The green and rolling hills of North Devon played host to the first National Road Series race in the county for decades, and the inaugural Witheridge Grand Prix proved to be a thriller as Noémie Thomson (DAS-Hutchinson) added to an incredible debut road racing season with a solo victory in the Women’s race.

In the Open race, climbing specialist Matthew Holmes (One Good Thing – Factor Racing) took his first National Road Series win of the season as he attacked into Witheridge to take the success.

Report

TJ Smith Women’s Witheridge Grand Prix

On a warm but overcast morning in the rolling Devonshire countryside, 61 riders took to the grippy roads around Witheridge for the fifth round of the National Road Series. 

Despite some recons taking place on Saturday, the route itself was a journey into the unknown but what was apparent from the start was that the constant climbing and descending was going to animate things from the off – add in the grippy roads and it was a race where stamina and determination were going to win out. 

For the first lap of the 43km circuit, the peloton kept itself together. Such was the strain this circuit was placing on riders, no one wanted to burn too many matches so early on. 

Indeed, it was the first run through the line that the race started to spark into life as Thomson – prepped in advance for the potential of a chance to attack – noticed she had a slight gap to the pack behind and decided to go full gas and launch a move. 

Such was the speed of her attack, that by the time the race approached the outskirts of Tiverton her lead had gone over 30 seconds and despite attempts to close her down from the peloton – including Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) – it looked like she was going to clear. 

But then news came across that a rider had broken off the front of the peloton and was starting to establish a lead. It was quickly confirmed that the bridger was Dawlish Grand Prix winner Anna Morris (Private Member) and she gained an advantage of more than a minute over the peloton. She couldn’t, though, immediately eat into Thomson’s lead which was hovering around the half-a-minute mark for quite some time. 

It was only within the final 10km that the race started to animate again. With Thomson continuing to go as hard as possible at the front, Morris’s pursuiting experience was starting to come to the fore and the world champion was slowly reeling in her target. 

With 3km to go, the lead had been slashed down to just over six seconds and it was looking like the race was going to end in a two-up sprint to the line. 

Heading into Witheridge with the finish in sight, Thomson kept her head down and sprinted all the way to the line – not daring a glance behind and losing momentum. She took the flag with about five seconds in hand, Morris needing perhaps another kilometre to mount a challenge. 

Behind, a late charge off the front of the peloton by Tammy Miller (DAS-Hutchinson) was one of the only attacks off an increasingly fractious peloton that stuck. She crossed the line third, only a handful of seconds ahead of a peloton that fell just short of swallowing her back up. 

Thomson’s victory marks a steady climb up Nat As. Taking sixth at the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix, she was pipped to Tour of the Reservoir victory by future DAS-Hutchinson teammate Robyn Clay before success here in Devon. 

Speaking of Clay, her 11th has kept her in the National Road Series leaders jersey, with her DAS-Hutchinson squad remaining at the top of the team standings. 

But in the Rapha Super-League, it’s all change! Morris’s second place has propelled her to the top of the Women’s standings by one point over Clay. Richardson is still in third, while Thomson’s latest triumph has moved her up to fourth – two points behind the Alba rider. 

RD Johns Open Witheridge Grand Prix

After a captivating Women’s race in the morning, the forecast rain mercifully dodged the Witheridge area and set up the Open race as a potential thriller. With three laps to take in, just over 120km of riding, it wasn’t the longest of National Road Series races but with plenty of climbing it was a race that offered plenty of options for how to tackle it. 

Indeed, unlike the Women’s event, the race wasn’t static for long as Harry Macfarlane (Ride Revolution Coaching) launched an early attack which elicited half-a-dozen or so seconds of a lead over Primera-TeamJob’s Josh Housley, who himself had a few seconds over the peloton. 

Macfarlane was allowed to grow his advantage to about 10 seconds before a party of six was dispatched off the front of the peloton to bring him back into the fold. 

With one lap completed, everything was as it was with a large peloton being led by Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli, Reflex-NoPinz, and Ride Revolution. They were motoring along at such a speed that riders were shelling out the back – unable to match the watts being put out up the climbs. 

Past the halfway point of the race, things started to get more heated with riders not wanting to leave things to a final sprint and tried to animate the race. At first, it was Will Truelove (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK) and James Satoor (Bridgnorth Cycling Club) who had attacked but coming toward the line to hear the bell, they’d been pulled back in. 

Instead, it was Truelove and the Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli duo of Tom Martin and Tom Armstrong who were providing the engine for a peloton that had strung out through the tight village roads but had contracted back into a large pack come the climb out past the start/finish line. 

Into the final lap and attacks started to fly off the front, early on a move that included Gabriel Dellar (Primera-TeamJobs) lasted for a time but was closed down heading into the last half-lap. In its place, a move including Holmes, Truelove, Macfarlane – who still had energy to spare after his earlier machinations – and Jake Edwards (360Cycling) broke clear of the peloton. 

Working well together, the quartet build a lead stretching to half-a-minute and with the resolve of the peloton seemingly broken by this final assault, the race win was down to who of the four had the best legs after the gruelling slog round the South West. 

Closing in on Witheridge for the final time, Holmes – who told The British Continental after the race that he saved his legs should an opportunity to attack to the flag revealed itself – unleashed his decisive move. Powering up the hill, he took an untroubled victory to add another National Road Series success to his palmarès. 

Behind, a ferocious sprint from Edwards allowed him to move clear of Truelove within spitting distance of the chequered flag to take the runner-up position. Fourth went to Macfarlane, something of a reward for being so active throughout the race. 

13th was enough for Adam Howell to retain his National Road Series Leader’s jersey for MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK with just two races remaining, while his squad stay at the top of the team standings. 

Despite not racing today, Matt Bostock’s (TEKKERZ CC) National Circuit Series campaign bagged him enough points to maintain his lead at the top of the Rapha Super-League over Will Truelove. But the latter’s third place today has seen Bostock’s advantage narrowed to 88 points. 

The next National Road Series race is the Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland on Sunday 17 August. 

Results

TJ Smith Women’s Witheridge Grand Prix

Pos	Rider	Team	Time	Rider points	Rapha Super-League points
1	Noémie Thomson  (U23)	DAS-Hutchinson	2:16:20	+100	+60
2	Anna Morris	Private Member	+11″	+85	+45
3	Tamsin Miller	DAS-Hutchinson	+2′47″	+75	+40
4	Madeline Cooper  (U23)	Spectra Racing	+2′52″	+66	+30
5	Lotty Dawson  (U23)	Brother UK – On Form	s.t.	+58	+20
6	Morven Yeoman  (U23)	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+51	+18
7	Holly Ramsey  (U23)	Hess Cycling Team	s.t.	+45	+16
8	Elena Day  (U23)	Loughborough Lightning	s.t.	+39	+14
9	Kate Richardson	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	s.t.	+34	+12
10	Grace Sargeant	London Academy	s.t.	+29	+10
11	Robyn Clay  (U23)	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+25	+8
12	Madelaine Leech  (U23)	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	s.t.	+21	+6
13	Isabel Rodriguez  (U23)	Royal Leamington Spa CC	s.t.	+18	+4
14	Elizabeth Hermolle	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+15	+4
15	Tiffany Keep	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+12	+3
16	Lucy Harris	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	s.t.	+10	+3
17	Alex Morrice	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	s.t.	+8	+2
18	Annabel Ramsay  (U23)	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	s.t.	+6	+2
19	Amelia Cebak  (U23)	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	s.t.	+4	+1
20	Anna Boniface	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	s.t.	+2	+1
21	Jennifer Powell	Performance Development Team	s.t.	+0	+0
22	Maddie Heywood	Loughborough Lightning	+2′58″	+0	+0
23	Caitlin Dimbleby	Le Col Race Team	s.t.	+0	+0
24	Grace Reynolds	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	+3′04″	+0	+0
25	Arianne Holland	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	s.t.	+0	+0
26	Kirstie Drakeford	Jadan Vive le Velo p/b Glasdon	s.t.	+0	+0
27	Mari Porton  (U23)	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	+10′32″	+0	+0
28	Kim Baptista	Spectra Racing	+10′34″	+0	+0
29	Lily Brindle  (U23)	Brother UK – On Form	s.t.	+0	+0
30	Phoebe Roche  (U23)	O’Shea – Development Team	s.t.	+0	+0
31	Amy Drysdale	Team Boompods	s.t.	+0	+0
32	Lucy Lee	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+0	+0
33	Amy Gornall	Handsling Alba Development Road Team	s.t.	+0	+0
34	Rachel Galler	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	s.t.	+0	+0
35	Jo Tindley	Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team	s.t.	+0	+0
36	Rebekah Nash	Jadan Vive le Velo p/b Glasdon	s.t.	+0	+0
37	Iona Mitchell	London Academy	s.t.	+0	+0
38	Claire Nott	FTP-Fulfil The Potential-Racing	+10′42″	+0	+0
39	Millie Skinner	Team Boompods	+10′46″	+0	+0
40	Rosie Simmons  (U23)	Brother UK – On Form	s.t.	+0	+0
41	Natalie Grinczer	DAS-Hutchinson	s.t.	+0	+0
42	Charlotte Deykin	Jadan Vive le Velo p/b Glasdon	s.t.	+0	+0
43	Cecilia Hime	Brother UK – On Form	+10′58″	+0	+0

RD Johns Open Witheridge Grand Prix

Pos	Rider	Team	Time	Rider Points	Rapha Super-League points
1	Matthew Holmes	One Good Thing – Factor Racing	2:57:36	+100	+60
2	Jake Edwards  (U23)	360 cycling	+7″	+85	+45
3	William Truelove	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	+10″	+75	+40
4	Harry Macfarlane	Ride Revolution Coaching	+42″	+66	+30
5	Lewis Tinsley  (U23)	BCC Race Team	+54″	+58	+20
6	James Satoor  (U23)	Bridgnorth Cycling Club	s.t.	+51	+18
7	Carl Jolly	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	s.t.	+45	+16
8	James McKay	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	s.t.	+39	+14
9	Danylo Riwnyj	Foran CT	s.t.	+34	+12
10	Thomas Armstrong	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	s.t.	+29	+10
11	Alex Murphy  (U23)	StolenGoat Race Team	s.t.	+25	+8
12	Simon Alexander	DAS Richardsons	s.t.	+21	+6
13	Adam Howell  (U23)	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	s.t.	+18	+4
14	Samuel Nisbet  (U23)	Reflex Nopinz	s.t.	+15	+4
15	Charlie Genner	Telco’m – On Clima – Osés	s.t.	+12	+3
16	Felix Earth  (U23)	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	s.t.	+10	+3
17	Alexander Ball	BCC Race Team	s.t.	+8	+2
18	Thomas Charles  (U23)	Team PB Performance	s.t.	+6	+2
19	Conor White	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	s.t.	+4	+1
20	Sam Chaplin  (U23)	Cycling Sheffield	s.t.	+2	+1
21	Bernard Galea	Primera-TeamJobs	s.t.	+0	+0
22	Casper Brazier	Primera-TeamJobs	s.t.	+0	+0
23	George Stephen  (U23)	BCC Race Team	s.t.	+0	+0
24	Daniel Barnes	Spectra Racing	s.t.	+0	+0
25	Matthew King	Atom 6 – Decca Continental Team	s.t.	+0	+0
26	Michael Gill	DAS Richardsons	s.t.	+0	+0
27	Henry Hunter  (U23)	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	s.t.	+0	+0
28	Josh Housley	Primera-TeamJobs	s.t.	+0	+0
29	Rowan Baker	Raptor Factory Racing	s.t.	+0	+0
30	Peter Cocker	DAS Richardsons	s.t.	+0	+0
31	Dom Jackson	Foran CT	s.t.	+0	+0
32	Alexander Pritchard	DAS Richardsons	+1′00″	+0	+0
33	Clay Davies	Ride Revolution Coaching	s.t.	+0	+0
34	Piers Mahn  (U23)	Halesowen A & CC	+1′02″	+0	+0
35	George Watch  (U23)	Team PB Performance	s.t.	+0	+0
36	Craig Paterson  (U23)	Edinburgh Bike Fitting RT	s.t.	+0	+0
37	Alex Beldon  (U23)	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	s.t.	+0	+0
38	Dan Eastham  (U23)	Cycling Sheffield	s.t.	+0	+0
39	Ed Ayres  (U23)	Reflex Nopinz	s.t.	+0	+0
40	Jude Taylor	Team PB Performance	s.t.	+0	+0
41	Archie Peet	Reflex Nopinz	+1′07″	+0	+0
42	Tom Martin	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	s.t.	+0	+0
43	Oliver Hurdle	Private Member	+1′11″	+0	+0
44	Jordan Giles	DAS Richardsons	+1′15″	+0	+0
45	Cai Davies	DAS Richardsons	+1′25″	+0	+0
46	Max Bufton  (U23)	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	+1′40″	+0	+0
47	Oscar Hutchings	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	+4′44″	+0	+0
48	Charlie Lacaille	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	s.t.	+0	+0
49	Ryan Christensen	Foran CT	+6′07″	+0	+0
50	Dexter Leeming-Sykes  (U23)	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	s.t.	+0	+0
51	Matt Clarke	Bridgnorth Cycling Club	s.t.	+0	+0
52	Judicael Clair	Raptor Factory Racing	+6′22″	+0	+0
53	Nicholas Tyrie	Foran CT	+6′49″	+0	+0
54	Gabriel Dellar	Primera-TeamJobs	+9′29″	+0	+0
55	Alex Franks  (U23)	Raptor Factory Racing	+11′07″	+0	+0
56	Nathan Smith	Cycling Sheffield	s.t.	+0	+0
57	Alex Galpin  (U23)	BCC Race Team	+11′35″	+0	+0
58	Ben Meek  (U23)	Reflex Nopinz	+11′42″	+0	+0
59	Joshua Ballinger  (U23)	Wolfox CAMS Le Col RT	s.t.	+0	+0
60	Jake Jackson	MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK	+12′33″	+0	+0
61	Matthew Gilmour  (U23)	Primera-TeamJobs	+12′50″	+0	+0
62	Ben Millar	Reflex Nopinz	s.t.	+0	+0
63	William Salter  (U23)	BCC Race Team	+12′57″	+0	+0
⚠️ DNF Riders
⚠️ DNF	Mark Agent (U23)	Wold Top Pactimo	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	John Bardsley (U23)	360 cycling	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Sam Beaton (U23)	Plymouth Corinthian CC	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Ben Cauldwell	Army Cycling Union	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Elliott Colyer (U23)	TAAP Kalas	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Jack Dallyn	ES Torigni	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Andrew Davenport	Team Tor 2000 Kalas	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Thomas Doig	Primera-TeamJobs	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Benjamin Fish	TAAP Kalas	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Dan Galpin (U23)	BCC Race Team	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Ashley Hutchison	VC St Raphael	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Iestyn Jones (U23)	Cardiff Ajax CC	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Steve Lampier	Primera-TeamJobs	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Sam Llewelyn (U23)	Team PB Performance	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Olivier Mangham (U23)	DAS Richardsons	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	William Metcalf	Ride Revolution Coaching	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Zachary Metheringham (U23)	Team PB Performance	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Benjamin Neal (U23)	Team Tor 2000 Kalas	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	James Pearcy (U23)	Mid Devon CC	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Daniel Piercy	StolenGoat Race Team	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Oscar Pratt (U23)	Schils – Doltcini Racing Team	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	George Safranauskas (U23)	360 cycling	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	James Sawyers (U23)	Cycling Sheffield	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Thomas Springbett	Foran CT	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Carl Stubbs	Moonglu SpatzWear	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Stephen Swindley	Royal Navy Cycling	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Harvey Thomas (U23)	Reflex Nopinz	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Ashley Towey	Team Tor 2000 Kalas	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Benjamin Tuchner (U23)	TEKKERZ CC	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Sebastien Tyrie	Primera-TeamJobs	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Archie Waller	Raptor Factory Racing	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Matthew Warhurst	Defined Cycling Team	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Matt Watson	Ride Revolution Coaching	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	George Whitlock	Mud Dock Racing	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Andrew Whittemore	Exeter Wheelers	—	0	0
⚠️ DNF	Matthew Wilson	Ride Revolution Coaching	—	0	0
🚫 DNS Riders
🚫 DNS	Denholm Edwards (U23)	Cycling Sheffield	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Sam Fisher (U23)	Wales Racing Academy	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Alexander Foster	Cycling Sheffield	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Nathan Hardy (U23)	Team PB Performance	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Sion Jones (U23)	Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Sam Kettlewell	TAAP Kalas	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Aaron King	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Zak Machin (U23)	BCC Race Team	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Steven Parsonage	DAS Richardsons	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	George Peden	Team PB Performance	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Tim Shoreman	Wheelbase CabTech Castelli	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	William Tidball	Private Member	—	0	0
🚫 DNS	Oliver Wood	TEKKERZ CC	—	0	0