2026 Fenwick’s Women’s Tour of Mendip: report and results
Mabli Phillips soloed clear in the national junior champion's jersey to lead home a Shibden Apex RT one-two, as Abi Clayton took the Junior Women's National Road Series title from a field of just 12.
Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) marked her domestic debut in the national junior champion’s jersey with a 50-kilometre solo victory at the Fenwick’s Women’s Tour of Mendip on Saturday 1 August, while teammate Aelwen Davies sprinted to second to complete a Shibden Apex one-two.
Featured image: Matt de-B Photography
Report
Only 12 riders took to the start line for a race that carried National B status and formed the final round of the Junior Women’s National Road Series, and the pace was high from the off—the strongest riders wasting little time in making their mark on an exposed, rolling course they would cover six times.
Image: Matt de-B Photography
Sannah Zaman (O’Shea Red Chilli Bikes) was the most active. Back from a first half of the season spent racing UCI events in Europe, she looked intent on using that experience to break the race apart, and took five riders clear on the opening lap to split the field in two.
Davies, the recently crowned Welsh junior circuit race champion, showed her speed by taking the first prime at the end of the second lap. Phillips then made the decisive move on the third, going clear of the lead group with nobody able to follow.
Strong in the national junior road race jersey she won in Yorkshire at the start of July, Phillips pressed on, unaware that Zaman had punctured out of the chase group at halfway, leaving Lili-Keau Juntakereket (Paralloy RT), Abi Clayton (Brother UK–Team OnForm), and Scarlett Ford (Liv CC–Halo Films) to close the gap, with Davies able to sit on.
Phillips’ lead only grew, and by the finish it stood at 3-27. Behind her, Davies’ turn of speed took second place, four seconds clear of Juntakereket.
Image: Matt de-B Photography
Fourth place was enough for Clayton to claim the Junior Women’s National Road Series title, with Phillips’ haul of 30 points lifting her to second overall and Davies climbing to third.
A field of 12—some of them U23 and elite riders rather than juniors—is a poor return for the deciding round of a national series. It fell days before the Junior National Track Championships open in Manchester on Wednesday, and on the same weekend as the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race. Neither clash was the organiser’s doing: as we reported in our preview, they told The British Continental that British Cycling had agreed this date before the track championships were announced, and that they had not known the Duncan Murray Wines race would land alongside it. Whether the calendar could have been arranged otherwise is a question for British Cycling.
Mabli Phillips (Shibden Apex RT) marked her domestic debut in the national junior champion’s jersey with a 50-kilometre solo victory at the Fenwick’s Women’s Tour of Mendip on Saturday 1 August, while teammate Aelwen Davies sprinted to second to complete a Shibden Apex one-two.
Featured image: Matt de-B Photography
Report
Only 12 riders took to the start line for a race that carried National B status and formed the final round of the Junior Women’s National Road Series, and the pace was high from the off—the strongest riders wasting little time in making their mark on an exposed, rolling course they would cover six times.
Sannah Zaman (O’Shea Red Chilli Bikes) was the most active. Back from a first half of the season spent racing UCI events in Europe, she looked intent on using that experience to break the race apart, and took five riders clear on the opening lap to split the field in two.
Davies, the recently crowned Welsh junior circuit race champion, showed her speed by taking the first prime at the end of the second lap. Phillips then made the decisive move on the third, going clear of the lead group with nobody able to follow.
Strong in the national junior road race jersey she won in Yorkshire at the start of July, Phillips pressed on, unaware that Zaman had punctured out of the chase group at halfway, leaving Lili-Keau Juntakereket (Paralloy RT), Abi Clayton (Brother UK–Team OnForm), and Scarlett Ford (Liv CC–Halo Films) to close the gap, with Davies able to sit on.
Phillips’ lead only grew, and by the finish it stood at 3-27. Behind her, Davies’ turn of speed took second place, four seconds clear of Juntakereket.
Fourth place was enough for Clayton to claim the Junior Women’s National Road Series title, with Phillips’ haul of 30 points lifting her to second overall and Davies climbing to third.
A field of 12—some of them U23 and elite riders rather than juniors—is a poor return for the deciding round of a national series. It fell days before the Junior National Track Championships open in Manchester on Wednesday, and on the same weekend as the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race. Neither clash was the organiser’s doing: as we reported in our preview, they told The British Continental that British Cycling had agreed this date before the track championships were announced, and that they had not known the Duncan Murray Wines race would land alongside it. Whether the calendar could have been arranged otherwise is a question for British Cycling.
Results
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