The Chitterne Road Race returns after two years with a tough 130km Wiltshire course featuring 1200m of climbing and challenging crosswinds. Clay Davies (Ride Revolution Coaching) and Monte Guerrini (Le Col RT) headline a strong field, promising an exciting battle. Here is our preview.
While the cycling spotlight shines brightly on the East Cleveland Classic and the return of the National Road Series this weekend, another captivating battle unfolds on Saturday afternoon in Wiltshire, 12 April. The Chitterne Road Race makes a return to the calendar for the first time since 2022, providing riders in the Open Category an opportunity for National B glory. Organisers AViD Sport also host a Women’s 3/4 race in the morning.
Featured image: Mark James
What is it?
First held in 2017, the race has a history of producing high-quality winners – Ollie Hucks the last to add his name to a list containing Zeb Kyffin, the 2023 National Road Series champion who now plies his trade as a professional with Unibet-Tietema Rockets, Isaac Munday, Mikey Mottram and Stephen Bradbury.
Route
130km of rolling roads set over 6.75 laps of a 19km course will greet the riders, almost 1200m of elevation gain ensuring an honest winner from the near 60 rider field.
As well as the typical short, and numerous, climbs the typical National B course offers, previous editions of the race have been influenced by the wind cutting across a series of exposed sections. With the south easterly breeze picking up to gusts of 30km/h for the afternoon’s proceedings, the race could follow a familiar pattern.
Riders to watch
Some of the south’s best talent can be found among the 56 rider field, a fascinating team battle in store as Ride Revolution Coaching, Foran CT and Le Col RT all field multiple riders.
Clay Davies at the 2025 Jock Wadley Memorial. Image: Mark James
Clay Davies leads the Ride Revolution Coaching charge as the number one rider in the British Cycling rankings for the previous two seasons. A seasoned winner who continues to find success at National B level, Davies has already crossed the line first in Spain this season, as well as impressing when finishing 5th at the Jock Wadley Memorial in March. Backed up by a strong, and numerous, team which includes Jake Hales and fellow elite license holder Blake Roberts, Davies possesses a fast finish and a reputation for savvy racecraft honed over many years, placing the 32-year-old among the favourites to open his 2025 National B account on Saturday.
Another rider with a fast finish is Monte Guerrini (Le Col RT), who was an early leader of The British ContinentalNational Road Race Rankings after his victory in the Royal Navy Cup in March. He showed his diversity there, winning from the break and followed it up with very impressive performances to take 4th at the Jock Wadley Memorial and 2nd in the Evesham Vale Road Race last month. Returning after almost a month off, it remains to be seen if the art dealer has held his excellent early season form. On the other end of the spectrum is Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz), a hill climb specialist who showed more than just a strong performance on the coastal climb from Oddicombe Beach to finish 6th at the competitive Totnes Vire in Devon last weekend.
Monte Guerrini at the 2025 Jock Wadley Memorial. Image: Mark James
Foran CT have become a major force in National level racing over the past two seasons and send a strong set of riders to the race, former UCI Continental rider Charles Page their best hope of a result. His sole race this season came at the Royal Navy Cup, where he was 3rd behind Guerrini having made the decisive move, and a similar situation is certainly possible here. Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) is another rider who has the potential to make the winning move, having been in good form against the clock recently, notching up wins in CTT competition. Saturday’s race presents an ideal opportunity to transfer that to the National B stage, having already taken a circuit race win last month in Portsmouth. Piers Mahn (Halesowen A&C) is another rider to keep tabs on; his confidence will be sky-high after finishing second overall at the Totnes Vire stage race last weekend.
While the cycling spotlight shines brightly on the East Cleveland Classic and the return of the National Road Series this weekend, another captivating battle unfolds on Saturday afternoon in Wiltshire, 12 April. The Chitterne Road Race makes a return to the calendar for the first time since 2022, providing riders in the Open Category an opportunity for National B glory. Organisers AViD Sport also host a Women’s 3/4 race in the morning.
Featured image: Mark James
What is it?
First held in 2017, the race has a history of producing high-quality winners – Ollie Hucks the last to add his name to a list containing Zeb Kyffin, the 2023 National Road Series champion who now plies his trade as a professional with Unibet-Tietema Rockets, Isaac Munday, Mikey Mottram and Stephen Bradbury.
Route
130km of rolling roads set over 6.75 laps of a 19km course will greet the riders, almost 1200m of elevation gain ensuring an honest winner from the near 60 rider field.
As well as the typical short, and numerous, climbs the typical National B course offers, previous editions of the race have been influenced by the wind cutting across a series of exposed sections. With the south easterly breeze picking up to gusts of 30km/h for the afternoon’s proceedings, the race could follow a familiar pattern.
Riders to watch
Some of the south’s best talent can be found among the 56 rider field, a fascinating team battle in store as Ride Revolution Coaching, Foran CT and Le Col RT all field multiple riders.
Clay Davies leads the Ride Revolution Coaching charge as the number one rider in the British Cycling rankings for the previous two seasons. A seasoned winner who continues to find success at National B level, Davies has already crossed the line first in Spain this season, as well as impressing when finishing 5th at the Jock Wadley Memorial in March. Backed up by a strong, and numerous, team which includes Jake Hales and fellow elite license holder Blake Roberts, Davies possesses a fast finish and a reputation for savvy racecraft honed over many years, placing the 32-year-old among the favourites to open his 2025 National B account on Saturday.
Another rider with a fast finish is Monte Guerrini (Le Col RT), who was an early leader of The British Continental National Road Race Rankings after his victory in the Royal Navy Cup in March. He showed his diversity there, winning from the break and followed it up with very impressive performances to take 4th at the Jock Wadley Memorial and 2nd in the Evesham Vale Road Race last month. Returning after almost a month off, it remains to be seen if the art dealer has held his excellent early season form. On the other end of the spectrum is Ben Millar (Reflex Nopinz), a hill climb specialist who showed more than just a strong performance on the coastal climb from Oddicombe Beach to finish 6th at the competitive Totnes Vire in Devon last weekend.
Foran CT have become a major force in National level racing over the past two seasons and send a strong set of riders to the race, former UCI Continental rider Charles Page their best hope of a result. His sole race this season came at the Royal Navy Cup, where he was 3rd behind Guerrini having made the decisive move, and a similar situation is certainly possible here. Jamie Whitcher (BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE) is another rider who has the potential to make the winning move, having been in good form against the clock recently, notching up wins in CTT competition. Saturday’s race presents an ideal opportunity to transfer that to the National B stage, having already taken a circuit race win last month in Portsmouth. Piers Mahn (Halesowen A&C) is another rider to keep tabs on; his confidence will be sky-high after finishing second overall at the Totnes Vire stage race last weekend.
Provisional startlist
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