2025 Welsh Road Race Championships: report and results
On Sunday 1 June in Llandrindod Wells, junior sensation Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) powered clear to win the women’s Welsh Road Race Championship, securing both the race victory and the junior national crown, while Lili-Keau Juntakereket claimed the senior title in third. In the open event, Will Salter (BCC Race Team) out-duelled Ed Morgan (Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck) for the senior jersey, with Dylan Sage (Cannibal B Victorious) taking junior honours.
On Sunday 1 June in Llandrindod Wells, junior sensation Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) powered clear to win the women’s Welsh Road Race Championship, securing both the race victory and the junior national crown, while Lili-Keau Juntakereket claimed the senior title in third. In the open event, Will Salter (BCC Race Team) out-duelled Ed Morgan (Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck) for the senior jersey, with Dylan Sage (Cannibal B Victorious) taking junior honours.
The field tackled three laps of the 28 km circuit, each with roughly 350 m of climbing and the decisive 1.7 km A4081 power climb before the downhill run-in to the finish.
“Coming into the race, me and my Shibden teammate Aelwen Davies knew we wanted to make it a hard race on the tough Mid Wales roads and this began with Aelwen attacking on the first uphill kick,” eventual winner Mabli Phillips told The British Continental after the race.
The early move drew Carys Blowers (Liv Halo CC – Halo Films) clear, but Phillips was still in the bunch. “I attacked on the longest draggy climb of the course and went clear from the main bunch on the first lap … I then bridged the gap to the two girls up the road and we worked well as a group of three to maintain a gap on the chasing riders,” Phillips said.
Knowing her best chance lay alone, Phillips struck again: “The next time we hit the same draggy climb at the end of lap 2 I hit it again and went clear from Aelwen and Carys. After the descent it was a case of a long solo effort to the finish for the last lap … but I managed to build on the gap and finish solo, with my teammate Aelwen finishing 2nd.”
Phillips duly crossed the line first, Davies followed for a Shibden one-two, and Lili-Keau Juntakereket (Private Member) sprinted in third to secure the senior Welsh title.
Open race
The same rolling Mid-Wales loop hosted the open title fight, its long drags again shaping the race.
“The race had a slow start with a couple of guys getting away,” winner Will Salter told The British Continental. “The gap soon went out to over 1 minute. As we got to the narrow part of the course, a few of us pushed on to try and split the group, but not much happened … another small group got away. Seeing the danger a few of us smashed it up the climb the first time and brought the gap back at the top.”
Momentum carried into the next rise. Coming off the descent and into a small kicker there was a moment to attack and Ed Morgan (Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck) went with Max Bufton (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) on his wheel. “Seeing that I kicked across,” recalled Salter. “We immediately opened a gap up to between 40 seconds and 1 minute where it stayed for the rest of the race.”
On the third ascent Bufton cracked – “Ed attacked up the climb taking it down to just the two of us,” said Salter. The pair still held 50 seconds starting the final lap. “We worked well together until the final climb. Where Ed attracted multiple times, but wasn’t able to drop me.”
The finish was decided on the Llandrindod straight: “Coming in to the sprint I lead it out … I waited until 150 m to go and kicked, I felt Ed coming but he couldn’t get round me,” Salter said.
Salter claimed the title, Morgan the silver, and Marinus Petersen took bronze from the chase group. Sixteenth-placed Dylan Sage was the highest junior, sealing that championship.
On Sunday 1 June in Llandrindod Wells, junior sensation Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) powered clear to win the women’s Welsh Road Race Championship, securing both the race victory and the junior national crown, while Lili-Keau Juntakereket claimed the senior title in third. In the open event, Will Salter (BCC Race Team) out-duelled Ed Morgan (Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck) for the senior jersey, with Dylan Sage (Cannibal B Victorious) taking junior honours.
Featured image: Graffika Photography
Report
Women’s race
The field tackled three laps of the 28 km circuit, each with roughly 350 m of climbing and the decisive 1.7 km A4081 power climb before the downhill run-in to the finish.
“Coming into the race, me and my Shibden teammate Aelwen Davies knew we wanted to make it a hard race on the tough Mid Wales roads and this began with Aelwen attacking on the first uphill kick,” eventual winner Mabli Phillips told The British Continental after the race.
The early move drew Carys Blowers (Liv Halo CC – Halo Films) clear, but Phillips was still in the bunch. “I attacked on the longest draggy climb of the course and went clear from the main bunch on the first lap … I then bridged the gap to the two girls up the road and we worked well as a group of three to maintain a gap on the chasing riders,” Phillips said.
Knowing her best chance lay alone, Phillips struck again: “The next time we hit the same draggy climb at the end of lap 2 I hit it again and went clear from Aelwen and Carys. After the descent it was a case of a long solo effort to the finish for the last lap … but I managed to build on the gap and finish solo, with my teammate Aelwen finishing 2nd.”
Phillips duly crossed the line first, Davies followed for a Shibden one-two, and Lili-Keau Juntakereket (Private Member) sprinted in third to secure the senior Welsh title.
Open race
The same rolling Mid-Wales loop hosted the open title fight, its long drags again shaping the race.
“The race had a slow start with a couple of guys getting away,” winner Will Salter told The British Continental. “The gap soon went out to over 1 minute. As we got to the narrow part of the course, a few of us pushed on to try and split the group, but not much happened … another small group got away. Seeing the danger a few of us smashed it up the climb the first time and brought the gap back at the top.”
Momentum carried into the next rise. Coming off the descent and into a small kicker there was a moment to attack and Ed Morgan (Muc-Off-SRCT-Storck) went with Max Bufton (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) on his wheel. “Seeing that I kicked across,” recalled Salter. “We immediately opened a gap up to between 40 seconds and 1 minute where it stayed for the rest of the race.”
On the third ascent Bufton cracked – “Ed attacked up the climb taking it down to just the two of us,” said Salter. The pair still held 50 seconds starting the final lap. “We worked well together until the final climb. Where Ed attracted multiple times, but wasn’t able to drop me.”
The finish was decided on the Llandrindod straight: “Coming in to the sprint I lead it out … I waited until 150 m to go and kicked, I felt Ed coming but he couldn’t get round me,” Salter said.
Salter claimed the title, Morgan the silver, and Marinus Petersen took bronze from the chase group. Sixteenth-placed Dylan Sage was the highest junior, sealing that championship.
Results
Women’s race
Open race
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