Sophie Lewis (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) won the inaugural Fort Vale Women’s Colne Grand Prix as she bagged her first victory of the 2024 National Circuit Series in a thrilling race.

In the open race, Matt Bostock (Ribble Rebellion) got one over on his Series rival Rob Scott (Tekkerz CC) in a ferocious sprint finish, taking his third victory of the 2024 National Circuit Series.

Reports

Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Women

Hosting a round of the women’s National Circuit Series for the first time, Colne represented a new challenge for the always-competitive peloton and with the circuit made up of what is essentially a large rectangle with long front and back straights, the race was a display of power and perseverance as soon as the flag dropped. 

51 riders took to the start and within the first handful of laps, the vast majority of them could be covered in the blink of an eye as more than 40 were covered by just half-a-dozen seconds. Riders rotated themselves through the top 10 as they jockeyed for what little space they could get but one constant towards the sharp-end, and hunting for a third win of the series, was National Circuit Series leader Eilidh Shaw (Alba Development Road Team). 

Noticeable in the Scottish circuit race champion’s jersey, Shaw was getting ample support from teammate – and Sheffield Grand Prix winner – Keira Bond as the Alba Development Road Team shared time at the front with DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK and Spectra Racing as squads looked to force a pace at the front which was nudging into the 1m06sec per lap mark.

The pace ebbed and flowed as the race progressed but still the peloton remained largely intact as the race reached the halfway point of the 50-minute contest, the top 41 riders still all together.

The first meaningful attempt at an attack came with more than 30 minutes completed as Lucy Lee (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) launched a double punch of attacks which netted her a couple of seconds of an advantage each time, before Shaw stamped on the pedals and reeled the moves back in.

Shaw wasn’t alone in chasing the moves, with Danni Watkinson (Jadan Vive Le Velo), Charlotte Berry (The Phoenix Collective) and Shibden Apex RT’s Lucy Glover all notable for sticking their wheels out into the wind with Berry launching what proved to be the final – fruitless – attempt to break away heading into the final dozen or so laps. 

With the race seemingly heading towards a mass sprint, a move finally went. 2023 Otley Grand Prix victor Sophie Lewis (DAS-Handsling), Shaw and Glover – all supported by teammates disrupting the flow behind – broke off the front and opened a margin on the pack behind. Heading into the chequered flag, Lewis’ track prowess proved the decisive factor as she took victory, denying Shaw, who finished second, a third Series win in 2024, with Glover rounding out the podium. 

Behind, Hine led in the pack for fourth, edging out Lee by half-a-tenth of a second in what was a ferocious sprint to the line, with Charlotte Deykin (Peterborough Cycle Hub) sixth.

Shaw extends her lead in the individual Series standings, 38 points ahead of her teammate Bond, with DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s Frankie Hall in third. In the team competition, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK increases its lead over Alba Development Road Team with 642 points – an advantage of 140.

Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Open

In contrast to the high-paced peloton parade in the women’s race, the Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Open was a veritable attack fest.

Breaks, and attempted breaks, came right from the off, with Matt Bostock (Ribble Rebellion) and Thomas Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) waiting for all of two laps before putting in the first dig of the race, gaining a handful of seconds before getting absorbed back into the rolling mob of riders behind. 

Undaunted, that pair – joined by Saint Piran’s Will Roberts – tried again a few laps later, and stretched an advantage of slightly over three seconds before, slowly but surely, they were pulled back in and status quo resumed.

A temporary truce lasted only few laps before Guildford soloist, and Series leader, Rob Scott (TEKKERZ CC). accompanied by Jim Brown (Ribble Rebellion), burst off the front and gained nearly 10 seconds on the pack.

Much like the early moves, it didn’t last long and a chase marshalled by a returning Matt Gibson (Saint Piran) hauled them in. Sensing an opportunity, though, Matt Lord (Richardsons Trek DAS) launched an audacious move of his own which lasted about eight minutes before Brown, Armstrong and Alec Briggs (TEKKERZ CC) stepped it up a gear to bridge across. Come the halfway point, and the move had broken down and a large group of 20 or so riders took up position at the front. 

While the pace increased, there was a pause in attacks for a time as the peloton looked to see what might come next in what had already been a breathless encounter. 

It was almost by stealth that Gibson and Lord’s teammate Cai Davies built themselves an advantage. When they were joined by Roberts, Jacob Scott (REMBE Pro Cycling team Sauerland) and Wheelbase CabTech Castelli’s Callum Laborde, there was a sense that this could be the winning move – especially as various attacks from the peloton failed to put a dent in a gap that had clicked over 10 seconds. 

But first, Rob Scott bridged across and – as the pace started to wane – the pack came back together again with just three laps to go. 

Lord once again tried to make a solo break for victory, but it came to nought and as the sprint contenders wound up their motors, it was all to play for. Gritting his teeth and exerting as much power as he could muster, Bostock took his third win of the Series with a ferocious sprint, finishing well clear of Series rival Rob Scott, second, with Rob’s namesake Jacob in third. 

Bostock’s triumph trims his deficit in the individual Series standings to just 18 points over Rob Scott, with Toby Barnes – finishing sixth for Spectra Racing – falling back slightly, now 40 points behind Bostock with just Friday’s race in Beverley remaining. 

Ribble Rebellion retains the lead in the team classification, with Wheelbase CabTech Castelli leaping ahead of TEKKERZ CC into second. 

Results

Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Women

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	13	Sophie Lewis	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	48:30
2	5	Eilidh Shaw	Alba Development Road Team	st
3	64	Lucy Glover	Shibden Apex RT	st
4	31	Jayati Hine	Loughborough Lightning	+2
5	12	Lucy Lee	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	st
6	62	Charlotte Deykin	Peterborough Cycle Hub	st
7	46	Samantha Fawcett	Spectra Racing	st
8	45	Xan Crees	Spectra Racing	st
9	16	Sophie Thackray	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	st
10	43	Sophie Holmes	Saint Piran WRT	st
11	22	Francesca Morgans-Slader	Doltcini – OShea	st
12	25	Kirstie Drakeford	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	st
13	28	Dannielle Watkinson	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	st
14	42	Hannah Bayes	Saint Piran WRT	st
15	69	Evie Smith	Shibden Apex RT	st
16	34	Georgia Lancaster	Loughborough Lightning	st
17	54	Lily Brindle	Brother UK – On Form	st
18	27	Rebekah Nash	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	st
19	37	Lucy Ellmore	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	st
20	39	Annabel Ramsay	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	st
21	71	Jennifer Powell	Performance Development Team	st
22	26	Isabella Johnson	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	st
23	2	Keira Bond	Alba Development Road Team	st
24	60	Erin Avill	Nouvelles Cycling x Prendas	st
25	23	Emily Chilton	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	st
26	15	Darcie Richards	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	st
27	21	Matilda McKibben	Doltcini – OShea	st
28	61	Freya Whiteside	Nouvelles Cycling x Prendas	st
29	6	Millie Skinner	Alba Development Road Team	st
30	36	Georgina Oakley	Loughborough Lightning	st
31	68	Charlotte Berry	The Phoenix Collective	st
32	4	Abi Plowman	Alba Development Road Team	st
33	32	Olivia Kelly	Loughborough Lightning	st
34	14	Tamsin Miller	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	st
35	44	Ailsa McLagan	Saint Piran WRT	st
36	63	Rebecca Woodvine	RR23 – runandride.co.uk	st
37	47	Laura Senior	Spectra Racing	st
38	9	Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	st
39	40	Jo Tindley	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	+19
40	56	Elizabeth Sanders	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	+31
41	18	Hannah McClorey	Doltcini – Cycle Division	+4 Laps
42	50	Gemma Mitchell	Team Boompods	+4 Laps
43	65	Nicola Soden	Tactic UK WRT	+4 Laps
44	66	Alderney Baker	Team Empella	+4 Laps
45	33	Roisin Lally	Loughborough Lightning	+6 Laps
46	52	Millie Jones	Army Cycling Union	+6 Laps
47	30	Philippa Draper	Loughborough Lightning	+6 Laps
48	17	Jacqueline Kinsey	Doltcini – Cycle Division	+6 Laps
49	70	Amelia Walton	Shibden Cycling Club	+7 Laps
	53	Niamh Boulding	Brother UK – On Form	DNF
	55	Rebecca Hair	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	DNF
	1	Lulu Bartlett	Alba Development Road Team	DNS
	3	Beth Morrow	Alba Development Road Team	DNS
	7	Victoria Smith	Alba Development Road Team	DNS
	8	Amelia Tyler	Alba Development Road Team	DNS
	10	Robyn Clay	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	DNS
	11	Frankie Hall	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	DNS
	19	Amy Mourne	Doltcini – Cycle Division	DNS
	20	Isabel Darvill	Doltcini – OShea	DNS
	24	Skye Davidson	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	DNS
	29	Penny Colloff	Loughborough Lightning	DNS
	35	Alice Lethbridge	Loughborough Lightning	DNS
	38	Maddie Heywood	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	DNS
	41	Jessy Carveth	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	DNS
	48	Corinne Side	Spectra Racing	DNS
	49	Megan Anderson	Team Boompods	DNS
	51	Lauren Watson	Team Boompods	DNS
	57	Eleina McFadden	Inspire Racing Adaston Scape	DNS
	58	Emily Proud	Le Col Race Team	DNS
	59	Kate Richardson	Lifeplus Wahoo	DNS
	67	Monica Greenwood	Team Coop – Repsol Elite	DNS

Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Open

Rank	#	Name	Team	Time
1	4	Matthew Bostock	Ribble Rebellion	49:55
2	61	Robert Scott	TEKKERZ CC	st
3	70	Jacob Scott	REMBE Pro Cycling Team Sauerland	st
4	15	Rhys Britton	Saint Piran	st
5	5	Jim Brown	Ribble Rebellion	st
6	19	Toby Barnes	Spectra Racing	st
7	67	Matti Dobbins	Xspeed United Continental	st
8	28	Joseph Beckingsale	THRIVA-SRCT	st
9	31	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
10	8	Max Rushby	Ribble Rebellion	st
11	12	Jake Hales	Ride Revolution Coaching	st
12	33	Callum Laborde	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
13	17	William Tidball	Saint Piran	st
14	9	Cai Davies	Richardsons Trek DAS	st
15	72	Kieran Riley	Spellman – Dublin Port Cycling Team	st
16	54	Frank Longstaff	Schils –  Doltcini Racing Team	st
17	18	Dylan Westley	Saint Piran	st
18	11	Olivier Mangham	Richardsons Trek DAS	st
19	73	William Roberts	Saint Piran	st
20	41	Adam Duggleby MBE	Addform – Vive le Velo	st
21	38	Maxwell Hereward	360cycling	st
22	66	Alec Briggs	TEKKERZ CC	+8
23	55	Jack Lucas	Shibden-A.Fawcett RT	st
24	48	Matt Webster	Loughborough Students CC	st
25	35	Joseph Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
26	51	Tom Cullen	Otley CC	st
27	63	Struan Shaw	Tofauti Everyone Active	st
28	24	Matthew Lock	TAAP Kalas	st
29	32	Aaron King	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	st
30	10	Matt Lord	Richardsons Trek DAS	st
31	37	Cai Curtis-Roberts	360cycling	+16
32	13	Blake Roberts	Ride Revolution Coaching	+29
33	16	Matthew Gibson	Saint Piran	st
34	14	Matthew Wilson	Ride Revolution Coaching	+38
35	39	Archie Fletcher	360cycling	st
36	42	Sam Walsham	Beeston Cycling Club	+40
37	50	Joshua Horsfield	Mud Dock Racing	st
38	59	Sam Llewelyn	Team PB Performance	+46
39	1	Matthew Ellmore	Prologue Racing Team	+4 Laps
40	40	David Brearley	Addform – Vive le Velo	+4 Laps
41	21	Joe Shillabeer	Spectra Racing	+5 Laps
42	22	Joe Wilson	Spectra Racing	+5 Laps
43	45	Louis Herring	Harrogate Nova Race Team	+6 Laps
44	56	Will Thompson	Shibden-A.Fawcett RT	+6 Laps
45	36	John Bardsley	360cycling	+6 Laps
46	49	Niall Quiggin	Manx Viking Wheelers CC	+6 Laps
47	60	Max Sillifant	Team PB Performance	+7 Laps
48	3	Joel Hurt	Prologue Racing Team	+8 Laps
	20	Daniel Barnes	Spectra Racing	DNF
	26	Cameron McLaren	TAAP Kalas	DNF
	34	David Lines	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	DNF
	68	George Safranauskas	HIVE Racing	DNF
	69	Max Lutz Atkinson	Ribble Rebellion	DNF
	71	Thomas Mitchell	Dolan Ellesse Race Team	DNF
	2	Charles Harrison	Prologue Racing Team	DNS
	6	Tom Couzens	Ribble Rebellion	DNS
	7	Cole Davis	Ribble Rebellion	DNS
	23	James Ambrose Parish	TAAP Kalas	DNS
	25	Harry Macfarlane	TAAP Kalas	DNS
	27	Harvey Stroh	TAAP Kalas	DNS
	29	Josh Price	THRIVA-SRCT	DNS
	30	Scott Redding	THRIVA-SRCT	DNS
	43	Alistair Slater	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	DNS
	44	David Hird	Cycling Sheffield	DNS
	46	Zak Machin	HUUB BCC Race Team	DNS
	47	Benjamin Hellebo	London Dynamo	DNS
	52	Guido Blee	Primera-TeamJobs	DNS
	53	Robert Smart	Ribble rechrg Race Team	DNS
	57	William Perrett	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	DNS
	58	Matthew Jones	Spectrum Racing	DNS
	62	Benjamin Tuchner	TEKKERZ CC	DNS
	64	Tom Mazzone	trainSharp Orro Elite	DNS
	65	Ross Birrell		DNS

National Circuit Series

Women

Individual

Rank	Name	Team		Points
1	Eilidh Shaw	Alba Development Road Team		213
2	Keira Bond	Alba Development Road Team		175
3	Frankie Hall	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK		158
4	Lucy Lee	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK		153
5	Dannielle Watkinson	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon		149
6	Jayati Hine	Loughborough Lightning		144
7	Samantha Fawcett	Spectra Racing		142
8	Lucy Glover	Shibden Apex RT		136
9	Corinne Side	Spectra Racing		135
10	Isabel Darvill	Doltcini – OShea		135
11	Sophie Thackray	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK		132
12	Amy Perryman	TEKKERZ CC		117
13	Sophie Lewis	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK		109
14	Jennifer Powell	Performance Development Team		104
15	Sophie Holmes	Saint Piran WRT		97
16	Megan Anderson	Team Boompods		90
17	Megan Barker	TEKKERZ CC		86
18	Mari Porton	Tofauti Everyone Active		85
19	Jenny Holl	Loughborough Lightning		84
20	Robyn Clay	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK		82

Team

Rank	Team Name	Points
1	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	642
2	Alba Development Road Team	502
3	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	320
4	Loughborough Lightning	306
5	Tofauti Everyone Active	247
6	Saint Piran WRT	241
7	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	240
8	Team Boompods	189
9	Brother UK – On Form	159
10	Spectra Racing	137
11	Shibden Apex RT	119
12	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	111
13	Doltcini – OShea	39
14	Nouvelles Cycling x Prendas	12
15	London Academy	10

Open

Individual

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Robert Scott	TEKKERZ CC	282
2	Matthew Bostock	Ribble Rebellion	264
3	Toby Barnes	Spectra Racing	224
4	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	202
5	Alec Briggs	TEKKERZ CC	190
6	William Roberts	Saint Piran	176
7	Callum Laborde	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	174
8	William Truelove	THRIVA-SRCT	160
9	Max Rushby	Ribble Rebellion	130
10	Rhys Britton	Saint Piran	128
11	Oliver Rees	Sabgal/Anicolor	124
12	Jim Brown	Ribble Rebellion	122
13	Joseph Smith	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	115
14	Cai Davies	Richardsons Trek DAS	115
15	Jacob Scott	REMBE Pro Cycling Team Sauerland	115
16	Jake Hales	Ride Revolution Coaching	112
17	David Hird	Cycling Sheffield	104
18	Tom Couzens	Ribble Rebellion	98
19	Harry Macfarlane	TAAP Kalas	87
20	Joseph Beckingsale	THRIVA-SRCT	87

Team

Rank	Team	Points
1	Ribble Rebellion	583
2	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	534
3	TEKKERZ CC	485
4	Saint Piran	445
5	Spectra Racing	383
6	THRIVA-SRCT	291
7	Ride Revolution Coaching	152
8	Cycling Sheffield	124
9	Richardsons Trek DAS	97
10	HUUB BCC Race Team	83
11	TAAP Kalas	79
12	Foran CT	74
13	Primera-TeamJobs	59
14	360cycling	55
15	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	44
16	Team PB Performance	22
17	Mud Dock Racing	18