2026 Evesham Vale Road Race: preview and startlist
Ahead of the fiercely contested National B showdown on Sunday 8th March 2026, we break down the attritional Inkberrow parcours and analyse a stacked startlist - headlined by former WorldTour talent Jack Rootkin-Gray - ready to do battle in the Worcestershire lanes.
Taking place on Sunday 8 March, the highly regarded Evesham Vale Road Race brings the National B calendar to the undulating roads of Worcestershire. As a crucial early-season fixture known for producing aggressive, action-packed racing, we break down the course and the riders to watch before the flag drops in Inkberrow.
Organised by the ever-dependable Evesham Wheelers, the race is a true cornerstone of the West Midlands racing calendar. Based out of the race headquarters at Inkberrow Village Hall on Sands Road, it consistently attracts a top-tier domestic field eager to test their winter legs.
The host club possesses a rich heritage steeped in time-trialling legends, but the Evesham Vale Road Race has firmly cemented their reputation in the road racing sphere. It has grown organically over the decades into a premier event that riders target specifically, rather than just using for training miles, thanks to flawless organisation under race organiser Mark Gunn and a genuinely sporting parcours.
The roll of honour reflects its prestige, boasting past winners like Yanto Barker, Liam Holohan, and Will Bjergfelt – who returns to the startline again this year. Defending champion George Kimber took a brilliant, commanding victory here in 2025, but with his absence from today’s startlist confirmed, a fresh battle for the £170 first-place prize and the top step of the podium awaits.
Route
Riders will face 100 kilometres of relentless, attritional racing, comprising four and a half laps of the 22km Inkberrow circuit. Starting and finishing at the village hall, the route is a relatively flat affair with just under 1,000m of total elevation gain. However, the twisty, narrow lanes and undulating profile will relentlessly sap the legs, culminating in a draggy, strength-sapping kicker to the finish line that serves as the perfect launchpad for late attacks.
The weather in early March is notoriously fickle, and the forecast suggests biting crosswinds and intermittent showers. These blustery conditions are highly likely to force echelons and split the race to pieces through the exposed sections, severely reducing the peloton and heavily favouring a gritty solo victory or a fractured, reduced-bunch sprint over a mass gallop.
Timings
The race officially begins at 9:30am.
Contenders
With the defending champion absent, the battle for the top step of the podium is blown wide open. All eyes immediately fall on the undeniable star name of the startlist: Jack Rootkin-Gray (Swatt Club). Having recently stepped away from the WorldTour ranks after recovering from a leg break, his return to the domestic scene makes him the undisputed heavyweight of the peloton. Operating with a world-class engine, he possesses the sheer power to launch a gritty solo strike from distance that simply dares the bunch to chase him down.
Jack Hartley (Moonglu SpatzWear) arrives as one of the most compelling stories and lethal threats in the field. The 24-year-old bravely cut short a stint in France with UV Aube to prioritise his wellbeing and rediscover his love for the sport – a move that paid immediate dividends. A proven winner with victories at the prestigious Eddie Soens Memorial and back-to-back wins at the GA Bennett Road Race, Hartley is a punchy, tenacious rider who thrives in attritional conditions.
Rootkin-Gray wins the 2023 Perfs Pedal. Image: Ian Wrightson/The British Continental
Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) enters the race with an outstanding pedigree. The 27-year-old is a consistent force on the Nat B circuit, underlined by explosive victories at last season’s Portsdown Classic and the Plymouth Corinthian Summer Road Race. The perennial breakaway specialist will be looking to go long in search of another Nat B win.
The ever-dangerous Foran CT have significantly bolstered their ranks with the addition of Ollie Hucks. The 26-year-old former Saint Piran rider, who secured a deeply impressive top ten at the Beaumont Trophy last season, brings immense firepower and tactical sharpness to a squad that thrives on dictating the race in blustery crosswinds.
Do not discount Josh Housley, now lining up for Ride Revolution Coaching. The 28-year-old is a highly versatile and resilient operator, notably taking a superb victory at the Capernwray Road Race last season. He provides his new team with a formidable card to play if a fractured, reduced group drags its way to the line.
The U23 ranks are also fiercely represented. John Bardsley (360cycling) is a rapidly developing 20-year-old with a massive engine, proven by his brilliant second-place overall finish at the 2025 Sherpa Performance Stage Race. He is a genuine dark horse to infiltrate a dangerous breakaway. Meanwhile, Joshua Horsfield brings promising legs and tactical nous for Cycling Sheffield, looking to force decisive splits alongside a strong youthful squad.
Finally, expect an aggressive, animated race from Jack Crook (Moda RT). The formidable rouleur brings a wealth of Nat B experience; if he gets a gap on the twisty Inkberrow lanes, he will be incredibly difficult to reel back into the fold.
Taking place on Sunday 8 March, the highly regarded Evesham Vale Road Race brings the National B calendar to the undulating roads of Worcestershire. As a crucial early-season fixture known for producing aggressive, action-packed racing, we break down the course and the riders to watch before the flag drops in Inkberrow.
Featured image: JOW Sports Media
What is it?
Organised by the ever-dependable Evesham Wheelers, the race is a true cornerstone of the West Midlands racing calendar. Based out of the race headquarters at Inkberrow Village Hall on Sands Road, it consistently attracts a top-tier domestic field eager to test their winter legs.
The host club possesses a rich heritage steeped in time-trialling legends, but the Evesham Vale Road Race has firmly cemented their reputation in the road racing sphere. It has grown organically over the decades into a premier event that riders target specifically, rather than just using for training miles, thanks to flawless organisation under race organiser Mark Gunn and a genuinely sporting parcours.
The roll of honour reflects its prestige, boasting past winners like Yanto Barker, Liam Holohan, and Will Bjergfelt – who returns to the startline again this year. Defending champion George Kimber took a brilliant, commanding victory here in 2025, but with his absence from today’s startlist confirmed, a fresh battle for the £170 first-place prize and the top step of the podium awaits.
Route
Riders will face 100 kilometres of relentless, attritional racing, comprising four and a half laps of the 22km Inkberrow circuit. Starting and finishing at the village hall, the route is a relatively flat affair with just under 1,000m of total elevation gain. However, the twisty, narrow lanes and undulating profile will relentlessly sap the legs, culminating in a draggy, strength-sapping kicker to the finish line that serves as the perfect launchpad for late attacks.
The weather in early March is notoriously fickle, and the forecast suggests biting crosswinds and intermittent showers. These blustery conditions are highly likely to force echelons and split the race to pieces through the exposed sections, severely reducing the peloton and heavily favouring a gritty solo victory or a fractured, reduced-bunch sprint over a mass gallop.
Timings
The race officially begins at 9:30am.
Contenders
With the defending champion absent, the battle for the top step of the podium is blown wide open. All eyes immediately fall on the undeniable star name of the startlist: Jack Rootkin-Gray (Swatt Club). Having recently stepped away from the WorldTour ranks after recovering from a leg break, his return to the domestic scene makes him the undisputed heavyweight of the peloton. Operating with a world-class engine, he possesses the sheer power to launch a gritty solo strike from distance that simply dares the bunch to chase him down.
Jack Hartley (Moonglu SpatzWear) arrives as one of the most compelling stories and lethal threats in the field. The 24-year-old bravely cut short a stint in France with UV Aube to prioritise his wellbeing and rediscover his love for the sport – a move that paid immediate dividends. A proven winner with victories at the prestigious Eddie Soens Memorial and back-to-back wins at the GA Bennett Road Race, Hartley is a punchy, tenacious rider who thrives in attritional conditions.
Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) enters the race with an outstanding pedigree. The 27-year-old is a consistent force on the Nat B circuit, underlined by explosive victories at last season’s Portsdown Classic and the Plymouth Corinthian Summer Road Race. The perennial breakaway specialist will be looking to go long in search of another Nat B win.
The ever-dangerous Foran CT have significantly bolstered their ranks with the addition of Ollie Hucks. The 26-year-old former Saint Piran rider, who secured a deeply impressive top ten at the Beaumont Trophy last season, brings immense firepower and tactical sharpness to a squad that thrives on dictating the race in blustery crosswinds.
Do not discount Josh Housley, now lining up for Ride Revolution Coaching. The 28-year-old is a highly versatile and resilient operator, notably taking a superb victory at the Capernwray Road Race last season. He provides his new team with a formidable card to play if a fractured, reduced group drags its way to the line.
The U23 ranks are also fiercely represented. John Bardsley (360cycling) is a rapidly developing 20-year-old with a massive engine, proven by his brilliant second-place overall finish at the 2025 Sherpa Performance Stage Race. He is a genuine dark horse to infiltrate a dangerous breakaway. Meanwhile, Joshua Horsfield brings promising legs and tactical nous for Cycling Sheffield, looking to force decisive splits alongside a strong youthful squad.
Finally, expect an aggressive, animated race from Jack Crook (Moda RT). The formidable rouleur brings a wealth of Nat B experience; if he gets a gap on the twisty Inkberrow lanes, he will be incredibly difficult to reel back into the fold.
Provisional startlist
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