2026 PB Performance Espoirs Road Race: report and results

Luca Nicholson (Velo Club Barrachi) beat not only an 80-strong field but the wind and rain to solo to victory in the PB Performance Espoirs Road Race in Leicestershire on Sunday afternoon, the 18-year-old backing up his second place at the Wally Gimber last weekend with a maiden National B win, and with it an early lead in the U23 Open National Road Series.

Featured image: Cyclingchaos

Report

While the race may have moved from the north of Leicestershire to the south of the county for its fourth edition, the strong winds that have been a fixture of the race in the past appeared around the Gilmorton circuit, persistent rain ensuring the 150km race would produce a worthy winner. With constant changes in gradient and the westerly wind howling, the bunch began to split early in the race, a 13-man group moving clear as early as the second of the 15.5 laps, the constant changes of direction helping to pull the bunch back together as the field crossed the line as one with over three quarters of the race distance remaining.

360cycling, with a full quota of five riders, sent an early warning sign to the other Elite Development Teams, two of their number forming a four-man group alongside American student Thayer Ask (University of Nottingham). The quartet were then joined a lap later by James Sawyers (Cycling Sheffield) and Hugh Aubrey (Stolen Goat 4Endurance).

Working well together, the group’s advantage continued to grow, JAKROO Handsling switching from pacing the peloton to firing a rider across the gap as the leading group swelled to nine, the attacks continuing to rain down in the inclement weather both at the head of the race and a minute behind in the fragmenting peloton.

With seven laps to go the remains of a whittled-down peloton caught the escapees, representatives from BCC Race Team, Cycling Sheffield, and promoting team PB Performance driving the pace until a group of six broke free with 50 kilometres remaining. Latched onto the back of that move was form rider Nicholson, displaying an old head on young shoulders in making the crucial break for the second weekend running, two Cycling Sheffield riders and the aggressive Aubrey alongside him.

Cycling Sheffield continued to impress, with a third rider chasing behind, flanked by Will Pollard (Team PB Performance) and a DAS Richardsons rider, before the trio were replaced with a quartet – BCC Race Team this time showing their strength with two riders in the move as the chase behind continued to shed riders, the relentless pace of the race and the harsh conditions taking their toll on a rapidly thinning field.

With just three laps to go the lead group had swelled with a number of chasers making their way back to the front of the race, George Stephen (BCC RT) and Nicholson deciding to roll the dice with less than 20 kilometres remaining, a similar distance to that which James Hartley soloed to victory on this circuit in equally tough conditions in 2024. With the race behind splitting up, Nicholson made his bid for victory with 7 kilometres remaining – attacking a spirited Stephen and holding on to cross the finishing line for a maiden National B win, and one few would have predicted a little over a week ago. Talented climber Nathan Smith (Cycling Sheffield) proved his Yorkshire grit, attacking the chasers to take third, while former junior national road race champion Oliver Dawson (JAKROO Handsling) came home fourth.

All eyes will now be on Suffolk’s Nicholson ahead of the first open National Road Series round of the year, the East Cleveland Classic, in two weeks’ time, followed by the defence of his series lead on a similar course at the Danum Trophy a week later.

Virtually unknown just over a week ago, the 18-year-old, racing in a plain navy skinsuit, will find himself not only a marked man in the weeks ahead, but a rider with a reputation as one of the UK’s biggest emerging talents – his journey already one of the most intriguing storylines of the 2026 season.