South Molton GP promises tougher test in 2026 National Road Series
A new name and a new course for the South West’s National Road Series round, as South Molton replaces Witheridge with a Pannier Market start, longer distances and a more demanding route - addressing concerns over race length and delivering a more competitive mid-summer test in the 2026 Lloyds National Road Series.
The South West’s mid-summer National Road Series round will take on a new identity in 2026, with the South Molton Grand Prix will replace the Witheridge GP on Sunday 19 July. The event arrives with a revised course, extended distances and a more defined place within the reworked 2026 Lloyds National Road Series calendar, details of which were announced earlier today.
The Witheridge Grand Prix was held for the first time in 2025, forming part of a new Devon double-header that paired the race with the Dawlish Grand Prix, which hosted a round of the National Circuit Series two days earlier. That weekend format will continue in 2026, but with the Sunday race shifting to South Molton and relaunching on a different course with significantly greater ambition.
Starting from the historic South Molton Pannier Market – a landmark last visited by elite racing during the 2018 Tour of Britain – the race will take riders through a mix of technical town-centre streets and rolling Devon countryside. According to organiser Richard Wickenden, the course has been redesigned “to increase the challenge”, incorporating a blend of short climbs, fast descents and exposed lanes.
2018 OVO Energy Tour of Britain – Stage 2: Cranbrook to Barnstaple – The peloton travel through South Molton Country Pannier Market. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
One of the most notable changes is the increase in race length. The Open race will cover 160 km and the Women’s race 120 km, distances more closely aligned with expectations for a decisive National Road Series round. The move follows criticism from some riders and teams this year that the inaugural Witheridge GP’s distances – around 120 km for the Open race and just over 80 km for the Women’s – fell below the standards typically associated with the series.
The shift to South Molton represents more than a simple venue change. Wickenden emphasised the importance of community involvement, describing the Grand Prix as a celebration of “speed, endurance and local pride”. The event is expected to draw strong local support, with businesses, residents and volunteers helping create a festival-like atmosphere around the market square and finishing circuits.
The South Molton Grand Prix sits within a 2026 calendar that is structurally different from recent seasons, with an earlier start to the crit series and the National Road Series concluding in mid-August. South Molton forms part of the high-summer block that is likely to play a decisive role in shaping the overall standings in both the Women’s and Open competitions.
The South West’s mid-summer National Road Series round will take on a new identity in 2026, with the South Molton Grand Prix will replace the Witheridge GP on Sunday 19 July. The event arrives with a revised course, extended distances and a more defined place within the reworked 2026 Lloyds National Road Series calendar, details of which were announced earlier today.
The Witheridge Grand Prix was held for the first time in 2025, forming part of a new Devon double-header that paired the race with the Dawlish Grand Prix, which hosted a round of the National Circuit Series two days earlier. That weekend format will continue in 2026, but with the Sunday race shifting to South Molton and relaunching on a different course with significantly greater ambition.
Starting from the historic South Molton Pannier Market – a landmark last visited by elite racing during the 2018 Tour of Britain – the race will take riders through a mix of technical town-centre streets and rolling Devon countryside. According to organiser Richard Wickenden, the course has been redesigned “to increase the challenge”, incorporating a blend of short climbs, fast descents and exposed lanes.
One of the most notable changes is the increase in race length. The Open race will cover 160 km and the Women’s race 120 km, distances more closely aligned with expectations for a decisive National Road Series round. The move follows criticism from some riders and teams this year that the inaugural Witheridge GP’s distances – around 120 km for the Open race and just over 80 km for the Women’s – fell below the standards typically associated with the series.
The shift to South Molton represents more than a simple venue change. Wickenden emphasised the importance of community involvement, describing the Grand Prix as a celebration of “speed, endurance and local pride”. The event is expected to draw strong local support, with businesses, residents and volunteers helping create a festival-like atmosphere around the market square and finishing circuits.
The South Molton Grand Prix sits within a 2026 calendar that is structurally different from recent seasons, with an earlier start to the crit series and the National Road Series concluding in mid-August. South Molton forms part of the high-summer block that is likely to play a decisive role in shaping the overall standings in both the Women’s and Open competitions.
Featured image: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
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