The 2024 National Road Series concludes this weekend, as Britain’s top domestic road racing talents assemble in Northumberland for the prestigious Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy. With individual and team Series titles still up for grabs, Sunday promises to deliver tense and thrilling racing.

This is our in-depth preview.

About the races

The Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy are part of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling, a weekend cycling festival that also features a sportive and family leisure rides (this year held on 30 June and 1 July). The Curlew Cup is the sixth and final round of the women’s National Road Series, with the Beaumont Trophy forming fifth and final race of the open Series.

The Beaumont Trophy has a storied history dating back to 1952, when it was presented by Rex Beaumont, a cycle and motorcycle wholesaler based in Newcastle. The event is steeped in tradition and has seen some of the country’s most talented cyclists battle it out for glory over the years, a highlight on the UK cycling calendar since its inception. It has attracted big names in British and international cycling over the years. Previous winners include legends like Sir Bradley Wiggins, Malcolm Elliot and the Downing brothers. Last year’s winner was Finn Crockett, then of Saint Piran.

Launched in 2012, the Curlew Cup might have less history but it has quickly become a key fixture on the women’s racing calendar and regularly attracts not only the top domestic teams but a number of international-based British talents. It has its own roll call of notable past winners including Dame Sarah Storey, Hannah Barnes, Katie Archibald and Alice McWilliam. Corinne Side, then of Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee, was last year’s victor.

The Series so far

Women’s Series

Eluned King clinched the ANEXO CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic crown for Lifeplus Wahoo as she improved from her previous best of third in 2022 to prevail in a close sprint in the opening round of the National Road Series.

In Round 2, Cat Ferguson (Shibden Apex RT) bounced back from a penultimate lap crash and bike change to take a first National Road Series victory in the inaugural East Cleveland Classic.

In May, Kate Richardson (Lifeplus-Wahoo) was triumphant at the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix. Frankie Hall took DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s first National Road Series of the season at the Lancaster Grand Prix in the fourth round before her teammate won the last ever edition of the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix.

Eilidh Shaw (Alba Development Road Team) heads into the final round with a 16 point lead over Lucy Harris (Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd). Shaw also leads the under-23 rankings.

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Eilidh Shaw (U23)	Alba Development Road Team	172
2	Lucy Harris	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd	156
3	Frankie Hall	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	151
4	Esther Wong (JR)	Shibden Apex RT	138
5	Lucy Lee	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	131

In the team standings DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK have a solid 90 point lead.

Rank	Team Name	Points
1	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	520
2	Shibden Apex RT	430
3	Alba Development Road Team	397

Open Series

Rowan Baker took a stunning solo victory to ensure Saint Piran continued the same imperious form the squad showed in last year’s National Road Series in this year’s season-opener at the East Cleveland Classic. 

However, Matt Holmes disrupted Saint Piran’s domination at the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix in a fairytale return to racing for the former WorldTour rider. Ben Granger (Mg.K VIS Colors for Peace) surged to a commanding win at his local race, the Lancaster Grand Prix, in July and then in round 4 Tom Williams took THRIVA-SRCT’s first ever National Road Series victory at the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix.

George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) leads the individual Series standings by just 9 points from Saint Piran’s James McKay with one round remaining.

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	George Kimber	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	139
2	James McKay	Saint Piran	128
3	Matthew Holmes	One Good Thing Orientation Marketing	122
4	Rowan Baker (U23)	Saint Piran	119
5	Adam Lewis	Team Skyline	105

Saint Piran enjoy a 93 point lead over Wheelbase CabTech Castelli in the team standings.

Rank	Team Name	Points
1	Saint Piran	414
2	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	321
3	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling	215

The route

Starting and finishing in the charming village of Stamfordham, Northumberland, both races take in a picturesque route featuring a challenging mix of climbs, fast descents, and technical B-roads. The infamous Ryals climb is at the heart of the course, a 2.7km ascent featuring a series of steps and gradients hitting up to 13% in places. 

The Curlew Cup entails three laps of a 40.8km circuit, with a total race distance of 122.4 kilometres, according to the race manual (see the VeloViewer route below). 1,593 metres of elevation is tackled in the process. 

The Beaumont Trophy meanwhile takes in four laps of the large circuit, and then also one lap of a shorter 22 kilometre circuit before the finish, making for a 182.3 kilometre race with 2,312 metres of climbing in all.

About 30 kilometres into the large circuit, the Ryals climb provides the stiffest obstacle of the day. It is preceded by a fast descent, so positioning is important here. What then follows is a drag of over two kilometres featuring three steep ramps in succession. It’s often the decisive point in the race and is where Team Sky launched their attack in the 2011 National Road Championships that led to Sir Bradley Wiggins’ nationals win.

The rise from West Belsay to Kirkheaton can also be a decisive feature if there is a strong enough westerly wind.

The open race’s finishing circuit includes nothing as testing at the Ryals but nonetheless features two short sharp rises, one at the beginning of the lap with gradients of up to 7% and another with about 14 kilometres to go that could provide launchpads for potentially decisive attacks. It’s pretty much all downhill from about nine kilometres to go, bar a small rise to the finish line.

Riders to watch

Curlew Cup

Only 21 points separate the top three riders in the women’s Series. Series leader Eilidh Shaw (Alba Development Road Team) is in prime position to add the National Road Series title to her 2024 National Circuit Series victory. The 19-year-old Scot holds a 16-point advantage over Lucy Harris (Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd), while Frankie Hall (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) trails Harris by just five points. With Series honours at stake, these three riders will likely be focused on marking each other throughout the race, but each are capable of the win here in their own right too.

Shaw has a strong team around her, not least former triathlete Lauren Dickson, whose impressive National Road Series debut saw her claim second place at the Lancaster Grand Prix, a result she backed up with another second at the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix.

Junior Esther Wong (Shibden Apex RT), Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix winner Lucy Lee (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) and Caitlin Dimbleby (unattached) also have mathematical shots at the Series title but their chances are slim given their respective deficits to Shaw are relatively large. Nonetheless, each will have their eyes on a podium, or better.

Others to watch include Lauren Dickson (Alba Development Road Team), whose impressive National Road Series debut saw her claim second place at the Lancaster Grand Prix, and Monica Greenwood (Team Coop-Repsol), the 2023 Series winner. 

Additional riders with the potential to make an impact include El King, Maddie Leech – both looking to impress following the collapse of their Lifeplus-Wahoo team – and a strong DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK team featuring Ruth Shier, Tammy Miller, and Morven Yeoman. 

Look out too for Grace Reynolds (Brother UK – On Form), Lucy Gadd Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd), Lizzie Hermolle (Team Boompods) and Movistar-bound junior Carys Lloyd (Tofauti Everyone Active).

Beaumont Trophy

The open Series title race is even tighter. George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) leads by just nine points over James McKay (Saint Piran), with Matt Holmes (One Good Thing Orientation Marketing) and McKay’s teammate Rowan Baker close behind. The latter three raced in this month’s Tour of Britain, and how they respond to that intense block of racing could determine the outcome of the race and the overall Series title. Expect a battle royale.

McKay and Baker enjoy support from a strong Saint Piran squad which will be looking for a third Beaumont Trophy win after victories in 2022 and 2023. They count new signing Tom Williams – winner of the Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix – among their number.

Wheelbase CabTech Castelli is another strong outfit looking to end the season on a high. Thomas Armstrong (6^thin the Series standings) and 2024 Rás stage winners Tim Shoreman and Tom Martin are among the team’s contenders. 

Speaking of the Rás, the 2024 GC winner Dom Jackson (Foran CT) is another rider keen to make a statement in Northumberland. Look out too for professional Tom Portsmouth (Bingoal WB).

Other riders to watch include Ribble Rebellion fast man Matt Bostock, Damien Clayton (Le Col), one of the domestic riders of the season, Ollie Rees (Sabgal/Anicolor) and Finn McHenry (The Cycling Academy).

Timings

The Curlew Cup begins at 8:45 am., while the Beaumont Trophy starts at 1:30 pm.

How to follow

You can follow the action live on British Cycling’s social media channels.

Unfortunately there will not be Monument TV stream because there is not sufficient 4G coverage in the local area.

Provisional startlists

Curlew Cup

#	First name	Surname	Team
1	Keira	Bond – U23	Alba Development Road Team
2	Lauren	Dickson	Alba Development Road Team
3	Arianne	Holland	Alba Development Road Team
4	Beth	Morrow – U23	Alba Development Road Team
5	Abi	Plowman	Alba Development Road Team
6	Eilidh	Shaw – U23	Alba Development Road Team
7	Millie	Skinner	Alba Development Road Team
8	Amelia	Tyler – U23	Alba Development Road Team
9	Lily	Brindle – JR	Brother UK – On Form
10	Rebecca	Carter – JR	Brother UK – On Form
11	Madeleine	Gammons	Brother UK – On Form
12	Electra	Morris – JR	Brother UK – On Form
13	Grace	Reynolds	Brother UK – On Form
14	Helena	Shapton	Brother UK – On Form
15	Rosie	Simmons	Brother UK – On Form
16	Amelia	Staunton – JR	Brother UK – On Form
17	Sian	Botteley	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
18	Frankie	Hall	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
19	Lucy	Lee	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
20	Tamsin	Miller	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
21	Ruth	Shier	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
22	Sammie	Stuart	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
23	Morven	Yeoman – U23	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
24	Sannah	Zaman – U23	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK
25	Emily	Chilton	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
26	Rebecca	Clowes	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
27	Skye	Davidson	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
28	Nicola	Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
29	Isabella	Johnson – U23	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
30	Anna	Brearley	London Academy
31	Sasha	Dyke	London Academy
32	Katy	Hill	London Academy
33	Lucy	Neatham	London Academy
34	Penny	Colloff	Loughborough Lightning
35	Philippa	Draper – U23	Loughborough Lightning
36	Jayati	Hine	Loughborough Lightning
37	Jenny	Holl	Loughborough Lightning
38	Miriam	Jessett	Loughborough Lightning
39	Roisin	Lally – U23	Loughborough Lightning
40	Georgia	Lancaster – U23	Loughborough Lightning
41	Georgina	Oakley	Loughborough Lightning
42	Jessy	Carveth	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
43	Bexy	Dew	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
44	Lucy	Ellmore – U23	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
45	Lucy	Gadd	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
46	Lucy	Harris	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
47	Annabel	Ramsay – U23	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
48	Jo	Tindley	Pro-Noctis – 200º Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting Ltd
49	Hannah	Bayes	Saint Piran WRT
50	Anastasia	Bowler	Saint Piran WRT
51	Katie-Anne	Calton – U23	Saint Piran WRT
52	Rachel	Galler	Saint Piran WRT
53	Emma	McDonald	Saint Piran WRT
54	Ailsa	McLagan	Saint Piran WRT
55	Arabella	Blackburn – JR	Shibden Apex RT
56	Lucy	Glover – JR	Shibden Apex RT
57	Isabel	Mayes – JR	Shibden Apex RT
58	Evie	Smith – JR	Shibden Apex RT
59	Megan	Anderson	Team Boompods
60	Rebecca	Babbage	Team Boompods
61	Bethany	Bennett – U23	Team Boompods
62	Amy	Drysdale	Team Boompods
63	Elizabeth	Hermolle	Team Boompods
64	Sian	Marsh	Team Boompods
65	Gemma	Mitchell	Team Boompods
66	Erin	Boothman – JR	Tofauti Everyone Active
67	Carys	Lloyd – JR	Tofauti Everyone Active
68	Abigail	Miller – JR	Tofauti Everyone Active
69	Mari	Porton – JR	Tofauti Everyone Active
70	Ruby	Oakes – JR	Cycling Club Isle of Man
71	Sophie	Smith – U23	Cycling Club Isle of Man
72	Katie	Hadnum – U23	Doltcini – Cycle Division
73	Caitlin	Harvey – U23	Doltcini – Cycle Division
74	Georgia	Bullard	Doltcini – OShea
75	Anna	Boniface	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing
76	Elizabeth	Sanders	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing
77	Eluned	King – U23	Lifeplus Wahoo
78	Madelaine	Leech – U23	Lifeplus Wahoo
79	Carys	Blowers – JR	Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films
80	Erin	Avill – U23	Nouvelles Cycling x Prendas
81	Cecilia	Hime	Paradigm Cycles
82	Charlotte	Deykin	Peterborough Cycle Hub
83	Monica	Greenwood	Team Coop – Repsol
84	Jessie	Carridge	The Phoenix Collective
85	Molly	Patch	The Phoenix Collective
86	Caitlin	Dimbleby	Unattached
87	Joanne	Rea	Unattached
88	Esther	Wong – JR	Team Greenmount Cycling Academy

Beaumont Trophy

#	First name	Surname	Team
1	Marcus	Christie	Cycling Club Isle of Man
2	Corrin	Leeming – U23	Cycling Club Isle of Man
3	Callum	Salisbury – U23	Cycling Club Isle of Man
4	Sam	Chaplin – U23	Cycling Sheffield
5	Jack	Hartley	Cycling Sheffield
6	James	Hartley – U23	Cycling Sheffield
7	David	Hird – U23	Cycling Sheffield
8	Max	Krasinski – U23	Cycling Sheffield
9	James	Wordsworth – U23	Cycling Sheffield
10	Ryan	Christensen	Foran CT
11	Tobias	Dahlhaus	Foran CT
12	Dom	Jackson	Foran CT
13	George	Mitchell	Foran CT
14	Charles	Page	Foran CT
15	Danylo	Riwnyj	Foran CT
16	Thomas	Springbett	Foran CT
17	Nicholas	Tyrie	Foran CT
18	Matthew	Brown – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
19	Benjamin	Flatau – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
20	Dan	Galpin – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
21	Sebastian	Garry	HUUB BCC Race Team
22	Josh	Housley	HUUB BCC Race Team
23	Zak	Machin – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
24	George	Stephen – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
25	Ryan	Williams – U23	HUUB BCC Race Team
26	Ben	Pease	Moonglu Race Team
27	Carl	Stubbs	Moonglu Race Team
28	William	Taylor – U23	Moonglu Race Team
29	Alexander	Ball – U23	PROJECT 1 Cycling Team
30	Ben	Etherington – U23	PROJECT 1 Cycling Team
31	Ben	Marsh – U23	PROJECT 1 Cycling Team
32	Peter	Cocker	Richardsons Trek DAS
33	Cai	Davies	Richardsons Trek DAS
34	Jordan	Giles	Richardsons Trek DAS
35	Michael	Gill	Richardsons Trek DAS
36	Matthew	Lord – U23	Richardsons Trek DAS
37	Olivier	Mangham – U23	Richardsons Trek DAS
38	Alex	Peters	Richardsons Trek DAS
39	Alexander	Pritchard	Richardsons Trek DAS
40	Rowan	Baker – U23	Saint Piran
41	Finn	Mason – U23	Saint Piran
42	Tom	Williams	Saint Piran
43	James	McKay	Saint Piran
44	William	Roberts – U23	Saint Piran
45	Bradley	Symonds	Saint Piran
46	Dylan	Westley	Saint Piran
47	Oliver	Wood	Saint Piran
48	John	Appleby – U23	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
49	Alexander	Bosley – U23	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
50	Luke	Brennan – U23	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
51	Matthew	Houlberg – U23	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
52	George	Kimber	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
53	Logan	Maclean	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
54	William	Perrett	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
55	Ethan	Rowell – U23	Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling
56	Thomas	Charles – U23	Team PB Performance
57	Jacques	Coates	Team PB Performance
58	Nathan	Hardy – U23	Team PB Performance
59	Sam	Llewelyn – U23	Team PB Performance
60	Harry	Paveley – U23	Team PB Performance
61	Max	Sillifant	Team PB Performance
62	Joseph	Beckingsale	THRIVA-SRCT
63	Benjamin	Bright – U23	THRIVA-SRCT
64	Matthew	Ellis	THRIVA-SRCT
65	Eddy	Huntsman – U23	THRIVA-SRCT
66	Jake	Jackson	THRIVA-SRCT
67	Josh	Price	THRIVA-SRCT
68	William	Truelove – U23	THRIVA-SRCT
69	Cameron	Adam – U23	Vanelli-Project Go
70	Conal	Davidson – U23	Vanelli-Project Go
71	Keir	Gaffney – U23	Vanelli-Project Go
72	Craig	Paterson – U23	Vanelli-Project Go
73	Thomas	Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
74	Aaron	King – U23	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
75	Callum	Laborde – U23	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
76	Tom	Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
77	Lee	Rosie	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
78	Tim	Shoreman	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
79	Jacob	Smith – U23	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
80	Joseph	Smith – U23	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
81	Matti	Dobbins	XSpeed United Continental
82	Joe	Howcroft	XSpeed United Continental
83	George	Radcliffe – U23	XSpeed United Continental
84	John	Bardsley – U23	360cycling
85	Cai	Curtis-Roberts – U23	360cycling
86	Ben	Etherington – U23	360cycling
87	Maxwell	Hereward – U23	360cycling
88	Matthew	Leach	Addform – Vive le Velo
89	Sam	Walsham	Beeston Cycling Club
90	Thomas	Portsmouth	Bingoal WB
91	Matt	Clarke	Bridgnorth Cycling Club
92	Hugo	Lutz-Atkinson – U23	EuroCyclingTrips – Yoeleo
93	Ben	Goodwin	Fibrax Fenwick’s Wrexham Cycling Club
94	George	Daly	Geared Up RT
95	Richard	Butler	Giant Kendal-Sidas Uk
96	James	Jobber	Global 6 United
97	Jack	Jee – U23	HIVE Racing
98	Liam	Scott Douglas	JG Cycles CC
99	Damien	Clayton	Le Col Race Team
100	Oliver	Featherstone	League of Swindon Cycles RT
101	Aaron	Freeman – U23	London Dynamo
102	Niall	Quiggin	Manx Viking Wheelers CC
103	James	Pearcy – U23	Mid Devon CC
104	Joshua	Horsfield	Mud Dock Racing
105	Matthew	Holmes	One Good Thing Orientation Marketing
106	Thomas	Doig	Primera-TeamJobs
107	Sebastien	Tyrie	Primera-TeamJobs
108	Oliver	Curd – U23	Primo RT
109	Matthew	Ellmore – U23	Prologue Racing Team
110	Charles	Harrison – U23	Prologue Racing Team
111	Matthew	Bostock	Ribble Rebellion
112	Fergus	Robinson – U23	Ribble rechrg Race Team
113	Daniel	Saba – U23	Ribble rechrg Race Team
114	Jack	Lucas – U23	Shibden-A.Fawcett RT
115	Inigo	Hawkings	SN Vitae Huub pb BimBam Coaching
116	Edward	Morgan	Spectra Racing
117	Joe	Wilson	Spectra Racing
118	Bernard	Galea	SPRNT
119	Gabriel	Dellar	Stolen Goat Race Team
120	Oliver	Hucks	TAAP Kalas
121	Isaac	Wright	Team TMC – Strada Wheels
122	Benjamin	Tuchner – U23	TEKKERZ CC
123	Finn	McHenry – U23	The Cycling Academy
124	Timothy	Torrie	trainSharp Orro Elite
125	Luca	Unwin – U23	Trinity Racing
126	Aston	Freeth – U23	Van dam Racing
127	Deetray	Jarrett – U23	Unattached
128	Oscar	Pratt – U23	Unattached
129	Elliot	Bain – U23	Vanelli-Project Go
130	Oliver	Snodden	SN Vitae Huub pb BimBam Coaching
131	Alex	Galpin-U23	Beeston Cycling Club
132	Daniel	Lloyd-U23	trainSharp Development Team
133	Oliver	Rees	Sabgal/Anicolor
134	Oliver	Sergeant-U23	Prologue Racing Team
135	Dean	Watson	Wold Top The Edge Pactimo