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

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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

Pos	Name	Team	Time	Time Gap	Bib
1	Elizabeth Hermolle	DAS-Hutchinson	13:32:00	0:00:00	20
2	Lucy Harris	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	13:34:00	0:02:00	19
3	Alex Morrice	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	13:57:00	0:25:00	31
4	Madelaine Leech	Handsling Alba Development Team	13:59:00	0:27:00	26
5	Lucy Gadd	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	14:02:00	0:30:00	14
6	Kate Richardson	Hess Cycling Team	14:03:00	0:31:00	42
7	Lulu Bartlett	Team Boompods	14:06:00	0:34:00	2
8	Arianne Holland	Handsling Alba Development Team	14:09:00	0:37:00	22
8	Esther Wong	Shibden Apex RT	14:09:00	0:37:00	50
10	Holly Ramsey	Hess Cycling Team	14:10:00	0:38:00	40
11	Mabli Phillips	Shibden Apex RT	14:12:00	0:40:00	36
12	Ruby Oakes	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	14:19:00	0:47:00	33
13	Amelia Tyler	Handsling Alba Development Team	14:23:00	0:51:00	48
14	Lucy Ellmore	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	14:24:00	0:52:00	12
15	Nicola Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	14:27:00	0:55:00	17
16	Annabel Ramsay	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	14:28:00	0:56:00	38
17	Hannah Clough	University of Nottingham CC	14:34:00	1:02:00	6
18	Melissa Denman	Stolen Goat Race Team	14:39:00	1:07:00	10
19	Madeline Cooper	Montezuma’s Eventrex Race Team	14:40:00	1:08:00	8
20	Sophie Rotheram	Team FTP Fusion	14:41:00	1:09:00	41
21	Cecilia Hime	Brother UK – On Form	14:44:00	1:12:00	21
22	Ruby Blanc	360cycling	14:49:00	1:17:00	3
23	Lotty Dawson	Brother UK – On Form	14:50:00	1:18:00	9
24	Matilda McKibben	CJ O’Shea Racing Team	14:58:00	1:26:00	30
25	Ruby Isaac	Tofauti Everyone Active	15:02:00	1:30:00	23
26	Charlotte Deykin	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	15:08:00	1:36:00	11
26	Rachel Galler	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	15:08:00	1:36:00	15
26	Clare Parkin	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	15:08:00	1:36:00	35
29	Robyn Clay	DAS-Hutchinson	15:11:00	1:39:00	5
30	Millie Skinner	Team Boompods	15:14:00	1:42:00	46
31	Ayesha Vose	Brother UK – On Form	15:16:00	1:44:00	49
32	Alice Colling	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	15:22:00	1:50:00	7
32	Isabel Mayes	CJ O’Shea Racing Team	15:22:00	1:50:00	28
34	Lucy Neatham	London Academy	15:24:00	1:52:00	32
35	Kacey Eyeington	SCOTT Pioneer DJ	15:32:00	2:00:00	13
36	Mari Porton	Handsling Alba Development Team	15:36:00	2:04:00	39
37	Rosie Simmons	Brother UK – On Form	15:46:00	2:14:00	45
38	Ruby Carleton	Loughborough Students CC	15:56:00	2:24:00	4
39	Seren Thomas	Tofauti Everyone Active	16:02:00	2:30:00	47
40	Anna Lloyd	Shibden Apex RT	16:33:00	3:01:00	27
41	Olivia Gardner	Team V-Sprint Racing	16:34:00	3:02:00	16
42	Kim Baptista	Spectra Racing	16:37:00	3:05:00	1
43	Helena Shapton	Brother UK – On Form	16:38:00	3:06:00	43
44	Katherine Handy	Valley Striders CC	16:41:00	3:09:00	18
45	Anna Oxley	Tactic UK WRT	20:22:00	6:50:00	34
DNS	Eluned King	Handsling Alba Development Team			24
DNS	Lucy Lee	DAS-Hutchinson			25
DNS	Tamsin Miller	DAS-Hutchinson			29
DNS	Abi Plowman	Handsling Alba Development Team			37
DNS	Corinne Side	Spectra Racing p/b DAS			44
DNS	Morven Yeoman	DAS-Hutchinson			51

Stage 2

Pos	Name	Team	Time	Time Gap	Bib
1	Lucy Gadd	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	1:56:08	0:00:00	14
2	Esther Wong	Shibden Apex RT	1:56:49	0:00:41	50
3	Lucy Harris	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	1:56:49	0:00:41	19
4	Elizabeth Hermolle	DAS-Hutchinson	1:56:49	0:00:41	20
5	Arianne Holland	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	1:57:23	0:01:15	22
6	Holly Ramsey	Hess Cycling Team	1:59:16	0:03:08	40
7	Ruby Oakes	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	1:59:16	0:03:08	33
8	Lucy Ellmore	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	1:59:16	0:03:08	12
9	Lulu Bartlett	Team Boompods	1:59:16	0:03:08	2
10	Cecilia Hime	Brother UK – On Form	1:59:21	0:03:13	21
11	Mabli Phillips	Shibden Apex RT	2:01:37	0:05:29	36
12	Madelaine Leech	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:01:42	0:05:34	26
13	Annabel Ramsay	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:01:42	0:05:34	38
14	Alex Morrice	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:01:47	0:05:39	31
15	Rachel Galler	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:01:47	0:05:39	15
16	Amelia Tyler	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:01:47	0:05:39	48
17	Lotty Dawson	Brother UK – On Form	2:01:47	0:05:39	9
18	Hannah Clough	University of Nottingham CC	2:01:47	0:05:39	6
19	Ruby Blanc	360cycling	2:01:47	0:05:39	3
20	Kate Richardson	Hess Cycling Team	2:02:21	0:06:13	42
21	Robyn Clay	DAS-Hutchinson	2:02:21	0:06:13	5
22	Madeline Cooper	Montezuma’s Eventrex Race Team	2:02:21	0:06:13	8
23	Ayesha Vose	Brother UK – On Form	2:02:21	0:06:13	49
24	Nicola Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	2:02:21	0:06:13	17
25	Alice Colling	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:02:21	0:06:13	7
26	Charlotte Deykin	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	2:03:00	0:06:52	11
27	Melissa Denman	Stolen Goat Race Team	2:04:26	0:08:18	10
28	Clare Parkin	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:04:56	0:08:48	35
29	Anna Lloyd	Shibden Apex RT	2:05:21	0:09:13	27
30	Mari Porton	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:05:21	0:09:13	39
31	Seren Thomas	Tofauti Everyone Active	2:06:37	0:10:29	47
32	Sophie Rotheram	Team FTP Fusion	2:08:42	0:12:34	41
33	Millie Skinner	Team Boompods	2:08:55	0:12:47	46
34	Isabel Mayes	CJ O’Shea Racing Team	2:09:32	0:13:24	28
35	Ruby Isaac	Tofauti Everyone Active	2:09:37	0:13:29	23
36	Rosie Simmons	Brother UK – On Form	2:09:53	0:13:45	45
37	Lucy Neatham	London Academy	2:10:54	0:14:46	32
38	Kacey Eyeington	SCOTT Pioneer DJ	2:17:55	0:21:47	13
39	Katherine Handy	Valley Striders CC	2:18:17	0:22:09	18
40	Olivia Gardner	Team V-Sprint Racing	2:19:38	0:23:30	16
DNF	Kim Baptista	Spectra Racing			1
DNF	Ruby Carleton	Loughborough Students CC			4
DNF	Matilda McKibben	CJ O’Shea Racing Team			30
DNF	Anna Oxley	Tactic UK WRT			34
DNF	Helena Shapton	Brother UK – On Form			43

General classification

Pos	Name	Team	Time	Time Gap	Bib
1	Lucy Gadd	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:10:10	0:00:00	14
2	Elizabeth Hermolle	DAS-Hutchinson	2:10:21	0:00:11	20
3	Lucy Harris	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:10:23	0:00:13	19
4	Esther Wong	Shibden Apex RT	2:10:58	0:00:48	50
5	Arianne Holland	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:11:32	0:01:22	22
6	Lulu Bartlett	Team Boompods	2:13:22	0:03:12	2
7	Holly Ramsey	Hess Cycling Team	2:13:26	0:03:16	40
8	Ruby Oakes	DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK	2:13:35	0:03:25	33
9	Lucy Ellmore	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:13:40	0:03:30	12
10	Cecilia Hime	Brother UK – On Form	2:14:05	0:03:55	21
11	Madelaine Leech	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:15:41	0:05:31	26
12	Alex Morrice	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:15:44	0:05:34	31
13	Mabli Phillips	Shibden Apex RT	2:15:49	0:05:39	36
14	Amelia Tyler	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:16:10	0:06:00	48
15	Annabel Ramsay	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:16:10	0:06:00	38
16	Hannah Clough	University of Nottingham CC	2:16:21	0:06:11	6
17	Kate Richardson	Hess Cycling Team	2:16:24	0:06:14	42
18	Ruby Blanc	360cycling	2:16:36	0:06:26	3
19	Lotty Dawson	Brother UK – On Form	2:16:37	0:06:27	9
20	Nicola Greenwood	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	2:16:48	0:06:38	17
21	Rachel Galler	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:16:55	0:06:45	15
22	Madeline Cooper	Montezuma’s Eventrex Race Team	2:17:01	0:06:51	8
23	Robyn Clay	DAS-Hutchinson	2:17:32	0:07:22	5
24	Ayesha Vose	Brother UK – On Form	2:17:37	0:07:27	49
25	Alice Colling	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	2:17:43	0:07:33	7
26	Charlotte Deykin	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	2:18:08	0:07:58	11
27	Melissa Denman	Stolen Goat Race Team	2:19:05	0:08:55	10
28	Clare Parkin	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	2:20:04	0:09:54	35
29	Mari Porton	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	2:20:57	0:10:47	39
30	Anna Lloyd	Shibden Apex RT	2:21:54	0:11:44	27
31	Seren Thomas	Tofauti Everyone Active	2:22:39	0:12:29	47
32	Sophie Rotheram	Team FTP Fusion	2:23:23	0:13:13	41
33	Millie Skinner	Team Boompods	2:24:09	0:13:59	46
34	Ruby Isaac	Tofauti Everyone Active	2:24:39	0:14:29	23
35	Isabel Mayes	CJ O’Shea Racing Team	2:24:54	0:14:44	28
36	Rosie Simmons	Brother UK – On Form	2:25:39	0:15:29	45
37	Lucy Neatham	London Academy	2:26:18	0:16:08	32
38	Kacey Eyeington	SCOTT Pioneer DJ	2:33:27	0:23:17	13
39	Katherine Handy	Valley Striders CC	2:34:58	0:24:48	18
40	Olivia Gardner	Team V-Sprint Racing	2:36:12	0:26:02	16

Open race 

Stage 1

Pos	Name	Team	Time	Time Gap	Bib
1	Adam Howell	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	2:30:08	0:00:00	32
2	Rowan Baker	Raptor Factory Racing	2:30:38	0:00:30	4
3	Harry Hudson	Harrogate Nova Race Team	2:30:38	0:00:30	33
4	Jake Edwards	360cycling	2:30:38	0:00:30	20
5	William Truelove	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	2:30:38	0:00:30	73
6	Carl Jolly	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	2:30:50	0:00:42	79
7	Sam Walsham	Reflex Nopinz	2:30:53	0:00:45	74
8	Josh Housley	Primera-TeamJobs	2:30:56	0:00:48	31
9	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:31:12	0:01:04	3
10	Tom Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:31:17	0:01:09	44
11	Matthew Warhurst	Defined Cycling Team	2:31:30	0:01:22	75
12	George Peden	Team PB Performance	2:31:41	0:01:33	53
13	Max Bufton	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:31:57	0:01:49	8
14	Thomas Heal	Raptor Factory Racing	2:31:57	0:01:49	29
15	Oliver Sergeant	Prologue Racing Team	2:32:22	0:02:14	63
16	Ben Etherington	360cycling	2:32:28	0:02:20	23
17	William Taylor	Moonglu SpatzWear	2:32:49	0:02:41	70
18	Alex Franks	Raptor Factory Racing	2:32:49	0:02:41	27
19	James Ingham	Prologue Racing Team	2:32:49	0:02:41	34
20	Archie Cross	Schils –  Doltcini Racing Team	2:32:49	0:02:41	13
21	James McKay	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:33:12	0:03:04	46
22	Dylan Hicks	Raptor Factory Racing	2:33:12	0:03:04	30
23	Caleb Pain	Ride Revolution Coaching	2:33:17	0:03:09	51
24	Alex Pickering	Ride Revolution Coaching	2:33:17	0:03:09	56
25	Cai Davies	DAS Richardsons	2:33:17	0:03:09	18
26	Bradley Symonds	Raptor Factory Racing	2:33:46	0:03:38	68
27	Cai Curtis-Roberts	360cycling	2:33:55	0:03:47	16
28	Harry Macfarlane	TAAP Kalas	2:33:55	0:03:47	41
29	Dexter Leeming-Sykes	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	2:33:55	0:03:47	39
30	Michael Chadwick	Doncaster Whls CC	2:34:07	0:03:59	10
31	Zak Machin	BCC Race Team	2:35:23	0:05:15	42
32	Callum Salisbury	Cycling Club Isle of Man	2:36:53	0:06:45	60
33	Jude Taylor	Team PB Performance	2:38:05	0:07:57	71
34	Isaac Oliver	Harrogate Nova Race Team	2:38:05	0:07:57	49
35	Oliver Snodden	SN Vitae Huub p/b BimBam Coaching	2:38:05	0:07:57	65
36	William Perrett	DAS Richardsons	2:38:05	0:07:57	54
37	James Beagley	Prologue Racing Team	2:39:00	0:08:52	6
38	Rowan Baxter	Shibden Cycling Club	2:39:00	0:08:52	5
39	Ben Mewes	Moonglu SpatzWear	2:39:41	0:09:33	45
40	Sam Llewelyn	Team PB Performance	2:41:48	0:11:40	40
41	William Jeffery	Zappi Racing Team	2:41:48	0:11:40	2
42	Matthew Ellmore	Schils –  Doltcini Racing Team	2:43:11	0:13:03	22
43	Joe Watkins-Wilson	Cheshire Clarion	2:43:11	0:13:03	77
44	Zack Miles	BCC Race Team	2:43:11	0:13:03	47
45	Ben Pease	Moonglu SpatzWear	2:43:11	0:13:03	52
46	Magnus Denwood	Harrogate Nova Race Team	2:43:11	0:13:03	19
47	Jack Sutton	Optimum Coaching	2:43:17	0:13:09	15
48	Sam Chaplin	Cycling Sheffield	2:43:17	0:13:09	11
49	William Pollard	Team PB Performance	2:43:44	0:13:36	58
50	Matthew Leach	Addform – Vive le Velo	2:43:54	0:13:46	37
51	Joe Adlam-Cook	Ride Revolution Coaching	2:44:15	0:14:07	1
52	Tobias Edwards	Team Lifting Gear Products	2:44:15	0:14:07	21
53	James Sawyers	Cycling Sheffield	2:44:34	0:14:26	61
54	Alexander Foster	Cycling Sheffield	2:44:55	0:14:47	26
55	Ryan Williams	Cycling Sheffield	2:44:55	0:14:47	78
56	Nathan Smith	Cycling Sheffield	2:44:55	0:14:47	64
57	James Lee	Doncaster Whls CC	2:45:28	0:15:20	38
58	George Cottrell	University of Nottingham CC	2:45:32	0:15:24	14
59	Matthew Brown	University of Nottingham CC	2:46:31	0:16:23	7
60	Reuben Orr	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	2:50:11	0:20:03	50
61	Barnabas Pickford	University of Nottingham CC	2:53:18	0:23:10	57
62	Carl Stubbs	Moonglu SpatzWear	2:53:26	0:23:18	67
63	Edward Charles	University of Nottingham CC	2:53:26	0:23:18	12
64	Ivan Sorby	Utmost-Mezzo IOM Junior Cycling	2:53:26	0:23:18	66
65	Oscar Saxton	Huddersfield Star Wheelers	2:53:26	0:23:18	62
66	Jake Jackson	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	2:53:59	0:23:51	35
67	George Watch	Team PB Performance	2:57:02	0:26:54	76
68	Samuel Taylor	Harrogate Nova Race Team	2:58:14	0:28:06	69
69	Andrew Nichols	Team Lifting Gear Products	3:00:07	0:29:59	48
70	George Safranauskas	360cycling	3:00:19	0:30:11	59
DNF	Toby Bush	Beeston RC			9
DNF	Casper Brazier	Primera-TeamJobs			17
DNF	Michael Faid	Cycling Club Isle of Man			24
DNF	Elliot Fraser	360cycling			28
DNF	Daniel Kemp	Prologue Racing Team			36
DNF	Olivier Mangham	DAS Richardsons			43
DNF	Jamie Philpott	Moonglu SpatzWear			55
DNF	Lewis Tinsley	BCC Race Team			72