Phillips storms past Cherry to claim junior national road race title
Megan Cherry looked set to ride into the junior national road race title after almost three laps alone in front. Then Mabli Phillips attacked from the bunch, closed a near-minute gap on the final lap, and rode straight past her to take the stripes above Harrogate.
Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) won the junior women’s national road race title above Harrogate on Sunday 5 July, catching and passing long-time leader Megan Cherry (camsmajaco) on the final lap after launching a solo chase from almost a minute down.
Cherry, who had spent the best part of three laps alone in front, held on for second after a bold long-range ride. Cherry’s teammate Melanie Rowe completed the podium, with Zoe Roche, also a camsmajaco rider, fourth and Phoebe Taylor (Shibden Apex RT) fifth.
Featured image: Joe Hudson
Report
Mabli Phillips did not think she would catch Megan Cherry.
Cherry had been alone at the front of the junior women’s national road race championship for the best part of three laps, her advantage stretching at one point to a minute and a half, while behind her a peloton heavy with camsmajaco and Shibden Apex RT riders watched and waited.
So when Phillips attacked alone on the final lap, 58 seconds down, she was riding on instinct as much as calculation.
Image: Joe Hudson
“I sensed a really good moment,” she said. “It was on the drag after the roundabout, sort of half a lap to go. I just sensed a really good opportunity and went for it. But I didn’t think I’d catch Megan, to be honest — I was just hanging on out there.”
She did catch her — just before the turn at race HQ — and what happened next won her the title.
“She’d been out there for a while, I think it was like 45k, so I knew she was going to be on the limit,” Phillips explained. “I didn’t want it to come down to a sprint, because you never know what’ll happen then. So I eased off a bit when I caught her, and then I just whacked it past her and went full gas.”
The day began wet and windy in the hills above Harrogate, overnight rain leaving greasy roads for the 09:00 start, though conditions improved as the race went on. For two of the five laps of the rolling 18.2-kilometre circuit, Peggy Knox (Airtox–Carl Ras Junior Women) and the numerically dominant camsmajaco squad controlled the front. The race stretched into a long line over Pot Bank, but no move stuck.
Image: Joe Hudson
The first serious selection came on Penny Pot Lane, where a group of around a dozen riders went clear with a 20-second advantage before Ruby Isaac, Eloise Ward and Phillips bridged across. The move was brought back by the feed zone with three laps to go, but the race had begun to bite, groups shedding from the back of the bunch.
It was from there that Cherry launched, going clear as the peloton eased. Millie Salmon (Grouwels-Watersley R&D Cycling Team) attempted a chase at 32 seconds. Isaac, the defending champion, who had earlier been distanced on Pot Bank and fought her way back, attacked and was brought back. But no sustained pursuit formed.
Phillips offered the plainest explanation.
Image: Joe Hudson
“There were quite a lot of cams and Shibden riders, so no one really wanted to chase so much,” she said. “But I didn’t think it would be brought back quite so much — a minute and a half was a massive gap.”
The time gaps told the story of the closing laps: 48 seconds, 1:05, 1:29 on Penny Pot Lane with two to go, back to 1:16 at the bell, then out again to 1:30 as the bunch stalled.
Phillips’s attack was the race’s decisive act. Alone, she hauled back the deficit — 42 seconds, then 24, then 12 — made the junction, and went straight past.
Cherry held on for second after her long day in front. Rowe, third in Saturday’s time trial, completed the podium ahead of Roche and Taylor.
For Phillips, in her final junior season, the title caps a remarkable run: third in Saturday’s time trial, runner-up in last year’s junior national road race championship, Welsh road race champion in 2025, sixth at the Clásica de Jaén junior Nations Cup in February — and now the national stripes.
Image: Joe Hudson
There will be little time to admire the jersey.
“I’m straight out to France next week,” she said, with the Watersley Nations Cup in the Netherlands and track commitments to follow.
Aalia Clay, Saturday’s time trial champion, finished ninth; camsmajaco placed eight riders in the top 11, but Cherry’s silver was as close as they came to the title. Isaac’s defence ended in 11th.
Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) won the junior women’s national road race title above Harrogate on Sunday 5 July, catching and passing long-time leader Megan Cherry (camsmajaco) on the final lap after launching a solo chase from almost a minute down.
Cherry, who had spent the best part of three laps alone in front, held on for second after a bold long-range ride. Cherry’s teammate Melanie Rowe completed the podium, with Zoe Roche, also a camsmajaco rider, fourth and Phoebe Taylor (Shibden Apex RT) fifth.
Featured image: Joe Hudson
Report
Mabli Phillips did not think she would catch Megan Cherry.
Cherry had been alone at the front of the junior women’s national road race championship for the best part of three laps, her advantage stretching at one point to a minute and a half, while behind her a peloton heavy with camsmajaco and Shibden Apex RT riders watched and waited.
So when Phillips attacked alone on the final lap, 58 seconds down, she was riding on instinct as much as calculation.
“I sensed a really good moment,” she said. “It was on the drag after the roundabout, sort of half a lap to go. I just sensed a really good opportunity and went for it. But I didn’t think I’d catch Megan, to be honest — I was just hanging on out there.”
She did catch her — just before the turn at race HQ — and what happened next won her the title.
“She’d been out there for a while, I think it was like 45k, so I knew she was going to be on the limit,” Phillips explained. “I didn’t want it to come down to a sprint, because you never know what’ll happen then. So I eased off a bit when I caught her, and then I just whacked it past her and went full gas.”
The day began wet and windy in the hills above Harrogate, overnight rain leaving greasy roads for the 09:00 start, though conditions improved as the race went on. For two of the five laps of the rolling 18.2-kilometre circuit, Peggy Knox (Airtox–Carl Ras Junior Women) and the numerically dominant camsmajaco squad controlled the front. The race stretched into a long line over Pot Bank, but no move stuck.
The first serious selection came on Penny Pot Lane, where a group of around a dozen riders went clear with a 20-second advantage before Ruby Isaac, Eloise Ward and Phillips bridged across. The move was brought back by the feed zone with three laps to go, but the race had begun to bite, groups shedding from the back of the bunch.
It was from there that Cherry launched, going clear as the peloton eased. Millie Salmon (Grouwels-Watersley R&D Cycling Team) attempted a chase at 32 seconds. Isaac, the defending champion, who had earlier been distanced on Pot Bank and fought her way back, attacked and was brought back. But no sustained pursuit formed.
Phillips offered the plainest explanation.
“There were quite a lot of cams and Shibden riders, so no one really wanted to chase so much,” she said. “But I didn’t think it would be brought back quite so much — a minute and a half was a massive gap.”
The time gaps told the story of the closing laps: 48 seconds, 1:05, 1:29 on Penny Pot Lane with two to go, back to 1:16 at the bell, then out again to 1:30 as the bunch stalled.
Phillips’s attack was the race’s decisive act. Alone, she hauled back the deficit — 42 seconds, then 24, then 12 — made the junction, and went straight past.
Cherry held on for second after her long day in front. Rowe, third in Saturday’s time trial, completed the podium ahead of Roche and Taylor.
For Phillips, in her final junior season, the title caps a remarkable run: third in Saturday’s time trial, runner-up in last year’s junior national road race championship, Welsh road race champion in 2025, sixth at the Clásica de Jaén junior Nations Cup in February — and now the national stripes.
There will be little time to admire the jersey.
“I’m straight out to France next week,” she said, with the Watersley Nations Cup in the Netherlands and track commitments to follow.
Aalia Clay, Saturday’s time trial champion, finished ninth; camsmajaco placed eight riders in the top 11, but Cherry’s silver was as close as they came to the title. Isaac’s defence ended in 11th.
Results
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