One of the longest races on the domestic calendar, the fearsome Victor Berlemont Trophy takes place this Sunday with an all star field.
Here is our preview and startlist.
What is it?
The well-established Victor Berlemont Trophy Road Race is a 185km National B event designed to offer a challenge comparable to that of National A races. Once again, in 2024, High Wycombe Cycle Club will be promoting the event.
The Victor Berlemont Trophy is steeped in history, having first been run in 1951 in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, when the distance was 96 miles and the first prize was £3. The race moved to Surrey in the 1970s and relocated to Woodcote in 2014.
The Berlemont family came over from France in 1900. Victor Berlemont ran the York Minster pub (now the French House) in Soho—a popular spot for Free French troops (including General De Gaulle) stationed in London during the war. Victor introduced a rule of serving beer in half pints after a group of French sailors threw their pint glasses through the bar window following a heavy drinking session.
Last year’s edition was won by Josh Whitehead.
Route
This year’s edition covers 185km (110 miles), comprising 11+ laps of a 15.7km circuit in South Oxfordshire.
Each lap takes in 193m of climbing, with the most of the climbing accounted for by the Red Lane climb, a 2.1km rise that average 4.3%. Not steep enough for the pure puncheurs, but long enough to test those not fond of climbing.
Riders to watch
The race features a very strong provisional startlist, headlined by Saint Piran’s James McKay, Rás winner Dom Jackson and Team Skyline’s Adam Lewis.
McKay added 9th place at the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix last weekend to his second place at the Lancaster Grand Prix to put him in a strong position in the National Road Series. He’ll be looking to test his legs here as he builds for successful end to the season.
Lewis is another UCI Continental rider on good form. The East Midlands Road Race Champion enjoys a hilly course so is likely to feature among the contenders. Rás winner Jackson, meanwhile, told us recently that he favours a tough race, so the length and elevation of the Victor Berlemont Trophy should be to his liking.
There are plenty of other riders likely to be in the mix, including the Cycling Sheffield trio of James Hartley, Jack Hartley and David Hird. James Hartley, who will be racing in France next season, was a stage winner at the Tour of the Northwest earlier this season; and 8th place at the Lancaster Grand Prix shows he can thrive in the hillier races. Older brother Jack is more comfortable on the flatter terrain but should serve as a vital ally at the very least, while Hird is having a tremendously consistent season.
Oliver Hucks (TAAP Kalas) is another rider having an excellent season, so much so that he sits 6th in our national road race rankings. He’s yet to win a Nat B this year though – his best result is second at the PNE National B. Can he break his duck this weekend? Josh Housley (HUUB BCC RT) is riding even higher in our standings – third – and is hunting his second Nat B road race win of the season after his London Dynamo Summer Road Race victory.
Clay Davies (Ride Revolution Coaching) is another rider in the top ten of our national road race rankings, although this lumpy be course might not suit him. Bernard Galea (SPRNT), Jordan Giles (Richardsons Trek DAS), Alex Pickering (Elysium Kalas Race Team) and Charlie Genner (Halesowen A&C) are among the other riders on our watchlist.
Timings
The race begins at 11.00.
