Frank Longstaff (Schils-Doltcini RT) took a flyer to sprint to a shock victory in the inaugural National A Cambridge Criterium on Sunday, as Samantha Fawcett (Spectra Racing) got the better of her breakaway companions to take the spoils in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd in the women’s race.
Featured image: Honor Elliott/Monument Cycling
Report
Open race
After a cagey start around the sweeping 2.5km circuit, Hugo Lutz-Atkinson (EuroCyclingTrips-Yoeleo) was the first rider to show his hand, powering away from the peloton to embark on a daring solo move early in the 50 minute race.
Lutz-Atkinson has raced a varied programme across Europe and North America after joining the UCI Continental team this season, and on his return to a National A criterium he was eager to demonstrate his abilities, opening up a 20 second gap on the peloton with haste.
As the first fifteen minutes of racing passed, Ribble Rebellion, the team of pre-race favourite Matt Bostock, began to lift the pace on the front of the bunch, Tom Couzens and Max Rushby halving the advantage within a lap, then quickly closing the gap shortly after.
Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
Late addition to the startlist Alex Peters (Richardsons Trek-DAS), who showed a return to form with a 5th place at the Ryedale GP, immediately went on the counter attack, getting a good lead despite having issues with his right pedal, forcing him to unclip. In pursuit was Ed Morgan, Spectra Racing’s Welsh Champion unable to catch Peters for what seemed like an age, the former Team Sky rider not waiting for Morgan, who hovered just metres from his wheel.
With the pair failing to work together, their move ended almost as soon as they finally joined forces. Will Roberts (Saint Piran) was the next rider to fire himself up the road, taking advantage of a lull in the pace shortly after.
With Alec Briggs (Tekkerz CC) setting a strong pace at the head of the peloton, causing damage further down the group as it lined out, Roberts’ move was neutralised. Rob Scott, the National Circuit Series winner and teammate of Briggs continued the onslaught at the head of affairs. His injection of pace took an elite group of 13 clear, including Bostock and Harry Tanfield (Saint Piran).
In a critical moment, the leading group struggled to find consensus, and were swallowed back up into a peloton containing eventual winner Longstaff, who told organisers Monument Cycling after the race he was waiting for a sprint after not feeling good early on.
Local team Richardsons Trek-DAS sent another rider up the road, looking to make their numerical advantage count, and although the move was short lived, the injection of pace in the peloton saw Briggs out of position right at the back of the long line, a concerning sight for the Tekkerz CC team.
Despite the high pace as the race entered the final quarter of an hour, Roberts again went on the offensive, Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) bridging across to form a dangerous duo in the final laps.
Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
However, their move was again short lived with few moves looking like sticking on the fast, sweeping course. Oliver Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS) counter attacked, taking with him Matthew Webber (Wolfox x Pedal Mafia RT) and one of the breakthrough rider of 2024 Archie Peet (Reflex Racing), who became the driving force of the move.
With Mangham’s teammate, and time trial specialist Alex Pritchard bridging across the gap, it appeared to be advantage to Richardsons Trek-DAS, with two out of the four leaders. However, Mangham was unable to keep the pace set by Peet, paying for his original effort as he made his way back to the bunch; the trio holding a slender advantage of seven seconds entering the final three laps.
Scott again made a huge effort at the head of a charging peloton, bringing the move back, but costing himself any chance of victory in the process, the Tekkerz CC rider dropping off the decimated bunch shortly after.
With the race heading for a hectic bunch sprint the Ribble Rebellion and Saint Piran teams started to get their leadouts organised, Roberts seemingly the chosen one for the Cornish UCI team with Tanfield pulling a huge last lap turn.
Will Truelove (Thriva-SRCT) made a late effort to thwart the sprinters’ teams, but the race would come down to an exciting bunch gallop to decide who would take the win and the bumper £1650 prize.
Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
Longstaff, a UCI 2.2 stage winner earlier this year in the Tour of Albania packs a fast sprint, as he showed winning back to back stages of the Sherpa Performance Stage Race earlier this month on a similar circuit. However, he chose to go long, launching his effort with more than 500m to go, leading into the final corner and catching the favourites by surprise. He held off a flying Bostock by a bike length on the line, raising one arm in celebration at the biggest win of his career.
Women’s race
The 50 minute women’s race got underway in similarly cagey style, with no rider willing to risk an attack for almost fifteen minutes. The riders perhaps deterred by the fast course and having seen the open race end in a rare bunch sprint.
Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
Maddie Leech (Unattached) was the first rider to make a move, however Alice McWilliam (HESS Cycling) spotted the danger and almost immediately towed the bunch back to Leech, the status quo reinstated.
Leech’s move kicked off a flurry of activity, Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting coming to the fore to chase down a move by Katie Scott (Spectra Racing) and a Jadan Vive le Velo-Glasdon rider shortly after.
Having orchestrated the chase, Lucy Harris (Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting) tried a counter attack from the very front of the bunch, lacking the injection of power and surprise factor to go clear, instead stringing out the peloton and putting a number of riders into difficulty towards the back of the group.
Image: Monument Cycling/Honor Elliott
With a little over 20 minutes left and a calm descending on proceedings, Sian Botteley played DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s first card, going on the attack and getting the biggest advantage of the race to that point. She was joined by 19-year-old Matilda McKibben (Doltcini-O’Shea) and Sophie Holmes (Saint Piran), as the trio set about extending their lead.
Making her way over was Fawcett, who, late to the move, had to make a big effort to bridge across, making it to the leading group with less than 5 laps to go.
With the gap going out to 15 seconds, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK faced a tough decision on whether to stick or twist, knowing pre-race favourite and fast finisher Sophie Lewis was safe in the peloton. However, the leading quartet continued to work well together and arrived at the finishing straight together to duke it out for a prestigious victory.
Image: Arlo Parker
Spread across the road, Fawcett’s kick proved the strongest as she out-sprinted McKibben to the prize, with Holmes in third. Lewis won the bunch sprint for fifth, finishing off a mixed day for her DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK team, with Botteley coming in 4th.
Frank Longstaff (Schils-Doltcini RT) took a flyer to sprint to a shock victory in the inaugural National A Cambridge Criterium on Sunday, as Samantha Fawcett (Spectra Racing) got the better of her breakaway companions to take the spoils in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd in the women’s race.
Featured image: Honor Elliott/Monument Cycling
Report
Open race
After a cagey start around the sweeping 2.5km circuit, Hugo Lutz-Atkinson (EuroCyclingTrips-Yoeleo) was the first rider to show his hand, powering away from the peloton to embark on a daring solo move early in the 50 minute race.
Lutz-Atkinson has raced a varied programme across Europe and North America after joining the UCI Continental team this season, and on his return to a National A criterium he was eager to demonstrate his abilities, opening up a 20 second gap on the peloton with haste.
As the first fifteen minutes of racing passed, Ribble Rebellion, the team of pre-race favourite Matt Bostock, began to lift the pace on the front of the bunch, Tom Couzens and Max Rushby halving the advantage within a lap, then quickly closing the gap shortly after.
Late addition to the startlist Alex Peters (Richardsons Trek-DAS), who showed a return to form with a 5th place at the Ryedale GP, immediately went on the counter attack, getting a good lead despite having issues with his right pedal, forcing him to unclip. In pursuit was Ed Morgan, Spectra Racing’s Welsh Champion unable to catch Peters for what seemed like an age, the former Team Sky rider not waiting for Morgan, who hovered just metres from his wheel.
With the pair failing to work together, their move ended almost as soon as they finally joined forces. Will Roberts (Saint Piran) was the next rider to fire himself up the road, taking advantage of a lull in the pace shortly after.
With Alec Briggs (Tekkerz CC) setting a strong pace at the head of the peloton, causing damage further down the group as it lined out, Roberts’ move was neutralised. Rob Scott, the National Circuit Series winner and teammate of Briggs continued the onslaught at the head of affairs. His injection of pace took an elite group of 13 clear, including Bostock and Harry Tanfield (Saint Piran).
In a critical moment, the leading group struggled to find consensus, and were swallowed back up into a peloton containing eventual winner Longstaff, who told organisers Monument Cycling after the race he was waiting for a sprint after not feeling good early on.
Local team Richardsons Trek-DAS sent another rider up the road, looking to make their numerical advantage count, and although the move was short lived, the injection of pace in the peloton saw Briggs out of position right at the back of the long line, a concerning sight for the Tekkerz CC team.
Despite the high pace as the race entered the final quarter of an hour, Roberts again went on the offensive, Toby Barnes (Spectra Racing) bridging across to form a dangerous duo in the final laps.
However, their move was again short lived with few moves looking like sticking on the fast, sweeping course. Oliver Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS) counter attacked, taking with him Matthew Webber (Wolfox x Pedal Mafia RT) and one of the breakthrough rider of 2024 Archie Peet (Reflex Racing), who became the driving force of the move.
With Mangham’s teammate, and time trial specialist Alex Pritchard bridging across the gap, it appeared to be advantage to Richardsons Trek-DAS, with two out of the four leaders. However, Mangham was unable to keep the pace set by Peet, paying for his original effort as he made his way back to the bunch; the trio holding a slender advantage of seven seconds entering the final three laps.
Scott again made a huge effort at the head of a charging peloton, bringing the move back, but costing himself any chance of victory in the process, the Tekkerz CC rider dropping off the decimated bunch shortly after.
With the race heading for a hectic bunch sprint the Ribble Rebellion and Saint Piran teams started to get their leadouts organised, Roberts seemingly the chosen one for the Cornish UCI team with Tanfield pulling a huge last lap turn.
Will Truelove (Thriva-SRCT) made a late effort to thwart the sprinters’ teams, but the race would come down to an exciting bunch gallop to decide who would take the win and the bumper £1650 prize.
Longstaff, a UCI 2.2 stage winner earlier this year in the Tour of Albania packs a fast sprint, as he showed winning back to back stages of the Sherpa Performance Stage Race earlier this month on a similar circuit. However, he chose to go long, launching his effort with more than 500m to go, leading into the final corner and catching the favourites by surprise. He held off a flying Bostock by a bike length on the line, raising one arm in celebration at the biggest win of his career.
Women’s race
The 50 minute women’s race got underway in similarly cagey style, with no rider willing to risk an attack for almost fifteen minutes. The riders perhaps deterred by the fast course and having seen the open race end in a rare bunch sprint.
Maddie Leech (Unattached) was the first rider to make a move, however Alice McWilliam (HESS Cycling) spotted the danger and almost immediately towed the bunch back to Leech, the status quo reinstated.
Leech’s move kicked off a flurry of activity, Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting coming to the fore to chase down a move by Katie Scott (Spectra Racing) and a Jadan Vive le Velo-Glasdon rider shortly after.
Having orchestrated the chase, Lucy Harris (Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting) tried a counter attack from the very front of the bunch, lacking the injection of power and surprise factor to go clear, instead stringing out the peloton and putting a number of riders into difficulty towards the back of the group.
With a little over 20 minutes left and a calm descending on proceedings, Sian Botteley played DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s first card, going on the attack and getting the biggest advantage of the race to that point. She was joined by 19-year-old Matilda McKibben (Doltcini-O’Shea) and Sophie Holmes (Saint Piran), as the trio set about extending their lead.
Making her way over was Fawcett, who, late to the move, had to make a big effort to bridge across, making it to the leading group with less than 5 laps to go.
With the gap going out to 15 seconds, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK faced a tough decision on whether to stick or twist, knowing pre-race favourite and fast finisher Sophie Lewis was safe in the peloton. However, the leading quartet continued to work well together and arrived at the finishing straight together to duke it out for a prestigious victory.
Spread across the road, Fawcett’s kick proved the strongest as she out-sprinted McKibben to the prize, with Holmes in third. Lewis won the bunch sprint for fifth, finishing off a mixed day for her DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK team, with Botteley coming in 4th.
Results
Open race
Women’s race
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