The Peaks 2 Day opened with a brutally short yet punishing road bike time trial on the snow-dusted climbs of Longnor, where Elizabeth Hermolle (DAS Hutchinson) set the fastest time of 13:32.
On stage 1 of the open race, new Muc-Off -SRCT – Storck signing Adam Howell took a convincing solo win to take the overnight race lead with two stages remaining.
In the final event of the day, Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) stormed to a convincing stage 2 victory to snatch the overall lead from Hermolle, with just 13 seconds splitting the top three on GC with one stage to go.
There was a dusting of snow on the road to greet the riders who made the 9am start for the road bike trial, with temperatures reportedly at 3°C at the time trial start and dropping to -1°C at the elevated finish. The Longnor course was short, at just 5.9km, but packed a punch with 278m of elevation.
Riders were met with short bursts of double-digit gradients almost from the gun, the road rising relentlessly to the finish, with only brief descents offering any respite. A light tailwind assisted the riders, but it did little to offset the sheer brutality of the gradients.
It was Elizabeth Hermolle (DAS Hutchinson) who set the benchmark time midway through the session, stopping the clock at 13:32. Her time held through to the end, securing her the win, the first leader’s jersey of the race and her first National B road race victory.
Lucy Harris (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) finished just two seconds back in 13:34, showing the form that has made her one to watch in 2025. Harris’s teammate Alex Morrice followed in third with a time of 13:57, making it two Smurfit Westrock riders in the top three.
Further down, Madelaine Leech (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) was just two seconds shy of the podium in 13:59, with Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) and Kate Richardson (HESS Cycling Team) rounding out the top six in 14:02 and 14:03 respectively.
With such small time gaps, the final two stages are set up for an explosive battle. Hermolle will be looking to defend her slender lead, but with Harris, Morrice, and Leech all within half a minute, the fight for time bonuses and positioning will be fierce. Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team have the numbers advantage with three riders in the top five.
Stage 2
The peloton set a furious pace in the opening 20km, with attacks flying in all directions. However, a strong headwind meant that riders who could sit in the wheels had a chance to hang on, keeping the group largely intact. The real selection came on the long climb used in the morning time trial, where the pressure ramped up, whittling the field down to around 20 riders.
Approaching the QOM sprint, Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock) made a move to take the points. When she turned around, only five riders remained in contention with her: Gadd’s teammate Lucy Harris, race leader Lizzie Hermolle (DAS-Hutchinson), Arianne Holland (Handsling Alba Development Road Team), Esther Wong (Shibden Apex RT) and Lulu Bartlett (Team Boompods).
With six riders in the front group, keeping the pace high was challenging, but Gadd had teammate Lucy Harris to help ensure the group kept rolling. Then, on a twisty descent, Gadd went full gas, looked back, and realised she had a 100-metre gap. With 18km to go, she committed fully, time-trialling solo to the finish.
“I know I can TT and maintain a strong pace, so I was pretty confident I could get a gap—I just needed to make sure it was big enough before the final 15-minute climb to the finish,” Gadd said after the race.
She held her advantage all the way to the line, winning by 41 seconds, while Wong, Harris, and Hermolle sprinted in behind, in that order.
Image: Bob MacGregor
With Gadd now in the leader’s jersey, but Hermolle and Harris within 13 seconds om GC, the final stage on Sunday promises an explosive battle for overall victory. Can Gadd defend her lead, or will Hermolle and Harris find a way to take back time? With Wong and Holland still within striking distance, nothing is settled yet in the Peaks 2 Day.
Open race
Stage 1
The Open race began with an aggressive and fast-paced Stage 1, where a high-quality field of 70 riders tackled three laps of the 33.1km Longnor circuit. While the peloton remained together in the early stages, the racing was relentless from the gun, with stage winner Adam Howell (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck) later describing the pace as “super punchy.”
The key move of the day featured a three-man breakaway, with Matt Warhurst (Defined Cycling Team)—a podium finisher in this race last year—teaming up with Sam Walsham (Reflex Nopinz) and Harry Hudson (Harrogate Nova RT). The trio worked well together but never gained a significant advantage, as a strong chase group of six kept them in check.
Rowan Baker on the move. Image: Gary Main
The chasers included Will Truelove (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck), Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli), Josh Housley (Primera-TeamJobs), Rowan Baker (Raptor Factory Racing), Carl Jolly (Schils – Doltcini Racing Team), and Jake Edwards (360cycling).
As the race entered the final lap, a counterattack from the peloton saw Adam Howell (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck), Tom Heal (Raptor Factory Racing), and two other set off to bridge across to the breakaway, which had by then come together. As the pace ramped up into Longnor, Heal and another rider dropped back, while Howell pressed on and caught the leaders.
Sensing an opportunity, Howell launched a decisive attack on the final climb, dropping his rivals and soloing to victory. In a moment of confusion, he crossed the line, unaware that he had won, believing there were still riders ahead.
Adam Howell takes the win. Image: Gary Main
With a 30-second gap over his nearest rivals, Howell now holds the race lead heading into Stage 2, but with the likes of Rowan Baker (Raptor Factory Racing), Harry Hudson (Harrogate Nova RT), and Jake Edwards (360cycling) all level on time behind him, the GC battle remains finely poised with two more stages to come on Sunday.
Results
Provisional results after day one, Saturday 15 March.
The Peaks 2 Day opened with a brutally short yet punishing road bike time trial on the snow-dusted climbs of Longnor, where Elizabeth Hermolle (DAS Hutchinson) set the fastest time of 13:32.
On stage 1 of the open race, new Muc-Off -SRCT – Storck signing Adam Howell took a convincing solo win to take the overnight race lead with two stages remaining.
In the final event of the day, Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) stormed to a convincing stage 2 victory to snatch the overall lead from Hermolle, with just 13 seconds splitting the top three on GC with one stage to go.
2025 Peaks 2 Day | YBC: preview and startlists
Featured image: Gary Main
Report
Women’s race
Stage 1
There was a dusting of snow on the road to greet the riders who made the 9am start for the road bike trial, with temperatures reportedly at 3°C at the time trial start and dropping to -1°C at the elevated finish. The Longnor course was short, at just 5.9km, but packed a punch with 278m of elevation.
Riders were met with short bursts of double-digit gradients almost from the gun, the road rising relentlessly to the finish, with only brief descents offering any respite. A light tailwind assisted the riders, but it did little to offset the sheer brutality of the gradients.
It was Elizabeth Hermolle (DAS Hutchinson) who set the benchmark time midway through the session, stopping the clock at 13:32. Her time held through to the end, securing her the win, the first leader’s jersey of the race and her first National B road race victory.
Lucy Harris (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) finished just two seconds back in 13:34, showing the form that has made her one to watch in 2025. Harris’s teammate Alex Morrice followed in third with a time of 13:57, making it two Smurfit Westrock riders in the top three.
Further down, Madelaine Leech (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) was just two seconds shy of the podium in 13:59, with Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) and Kate Richardson (HESS Cycling Team) rounding out the top six in 14:02 and 14:03 respectively.
With such small time gaps, the final two stages are set up for an explosive battle. Hermolle will be looking to defend her slender lead, but with Harris, Morrice, and Leech all within half a minute, the fight for time bonuses and positioning will be fierce. Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team have the numbers advantage with three riders in the top five.
Stage 2
The peloton set a furious pace in the opening 20km, with attacks flying in all directions. However, a strong headwind meant that riders who could sit in the wheels had a chance to hang on, keeping the group largely intact. The real selection came on the long climb used in the morning time trial, where the pressure ramped up, whittling the field down to around 20 riders.
Approaching the QOM sprint, Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock) made a move to take the points. When she turned around, only five riders remained in contention with her: Gadd’s teammate Lucy Harris, race leader Lizzie Hermolle (DAS-Hutchinson), Arianne Holland (Handsling Alba Development Road Team), Esther Wong (Shibden Apex RT) and Lulu Bartlett (Team Boompods).
With six riders in the front group, keeping the pace high was challenging, but Gadd had teammate Lucy Harris to help ensure the group kept rolling. Then, on a twisty descent, Gadd went full gas, looked back, and realised she had a 100-metre gap. With 18km to go, she committed fully, time-trialling solo to the finish.
“I know I can TT and maintain a strong pace, so I was pretty confident I could get a gap—I just needed to make sure it was big enough before the final 15-minute climb to the finish,” Gadd said after the race.
She held her advantage all the way to the line, winning by 41 seconds, while Wong, Harris, and Hermolle sprinted in behind, in that order.
With Gadd now in the leader’s jersey, but Hermolle and Harris within 13 seconds om GC, the final stage on Sunday promises an explosive battle for overall victory. Can Gadd defend her lead, or will Hermolle and Harris find a way to take back time? With Wong and Holland still within striking distance, nothing is settled yet in the Peaks 2 Day.
Open race
Stage 1
The Open race began with an aggressive and fast-paced Stage 1, where a high-quality field of 70 riders tackled three laps of the 33.1km Longnor circuit. While the peloton remained together in the early stages, the racing was relentless from the gun, with stage winner Adam Howell (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck) later describing the pace as “super punchy.”
The key move of the day featured a three-man breakaway, with Matt Warhurst (Defined Cycling Team)—a podium finisher in this race last year—teaming up with Sam Walsham (Reflex Nopinz) and Harry Hudson (Harrogate Nova RT). The trio worked well together but never gained a significant advantage, as a strong chase group of six kept them in check.
The chasers included Will Truelove (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck), Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli), Josh Housley (Primera-TeamJobs), Rowan Baker (Raptor Factory Racing), Carl Jolly (Schils – Doltcini Racing Team), and Jake Edwards (360cycling).
As the race entered the final lap, a counterattack from the peloton saw Adam Howell (Muc-Off – SRCT – Storck), Tom Heal (Raptor Factory Racing), and two other set off to bridge across to the breakaway, which had by then come together. As the pace ramped up into Longnor, Heal and another rider dropped back, while Howell pressed on and caught the leaders.
Sensing an opportunity, Howell launched a decisive attack on the final climb, dropping his rivals and soloing to victory. In a moment of confusion, he crossed the line, unaware that he had won, believing there were still riders ahead.
With a 30-second gap over his nearest rivals, Howell now holds the race lead heading into Stage 2, but with the likes of Rowan Baker (Raptor Factory Racing), Harry Hudson (Harrogate Nova RT), and Jake Edwards (360cycling) all level on time behind him, the GC battle remains finely poised with two more stages to come on Sunday.
Results
Provisional results after day one, Saturday 15 March.
Women’s race
Stage 1
Stage 2
Team
Team
Team
Team
General classification
Open race
Stage 1
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