Riders have one final chance to impress in a National B level road race this season in England, the Leicester Forest CC Road Race taking place on Saturday with a stellar field assembled for the occasion. Here is our preview.
Promoted by Leicester Forest CC, the penultimate National B Road Race of the season takes place on Saturday around a short circuit to the south of the city.
The race doubles up as the final round of the EMRRL (East Midlands Road Race League), a season long competition comprised of Regional A races, the final round a traditional opportunity for the local riders to test themselves in a National B setting.
Route
Riders will not be in for an easy end of season bash, with a tough race over the best part of 150km in store over 14 and ¾ laps of what is described as a fast but sporting 9.8km course, centred around the small villages of Ashby Magna and Peatling Parva. Racing should be hard and fast from the outset, the course allowing the strongest riders to make the difference.
With no significant climb, one of the biggest challenges the riders will face could be the wind, with a cold north easterly breeze of 20km/h set to blow across the circuit.
Riders to watch
A small but strong field is set to assemble in South Leicestershire, last year’s winnerClay Davies (Ride Revolution Coaching) returning to defend his crown. The all-rounder once again tops the British Cycling road and track rankings for 2024, but faces stiff competition if he wants to finish his season on a high.
Saint Piran will be missing James McKay after his crash at the Beaumont Trophy last weekend, although they still have the firepower to make the race their own through Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix winner Tom Williams, who has signed as a stagiaire for the remainder of the season, and climber Bradley Symonds, who formed part of their Tour of Britain squad. Both riders are talented climbers, with Williams possessing a strong finishing kick, while Symonds hails from nearby Coalville and will relish the chance to race on local roads.
The Hartley brothers, Jack and James, make their final National B appearances for Cycling Sheffield before they head off to France for the 2025 season. Both riders appeared in good form at the Beaumont Trophy where they rode aggressive races, Jack appearing largely unscathed, if disappointed to have crashed out of the winning move in the changeable conditions. The pair will be looking to take Saint Piran on at their own game on Saturday, with Jack boasting a good sprint should a group make it to the line.
Joseph Smith (Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli) lines up amongst a number of riders aiming to take it to Saint Piran and Cycling Sheffield, the 20-year-old catching the eye in the first half of the season, although he climbed off early in the Beaumont Trophy last weekend, his first race in a month. Carl Stubbs (Moonglu RT) had a breakthrough result in Northumberland, making the top 20, and has been in good form recently, as has Bernard Galea (SPRNT), Primera-TeamJobs’ new 2025 signing winning two circuit races in the past month.
Nicholas Tyrie (Foran CT) has gone under the radar in 2024, the Londoner posting some impressive results including a top 20 in the Beaumont Trophy on top of a string of National B top tens. Young riders James Satoor (Bridgnorth Cycling Club), John Bardsley (360Cycling) and Olivier Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS) are also worth keeping an eye on.
Sam Llewelyn (PB Performance) will be hoping to take EMRRL series victory on Sunday, sitting in second place with his major rivals absent, although the Welsh Road Race Champion has an outside chance of a second National B win, having been in scintillating form with a series of wins and top five places over the past month.
Riders have one final chance to impress in a National B level road race this season in England, the Leicester Forest CC Road Race taking place on Saturday with a stellar field assembled for the occasion. Here is our preview.
Featured image: Mark James
What is it?
Promoted by Leicester Forest CC, the penultimate National B Road Race of the season takes place on Saturday around a short circuit to the south of the city.
The race doubles up as the final round of the EMRRL (East Midlands Road Race League), a season long competition comprised of Regional A races, the final round a traditional opportunity for the local riders to test themselves in a National B setting.
Route
Riders will not be in for an easy end of season bash, with a tough race over the best part of 150km in store over 14 and ¾ laps of what is described as a fast but sporting 9.8km course, centred around the small villages of Ashby Magna and Peatling Parva. Racing should be hard and fast from the outset, the course allowing the strongest riders to make the difference.
With no significant climb, one of the biggest challenges the riders will face could be the wind, with a cold north easterly breeze of 20km/h set to blow across the circuit.
Riders to watch
A small but strong field is set to assemble in South Leicestershire, last year’s winner Clay Davies (Ride Revolution Coaching) returning to defend his crown. The all-rounder once again tops the British Cycling road and track rankings for 2024, but faces stiff competition if he wants to finish his season on a high.
Saint Piran will be missing James McKay after his crash at the Beaumont Trophy last weekend, although they still have the firepower to make the race their own through Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix winner Tom Williams, who has signed as a stagiaire for the remainder of the season, and climber Bradley Symonds, who formed part of their Tour of Britain squad. Both riders are talented climbers, with Williams possessing a strong finishing kick, while Symonds hails from nearby Coalville and will relish the chance to race on local roads.
The Hartley brothers, Jack and James, make their final National B appearances for Cycling Sheffield before they head off to France for the 2025 season. Both riders appeared in good form at the Beaumont Trophy where they rode aggressive races, Jack appearing largely unscathed, if disappointed to have crashed out of the winning move in the changeable conditions. The pair will be looking to take Saint Piran on at their own game on Saturday, with Jack boasting a good sprint should a group make it to the line.
Joseph Smith (Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli) lines up amongst a number of riders aiming to take it to Saint Piran and Cycling Sheffield, the 20-year-old catching the eye in the first half of the season, although he climbed off early in the Beaumont Trophy last weekend, his first race in a month. Carl Stubbs (Moonglu RT) had a breakthrough result in Northumberland, making the top 20, and has been in good form recently, as has Bernard Galea (SPRNT), Primera-TeamJobs’ new 2025 signing winning two circuit races in the past month.
Nicholas Tyrie (Foran CT) has gone under the radar in 2024, the Londoner posting some impressive results including a top 20 in the Beaumont Trophy on top of a string of National B top tens. Young riders James Satoor (Bridgnorth Cycling Club), John Bardsley (360Cycling) and Olivier Mangham (Richardsons Trek-DAS) are also worth keeping an eye on.
Sam Llewelyn (PB Performance) will be hoping to take EMRRL series victory on Sunday, sitting in second place with his major rivals absent, although the Welsh Road Race Champion has an outside chance of a second National B win, having been in scintillating form with a series of wins and top five places over the past month.
Provisional startlist
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