2024 Welsh Road Race Championships: preview and startlists

National titles are up for grabs this weekend as the town of Llandrindod Wells plays host to the Welsh Road Race Championships.

What is it?

Classed as National B races for both the open and women’s field, some of the nation’s best cyclists will battle for the coveted red, green and white jersey. The women’s race will also incorporate the South and South West regional championships.

Route

At 28km, the circuit used for the championships is lengthy by National B standards and offers every type of rider an opportunity to compete for the win. With 350m of elevation gain per lap over a series of long drags which dominate the course, it should favour aggressive racing and the strongest riders.

The defining ascent of the race could be the A4081 climb, the summit marking a 5km downhill run to the line. At 1.7km with an average gradient nearing 4% it isn’t it isn’t one for a pure climber, but a power climb where the strongest riders will be looking to make their advantage count.

The open race will cover 4 laps for a distance of 109km, a relatively short test for a National B race, while the women will race three laps for an 82km test.

Riders to watch

Women’s race

Only 19 riders have entered the women’s race, which combines both senior and junior road race championships. The standout name amongst them Awen Roberts. The 19-year-old Canyon // SRAM Generation rider arrives at the championships off the back of the Tour de l’Avenir and has had a solid season racing in Europe. On the home front, her 7th in the Lincoln GP and 16th in the National Road Race Championships puts her in pole position for the win here.

Amelia Staunton (Brother UK-On Form) is a junior with a fast finish, which she used to great effect when finishing second at the Witham Hall GP back in May. The course there was not dissimilar to this one, and should it come down to a bunch gallop she should not be discounted.

Niamh Murphy (Doltcini-O’Shea) will be looking to capitalise on the experience she has gained from recently racing in Belgium, while Lowri Richards (Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting) is another rider on a UCI team who should be in the mix.

Open Race

The open race incorporates junior, senior and masters riders and looks to be a titanic battle between Will Roberts (Saint Piran) and Ed Morgan (Spectra Racing). 

Roberts was recently crowned National Omnium Champion on the track, and backed up his performance on the boards with a battling performance at the Ryedale GP and an aggressive showing at the Cambridge Criterium where he sprinted to third after attacking throughout. The shorter race should play into his hands as he looks to capitalise on his track and circuit race form.

Morgan has an enviable record in championship races already this season, having been crowned Welsh Circuit Race and BUCS Road Race Champion. This will be Morgan’s first race back since his trip to France at the start of August. 

Outsiders include Ben Pierce (Bridgnorth Cycling Club), who broke through in the PB Performance Espoirs Road Race with a surprise second place, continuing to impress in the 360Cycling Tour of the Northwest. Charlie Genner (Halesowen A & CC) has been in good form of late, finishing the difficult Victor Berlemont Trophy last weekend, while James Somerfield (TRASH Mile) brings UCI experience having spent last season with the X-Speed United team.

Will Salter (HUUB BCC RT) is one of the junior riders to watch, having just returned from China, where he picked up medals in the Junior World Track Championships.

Provisional startlists

Women’s race

Bib	Rider	Age	Team	Pts
1	Niamh Morgan	Junior	Maindy Flyers CC	0
2	Amelia Staunton	Junior	Brother UK – On Form	69
3	Rebecca Woodvine	Junior	RR23 – runandride.co.uk	35
4	Niamh Murphy	U23	Doltcini – O’Shea	0
5	Rebekah Nash	Senior	Jadan Vive le Velo p/b Glasdon	0
6	Georgina Paul	Senior	TORQ Performance	0
7	Leah Brewer	Senior	Ystwyth Cycling Club	0
8	Lois Brewer	Senior	Ystwyth Cycling Club	0
9	Ruby Carleton	U23	Loughborough Students CC	0
10	Miranda Clements	Senior	FTP Fusion	11
11	Laura Furness	Senior	Army Cycling Union	0
12	Olivia Gardner	Senior	Team V-Sprint Racing	0
13	Ruby John	Senior	PDQ Cycle Coaching Property Elite	0
14	Karen Jones	Senior	Holyhead Cycling Club	0
15	Nicola Lovell	Senior	Leadout Performance	0
16	Lucy Morley	Senior	Velotik Racing Team	0
17	Lowri Richards	U23	Pro-Noctis – 200 Degrees Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting	0
18	Awen Roberts	U23	Canyon//SRAM Generation	45
19	Rosie Simmons	U23	Brother UK – On Form	10

Open race

*Senior and junior riders only

Bib	Rider	Age	Team	Pts
1	Benjamin Bright	U23	THRIVA-SRCT	20
2	Harry Codd	U23	University of Bath Cycling Club	34
3	Cai Curtis-Roberts	U23	360cycling	44
4	Thomas Doig	Senior	Primera-TeamJobs	3
5	Rhys Iorweth Evans	Senior	Caffi Gruff	0
6	Charlie Genner	U23	Halesowen A & CC	139
7	Ben Goodwin	Senior	Fibrax Fenwick’s Wrexham Cycling Club	0
8	David Griffiths	Senior	Clee Cycles	0
9	Jake Hollins	Senior	Private Member	0
10	Sam Holwill	U23	Bridgnorth Cycling Club	0
11	Degaga Zelalem Jeno	U23	Private Member	0
12	Sam Llewellyn	U23	Team PB Performance	0
13	Rhodri Lord	Senior	Cardiff Ajax CC	0
14	Edward Morgan	Senior	Spectra Racing	222
15	Huw Owen	Senior	Clwb Beicio Egni Eryri	11
16	Ben Pierce	U23	Bridgnorth Cycling Club	116
17	Daniel Piercy	Senior	Private Member	40
18	William Roberts	Senior	Saint Piran	41
19	Mark Robinson	Senior	Cadence Cycle Racing	0
20	James Somerfield	Senior	TRASH MILE	29
21	Sion Tansley	Senior	Sam Helen	0
22	Hugh Aubrey	Junior	Histon & Impington Bicycle Club	0
23	Max Bufton	Junior	Tofauti Everyone Active	0
24	Iwan Clark	Junior	Maindy Flyers CC	0
25	Huw Cressey-Rodgers	Junior	Velo Myrddin CC p/b Y Beic	0
26	Ted Harvey	Junior	Cardiff Ajax CC	0
27	Sion Jones	Junior	Velo Myrddin CC p/b Y Beic	0
28	Isaac Oliver		Harrogate Nova Race Team	0
29	William Salter	Junior	HUUB BCC Race Team	0
30	Mathys Venter	Junior	Maindy Flyers CC	0