The 2025 London Dynamo Road Race returns this Sunday with added prestige, serving as the regional championships for the South East, Central, and Eastern regions. With a rolling 21 km circuit, punchy climbs, and uphill finishes on Holmsted Hill, both the open and women’s races promise fast, aggressive racing.
Regional titles, medals, and National Championship qualification are all on the line, drawing a strong field of National B regulars, rising talents, and in-form hitters.
Here is our preview.
What is it?
The London Dynamo Road Race (inc. Regional Championships) is a National-B event promoted by London Dynamo that doubles as the 2025 divisional title-race for several regions. One open and one women’s race are run on the hilly Staplefield circuit, but each crowns separate champions:
- Open race: South-East and Central regional titles
- Women’s race: South-East, Central and Eastern regional titles
Each champion also secures an automatic spot on the start-line for the British National Road Championships later in June.
Route
The London Dynamo Road Race takes place on the Staplefield circuit, an anti-clockwise loop of roughly 21 km that twists around the Sussex lanes between Handcross, Balcombe and Cuckfield. Riders roll out from Handcross Village Hall before racing goes live on the B2114. From there, each lap follows the B-roads south through Staplefield and Slough Green, sweeps left at Whitemans Green, and heads north on Brook Street and the long drag of the B2036 London Road past Balcombe. A final left turn onto the B2110 carries the bunch back towards Handcross to complete the lap.
Although the profile never climbs high, it is rarely flat. The exposed run along London Road invites cross-wind echelons, while the narrow, twisting Brook Street punishes poor positioning. The decisive feature is Holmstead Hill: a 600-metre rise that tops out at 7–8 % and hosts the finish line on the B2114 at Slough Green. With six laps (≈ 126 km) scheduled for the open race and four laps for the women (≈ 84 km), riders will tackle Holmstead Hill again and again; by the final ascent only the strongest legs—and the sharpest timing—will remain in contention.
Traffic can be heavy through Balcombe village, so bunch concentration is vital, and the narrow junctions at Whitemans Green and the B2110 demand clean lines from breakaway and chase alike.
Riders to watch
Open race
A season-opening victory at the Portsdown Classic showed Jordan Giles’s knack for timing an attack on a steep finale, and the DAS-Richardsons rider has since impressed with further top tens and regular appearances in breakaways, most recently in the notoriously tough Rás Tailteann, earning him 8th overall.
Gabriel Dellar (Primera-TeamJobs) has been a fixture at the sharp end of National-B races all spring: seventh overall at Totnes-Vire amid several other top ten finishes in National Bs. He won his first National B road race last season at the Bec CC Road Race and will be looking to repeat that trick again before long.
After his breakout Ryedale Grand Prix victory in 2024, Tom Williams (Monzon – Incolor – Gub) has traded the British scene for a Continental programme this year. He may be short on UK starts this year, but his UCI calendar will have helped his experience and endurance grow.
Dylan Hicks (Raptor Factory Racing) is enjoying an excellent spring: third at the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic, Britain’s toughest one-day race, followed by tenth up Michaelgate at the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix earlier this month. He was also active at the Tour de la Manche as a guest rider for Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck last week, where he narrowly missed out on taking home the sprints jersey. He climbs well enough to make every selection and has the kick to finish it off – ideal weapons on this terrain.
Danylo Riwnyj’s attacking style has animated race radios all spring: he made the decisive four-man break at the PNE Road Race and stood on the podium that afternoon, infiltrated an early move at the Rás Tailteann and survived to contest the finale on stage 4, and rode into the top 30 at the East Cleveland Classic. A punchy rouleur who isn’t afraid to gamble from distance, the Foran CT rider could be the day’s joker if the favourites watch one another.
Jacob Vaughan (VC Londres) soloed to his second straight Jock Wadley Memorial victory in March but has raced little since after suffering with tonsillitis. He will relish the terrain here. If the bunch stalls in the finale, Vaughan’s willingness to counter could prove decisive.
Oliver Curd (Primo RT) keeps inching closer to a breakthrough win: 14th at the Portsdown Classic in February was followed by a superb second place at the Kennel Hill Classic behind the on-form Adam Howell. The under-23’s ability to hang tough on rolling terrain makes him a dangerous sleeper.
Women’s race
Isabella Johnson (Jadan Vive le Velo) has been a consistently strong performer in 2025, highlighted by her runner-up finish at the Florrie Newbery Classic in April. In that National B race, she proved to be the best of the rest behind a solo break, and she has backed it up with multiple top-ten finishes in other national-level events (including a 7th at the March Hare Classic and 10th at the Witham Hall Grand Prix). She isn’t eligible for a regional title here but her current form makes her a serious threat for the overall win.
Riding for the UCI-level CJ O’Shea team, Sophie Holmes comes into this race as one of the in-form riders. The 24-year-old climbed clear on Edge Hill to solo to victory at the Banbury Star road race in mid-May, then followed up with another win the very next weekend at the South Cerney Kermesse. These back-to-back National B victories – achieved by aggressive racing and a strong finishing kick – underline Holmes’s excellent form.
Irish rider Grace Reynolds (Smurfit Westrock CT) has been testing herself in the top British races this year. She thrives on hilly courses and showed it with a fighting 9th place at the tough Kennel Hill Classic in Sussex. She hasn’t yet reached the form that saw her take 7th place finishes at the Lancaster and Ryedale GPs last year, but clearly has the potential to win big at some stage.
New Brother UK – On Form signing Noemie Thomson has had a sensational start to her road career. The South East rider took a remarkable solo victory in her first ever road race at the Florrie Newbery Classic, announcing herself as a real talent. She then proved it was no fluke by placing 6th at the prestigious Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix in May, against the best in Britain. With her aggressive racing style and a fast finish, Thomson will be a leading contender and a top favourite for the South East regional championship title on offer.
O’Shea Development Team rider Phoebe Roche is another in-form rider. She took a big win at the Witham Hall Grand Prix in May, where she timed her late attack perfectly to beat a quality field. She has also been winning at the midweek Crystal Palace crits, demonstrating a turn of speed that could count in a tight finish.
Savannah Morgan, riding for London Academy, has been typically consistent this season. She claimed an impressive 3rd place at the Kennel Hill Classic in March, sprinting onto the podium in a hard-fought race. She has also shown versatility by taking 6th in the Capernwray Road Race in Lancashire, proving her credentials on hilly terrain.
A key contender, Caitlin Dimbleby (Le Col RT) has been consistently at the sharp end of domestic races this year. She most recently lit up the South Cerney Kermesse, launching a stinging mid-race attack that only one rider (Holmes) could bridge across to. Dimbleby ultimately took 2nd place in that race after being caught, showing her aggressiveness and stamina. She seems to be approaching the kind of form that earned her a spot on the UCI Continental Alba Development Road Team last season. With her all-around capabilities and willingness to attack, Dimbleby is not only a prime candidate for the South East regional championship but also a podium threat for the overall race victory.
Provisional startlist
Awaiting updated startlists.
Open race
| Bib | Rider | Team | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oliver Clements | Team Novo Nordisk Development | 0 |
| #2 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou | Reading CC | 0 |
| #3 | Nicholas Tyrie | Foran CT | 28 |
| #4 | Richard Santhouse | Team PB Performance | 0 |
| #5 | Alex Pickering | Ride Revolution Coaching | 3 |
| #6 | Finn O’Brien | Team Inca | 15 |
| #7 | Judicael Clair | Raptor Factory Racing | 40 |
| #8 | Matthew Bottomley | Cowley Road Condors | 0 |
| #9 | Matthew Conner | Team BPC Flowbio | 0 |
| #10 | Max Bolton | Oxford University Cycling Club | 0 |
| #11 | Michael Gray | Private Member | 0 |
| #12 | Sam Chaplin | Cycling Sheffield | 0 |
| #13 | Simon Alexander | DAS Richardsons | 0 |
| #14 | Casper Brazier | Primera-TeamJobs | 0 |
| #15 | Ian Donnelly | GFTL | 0 |
| #16 | Ben Millar | Reflex Nopinz | 48 |
| #17 | Gabriel Dellar | Primera-TeamJobs | 90 |
| #18 | Jordan Giles | DAS Richardsons | 139 |
| #19 | Tom Williams | Monzon – Incolor – Gub | 11 |
| #20 | Elliott Colyer | TAAP Kalas | 2 |
| #21 | Hamish Hunter | Primera-TeamJobs | 0 |
| #22 | Sebastien Tyrie | Primera-TeamJobs | 0 |
| #23 | William Metcalf | Ride Revolution Coaching | 0 |
| #24 | Charlie Lacaille | Schils – Doltcini Racing Team | 0 |
| #25 | Jamie Caldwell | Private Member | 0 |
| #26 | Ollie Smith | Private Member | 0 |
| #27 | Cameron Still (U23) | Ride Revolution Coaching | 89 |
| #28 | Chris McNamara | Sigma Sports Race Team | 31 |
| #29 | Danylo Riwnyj | Foran CT | 91 |
| #30 | Dylan Hicks | Raptor Factory Racing | 237 |
| #31 | Isaac Wright | Strada Wheels RT – Lucentsys | 47 |
| #32 | Jamie Pullen | TAAP Kalas | 0 |
| #33 | Lance Childs | TAAP Kalas | 2 |
| #34 | Oliver Curd | Primo RT | 67 |
| #35 | Tobias Dahlhaus | Foran CT | 8 |
| #36 | Alvaro Trivino Martinez | London Dynamo | 0 |
| #37 | Alexander Montero | Lee Velo (South East London) | 0 |
| #38 | Charles Palmer | Reflex Nopinz | 0 |
| #39 | Daniel Tilley | Private Member | 0 |
| #40 | David Streule | Raptor London | 0 |
| #41 | Ian Middleton | Foran CT | 0 |
| #42 | Jacob James | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | 11 |
| #43 | Jacob Vaughan | VC Londres | 71 |
| #44 | Joe Hill | Strada Wheels RT – Lucentsys | 0 |
| #45 | Lee Higlett | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | 0 |
| #46 | Len Delicaet | VC Londres | 0 |
| #47 | Martin Bang | GFTL | 0 |
| #48 | Mitch Pomfret | Foran CT | 15 |
| #49 | Olivier Mangham | DAS Richardsons | 14 |
| #50 | Owain Williams | London Dynamo | 0 |
| #51 | Patrick Brown | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | 0 |
| #52 | Peter Hargreaves | GFTL | 0 |
| #53 | Rhys Howells | DAS Richardsons | 0 |
| #54 | Simon McNamara | Sigma Sports Race Team | 0 |
| #55 | Thomas Reynolds | Army Cycling Union | 0 |
| #56 | Timothy Strickland | GFTL | 0 |
| #57 | Toby Langstone | Le Col Race Team | 40 |
| #58 | Tyler Lemmon | ASSOS UK Racing Team | 0 |
| #59 | Ben Moody | Elitecycling Development Team | 0 |
| #60 | Daniel Magrizos | Brighton Mitre CC | 0 |
| #61 | Edmund Bradbury | Private Member | 0 |
| #62 | George Baritsch | London Dynamo | 0 |
| #63 | Harold Evans | Le Col Race Team | 0 |
| #64 | Joseph Murray | Foran CT | 0 |
| #65 | Omar Malik | Southborough & District Wheelers | 0 |
| #66 | Paddy Chapman | Private Member | 5 |
Women’s race
| Bib | Rider | Team | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Amelia Mitchell | Paceline RT | 0 |
| #2 | Isabella Johnson | Jadan Vive le Velo p/b Glasdon | 78 |
| #3 | Nicola Lynch | The Phoenix Collective | 6 |
| #4 | Sophie Holmes | CJ O’Shea Racing | 120 |
| #5 | Frida Panzeri | Lee Valley Youth CC | 0 |
| #6 | Grace Reynolds | Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team | 20 |
| #7 | Penny Colloff | Loughborough Lightning | 25 |
| #8 | Caitlin Bower | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | 0 |
| #9 | Emma Jane Hornsby | London Academy | 0 |
| #10 | Esme Wiley | London Academy | 0 |
| #11 | Harri Martin | Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT | 22 |
| #12 | Iona Mitchell | London Academy | 13 |
| #13 | Karla Boddy | Brighton Mitre CC | 27 |
| #14 | Katie Painter | ASSOS UK Racing Team | 6 |
| #15 | Laura Senior | SCOTT Pioneer DJ | 20 |
| #16 | Noemie Thomson | Brother UK – On Form | 111 |
| #17 | Phoebe Roche | O’Shea – Development Team | 118 |
| #18 | Savannah Morgan | London Academy | 76 |
| #19 | Zoe Roche | Private Member | 15 |
| #20 | Hannah Graveney | O’Shea – Development Team | 3 |
| #21 | Isabel Wallace | Mud Dock Racing | 5 |
| #22 | Rianna Mahoney | 4T+ Cyclopark | 9 |
| #23 | Caitlin Dimbleby | Le Col Race Team | 52 |
