Two years after his first victory on Kennel Hill, Rowan Baker made it two on Saturday, going clear with a lap and a half remaining as JAKROO Handsling Racing used their numerical strength to police every counter. Alex Franks completed a team one-two; Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) was third.
Seven laps of the Goodwood circuit in late March, on a clear morning in West Sussex, and the race sorted itself out with a directness that suited the dominant team of the day. JAKROO Handsling arrived as pre-race favourites and left with the result to match.
The Kennel Hill Classic, organised by Seb Ottley and Racing Club Ravenna and now in its fifth edition, is built around a circuit that rewards climbing and punishes those without the legs to repeat it. The roads at Goodwood hosted the 1982 UCI Road World Championships – where Mandy Jones became Britain’s first women’s road world champion – and Ottley has constructed a race that makes full use of the terrain.
The women’s race, won by Lucy Lee in 2025, had been cancelled this year after attracting insufficient entries – leaving a single open field to contest the Goodwood roads. Baker had won here in 2024; last year, Adam Howell had taken the race in his absence. This time, Baker reasserted his dominance.
Image: Paceline Media
Racing ignited on the first ascent of Kennel Hill, when Jack Crook (Team Bricquebec Cotentin) led a two-rider move off the front. Elliott Colyer (Aero CLCTV Race Team) led a counter-attack just seconds back. After two laps a larger group had formed and gathered momentum, bringing together Casper Brazier (Team PB Performance), Thomas Heal (JAKROO Handsling Racing), Oscar Nisbett (JAKROO Handsling Racing), Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons), Luke Barfoot (Pronto RT), William Baldie (trainSharp Roman RT), Ollie Hucks (Foran CT), and a rider from TAAP Kalas, among others.
A chasing group, with JAKROO Handsling again well-represented – Baker and Alex Franks prominent, along with Portsdown Classic victor Alex Murphy (StolenGoat 4Endurance) – brought the two groups together before long, and the race consolidated around a front group of roughly 20 riders as further chasers came across.
Heal tested the race’s patience by going solo. Jed Smithson (Hagens Berman Jayco) and Clay Davies (RideRevolution Coaching CT) were among those tracking proceedings from the front of the chase, and Heal was eventually brought back.
With a lap and half to go, Baker made his move, and JAKROO Handsling – with Heal, Nisbett, and Franks all present in the lead group – were well-placed to discourage any serious pursuit. The race was settled.
Behind him, Franks, Davies, Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT), and Giles escaped the remnants of the front group, though the four were unable to bring Baker back.
Image: Paceline Media
Baker held his advantage, crossing the line on Kennel Hill to claim his second victory at a race that has now yielded four different winners in five editions, and the team’s first win of the 2026 season. Franks completed the JAKROO Handsling one-two; Giles took third for DAS Richardsons.
Thanks to Paceline Media and Ollie Hucks for their help in reconstructing the race.
Two years after his first victory on Kennel Hill, Rowan Baker made it two on Saturday, going clear with a lap and a half remaining as JAKROO Handsling Racing used their numerical strength to police every counter. Alex Franks completed a team one-two; Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons) was third.
Featured image: Paceline Media
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Report
Seven laps of the Goodwood circuit in late March, on a clear morning in West Sussex, and the race sorted itself out with a directness that suited the dominant team of the day. JAKROO Handsling arrived as pre-race favourites and left with the result to match.
The Kennel Hill Classic, organised by Seb Ottley and Racing Club Ravenna and now in its fifth edition, is built around a circuit that rewards climbing and punishes those without the legs to repeat it. The roads at Goodwood hosted the 1982 UCI Road World Championships – where Mandy Jones became Britain’s first women’s road world champion – and Ottley has constructed a race that makes full use of the terrain.
The women’s race, won by Lucy Lee in 2025, had been cancelled this year after attracting insufficient entries – leaving a single open field to contest the Goodwood roads. Baker had won here in 2024; last year, Adam Howell had taken the race in his absence. This time, Baker reasserted his dominance.
Racing ignited on the first ascent of Kennel Hill, when Jack Crook (Team Bricquebec Cotentin) led a two-rider move off the front. Elliott Colyer (Aero CLCTV Race Team) led a counter-attack just seconds back. After two laps a larger group had formed and gathered momentum, bringing together Casper Brazier (Team PB Performance), Thomas Heal (JAKROO Handsling Racing), Oscar Nisbett (JAKROO Handsling Racing), Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons), Luke Barfoot (Pronto RT), William Baldie (trainSharp Roman RT), Ollie Hucks (Foran CT), and a rider from TAAP Kalas, among others.
A chasing group, with JAKROO Handsling again well-represented – Baker and Alex Franks prominent, along with Portsdown Classic victor Alex Murphy (StolenGoat 4Endurance) – brought the two groups together before long, and the race consolidated around a front group of roughly 20 riders as further chasers came across.
Heal tested the race’s patience by going solo. Jed Smithson (Hagens Berman Jayco) and Clay Davies (RideRevolution Coaching CT) were among those tracking proceedings from the front of the chase, and Heal was eventually brought back.
With a lap and half to go, Baker made his move, and JAKROO Handsling – with Heal, Nisbett, and Franks all present in the lead group – were well-placed to discourage any serious pursuit. The race was settled.
Behind him, Franks, Davies, Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT), and Giles escaped the remnants of the front group, though the four were unable to bring Baker back.
Baker held his advantage, crossing the line on Kennel Hill to claim his second victory at a race that has now yielded four different winners in five editions, and the team’s first win of the 2026 season. Franks completed the JAKROO Handsling one-two; Giles took third for DAS Richardsons.
Thanks to Paceline Media and Ollie Hucks for their help in reconstructing the race.
Results
Provisional results.
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