chaos, and flat out nature of the track have helped her on the road, particularly in races where navigating the bunch can prove difficult. “I’ve still got a lot more to learn,” she admits. “But when I was racing at Otley and was at the back, I thought: ‘Do you know what? I can compare this to a track race: I know I can ride really hard, it’s 50 minutes long, and I can move through the bunch on the track. If I can do it with no brakes, I can do it with brakes. It’s definitely transferable, I’m hoping it can continue to only improve the road.”
Watkinson took up cycling as rehabilitation for some nasty rugby injuries during lockdown, with the guidance of her partner, TAAP Kalas rider James Ambrose-Parish. The sport garnered a different purpose, however, following the sad passing of her mother. “It was a bit of a distraction, a kind of mental rehab,” she reflects.
She only took up racing on the advice of others, starting when events resumed in 2021. “Up until this year I’ve had a lot of lack of confidence in myself,” she reveals. “It was actually people around me that said you should start racing, you’ll probably do quite well.”
I think taking almost a step away this year to Jadan, who are a really good development team, is really benefiting me
Watkinson made the move to the Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon team this season following the Hutchinson-Brother UK merger with the DAS-Handsling over the winter. “I think taking almost a step away this year to Jadan, who are a really good development team, is really benefiting me,” she says, crediting their way of working with helping her develop as a rider.
“It’s so supportive, and a really relaxed environment at the same time, and I really thrive off that. In the past everything happened so quickly – I started riding a bike and suddenly I’m racing in National As and at the elite level, with very little knowledge on how to race a bike, apart from riding in a straight line go round the corners!
“They are all so supportive and it’s such a calm environment, and they have so much knowledge to give. Our manager used to race herself so she’s been through it all and knows what it’s like, how nervy it can get before a race, and she always knows the right thing to say!”
Ambitious, Watkinson makes no secret of her wish to race more in Europe. “I think the way UCI races are ridden they probably suit me a little bit better because they’re quite full on from the gun,” she explains, knowing such aspirations would mean a move to a UCI team. “I won’t be too disappointed if I don’t get on a UCI team next year, there’s still so much for me to learn. But I’d love to take that step forward and continue learning in that environment as well, and just have more opportunities to race abroad.”
I think the way UCI races are ridden they probably suit me a little bit better because they’re quite full on from the gun
In the immediate term, Watkinson’s primary focus has shifted firmly towards the overall standings of the National Circuit Series, where she sits 6th overall despite having to miss the Sheffield Grand Prix. “It is now!” she replies, when asked if it was an aim, commenting that the series was originally about gaining experience and little else.
“I couldn’t do one of the rounds which is a little frustrating. I’ve been away racing track in Italy, so I don’t know how much of a disadvantage that will give me. But, I’ll do the rest of the rounds and hopefully I’ll be able to finish fairly high up in the series.”
