2025 PNE National B Road Race: preview and startlist
The PNE National B Road Race returns this Saturday (19 Apri)l set against the picturesque yet demanding backdrop of the South Downs National Park near Winchester.
The PNE National B Road Race returns this Saturday set against the picturesque yet demanding backdrop of the South Downs National Park near Winchester. With reigning champion Alex Richardson having retired, the field is wide open for a new winner in 2025, further intensified by the inclusion of the South & South West Senior Open Regional Road Race Championships.
The PNE National B Road Race, promoted by the venerable Portsmouth North End Cycling Club, returns this year as one of the early-season highlights in the UK’s domestic racing calendar. Set against the picturesque yet testing backdrop of the South Downs National Park near Winchester, the event consistently draws a highly competitive field comprising elite, first, second, and third-category riders.
Alex Richardson has dominated the last three editions, but with his recent retirement from racing, the door is wide open for a new champion to emerge in 2025.
This year’s edition holds additional prestige as it incorporates the South & South West Senior Open Regional Road Race Championships, ensuring an even more determined peloton and intensifying the competition among the best regional talent.
Route
Spanning 130 kilometres, the PNE National B Road Race comprises 10.5 laps around a rolling 12.9km circuit in the scenic yet demanding terrain of the South Downs.
The action commences with a neutralised rollout from the race headquarters at Owslebury Parish Hall, heading along Longwood Road towards the junction with Belmore Lane. Turning right here, the peloton quickly encounters the circuit’s varied topography. After negotiating the undulating profile along Belmore Lane, riders swing left onto Salt Lane, facing a steady ascent that culminates with the race’s finish line adjacent to the Milbury’s pub crossroads. The first passage here marks the start of the race proper.
Once across the finish line, riders immediately turn left at the crossroads, descending rapidly before confronting another short, sharp climb as they approach the junction with Longwood Road. A swift left turn then sets riders on a fast, twisting descent back down Longwood Road, returning to the circuit entry at Belmore Lane to begin another loop.
With each lap containing approximately 223 metres of climbing, the cumulative elevation gain becomes significant as fatigue accumulates through repetitive ascents and relentless tempo. While the route lacks a single, decisive climb, it is the relentless, attritional nature of the circuit that steadily wears riders down over the course of the race.
The final rise on Salt Lane, up to the finish line, may not rival iconic British climbs such as Holme Moss, but after ten laps, this concluding incline is steep and challenging enough to ensure a decisive selection and an explosive finale.
Riders to watch
Ed Morgan (MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK) arrives at Winchester carrying impressive early-season credentials, having consistently delivered strong performances. His podium finish at the challenging Portsdown Classic and subsequent second place at the Danum Trophy underscore his adaptability and current form. Known for his assertive racing style and powerful finishing kick, Morgan won’t shy away from taking the race by the scruff of the neck.
Vaughan wins the 2025 Jock Wadley. Image: Mark James
One rider who knows precisely how to win big on challenging circuits is Jacob Vaughan (VC Londres). Fresh from a second successive triumph at the revered Jock Wadley Memorial, Vaughan is flying, his instinctive race craft matched only by his ruthless finishing speed. With a nose for pivotal moments and the legs to back it up, Vaughan is certain to play a crucial role, especially if the race splinters into a select group late on.
Local favourite Jordan Giles (DAS–Richardsons) has already put his mark on the 2025 campaign, taking a stellar solo victory at the Portsdown Classic. His strength on rolling terrain and uphill finishes makes him an obvious protagonist on Winchester’s undulating course. The breakaway specialist will hope to seize any opportunity to repeat his early-season heroics on familiar Hampshire roads.
Jordan Giles at the 2025 Jock Wadley. Image: Mark James
Primera-TeamJobs fields a potent duo, led by Josh Housley, who has blossomed into one of this season’s standout domestic performers. His recent Capenwray Road Race win and top-ten finish at the elite East Cleveland Classic have confirmed his arrival as a genuine contender in any race he enters. Alongside him, teammate Gabriel Dellar, the 2024 Totnes-Vire champion, excels when races become attritional and selective. Should the Winchester circuit prove demanding enough to thin the field, Dellar’s relentless style and impressive stamina could well bring Primera a double-pronged challenge.
The Raptor Factory Racing duo, Dylan Hicks and Tom Heal, offer an intriguing balance of youthful ambition and seasoned wisdom. Hicks, with his experience on the international UCI stage, is perfectly suited to dynamic, punchy courses like Winchester’s, while Heal, a relative veteran with numerous high-level wins, will look to leverage his tactical acumen in a race that could become increasingly tactical as the miles tick by.
Tom Heal (left) and Dylan Hicks (right). Image: Mark James
Thomas Gardner (University of Exeter CC) is rapidly emerging as an under-23 talent to watch this season. After quietly building experience last year, he’s exploded into life in 2025, currently sitting 14th in the national rankings thanks to a string of impressive rides. His standout results include 4th overall at the Totnes-Vire two-day stage race and 6th in the PB Performance Espoirs Road Race, the opening round of the National U23 Series, underlining his ability on tough, selective courses.
Charlie Genner (Telco’m – On Clima – Osés) brings a fascinating narrative of independence and grit. His long-range victory at the Chitterne Road Race last weekend highlighted a willingness to gamble, while before that he has a solid start to the season racing in Spain.
Finally, representing the Royal Navy, Stephen Swindley adds depth and resilience to the lineup. A stalwart of the armed forces cycling scene, Swindley’s disciplined approach and robust form – highlighted by a notable top-ten at the Jock Wadley Memorial – position him as a strong contender, particularly if the race breaks apart and demands sustained effort and strategic savvy.
The PNE National B Road Race returns this Saturday set against the picturesque yet demanding backdrop of the South Downs National Park near Winchester. With reigning champion Alex Richardson having retired, the field is wide open for a new winner in 2025, further intensified by the inclusion of the South & South West Senior Open Regional Road Race Championships.
Here is our preview.
Featured image: Pitchside Photography
What is it?
The PNE National B Road Race, promoted by the venerable Portsmouth North End Cycling Club, returns this year as one of the early-season highlights in the UK’s domestic racing calendar. Set against the picturesque yet testing backdrop of the South Downs National Park near Winchester, the event consistently draws a highly competitive field comprising elite, first, second, and third-category riders.
Alex Richardson has dominated the last three editions, but with his recent retirement from racing, the door is wide open for a new champion to emerge in 2025.
This year’s edition holds additional prestige as it incorporates the South & South West Senior Open Regional Road Race Championships, ensuring an even more determined peloton and intensifying the competition among the best regional talent.
Route
Spanning 130 kilometres, the PNE National B Road Race comprises 10.5 laps around a rolling 12.9km circuit in the scenic yet demanding terrain of the South Downs.
The action commences with a neutralised rollout from the race headquarters at Owslebury Parish Hall, heading along Longwood Road towards the junction with Belmore Lane. Turning right here, the peloton quickly encounters the circuit’s varied topography. After negotiating the undulating profile along Belmore Lane, riders swing left onto Salt Lane, facing a steady ascent that culminates with the race’s finish line adjacent to the Milbury’s pub crossroads. The first passage here marks the start of the race proper.
Once across the finish line, riders immediately turn left at the crossroads, descending rapidly before confronting another short, sharp climb as they approach the junction with Longwood Road. A swift left turn then sets riders on a fast, twisting descent back down Longwood Road, returning to the circuit entry at Belmore Lane to begin another loop.
With each lap containing approximately 223 metres of climbing, the cumulative elevation gain becomes significant as fatigue accumulates through repetitive ascents and relentless tempo. While the route lacks a single, decisive climb, it is the relentless, attritional nature of the circuit that steadily wears riders down over the course of the race.
The final rise on Salt Lane, up to the finish line, may not rival iconic British climbs such as Holme Moss, but after ten laps, this concluding incline is steep and challenging enough to ensure a decisive selection and an explosive finale.
Riders to watch
Ed Morgan (MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK) arrives at Winchester carrying impressive early-season credentials, having consistently delivered strong performances. His podium finish at the challenging Portsdown Classic and subsequent second place at the Danum Trophy underscore his adaptability and current form. Known for his assertive racing style and powerful finishing kick, Morgan won’t shy away from taking the race by the scruff of the neck.
One rider who knows precisely how to win big on challenging circuits is Jacob Vaughan (VC Londres). Fresh from a second successive triumph at the revered Jock Wadley Memorial, Vaughan is flying, his instinctive race craft matched only by his ruthless finishing speed. With a nose for pivotal moments and the legs to back it up, Vaughan is certain to play a crucial role, especially if the race splinters into a select group late on.
Local favourite Jordan Giles (DAS–Richardsons) has already put his mark on the 2025 campaign, taking a stellar solo victory at the Portsdown Classic. His strength on rolling terrain and uphill finishes makes him an obvious protagonist on Winchester’s undulating course. The breakaway specialist will hope to seize any opportunity to repeat his early-season heroics on familiar Hampshire roads.
Primera-TeamJobs fields a potent duo, led by Josh Housley, who has blossomed into one of this season’s standout domestic performers. His recent Capenwray Road Race win and top-ten finish at the elite East Cleveland Classic have confirmed his arrival as a genuine contender in any race he enters. Alongside him, teammate Gabriel Dellar, the 2024 Totnes-Vire champion, excels when races become attritional and selective. Should the Winchester circuit prove demanding enough to thin the field, Dellar’s relentless style and impressive stamina could well bring Primera a double-pronged challenge.
The Raptor Factory Racing duo, Dylan Hicks and Tom Heal, offer an intriguing balance of youthful ambition and seasoned wisdom. Hicks, with his experience on the international UCI stage, is perfectly suited to dynamic, punchy courses like Winchester’s, while Heal, a relative veteran with numerous high-level wins, will look to leverage his tactical acumen in a race that could become increasingly tactical as the miles tick by.
Thomas Gardner (University of Exeter CC) is rapidly emerging as an under-23 talent to watch this season. After quietly building experience last year, he’s exploded into life in 2025, currently sitting 14th in the national rankings thanks to a string of impressive rides. His standout results include 4th overall at the Totnes-Vire two-day stage race and 6th in the PB Performance Espoirs Road Race, the opening round of the National U23 Series, underlining his ability on tough, selective courses.
Charlie Genner (Telco’m – On Clima – Osés) brings a fascinating narrative of independence and grit. His long-range victory at the Chitterne Road Race last weekend highlighted a willingness to gamble, while before that he has a solid start to the season racing in Spain.
Finally, representing the Royal Navy, Stephen Swindley adds depth and resilience to the lineup. A stalwart of the armed forces cycling scene, Swindley’s disciplined approach and robust form – highlighted by a notable top-ten at the Jock Wadley Memorial – position him as a strong contender, particularly if the race breaks apart and demands sustained effort and strategic savvy.
Provisional startlist
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