In a town famed for its pork pies, it was grit, not gristle, that defined the ninth edition of the ANEXO CAMS Women’s CiCLE Classic. Under grey Leicestershire skies, Lucy Harris delivered a performance to savour, going solo in the closing kilometres to claim her maiden National Road Series victory – and a third consecutive win for her rampant Smurfit Westrock squad this season.
Report
This is a race that has always celebrated the attritional. The 105km route, chopped into three distinct sections, snakes through the punishing farm tracks and gravelled paths that define the British calendar’s closest thing to a Continental classic. With sectors like StaplePark, Manor Farm, and the Somerberg- ridden twice, in both directions – this was a course that demanded both nous and nerve. The forecasted rain fell overnight, soaking the gravel and softening the ground, but a preceding week of dry weather meant the race dodged the worst of the mudbath conditions that have swallowed riders whole in past editions.
The early laps, including the first trip through the labyrinthine lanes of Owston, were controlled but purposeful. Smurfit Westrock were prominent from the gun, with recent Peaks 2 Day GC winner Lucy Gadd setting a tempo that was anything but leisurely. Gadd had company up front from UAE Development Team’s Eilidh Shaw, a model of consistency in the opening phases, and it was Shaw who swept up the first QOM points atop Burrough Berg.
On the first climb of Manor Farm, Arabella Blackburn (Shibden Apex RT) and Jo Tindley (Smurfit Westrock) powered to the fore, the former showing her typical punch on short ramps, the latter anchoring a team whose strength in numbers would prove decisive.
It wasn’t until the third passage of Owston that the race truly fractured. Katie Scott (CJ O’Shea Racing) and Alice McWilliam (Private Member) at the head of a select group of 25. Behind them, the peloton began to disintegrate, the sharp climbs and heavy sectors draining resistance from the legs and organisation from the chase.
By the fourth pass of the village – where the spectators once again brought the atmosphere to life – Tindley surged to claim the Heart of Owston sprint ahead of DAS-Hutchinson’s Lucy Lee. The lead group had swelled to 35, with more red-and-black Smurfit jerseys flooding the front. A second group of 15 hovered a minute behind, but it was clear by now: the winner would come from the front.
The race seemed to be setting up for a reduced bunch sprint. That illusion was shattered on the final lap.
Smurfit Westrock went on the offensive once more. Over the two ascents of the Cuckooberg, the front group became stretched and ragged. By the final sector through StaplePark, Gadd was again driving the pace, leading a leading group of 45. Notably absent by this point were the reigning champion El King (Handsling-Alba Development RT), who was forced to abandon, and Eilidh Shaw, who faded late on after animating the early exchanges.
Inside the final 15 kilometres, Lucy Harris and Holly Ramsey (Hess Cycling Team) chipped off the front, carving out a slender 10-second gap. Within the closing kilometres Harris made her move – dropping Ramsey and surging clear. There was no catching her. By the time she swept into Melton Mowbray, solo and mud-flecked, she had 30 seconds in hand. Despite a brief moment of confusion as she mistakenly headed for the deviation, Harris corrected herself and powered onwards to a victory that marked the biggest result of her young career.
Behind, Alice McWilliam took the sprint for second—a step up from her third-place finish last year – while former winner Neah Evans (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) rounded out the podium. Gadd was rewarded for her day-long aggression with the QOM title.
For Smurfit Westrock, it was a third straight National Road Series win in 2025 – one at each of the North Lincolnshire Classic, the Peaks 2 Day, and now the CiCLE Classic.
For Harris, it was a breakout moment, confirming her place among the peloton’s rising elite on one of the hardest courses in the calendar. She also now leads the National Road Series ahead of Round 2 next month in East Cleveland. And for the race itself, it was another muddy, magnificent chapter in its growing legend.
Results
| Rank | # | Name | Team | Time |
| 1 | 68 | Lucy Harris | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | 2:47:47 |
| 2 | 117 | Alice Mcwilliam | Hess Cycling Team | +25 |
| 3 | 2 | Neah Evans | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 4 | 93 | Holly Ramsey (U23) | Hess Cycling Team | st |
| 5 | 25 | Robyn Clay (U23) | DAS – Hutchinson | st |
| 6 | 73 | Anna Flynn | Spectra Racing | st |
| 7 | 72 | Jo Tindley | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 8 | 85 | Rebecca Gardiner (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | st |
| 9 | 58 | Arabella Blackburn (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | st |
| 10 | 8 | Amelia Tyler (U23) | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 11 | 6 | Beth Morrow | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 12 | 22 | Katie Scott | CJ OShea Racing Team | st |
| 13 | 66 | Bexy Dew | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 14 | 69 | Alex Morrice | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 15 | 32 | Morven Yeoman (U23) | DAS – Hutchinson | st |
| 16 | 120 | Liv Wenzel (U23) | Hess Cycling Team | st |
| 17 | 12 | Lotty Dawson (U23) | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 18 | 71 | Alice Colling (U23) | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 19 | 16 | Amelia Staunton (JR) | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 20 | 5 | Madelaine Leech (U23) | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 21 | 90 | Ella Tandy (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | st |
| 22 | 53 | Elena Day (U23) | Loughborough Lightning | st |
| 23 | 4 | Arianne Holland | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 24 | 60 | Maia Howell (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | st |
| 25 | 67 | Lucy Gadd | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 26 | 28 | Natalie Grinczer | DAS – Hutchinson | st |
| 27 | 110 | Hannah Clough (U23) | University of Nottingham CC | st |
| 28 | 98 | Jennifer Powell | Performance Development Team | st |
| 29 | 62 | Mabli Phillips (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | +31 |
| 30 | 27 | Lucy Lee | DAS – Hutchinson | +32 |
| 31 | 3 | Amy Gornall | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | +45 |
| 32 | 104 | Erin Boothman (JR) | Scotland | +4:52 |
| 33 | 70 | Amelia Cebak (U23) | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | st |
| 34 | 87 | Gabriella McHugh (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | st |
| 35 | 13 | Hope Inglis (U23) | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 36 | 24 | Isabel Mayes (U23) | CJ OShea Racing Team | st |
| 37 | 89 | Aliyah Rafferty (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | st |
| 38 | 11 | Cecilia Hime | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 39 | 10 | Lily Brindle (U23) | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 40 | 100 | Amy Henchoz | st | |
| 41 | 29 | Tamsin Miller | DAS – Hutchinson | st |
| 42 | 9 | Amber Junker-Brameld (U23) | Brother UK – On Form | st |
| 43 | 48 | Grace Sargeant | London Academy | +6:55 |
| 44 | 92 | Millie Salmon (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | +7:08 |
| 45 | 7 | Mari Porton (U23) | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | st |
| 46 | 82 | Rebecca Woodvine (U23) | Team Boompods | +7:10 |
| 47 | 77 | Lulu Bartlett | Team Boompods | st |
| 48 | 23 | Isabel Darvill | CJ OShea Racing Team | +7:14 |
| 49 | 84 | Lidia Cusack (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | +7:28 |
| 50 | 116 | Lucie Lagesse | The Phoenix Collection | +8:11 |
| 51 | 15 | Ayesha Vose (JR) | Brother UK – On Form | +8:13 |
| 52 | 118 | Grace Lister (U23) | Hess Cycling Team | +8:16 |
| 53 | 39 | Kirstie Drakeford | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | st |
| 54 | 81 | Millie Skinner | Team Boompods | +8:30 |
| 55 | 40 | Nicola Greenwood | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | st |
| 56 | 99 | Kim Baptista | Spectra Racing | st |
| 57 | 34 | Ella Brown | FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing | st |
| 58 | 51 | Penny Colloff | Loughborough Lightning | st |
| 59 | 113 | Grace Ward (JR) | Watersley R&D Cycling Team | st |
| 1 | Eluned King | Handsling Alba Development RoadTeam | DNF | |
| 14 | Electra Morris (U23) | Brother UK – On Form | DNF | |
| 18 | Laura Pittard | Central Region | DNF | |
| 19 | Libby Smithson (U23) | Central Region | DNF | |
| 20 | Trhas Teklehaimanot Tesfay | Central Region | DNF | |
| 21 | Tilly McKibben (U23) | CJ OShea Racing Team | DNF | |
| 26 | Elizabeth Hermolle | DAS – Hutchinson | DNF | |
| 30 | Ruby Oakes (U23) | DAS – Hutchinson | DNF | |
| 33 | Anastasia Bowler | FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing | DNF | |
| 35 | Harriet Evans | FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing | DNF | |
| 36 | Sasha Halsey | FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing | DNF | |
| 37 | Rebecca Babbage | FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing | DNF | |
| 38 | Charlotte Deykin | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | DNF | |
| 41 | Isabella Johnson | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | DNF | |
| 42 | Rebekah Nash | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | DNF | |
| 43 | Beth Watson (U23) | Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon | DNF | |
| 44 | Carys Blowers (JR) | Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films | DNF | |
| 45 | Kayla Dinnin (JR) | Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films | DNF | |
| 46 | Megan Lloyd (JR) | Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films | DNF | |
| 47 | Lucy Neatham | London Academy | DNF | |
| 49 | Esme Wiley (U23) | London Academy | DNF | |
| 54 | Georgia Lancaster (U23) | Loughborough Lightning | DNF | |
| 55 | Hannah McClorey (U23) | OShea – Development Team | DNF | |
| 56 | Peggy Simpkins (U23) | OShea – Development Team | DNF | |
| 59 | Aelwen Davies (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | DNF | |
| 61 | Anna Lloyd (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | DNF | |
| 63 | Evie Smith (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | DNF | |
| 64 | Phoebe Taylor (JR) | Shibden Apex RT | DNF | |
| 65 | Sian Botteley | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | DNF | |
| 74 | Jessica Roberts | Spectra Racing | DNF | |
| 76 | Megan Anderson | Team Boompods | DNF | |
| 78 | Hannah Bayes | Team Boompods | DNF | |
| 79 | Katie-Anne Calton (U23) | Team Boompods | DNF | |
| 80 | Sian Marsh | Team Boompods | DNF | |
| 83 | Megan Cherry (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | DNF | |
| 86 | Ruby Isaac (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | DNF | |
| 91 | Daniella Florence Cullum | ATP Performance | DNF | |
| 94 | Kate Richardson | DNF | ||
| 95 | Isabel Wallace (U23) | Mud Dock Racing | DNF | |
| 96 | Elizabeth Wallace (JR) | Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films | DNF | |
| 97 | Ruby Carleton | Loughborough Students CC | DNF | |
| 101 | Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne | Raptor Factory Racing | DNF | |
| 102 | Vivienne Tomlin | DNF | ||
| 103 | Kacey Eyeington (U23) | SCOTT Pioneer DJ | DNF | |
| 105 | Melissa Denman | Stolen Goat Race Team | DNF | |
| 106 | Anna Oxley (U23) | Tactic UK WRT | DNF | |
| 107 | Olivia Gardner | Team V-Sprint Racing | DNF | |
| 108 | Seren Thomas (JR) | Team Wales | DNF | |
| 109 | Eilidh Shaw (U23) | UAE Development Team | DNF | |
| 111 | Florence Lissaman (U23) | University of Nottingham CC | DNF | |
| 112 | Lowri Richards (U23) | Wales Racing Academy | DNF | |
| 114 | Charis Jones | Wightlink CRT | DNF | |
| 115 | Iris Gray (JR) | Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films | DNF | |
| 119 | Poppy Kisley (U23) | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | DNF | |
| 17 | Isabella Boyles (JR) | Central Region | DNS | |
| 31 | Aoife OBrien (U23) | DAS – Hutchinson | DNS | |
| 50 | Eva Callinan (U23) | Loughborough Lightning | DNS | |
| 52 | Jayati Hine | Loughborough Lightning | DNS | |
| 57 | Lindsay Toy (U23) | OShea – Development Team | DNS | |
| 75 | Corinne Side | Spectra Racing | DNS | |
| 88 | Abigail Miller (JR) | Tofauti Everyone Active | DNS |
