Anna Morris powered to a decisive victory in a tense edition of the Schwalbe Women’s Grand Prix, outsprinting series leader Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson) and Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba RT) on Sheffield’s unforgiving city-centre circuit.
TEKKERZ CC’s birthday boy Matt Bostock outsprinted Alex Beldon (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STROCK) to win the All About Desserts Open Grand Prix extending his Rapha Super-League lead, while national circuit race champ Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) settled for third.
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Report
Schwalbe Women’s Grand Prix
National Circuit Series and Rapha Super-League leader Robyn Clay led the way from the gun, her blue DAS-Hutchinson phalanx swarming the head of the bunch in the opening laps. Key rivals lurked just behind, including Ilkley Grand Prix winner Anna Morris (Private Member), national circuit race champion Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) and Spectra Racing pair Jessica Roberts and Madeline Cooper.
This was a race of attrition. No one could slip clear, but as the laps ticked by more riders were jettisoned from the bunch. Around halfway a front group of roughly 30 remained. Jenny Holl (Loughborough Lightning), runner-up here last year, forced the pace, yet the elastic still refused to snap.
Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Nine riders – all the expected names – finally eased clear, but a lap later the bunch was back together. With three to go a trimmed lead group of twenty still shared the head of affairs.
DAS rotated menacingly, yet the decisive stroke came from elsewhere. As sixteen riders hurtled towards the finish on the final lap, it was Morris who unleashed a seated surge as the road tilted back towards Union Street. Clay reacted, Richardson locked on, but Morris – world-record pursuiter turned crit assassin – drove for daylight and hit the line a clear bike-length ahead for her second National Circuit Series victory of the season. Clay salvaged second; Richardson claimed third.
Anna Morris (Private Member) wins the Sheffield Grand Prix. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Clay’s runner-up finish – added to her flawless consistency all summer – keeps her firmly in both the National Circuit Series leader’s jersey and the Rapha Super-League top spot. With just two rounds left of the former and six of the latter – and Clay also in the National Road Series lead – the question now is: can anyone stop Clay completing a clean sweep?
All About Desserts Open Grand Prix
National circuit race champion Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) catapulted the bunch from the gun. Living up to their pre-race billing, TEKKERZ CC and MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK dictated the opening exchanges, driving a fierce tempo that steadily thinned the field.
Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team). Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Approaching the midway mark, TEKKERZ’s Matt Bostock and MUC-OFF’s Alex Beldon launched a stinging attack. The duo meshed smoothly, each pulling half-lap turns that prised open a gap. Mason bided his time, then detonated out of the bunch, bridging in less than a circuit to make it three up front.
For many tantalising laps the trio’s advantage hovered at 15–20 seconds – out of sight on the far side of the square, but still close enough for the chasers to smell hope.
Inside the final five circuits, however, the pursuing group’s cohesion dissolved. The gap nudged out past half a minute, and the win was now unquestionably up the road. Mason, Beldon and Bostock swapped metronomic turns, each calculating how to play the finale.
Alex Beldon (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK). Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Bell lap. Beldon, perhaps wary of Bostock’s reputed fierce kick, forced the pace, stringing his companions single-file down Howard Street. On the finishing straight, Bostock flicked out, unleashed a powerful out-of-the-saddle acceleration. Beldon dug deep, Mason faded a shade, but the Manxman’s momentum was irresistible, sitting up just before to raise his hands to his ears – his first win of the 2025 Lloyds National Circuit Series and TEKKERZ’s third victory of the campaign. Beldon crossed a length down for second; Mason rolled home third.
Matthew Bostock (TEKKERZ CC) wins the Sheffield Grand Prix with Alex Beldon (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK) in second. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Bostock’s triumph tightens his grip on the Rapha Super-League top spot, with Beldon now his nearest threat. The victory came with an extra layer of icing: it was Bostock’s 28th birthday.
Behind, Briggs shepherded a reduced peloton – little more than twenty strong – over the line for fourth, cementing another banner evening for the London-based TEKKERZ squad.
Further back but arguably just as significant, Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) defended his National Circuit Series lead with a gritty seventh place, retaining a 19-point buffer over Will Truelove (MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK) and 28 points over the surging Bostock. With only Colne and Guildford left to race, Armstrong keeps the leader’s jersey on his shoulders – but the scent of closing prey now drifts tantalisingly toward the TEKKERZ camp.
Anna Morris powered to a decisive victory in a tense edition of the Schwalbe Women’s Grand Prix, outsprinting series leader Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson) and Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba RT) on Sheffield’s unforgiving city-centre circuit.
TEKKERZ CC’s birthday boy Matt Bostock outsprinted Alex Beldon (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STROCK) to win the All About Desserts Open Grand Prix extending his Rapha Super-League lead, while national circuit race champ Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) settled for third.
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Report
Schwalbe Women’s Grand Prix
National Circuit Series and Rapha Super-League leader Robyn Clay led the way from the gun, her blue DAS-Hutchinson phalanx swarming the head of the bunch in the opening laps. Key rivals lurked just behind, including Ilkley Grand Prix winner Anna Morris (Private Member), national circuit race champion Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) and Spectra Racing pair Jessica Roberts and Madeline Cooper.
This was a race of attrition. No one could slip clear, but as the laps ticked by more riders were jettisoned from the bunch. Around halfway a front group of roughly 30 remained. Jenny Holl (Loughborough Lightning), runner-up here last year, forced the pace, yet the elastic still refused to snap.
Nine riders – all the expected names – finally eased clear, but a lap later the bunch was back together. With three to go a trimmed lead group of twenty still shared the head of affairs.
DAS rotated menacingly, yet the decisive stroke came from elsewhere. As sixteen riders hurtled towards the finish on the final lap, it was Morris who unleashed a seated surge as the road tilted back towards Union Street. Clay reacted, Richardson locked on, but Morris – world-record pursuiter turned crit assassin – drove for daylight and hit the line a clear bike-length ahead for her second National Circuit Series victory of the season. Clay salvaged second; Richardson claimed third.
Clay’s runner-up finish – added to her flawless consistency all summer – keeps her firmly in both the National Circuit Series leader’s jersey and the Rapha Super-League top spot. With just two rounds left of the former and six of the latter – and Clay also in the National Road Series lead – the question now is: can anyone stop Clay completing a clean sweep?
All About Desserts Open Grand Prix
National circuit race champion Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team) catapulted the bunch from the gun. Living up to their pre-race billing, TEKKERZ CC and MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK dictated the opening exchanges, driving a fierce tempo that steadily thinned the field.
Approaching the midway mark, TEKKERZ’s Matt Bostock and MUC-OFF’s Alex Beldon launched a stinging attack. The duo meshed smoothly, each pulling half-lap turns that prised open a gap. Mason bided his time, then detonated out of the bunch, bridging in less than a circuit to make it three up front.
For many tantalising laps the trio’s advantage hovered at 15–20 seconds – out of sight on the far side of the square, but still close enough for the chasers to smell hope.
Inside the final five circuits, however, the pursuing group’s cohesion dissolved. The gap nudged out past half a minute, and the win was now unquestionably up the road. Mason, Beldon and Bostock swapped metronomic turns, each calculating how to play the finale.
Bell lap. Beldon, perhaps wary of Bostock’s reputed fierce kick, forced the pace, stringing his companions single-file down Howard Street. On the finishing straight, Bostock flicked out, unleashed a powerful out-of-the-saddle acceleration. Beldon dug deep, Mason faded a shade, but the Manxman’s momentum was irresistible, sitting up just before to raise his hands to his ears – his first win of the 2025 Lloyds National Circuit Series and TEKKERZ’s third victory of the campaign. Beldon crossed a length down for second; Mason rolled home third.
Bostock’s triumph tightens his grip on the Rapha Super-League top spot, with Beldon now his nearest threat. The victory came with an extra layer of icing: it was Bostock’s 28th birthday.
Behind, Briggs shepherded a reduced peloton – little more than twenty strong – over the line for fourth, cementing another banner evening for the London-based TEKKERZ squad.
Further back but arguably just as significant, Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) defended his National Circuit Series lead with a gritty seventh place, retaining a 19-point buffer over Will Truelove (MUC-OFF–SRCT–STORCK) and 28 points over the surging Bostock. With only Colne and Guildford left to race, Armstrong keeps the leader’s jersey on his shoulders – but the scent of closing prey now drifts tantalisingly toward the TEKKERZ camp.
Results
Schwalbe Women’s Grand Prix
Full results here.
All About Desserts Open Grand Prix
See full results here.
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