The Totnes–Vire stage race returns this weekend (5-6 April), bringing crit speed, hill climb pain, and Dartmoor grit in a compact early-season showdown. We preview the route, highlight the key contenders, and pick out the stage hunters who could steal the show.
A staple of the early-season calendar, the Totnes–Vire Two-Day blends history, variety, and grit in equal measure. Now in its 51st edition, the race serves up three punchy stages across two days—each with its own demands, and each capable of shaping the overall.
The Totnes–Vire Two-Day is one of the longest-running and most cherished stage races on the British domestic calendar. First held in 1973 to mark the twinning of the Devon town of Totnes with Vire in Normandy, the race has become a cornerstone of early-season competition in the South West. Now in its 51st edition, the race continues to be organised by the ever-passionate Mid Devon CC.
Run over two days and three stages, Totnes–Vire is a compact yet demanding test of all-round ability. The format typically includes a fast-paced criterium at the Torbay Velopark, a brutally steep hill climb up the iconic Oddicombe Hill, and a grippy road race through the rugged terrain of Dartmoor. With time bonuses on offer and three very different stages, the general classification remains open until the final kilometres.
The race has long served as a proving ground for emerging talents and a battleground for domestic stalwarts. Previous winners include household names in the UK scene – Matt Holmes, Rory Townsend, Peter Longbottom, James McKay and Cornish legend Steve Lampier among them. Gabe Dellar is the reigning champion and returns to defend his crown.
Route
This year’s edition features three stages set over two days.
Stage 1 | Saturday 5 April | Colin Lewis Velopark Criterium
The race opens with a criterium at the Velopark in Torbay. Beginning at 10.45, the stage will last for 1 hour 20 minutes plus 5 laps.
Once again, there will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders who are lapped will be withdrawn by the commissaries and the rider will incur the following time penalties after approximately 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes of racing:
After 60 minutes – 2 minute penalty
After 45 minutes – 4 minute penalty
After 30 minutes – 6 minute penalty
After 15 minutes – 8 minute penalty
Before 15 minutes – 10 minutes penalty
Stage 2 | Saturday 5 April | Ken’s Oddicombe Hill Climb
A short sharp hill climb greets the riders in the afternoon, a stage reprised from the editions of this race back in the 1980s. Set on Oddicombe Beach, this scenic stage will be the riders test their legs on a closed road on a double-digit gradient stretch from the beach up to Babbacombe Downs Road.
This is a closed road event Riders are off from 15.31 at one minute intervals. This is a closed road event beside the cliff railway; if you are local, this one will be well worth a watch.
Stage 3 | Sunday 6 April | Roy Hopkins Dartmoor View Road Race
The final stage of the Totnes–Vire Two-Day wraps up with a classic Devon test: narrow lanes, rolling countryside, and plenty of chances to turn the race upside down.
Riders roll out from Hatherleigh for what looks, on paper, like a manageable 109 kilometres or so. But as ever, the numbers don’t tell the full story. The stage is built around a mix of two circuits – one large, one small – with some route tweaks that will keep teams on their toes.
The peloton will start with just under two laps of the large circuit, a sweeping loop through Halwill Junction and the surrounding countryside. It’s a rhythm-breaker of a route – rolling terrain, exposed sections, and subtle gradients that favour riders who know how to judge their effort. On the second time around, instead of completing the full lap, the route cuts short at Lamerton Cross, turning onto the smaller Jacobstowe circuit.
The Jacobstowe loop is tighter and shorter – around 12km – and will be tackled one and a half times. It’s more technical here: narrow lanes, sharper corners.
From there, the route heads back towards familiar roads. At Basset’s Cross, riders rejoin part of the large circuit, then turn north for the final run-in back to Hatherleigh. The finish, on the A386, could favour a reduced bunch sprint, a late solo move, or a small group drag race – depending on how the earlier laps unfold.
It’s a well-balanced finale. Long enough to test the legs, technical enough to reward sharp racing minds, and open enough to keep the outcome unpredictable. With GC gaps still likely to be small after the criterium and time trial, expect fireworks – and a deserving winner – by the time the race comes back to where it started.
There will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders to watch
Reigning National Road Series champion George Kimber arrives as arguably the man to beat. The Spirit Racing rider has picked up in 2025 where he left off, out-sprinting elite breakaway company to win the Evesham Vale Road Race, then following up with a solo triumph at the Primavera Pursuit in Devon. Those back-to-back victories – on top of a history-making 2024 campaign – underscore Kimber’s sparkling form. With the hills of Dartmoor and a punchy hill climb on the menu, the former junior hill climb champion looks poised to turn the Totnes–Vire two-day into his personal proving ground.
Yet for all his accolades, Kimber will not have it all his own way on the roads of Devon. Gabe Dellar returns to Totnes–Vire as the defending champion, this time in the colours of Primera-TeamJobs. Dellar stunned the field last year by capturing the overall title by a whisker, and he’s since affirmed his class with a string of National B wins. Now 23, the Sussex native has a savvy race head on young shoulders – expect him to manage the double-stage days with the same calm calculation that earned him victory in 2024.
Kimber wins the Primavera Pursuit. Image: Chris Godfrey
Lining up alongside Dellar is none other than Steve Lampier, whose very name resonates with fans of the British domestic scene. A former winner of this race and a Cornish legend of the peloton, Lampier, now 41, brings decades of experience and a dash of the unpredictable. He’s shown he still has fire in his legs – cracking the top ten in last year’s closing criterium stage – and will be hungry to mentor his young teammate while chasing one last slice of glory on home roads. Together, the Dellar-Lampier duo gives Primera-TeamJobs a potent blend of youthful momentum and seasoned guile – a combination that could prove decisive over the race’s mix of time trialling, climbing, and fast circuit racing.
For pure youthful exuberance, look to riders like Sam Nisbet and Thomas Gardner. Nisbet – part of the Reflex Nopinz setup – announced himself with a runner-up finish in the new Under-23 National Road Series opener, showcasing a sharp turn of speed and race nous beyond his 21 years. Gardner, a University of Exeter student racing on local roads, was in the thick of that same race’s action, animating the breakaway before claiming a fine sixth place. Both will relish the varied challenges Totnes–Vire offers: Nisbet’s early-season results suggest he can power over short climbs and handle a sprint, while Gardner’s showing on the windswept lanes of the Midlands hints at a rider who thrives in tough, gritty races.
Dellar wins stage 2 in last year’s edition. Image: Chris Godfrey
And then there’s 18-year-old Alex Murphy, who has swiftly become StolenGoat’s new prodigy. Still in his teens, Murphy has already cracked the top ten at the hilly Kennel Hill Classic this spring, signalling that he’s unafraid to mix it with the elites. With his StolenGoat team looking to fill the shoes of departed stars, the fearless U23 could find the undulating Devon terrain a canvas for a breakout performance.
Meanwhile, Stephen Swindley embodies the kind of unsung hero that often defines domestic stage races. Racing for Royal Navy Cycling, Swindley balances military duty with pedal power – and he’s been quietly effective. He secured a top ten in the prestigious Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race this March. In last year’s Totnes–Vire, he also snatched a notable sixth place in the fast-and-furious Velopark finale, proving he can hold his own when the pace ramps up.
There are also a number of stage hunters to watch:
The 19-year-old Cornish rider Nick Makin returns as the defending Velopark stage winner. Makin targeted this stage in 2024, breaking away and soloing to victory in the Torbay Velopark finale. Now signed with a Belgian development squad, Hubo-Scott Cycling Team, this is his first race of the year.
Makin on the attack in last year’s race. Image: Martin Smith
Elijah Kwon (Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT) is a diminutive U23 rider with a punchy kick and has been racking up results on the domestic scene this spring. He grabbed a podium spot in the road stage of the Exeter University Stage Race and also notched a strong 4th place at the Royal Navy Cup. Those performances signal both his endurance and fast finish. He’s one of the likely stage 1 sprint challengers.
Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz) is a specialist in short, sharp efforts and one of the top picks for the hill climb. He proved his prowess on this exact climb last year, clocking 2 minutes 1 second to take 3rd on the Oddicombe stage just two seconds off the best time. Millar’s performance in 2024 showed he can thrash himself up a wall-like gradient with the best of them.
A staple of the early-season calendar, the Totnes–Vire Two-Day blends history, variety, and grit in equal measure. Now in its 51st edition, the race serves up three punchy stages across two days—each with its own demands, and each capable of shaping the overall.
Here is our preview.
Featured image: Chris Godfrey
What is it?
The Totnes–Vire Two-Day is one of the longest-running and most cherished stage races on the British domestic calendar. First held in 1973 to mark the twinning of the Devon town of Totnes with Vire in Normandy, the race has become a cornerstone of early-season competition in the South West. Now in its 51st edition, the race continues to be organised by the ever-passionate Mid Devon CC.
Run over two days and three stages, Totnes–Vire is a compact yet demanding test of all-round ability. The format typically includes a fast-paced criterium at the Torbay Velopark, a brutally steep hill climb up the iconic Oddicombe Hill, and a grippy road race through the rugged terrain of Dartmoor. With time bonuses on offer and three very different stages, the general classification remains open until the final kilometres.
The race has long served as a proving ground for emerging talents and a battleground for domestic stalwarts. Previous winners include household names in the UK scene – Matt Holmes, Rory Townsend, Peter Longbottom, James McKay and Cornish legend Steve Lampier among them. Gabe Dellar is the reigning champion and returns to defend his crown.
Route
This year’s edition features three stages set over two days.
Stage 1 | Saturday 5 April | Colin Lewis Velopark Criterium
The race opens with a criterium at the Velopark in Torbay. Beginning at 10.45, the stage will last for 1 hour 20 minutes plus 5 laps.
Once again, there will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders who are lapped will be withdrawn by the commissaries and the rider will incur the following time penalties after approximately 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes of racing:
Stage 2 | Saturday 5 April | Ken’s Oddicombe Hill Climb
A short sharp hill climb greets the riders in the afternoon, a stage reprised from the editions of this race back in the 1980s. Set on Oddicombe Beach, this scenic stage will be the riders test their legs on a closed road on a double-digit gradient stretch from the beach up to Babbacombe Downs Road.
This is a closed road event Riders are off from 15.31 at one minute intervals. This is a closed road event beside the cliff railway; if you are local, this one will be well worth a watch.
Stage 3 | Sunday 6 April | Roy Hopkins Dartmoor View Road Race
The final stage of the Totnes–Vire Two-Day wraps up with a classic Devon test: narrow lanes, rolling countryside, and plenty of chances to turn the race upside down.
Riders roll out from Hatherleigh for what looks, on paper, like a manageable 109 kilometres or so. But as ever, the numbers don’t tell the full story. The stage is built around a mix of two circuits – one large, one small – with some route tweaks that will keep teams on their toes.
The peloton will start with just under two laps of the large circuit, a sweeping loop through Halwill Junction and the surrounding countryside. It’s a rhythm-breaker of a route – rolling terrain, exposed sections, and subtle gradients that favour riders who know how to judge their effort. On the second time around, instead of completing the full lap, the route cuts short at Lamerton Cross, turning onto the smaller Jacobstowe circuit.
The Jacobstowe loop is tighter and shorter – around 12km – and will be tackled one and a half times. It’s more technical here: narrow lanes, sharper corners.
From there, the route heads back towards familiar roads. At Basset’s Cross, riders rejoin part of the large circuit, then turn north for the final run-in back to Hatherleigh. The finish, on the A386, could favour a reduced bunch sprint, a late solo move, or a small group drag race – depending on how the earlier laps unfold.
It’s a well-balanced finale. Long enough to test the legs, technical enough to reward sharp racing minds, and open enough to keep the outcome unpredictable. With GC gaps still likely to be small after the criterium and time trial, expect fireworks – and a deserving winner – by the time the race comes back to where it started.
There will be time bonuses of 15, 10 and 5 seconds respectively for first, second and third at the finish.
Riders to watch
Reigning National Road Series champion George Kimber arrives as arguably the man to beat. The Spirit Racing rider has picked up in 2025 where he left off, out-sprinting elite breakaway company to win the Evesham Vale Road Race, then following up with a solo triumph at the Primavera Pursuit in Devon. Those back-to-back victories – on top of a history-making 2024 campaign – underscore Kimber’s sparkling form. With the hills of Dartmoor and a punchy hill climb on the menu, the former junior hill climb champion looks poised to turn the Totnes–Vire two-day into his personal proving ground.
Yet for all his accolades, Kimber will not have it all his own way on the roads of Devon. Gabe Dellar returns to Totnes–Vire as the defending champion, this time in the colours of Primera-TeamJobs. Dellar stunned the field last year by capturing the overall title by a whisker, and he’s since affirmed his class with a string of National B wins. Now 23, the Sussex native has a savvy race head on young shoulders – expect him to manage the double-stage days with the same calm calculation that earned him victory in 2024.
Lining up alongside Dellar is none other than Steve Lampier, whose very name resonates with fans of the British domestic scene. A former winner of this race and a Cornish legend of the peloton, Lampier, now 41, brings decades of experience and a dash of the unpredictable. He’s shown he still has fire in his legs – cracking the top ten in last year’s closing criterium stage – and will be hungry to mentor his young teammate while chasing one last slice of glory on home roads. Together, the Dellar-Lampier duo gives Primera-TeamJobs a potent blend of youthful momentum and seasoned guile – a combination that could prove decisive over the race’s mix of time trialling, climbing, and fast circuit racing.
For pure youthful exuberance, look to riders like Sam Nisbet and Thomas Gardner. Nisbet – part of the Reflex Nopinz setup – announced himself with a runner-up finish in the new Under-23 National Road Series opener, showcasing a sharp turn of speed and race nous beyond his 21 years. Gardner, a University of Exeter student racing on local roads, was in the thick of that same race’s action, animating the breakaway before claiming a fine sixth place. Both will relish the varied challenges Totnes–Vire offers: Nisbet’s early-season results suggest he can power over short climbs and handle a sprint, while Gardner’s showing on the windswept lanes of the Midlands hints at a rider who thrives in tough, gritty races.
And then there’s 18-year-old Alex Murphy, who has swiftly become StolenGoat’s new prodigy. Still in his teens, Murphy has already cracked the top ten at the hilly Kennel Hill Classic this spring, signalling that he’s unafraid to mix it with the elites. With his StolenGoat team looking to fill the shoes of departed stars, the fearless U23 could find the undulating Devon terrain a canvas for a breakout performance.
Meanwhile, Stephen Swindley embodies the kind of unsung hero that often defines domestic stage races. Racing for Royal Navy Cycling, Swindley balances military duty with pedal power – and he’s been quietly effective. He secured a top ten in the prestigious Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race this March. In last year’s Totnes–Vire, he also snatched a notable sixth place in the fast-and-furious Velopark finale, proving he can hold his own when the pace ramps up.
There are also a number of stage hunters to watch:
The 19-year-old Cornish rider Nick Makin returns as the defending Velopark stage winner. Makin targeted this stage in 2024, breaking away and soloing to victory in the Torbay Velopark finale. Now signed with a Belgian development squad, Hubo-Scott Cycling Team, this is his first race of the year.
Elijah Kwon (Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT) is a diminutive U23 rider with a punchy kick and has been racking up results on the domestic scene this spring. He grabbed a podium spot in the road stage of the Exeter University Stage Race and also notched a strong 4th place at the Royal Navy Cup. Those performances signal both his endurance and fast finish. He’s one of the likely stage 1 sprint challengers.
Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz) is a specialist in short, sharp efforts and one of the top picks for the hill climb. He proved his prowess on this exact climb last year, clocking 2 minutes 1 second to take 3rd on the Oddicombe stage just two seconds off the best time. Millar’s performance in 2024 showed he can thrash himself up a wall-like gradient with the best of them.
Provisional startlist
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