2024 Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix: report and results
Sophie Lewis (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) took her first win of the 2024 National Circuit Series in the inaugural Fort Vale Women's Colne Grand Prix, while Matt Bostock (Ribble Rebellion) got one over on his Series rival Rob Scott (Tekkerz CC) in the open race. 23 July 2024
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.
Featured Image: Olly Hassell/SWPix.com
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).
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Colne Grand Prix – Women’s GP. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Colne Grand Prix – Women’s GP. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Colne Grand Prix – Women’s GP – Sophie Lewis of DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK wins. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix – Open. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix – Open. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
2024 British Cycling Lloyds Bank Elite National Circuit Series – Round 6 – The Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix – Open Men’s – Matt Bostock, Ribble Rebellion wins. Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
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.
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.
Featured Image: Olly Hassell/SWPix.com
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
Fort Vale Colne Grand Prix Open
National Circuit Series
Women
Individual
Team
Open
Individual
Team
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