The wait is over. On Sunday, 8 February, the British domestic road racing season begins above Portsmouth Harbour with the return of the Portsdown Classic - a race with heritage, heart, and a habit of offering early answers.
The wait is over, and it always seems to end here. On Sunday 8 February, above Portsmouth Harbour, the British domestic road racing season begins not with noise or ceremony, but with exposure. The Portsdown Classic has long been the place where winter gives way to consequence – where riders arrive carrying months of unseen work, knowing that within an hour or two the road will offer an honest response.
This is our preview.
Featured image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
What is it?
This is the traditional season opener in every sense. It’s where riders first test how their winters have truly gone, beyond training files and good intentions. Unknowns come looking to make themselves known – as Rowan Baker once did – while juniors line up quietly intent on unsettling senior rivals who may still be searching for sharpness. Early-season ambition hangs in the air, fragile and unproven.
Conditions have always played their part. Wind, cold and the occasional cruelty of February weather have a way of shaping the race, reinforcing its reputation as a measure of resilience as much as form. That feels fitting for an event with deep roots. Once the legendary Perfs Pedal – a true crown jewel of the British calendar – this race has never been interested in excuses.
Its continuation, however, has not been accidental. When the Perfs Pedal came to an end, the future of a defining early-season fixture looked uncertain. The race’s survival – and its rebirth as the Portsdown Classic – owes much to Seb Ottley, whose determination ensured the domestic season would continue to have its traditional opener. Now run under a new name but with the same intent, and supported by title sponsor T&M Cable Services, the Portsdown Classic continues to offer a first reckoning of the year.
Image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
Why this race matters
For all its history, the Portsdown Classic remains relevant because of where it sits. As the first meaningful marker of the domestic season, it provides clarity at a time when most of the calendar still feels hypothetical. Results here don’t define a year, but they do shape the conversations that follow.
For riders, it’s an early sense-check – not just against rivals, but against expectation. A strong ride can confirm that winter has been well spent; a difficult one can prompt recalibration before bigger objectives arrive. That feedback is invaluable this early in the season.
For teams, it offers a first look at how new line-ups function under pressure, and how riders respond when plans dissolve. And for the wider domestic scene, it continues a tradition of starting the year in a way that feels earned rather than ceremonial – on open roads, in February, with nowhere to hide.
The route
At just 72 kilometres, the Portsdown Classic is short by modern standards, but it is rarely straightforward. The race is built around five laps of a 13.6-kilometre circuit that rewards alertness and punishes any lapse in concentration, particularly this early in the year.
After a neutralised start from South Downs College, the race settles quickly into its rhythm. The terrain is never flat for long, with rolling roads and short, sharp rises that gradually wear away at the field. None of the climbs are long enough to dictate the race in isolation, but together they create a cumulative pressure that is difficult to escape.
Much of the circuit is exposed, and conditions can influence both tempo and tactics. When the weather turns, the race has a habit of fragmenting in unexpected places, while calmer days tend to produce a more controlled – but no less demanding – contest.
The finale departs from the main loop for a decisive finish on Crooked Walk Lane, where the road pitches up sharply to the line. It is a fitting place to end the first race of the year: brief, unforgiving, and decisive enough to ensure that positions are earned rather than gifted.
Riders to watch
Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) returns as the defending champion and, in many ways, the obvious reference point. A perennial breakaway specialist, Giles understands how to read a race that is still finding its rhythm, and how to commit early when hesitation is punished. He’s joined by several teammates, including new signing Olly Curd, whose profile suits this kind of attritional, opportunistic contest. Together, they give DAS Richardsons a familiar early-season presence.
Giles wins in 2025. Image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
Much of the intrigue, though, comes from the juniors. Leon Atkins leads an exceptionally strong cohort, now riding for the newly formed camsmajaco squad – a merger of two of the most powerful domestic junior programmes. Atkins’ talent is already well recognised, with a contract secured to join the Lidl-Trek development programme from 2027, and he arrives with nothing to lose. Teammate Gus Dutton is joined by his brothers Isaac and Sidney Dutton, while Shibden Apex also field a number of promising starters. The junior pairing of Toby Tombs and Jacob Mauger, both racing with Belgian team Crabbé Dstny, add further depth to a group more than capable of unsettling senior expectations.
There is also curiosity surrounding the debut of the new Aero CLCTV squad. Led by Elliot Colyer, the team arrives with ambition and long-term intent, even if Colyer himself is still working back towards peak condition after a winter collarbone injury. This first outing offers an early glimpse of how the project might approach racing, with Matthew Downie another rider worth keeping an eye on as the day unfolds.
Elsewhere, Ride Revolution’s Clay Davies stands out as one of the most consistent National B performers of recent seasons and will be keen to make a solid start to the year.
One of the most notable inclusions on the start list, however, is Alice McWilliam (DAS-Hutchinson). It remains unusual – though not unheard of – for women to line up in Open National B road races, and McWilliam’s presence, following her win at the East Cleveland Classic in 2025, adds a compelling subplot to the day.
With several of the strongest domestic squads absent, and no obvious team to control proceedings, this feels like a race likely to reward initiative wherever it comes from.
How to follow
The British Continental will be on the ground at the Portsdown Classic, bringing live coverage throughout the day. Expect rolling updates from the roadside on Instagram as the race unfolds, capturing key moments as they happen. Follow along on Instagram for live updates, with full post-race coverage to follow on The British Continental.
When and where to watch
The Portsdown Classic gets underway at 11:00, with riders rolling out from South Downs College before racing begins in earnest on the circuit. With five laps on the menu and a testing finale, the race is expected to reach its conclusion at around 13:00, when the winner will be decided on the climb to the line on Crooked Walk Lane. If you’re local – or simply keen for your first roadside fix of the year – this is a race well worth turning out for.
The wait is over, and it always seems to end here. On Sunday 8 February, above Portsmouth Harbour, the British domestic road racing season begins not with noise or ceremony, but with exposure. The Portsdown Classic has long been the place where winter gives way to consequence – where riders arrive carrying months of unseen work, knowing that within an hour or two the road will offer an honest response.
This is our preview.
Featured image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
What is it?
This is the traditional season opener in every sense. It’s where riders first test how their winters have truly gone, beyond training files and good intentions. Unknowns come looking to make themselves known – as Rowan Baker once did – while juniors line up quietly intent on unsettling senior rivals who may still be searching for sharpness. Early-season ambition hangs in the air, fragile and unproven.
Conditions have always played their part. Wind, cold and the occasional cruelty of February weather have a way of shaping the race, reinforcing its reputation as a measure of resilience as much as form. That feels fitting for an event with deep roots. Once the legendary Perfs Pedal – a true crown jewel of the British calendar – this race has never been interested in excuses.
Its continuation, however, has not been accidental. When the Perfs Pedal came to an end, the future of a defining early-season fixture looked uncertain. The race’s survival – and its rebirth as the Portsdown Classic – owes much to Seb Ottley, whose determination ensured the domestic season would continue to have its traditional opener. Now run under a new name but with the same intent, and supported by title sponsor T&M Cable Services, the Portsdown Classic continues to offer a first reckoning of the year.
Why this race matters
For all its history, the Portsdown Classic remains relevant because of where it sits. As the first meaningful marker of the domestic season, it provides clarity at a time when most of the calendar still feels hypothetical. Results here don’t define a year, but they do shape the conversations that follow.
For riders, it’s an early sense-check – not just against rivals, but against expectation. A strong ride can confirm that winter has been well spent; a difficult one can prompt recalibration before bigger objectives arrive. That feedback is invaluable this early in the season.
For teams, it offers a first look at how new line-ups function under pressure, and how riders respond when plans dissolve. And for the wider domestic scene, it continues a tradition of starting the year in a way that feels earned rather than ceremonial – on open roads, in February, with nowhere to hide.
The route
At just 72 kilometres, the Portsdown Classic is short by modern standards, but it is rarely straightforward. The race is built around five laps of a 13.6-kilometre circuit that rewards alertness and punishes any lapse in concentration, particularly this early in the year.
After a neutralised start from South Downs College, the race settles quickly into its rhythm. The terrain is never flat for long, with rolling roads and short, sharp rises that gradually wear away at the field. None of the climbs are long enough to dictate the race in isolation, but together they create a cumulative pressure that is difficult to escape.
Much of the circuit is exposed, and conditions can influence both tempo and tactics. When the weather turns, the race has a habit of fragmenting in unexpected places, while calmer days tend to produce a more controlled – but no less demanding – contest.
The finale departs from the main loop for a decisive finish on Crooked Walk Lane, where the road pitches up sharply to the line. It is a fitting place to end the first race of the year: brief, unforgiving, and decisive enough to ensure that positions are earned rather than gifted.
Riders to watch
Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) returns as the defending champion and, in many ways, the obvious reference point. A perennial breakaway specialist, Giles understands how to read a race that is still finding its rhythm, and how to commit early when hesitation is punished. He’s joined by several teammates, including new signing Olly Curd, whose profile suits this kind of attritional, opportunistic contest. Together, they give DAS Richardsons a familiar early-season presence.
Much of the intrigue, though, comes from the juniors. Leon Atkins leads an exceptionally strong cohort, now riding for the newly formed camsmajaco squad – a merger of two of the most powerful domestic junior programmes. Atkins’ talent is already well recognised, with a contract secured to join the Lidl-Trek development programme from 2027, and he arrives with nothing to lose. Teammate Gus Dutton is joined by his brothers Isaac and Sidney Dutton, while Shibden Apex also field a number of promising starters. The junior pairing of Toby Tombs and Jacob Mauger, both racing with Belgian team Crabbé Dstny, add further depth to a group more than capable of unsettling senior expectations.
There is also curiosity surrounding the debut of the new Aero CLCTV squad. Led by Elliot Colyer, the team arrives with ambition and long-term intent, even if Colyer himself is still working back towards peak condition after a winter collarbone injury. This first outing offers an early glimpse of how the project might approach racing, with Matthew Downie another rider worth keeping an eye on as the day unfolds.
Elsewhere, Ride Revolution’s Clay Davies stands out as one of the most consistent National B performers of recent seasons and will be keen to make a solid start to the year.
One of the most notable inclusions on the start list, however, is Alice McWilliam (DAS-Hutchinson). It remains unusual – though not unheard of – for women to line up in Open National B road races, and McWilliam’s presence, following her win at the East Cleveland Classic in 2025, adds a compelling subplot to the day.
With several of the strongest domestic squads absent, and no obvious team to control proceedings, this feels like a race likely to reward initiative wherever it comes from.
How to follow
The British Continental will be on the ground at the Portsdown Classic, bringing live coverage throughout the day. Expect rolling updates from the roadside on Instagram as the race unfolds, capturing key moments as they happen. Follow along on Instagram for live updates, with full post-race coverage to follow on The British Continental.
When and where to watch
The Portsdown Classic gets underway at 11:00, with riders rolling out from South Downs College before racing begins in earnest on the circuit. With five laps on the menu and a testing finale, the race is expected to reach its conclusion at around 13:00, when the winner will be decided on the climb to the line on Crooked Walk Lane. If you’re local – or simply keen for your first roadside fix of the year – this is a race well worth turning out for.
Startlist
Share this:
Discover more from The British Continental
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.