By the end of Sunday, we will be one step closer to knowing the destinations of the 2026 Rapha Super-League and National Road Series titles as their penultimate rounds are fought over the historic Ryals circuit in Northumberland as the Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy are up for grabs in what promises to be two thrilling races in Stamfordham.
Featured Image:Olly Hassell/SWPix.com
What is it
The longest continually running road race in the UK until the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beaumont Trophy returns for its 74th edition on Sunday and has a storied history. Organised originally by the Gosforth Road Club, the trophy takes its name from Newcastle cycle wholesaler Rex Beaumont, who presented it to Stan Blair after the inaugural edition in 1952.
Since then, some of the sport’s biggest names have added their name to a prestigious roll of honour including Ray Wetherall, who holds the record with five victories, as well as Paul Curran, Malcolm Elliott and, twice, Bradley Wiggins. For three years it was a UCI 1.2 race as part of the Europe Tour, and now forms part of both the National Road Series and Rapha Super-League.
Part of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling since 2007, a celebration of the sport in the North East that includes a sportive, the Curlew Cup was added to the programme in 2012 following a thrilling National Road Championships on the Ryals course a year prior. The race has quickly grown in stature to become one of the most prestigious fixtures on the domestic calendar, with winners including Hannah Barnes, Katie Archibald, and inaugural Rapha Super-League winner Robyn Clay.
Series standings
As mentioned at the start, both the Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy are the penultimate rounds of the Rapha Super-League and the National Road Series, with both races set to have a major impact on the destination of each title.
Morven Yeoman leads the way in the National Road Series & Rapha Super-League Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Morven Yeoman (DAS Hutchinson) leads the way in both, consistent from the opening round of both series at the CiCLE Classic in March, where she sprinted to third place. A solid run of results since has handed her a commanding 35-point advantage over Megan Barker in the Rapha Super-League, although her grip on the National Road Series is less firm, with only 28 points separating her and Lancaster Grand Prix victor Lily Martin (Loughborough Lightning) with a total of 100 still up for grabs.
In the Open competitions, Oliver Wood (Rapha Cycling Club) capitalised on Tom Armstrong’s misfortune in the Sheffield Grand Prix, turning the Rapha Super-League on its head in the process. He now takes a slender two-point lead over the Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli rider to Stamfordham, with only the North Yorkshire Grand Prix to follow. Things look slightly better for Lancaster Grand Prix winner Armstrong in the National Road Series however, his 212 points giving him a solid 39-point buffer over teammate Tom Martin.
With 26 Super-League points up for grabs this weekend, and a five-point difference between first and second place, attacking racing promises to be the order of the day.
Route
Starting and finishing in Stamfordham since the 1980s, the Ryals circuit has become synonymous with both the Beaumont Trophy and Curlew Cup, its centre piece of the Ryals climb, followed by a fast run in to the finish producing exciting racing and a battle between the breakaway and sprinters which rarely fails to disappoint.
The main circuit is 40.8km long, and contains over 500m of climbing. Defined by the 2.7km Ryals climb, its average gradient of 4.1% is deceptive – uneven gradients, including a 13% section near the top, offering an ideal launchpad for attackers at the front of the peloton, with survival the primary aim for those who find themselves sliding towards the back.
The Curlew Cup consists of three laps for a race distance in excess of 120km, offering a parcours that suits strong riders capable of making the important moves over the Ryals who can then deliver a strong sprint, should they need it, up a slight rise in the centre of Stamfordham.
The Beaumont Trophy covers four of these laps, followed by a shorter 22km finishing loop which cuts out the infamous climb. Devoid of the Ryals, its twisting narrow roads and short ascents offer the opportunity for last ditch attacks to blossom before the run-in to the finish line at the end of a bumper 183km of racing.
With exposed lanes in Northumberland’s National Park, the wind can be a factor, as can the fatigue that over four hours in the saddle can bring. The Beaumont Trophy again suits the strongest riders, with the battle between the breakaway and what’s left of the peloton one of the most exciting spectacles the domestic scene has to offer.
Weather
With sunshine and maximum temperatures touching 20C conditions look near perfect, although with a westerly breeze strengthening throughout the day there is potential for the Open race to split on the Northumberland moors.
Timings
The Curlew Cup gets underway at 8.45am, followed by the Beaumont Trophy at 1.30pm.
Our reporter Joe Hudson will be on the ground and bringing you live updates and reaction on Instagram, while Monument Cycling will be streaming the race.
Riders to watch
Curlew Cup
66 riders make up the startlist for what promises to be a hotly contested edition of the Curlew Cup – riders all the way from the UCI Continental ranks to some highly talented juniors in with a chance of victory.
Wearing the number one dossard is defending champion Lucy Lee who leads a four strong DAS-Hutchinson contingent. Last year Lee soloed to victory after dropping her breakaway companions on the final ascent of the Ryals. She enters the race in excellent form having finished on the podium of the Lancaster Grand Prix last month, while her second place in the Tour of the Reservoir demonstrated her ability to excel on the toughest days. It took Lee until this point in the season to take a National A win last year, and should she be given the opportunity, a repeat is on the cards.
Lucy Lee takes victory at the 2025 Curlew Cup Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
DAS-Hutchinson’s priority, however, may be defending Morven Yeoman’s National Road Series and Rapha Super-League lead. The 21-year-old Scot has had a breakthrough year, winning the Lincoln Grand Prix after riding away from the field with teammate Noèmie Thomson and hasn’t looked back, 2nd place in Lancaster proving her versatility on any terrain. Having battled through illness to finish in the top ten at the South Molton Grand Prix, she returns here as one of the favourites. Fast in a bunch sprint, particularly after a tough race, she could be difficult to beat.
Elsewhere in their ranks is Tammy Miller, a strong time trialist who soloed to an epic victory in last year’s Wentworth Woodhouse Grand Prix. She holds the interesting, and unwanted, distinction of failing to finish a single race to date this season, although she is still a rider that other teams may be wary about letting up the road.
Handsling Alba Development RT bring eight riders to renew their rivalry with Simon Howes’ squad and, despite missing Tour of the Reservoir winner Kate Richardson, have multiple cards to play with one of the strongest squads to take on the National Road Series this season.
Madeline Cooper takes victory in Guildford Image Mathew Wells/SWpix.com
Madeline Cooper comes into the race on the back of an excellent circuit season, capped off by victory in the Guildford Grand Prix, although has yet to hit the form which saw her claim both the BUCS and East and West Midlands Championships on the road twelve months ago.
The team also contains 2025 third place finisher Mari Porton who, with another year under her belt, will be better placed to make the difference should she find herself in a similar position twelve months on.
Izzy Sharp is a former WorldTour rider who shouldn’t be discounted – a strong rouleur with a decent finishing kick, she is one to watch up the Ryals. Meanwhile National Cyclocross Champion Anna Flynn showed what can she can do across the disciplines with a second place at the East Cleveland Classic back in April where the team dominated but came up short of victory. It was a similar story at the City of London Nocturne in June, and Bob Lyons’ squad will be desperate to correct the record here.
Lily Martin finds herself in the unusual position of having signed for Handsling Alba Development RT as a stagiaire for UCI races, but starts here in the colours of Loughborough Lightning. Leading the British Continental Road Race Rankings, Martin’s season has been one of consistent excellence having stepped up to firstly become a prolific winner at National B level before taking a dream victory in the Lancaster Grand Prix a month ago as well as win in Spain lthis week. 5th in the U23 National Time Trial Championship demonstrated her power among WorldTour opposition and, in the form of her life, few would bet against her taking another win and edging one step closer to the National Road Series title.
Lily Martin celebrates Lancaster GP victory with teammate Georgia Lancaster. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Dr Dave Nichols’ squad come to Northumberland with multiple cards to play. Jenny Holl’s second place in the Sheffield Grand Prix came at the end of a tough race dominated by DAS-Hutchinson and if she can survive the Ryals, she’ll be one to watch in Stamfordham. A finish benefitting those with a powerful sprint meaning Georgia Lancaster could well benefit if she remains in contact with the peloton.
While circuit race form is not often a good indicator of the hillier, longer, and more tactical National Road Series races, the flatter nature and potential for a sprint finish in Stamfordham brings Megan Barker (Rapha CC) into play. The National Circuit Race Champion returns from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she won a bronze medal in the Team Pursuit and will be hoping for a bunch sprint.
Daisy Taylor (The Hera Project) and Kim Baptista (DRAFT Racing) were active at the front of the peloton throughout the National Circuit Series and could play their part in disrupting the plans of the UCI teams.
Baptista’s DRAFT teammate Lucy Harris comes into the Curlew Cup with both experience and form, having taken her second National A win at the South Molton Grand Prix last month. A breakaway specialist, the course may not be tough enough for the 33-year-old to make her mark, with the other squads likely to closely follow her every move.
Paralloy RT has enjoyed something of a dream season courtesy of not only Katie Scott’s East Cleveland Classic triumph, but the consistency of Amy Henchoz – the 28-year-old finding herself sitting third in the National Road Series via a string of consistent performances. The Yorkshire Circuit Race Champion, she has yet to take a win on the road this season, but has proven herself capable of staying in the wheels of the favourites at this level.
Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Juniors Peggy Knox (Airtox – Carl Ras) and Melanie Rowe (camsmajaco) are two of the most promising junior talents in the UK with the potential of replicating Cat Feguson’s historic win in the East Cleveland Classic two seasons ago. The pair have excelled in Europe’s biggest races in their first year out of the youth ranks with 5th and 6th respectively at the Junior Tour of Flanders an indication of their level, with Rowe making the podium in Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Closer to home, Knox pushed the likes of Kate Richardson hard to finish on the podium of the Tour of the Reservoir, with Rowe winning the bunch sprint behind Lucy Harris to claim second in the CiCLE Classic a fortnight before dismantling a strong Handsling Alba Development RT at the Gifford Road Race in her native Scotland. What both riders lack in experience they more than make up for in both strength and racecraft.
Awen Roberts is in her third season with the CANYON//SRAM Generation development team and has made steady progress through the U23 ranks, showing her potential with a fine silver medal in the U23 National Time Trial Championship. The Welsh rider may prefer a hillier course and will be one to watch on the Ryals, her stage win in the Peaks 2 Day back in March where she outsprinted a small group after an attritional race her blueprint for success on Sunday’s bigger stage.
Finally, Grace Reynolds returns to the race where she was second last year but this time in the colours of the Megamo Vosges Team based in France. Having built up some good form in the early part of the season, a freak training accident left her with a grade 2 brain injury in April. Having returned to action with a spirited 12th place at the South Molton Grand Prix last month, the Irish rider comes into the race as something of an unknown quantity.
Beaumont Trophy
The 2026 edition of the Beaumont Trophy could well be remembered as the scene of one of the most enthralling battles the domestic scene has witnessed in recent history as Wood and Armstrong go head-to-head with the Rapha Super-League title on the line and just two points separating them.
Oliver Wood wins in Sheffield. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Both riders can have a case made for them. Wood, the winner of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix back in May, has been something of a revelation this year having pushed his focus towards the road, backing up an outstanding 6th place in the National Road Race Championship by pushing WorldTour talent Josh Giddings all the way in the Otley Grand Prix as well as taking the spoils in Sheffield.
Armstrong, meanwhile, took a memorable victory in the Lancaster Grand Prix courtesy of a virtuoso performance where he rode through the groups to take a memorable victory in the National Road Series leader’s jersey.
Both riders are fast in a sprint, and have proven capable of producing the goods at pivotal moments during tough races, a skill that is needed in a race as attritional as the Beaumont Trophy. They have been evenly matched throughout the season, with their latest road race tussle at the South Molton Grand Prix a typically tight affair, with Wood out-sprinting his fellow Lancastrian for second place.
Tom Armstrong leads the way at the Tour of the Reservoir. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Rapha CC’s Wood will be able to call upon the support of Matt Bostock, the Manxman coming off the back of an incredible Commonwealth Games on the track where he stormed to Points Race gold after a memorable fourth place in the Individual Pursuit. It remains to be seen how he will cope with the four hours of racing required after an intense block of track work, but should he make it over the Ryals for a bunch sprint he will arrive into Stamfordham as the overwhelming favourite, poised to take points away from Armstrong enroute to a significant victory on the road.
Armstrong, however, can rely on Tim Shoreman to perform a similar role; the Scot also having ridden at the Commonwealth Games over the weekend. Second last year, winning the bunch sprint behind Dylan Hicks, he forms part of a strong Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli squad who also field the attacking options of Tom Martin and Aaron King, another Scot who is enjoying a breakthrough season.
Team tactics could be vital with four ascents of the Ryals and a long ride back into Stamfordham for the finish. Ride Revolution Coaching has been this year’s surprise package – their strength in depth the key to them taking the team prize at the East Cleveland Classic in April. In the improving Gabe Dellar and Caleb Pain, they have two riders with a genuine shot at victory – Dellar coming close to pipping Foran CT’s Danylo Rinwjy to Tour of the Reservoir glory.
A talented climber, Pain enters the race in scintillating form off the back of two fourth places in the National Circuit Series where he forced himself into the winning moves. A strong climber, the inconsistent gradients and length of the Ryals make it his natural place to shine. The team can also rely on the services of the reliable, yet maverick, Harry MacFarlane. The National Hill Climb Champion has raced sparingly this season, but brings with him experience and multiple top five finishes in the National Road Series in years gone by.
Caleb Pain. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
The jury is out on JAKROO-Handsling’s debut season, but the prospect of a National A win would go a long way to fulfilling their promise. Their most reliable riders have been the young pairing of Harrison Dainty and Oliver Dawson, both of whom have been active at home and abroad in UCI races, with Dawson finishing on the podium alongside Wood and Armstrong in the South Molton Grand Prix.
Injury has denied Rowan Baker the opportunity live up to the promise he showed two years ago with a magnificent solo victory in the East Cleveland Classic. That said, a strong showing in the Sherpa Performance Stage Race last weekend, where he won the time trial and held the leader’s jersey going into the final stage, shows his form is improving. Teammate Will Truelove finds himself in a similar situation after coming within a whisker of winning the National Road Series title last year – a third place here one of his standout results. He will be hoping those memories can help him kick-start a late season charge.
Danylo Riwnyj is enjoying a breakthrough season of titanic proportions, rising from National B contender to National Road Series winner in just twelve months. An untimely mechanical ended the Londoner’s Lincoln Grand Prix bid having made the winning move with Wood, Armstrong, and Jack Rootkin-Gray, although he fired back to win solo at the Tour of the Reservoir. Having been racing in France over the past two weeks he should arrive in good form having missed the National Circuit Series – his aim will be to make the race as hard as possible and isolate the sprinters.
Danylo Riwnyj talks to The British Continental at the Tour of the Reservoir. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
The same can be said of former WorldTour rider Jack Rootkin-Gray who continues to make his way back through the sport having suffered a broken leg during his final year with EF Education-EasyPost. He won this race in 2022 as part of the all-conquering Saint Piran juggernaut, and although a lot has changed over those four years, he arrives in Stamfordham well rested and on the back of a strong first half of the season where he dipped his toe back in the world of UCI racing.
BCC RT have grown into genuine contenders for National A glory courtesy of Lewis Tinsley, the 19-year-old West Midlander delivering on the promise he showed in the Dudley Grand Prix as a first year junior three seasons ago. 6th in Lincoln and South Molton, on top of 5th in the Tour of the Reservoir, he is maturing into a rider suited to hard days out and, having missed the Yorkshire U23 Classic last weekend, should arrive rested and primed for a breakthrough result.
By his own admission, Callum Laborde (Ornata Factory Racing) has been in and out of the sport in the past couple of seasons, but the National Circuit Series showed what he can achieve when he is able to fully commit to a goal – a string of consistent performances landing him the title. Tactically astute, and a good bike handler with the nous to position himself well, he was close to making it across to the winning move in the Lincoln Grand Prix, and will be in the mix should a move go on the Ryals. A win would represent a step up from his previous results, falling just short of victory on multiple occasions in this company.
Callum Laborde races at the Sheffield GP. Image Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
James McKay has endured an injury hit season in his debut year with Belgian UCI outfit Atom 6 Bikes-Cycleur de Luxe-Auto Stroo, and should he start the Beaumont Trophy it would mark his first race day since fracturing his arm at the GP Nogent-sur-Oise a month ago.
On paper the race suits the Sheffield rider down to the ground, his fast finish and ability to survive the toughest of days, such as the wet CiCLE Classic where he was third three years ago, demonstrate that he has the characteristics to profit from a course like this one, although a race of 183km is a tall order coming back from injury.
There will be no such question marks over Mark Lightfoot (AVC Aix Provence-Dole) with the UCI Continental rider making the most of his trip back home from France with a 4th place in the Yorkshire U23 classic on Sunday, where he formed part of strong chasing group that battled it out for the podium on a climb similar to the Ryals.
As for the outsiders, Damien Clayton (Private Member) is a rider who shone at UCI level until his retirement, and has shown glimpses of his ability in the years since, most notably when finishing on the podium of the Wentworth Woodhouse Grand Prix last year after a typically aggressive ride, whilst James Jobber (Hurricane and Thunder CT) comes into the race off the back of a National B win at the Sam Robinson Memorial Trophy in Scotland.
By the end of Sunday, we will be one step closer to knowing the destinations of the 2026 Rapha Super-League and National Road Series titles as their penultimate rounds are fought over the historic Ryals circuit in Northumberland as the Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy are up for grabs in what promises to be two thrilling races in Stamfordham.
Featured Image: Olly Hassell/SWPix.com
What is it
The longest continually running road race in the UK until the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beaumont Trophy returns for its 74th edition on Sunday and has a storied history. Organised originally by the Gosforth Road Club, the trophy takes its name from Newcastle cycle wholesaler Rex Beaumont, who presented it to Stan Blair after the inaugural edition in 1952.
Since then, some of the sport’s biggest names have added their name to a prestigious roll of honour including Ray Wetherall, who holds the record with five victories, as well as Paul Curran, Malcolm Elliott and, twice, Bradley Wiggins. For three years it was a UCI 1.2 race as part of the Europe Tour, and now forms part of both the National Road Series and Rapha Super-League.
Part of the Cyclone Festival of Cycling since 2007, a celebration of the sport in the North East that includes a sportive, the Curlew Cup was added to the programme in 2012 following a thrilling National Road Championships on the Ryals course a year prior. The race has quickly grown in stature to become one of the most prestigious fixtures on the domestic calendar, with winners including Hannah Barnes, Katie Archibald, and inaugural Rapha Super-League winner Robyn Clay.
Series standings
As mentioned at the start, both the Curlew Cup and Beaumont Trophy are the penultimate rounds of the Rapha Super-League and the National Road Series, with both races set to have a major impact on the destination of each title.
Morven Yeoman (DAS Hutchinson) leads the way in both, consistent from the opening round of both series at the CiCLE Classic in March, where she sprinted to third place. A solid run of results since has handed her a commanding 35-point advantage over Megan Barker in the Rapha Super-League, although her grip on the National Road Series is less firm, with only 28 points separating her and Lancaster Grand Prix victor Lily Martin (Loughborough Lightning) with a total of 100 still up for grabs.
In the Open competitions, Oliver Wood (Rapha Cycling Club) capitalised on Tom Armstrong’s misfortune in the Sheffield Grand Prix, turning the Rapha Super-League on its head in the process. He now takes a slender two-point lead over the Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli rider to Stamfordham, with only the North Yorkshire Grand Prix to follow. Things look slightly better for Lancaster Grand Prix winner Armstrong in the National Road Series however, his 212 points giving him a solid 39-point buffer over teammate Tom Martin.
With 26 Super-League points up for grabs this weekend, and a five-point difference between first and second place, attacking racing promises to be the order of the day.
Route
Starting and finishing in Stamfordham since the 1980s, the Ryals circuit has become synonymous with both the Beaumont Trophy and Curlew Cup, its centre piece of the Ryals climb, followed by a fast run in to the finish producing exciting racing and a battle between the breakaway and sprinters which rarely fails to disappoint.
The main circuit is 40.8km long, and contains over 500m of climbing. Defined by the 2.7km Ryals climb, its average gradient of 4.1% is deceptive – uneven gradients, including a 13% section near the top, offering an ideal launchpad for attackers at the front of the peloton, with survival the primary aim for those who find themselves sliding towards the back.
The Curlew Cup consists of three laps for a race distance in excess of 120km, offering a parcours that suits strong riders capable of making the important moves over the Ryals who can then deliver a strong sprint, should they need it, up a slight rise in the centre of Stamfordham.
The Beaumont Trophy covers four of these laps, followed by a shorter 22km finishing loop which cuts out the infamous climb. Devoid of the Ryals, its twisting narrow roads and short ascents offer the opportunity for last ditch attacks to blossom before the run-in to the finish line at the end of a bumper 183km of racing.
With exposed lanes in Northumberland’s National Park, the wind can be a factor, as can the fatigue that over four hours in the saddle can bring. The Beaumont Trophy again suits the strongest riders, with the battle between the breakaway and what’s left of the peloton one of the most exciting spectacles the domestic scene has to offer.
Weather
With sunshine and maximum temperatures touching 20C conditions look near perfect, although with a westerly breeze strengthening throughout the day there is potential for the Open race to split on the Northumberland moors.
Timings
The Curlew Cup gets underway at 8.45am, followed by the Beaumont Trophy at 1.30pm.
Our reporter Joe Hudson will be on the ground and bringing you live updates and reaction on Instagram, while Monument Cycling will be streaming the race.
Riders to watch
Curlew Cup
66 riders make up the startlist for what promises to be a hotly contested edition of the Curlew Cup – riders all the way from the UCI Continental ranks to some highly talented juniors in with a chance of victory.
Wearing the number one dossard is defending champion Lucy Lee who leads a four strong DAS-Hutchinson contingent. Last year Lee soloed to victory after dropping her breakaway companions on the final ascent of the Ryals. She enters the race in excellent form having finished on the podium of the Lancaster Grand Prix last month, while her second place in the Tour of the Reservoir demonstrated her ability to excel on the toughest days. It took Lee until this point in the season to take a National A win last year, and should she be given the opportunity, a repeat is on the cards.
DAS-Hutchinson’s priority, however, may be defending Morven Yeoman’s National Road Series and Rapha Super-League lead. The 21-year-old Scot has had a breakthrough year, winning the Lincoln Grand Prix after riding away from the field with teammate Noèmie Thomson and hasn’t looked back, 2nd place in Lancaster proving her versatility on any terrain. Having battled through illness to finish in the top ten at the South Molton Grand Prix, she returns here as one of the favourites. Fast in a bunch sprint, particularly after a tough race, she could be difficult to beat.
Elsewhere in their ranks is Tammy Miller, a strong time trialist who soloed to an epic victory in last year’s Wentworth Woodhouse Grand Prix. She holds the interesting, and unwanted, distinction of failing to finish a single race to date this season, although she is still a rider that other teams may be wary about letting up the road.
Handsling Alba Development RT bring eight riders to renew their rivalry with Simon Howes’ squad and, despite missing Tour of the Reservoir winner Kate Richardson, have multiple cards to play with one of the strongest squads to take on the National Road Series this season.
Madeline Cooper comes into the race on the back of an excellent circuit season, capped off by victory in the Guildford Grand Prix, although has yet to hit the form which saw her claim both the BUCS and East and West Midlands Championships on the road twelve months ago.
The team also contains 2025 third place finisher Mari Porton who, with another year under her belt, will be better placed to make the difference should she find herself in a similar position twelve months on.
Izzy Sharp is a former WorldTour rider who shouldn’t be discounted – a strong rouleur with a decent finishing kick, she is one to watch up the Ryals. Meanwhile National Cyclocross Champion Anna Flynn showed what can she can do across the disciplines with a second place at the East Cleveland Classic back in April where the team dominated but came up short of victory. It was a similar story at the City of London Nocturne in June, and Bob Lyons’ squad will be desperate to correct the record here.
Lily Martin finds herself in the unusual position of having signed for Handsling Alba Development RT as a stagiaire for UCI races, but starts here in the colours of Loughborough Lightning. Leading the British Continental Road Race Rankings, Martin’s season has been one of consistent excellence having stepped up to firstly become a prolific winner at National B level before taking a dream victory in the Lancaster Grand Prix a month ago as well as win in Spain lthis week. 5th in the U23 National Time Trial Championship demonstrated her power among WorldTour opposition and, in the form of her life, few would bet against her taking another win and edging one step closer to the National Road Series title.
Dr Dave Nichols’ squad come to Northumberland with multiple cards to play. Jenny Holl’s second place in the Sheffield Grand Prix came at the end of a tough race dominated by DAS-Hutchinson and if she can survive the Ryals, she’ll be one to watch in Stamfordham. A finish benefitting those with a powerful sprint meaning Georgia Lancaster could well benefit if she remains in contact with the peloton.
While circuit race form is not often a good indicator of the hillier, longer, and more tactical National Road Series races, the flatter nature and potential for a sprint finish in Stamfordham brings Megan Barker (Rapha CC) into play. The National Circuit Race Champion returns from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she won a bronze medal in the Team Pursuit and will be hoping for a bunch sprint.
Daisy Taylor (The Hera Project) and Kim Baptista (DRAFT Racing) were active at the front of the peloton throughout the National Circuit Series and could play their part in disrupting the plans of the UCI teams.
Baptista’s DRAFT teammate Lucy Harris comes into the Curlew Cup with both experience and form, having taken her second National A win at the South Molton Grand Prix last month. A breakaway specialist, the course may not be tough enough for the 33-year-old to make her mark, with the other squads likely to closely follow her every move.
Paralloy RT has enjoyed something of a dream season courtesy of not only Katie Scott’s East Cleveland Classic triumph, but the consistency of Amy Henchoz – the 28-year-old finding herself sitting third in the National Road Series via a string of consistent performances. The Yorkshire Circuit Race Champion, she has yet to take a win on the road this season, but has proven herself capable of staying in the wheels of the favourites at this level.
Juniors Peggy Knox (Airtox – Carl Ras) and Melanie Rowe (camsmajaco) are two of the most promising junior talents in the UK with the potential of replicating Cat Feguson’s historic win in the East Cleveland Classic two seasons ago. The pair have excelled in Europe’s biggest races in their first year out of the youth ranks with 5th and 6th respectively at the Junior Tour of Flanders an indication of their level, with Rowe making the podium in Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Closer to home, Knox pushed the likes of Kate Richardson hard to finish on the podium of the Tour of the Reservoir, with Rowe winning the bunch sprint behind Lucy Harris to claim second in the CiCLE Classic a fortnight before dismantling a strong Handsling Alba Development RT at the Gifford Road Race in her native Scotland. What both riders lack in experience they more than make up for in both strength and racecraft.
Awen Roberts is in her third season with the CANYON//SRAM Generation development team and has made steady progress through the U23 ranks, showing her potential with a fine silver medal in the U23 National Time Trial Championship. The Welsh rider may prefer a hillier course and will be one to watch on the Ryals, her stage win in the Peaks 2 Day back in March where she outsprinted a small group after an attritional race her blueprint for success on Sunday’s bigger stage.
Finally, Grace Reynolds returns to the race where she was second last year but this time in the colours of the Megamo Vosges Team based in France. Having built up some good form in the early part of the season, a freak training accident left her with a grade 2 brain injury in April. Having returned to action with a spirited 12th place at the South Molton Grand Prix last month, the Irish rider comes into the race as something of an unknown quantity.
Beaumont Trophy
The 2026 edition of the Beaumont Trophy could well be remembered as the scene of one of the most enthralling battles the domestic scene has witnessed in recent history as Wood and Armstrong go head-to-head with the Rapha Super-League title on the line and just two points separating them.
Both riders can have a case made for them. Wood, the winner of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix back in May, has been something of a revelation this year having pushed his focus towards the road, backing up an outstanding 6th place in the National Road Race Championship by pushing WorldTour talent Josh Giddings all the way in the Otley Grand Prix as well as taking the spoils in Sheffield.
Armstrong, meanwhile, took a memorable victory in the Lancaster Grand Prix courtesy of a virtuoso performance where he rode through the groups to take a memorable victory in the National Road Series leader’s jersey.
Both riders are fast in a sprint, and have proven capable of producing the goods at pivotal moments during tough races, a skill that is needed in a race as attritional as the Beaumont Trophy. They have been evenly matched throughout the season, with their latest road race tussle at the South Molton Grand Prix a typically tight affair, with Wood out-sprinting his fellow Lancastrian for second place.
Rapha CC’s Wood will be able to call upon the support of Matt Bostock, the Manxman coming off the back of an incredible Commonwealth Games on the track where he stormed to Points Race gold after a memorable fourth place in the Individual Pursuit. It remains to be seen how he will cope with the four hours of racing required after an intense block of track work, but should he make it over the Ryals for a bunch sprint he will arrive into Stamfordham as the overwhelming favourite, poised to take points away from Armstrong enroute to a significant victory on the road.
Armstrong, however, can rely on Tim Shoreman to perform a similar role; the Scot also having ridden at the Commonwealth Games over the weekend. Second last year, winning the bunch sprint behind Dylan Hicks, he forms part of a strong Wheelbase-CabTech-Castelli squad who also field the attacking options of Tom Martin and Aaron King, another Scot who is enjoying a breakthrough season.
Team tactics could be vital with four ascents of the Ryals and a long ride back into Stamfordham for the finish. Ride Revolution Coaching has been this year’s surprise package – their strength in depth the key to them taking the team prize at the East Cleveland Classic in April. In the improving Gabe Dellar and Caleb Pain, they have two riders with a genuine shot at victory – Dellar coming close to pipping Foran CT’s Danylo Rinwjy to Tour of the Reservoir glory.
A talented climber, Pain enters the race in scintillating form off the back of two fourth places in the National Circuit Series where he forced himself into the winning moves. A strong climber, the inconsistent gradients and length of the Ryals make it his natural place to shine. The team can also rely on the services of the reliable, yet maverick, Harry MacFarlane. The National Hill Climb Champion has raced sparingly this season, but brings with him experience and multiple top five finishes in the National Road Series in years gone by.
The jury is out on JAKROO-Handsling’s debut season, but the prospect of a National A win would go a long way to fulfilling their promise. Their most reliable riders have been the young pairing of Harrison Dainty and Oliver Dawson, both of whom have been active at home and abroad in UCI races, with Dawson finishing on the podium alongside Wood and Armstrong in the South Molton Grand Prix.
Injury has denied Rowan Baker the opportunity live up to the promise he showed two years ago with a magnificent solo victory in the East Cleveland Classic. That said, a strong showing in the Sherpa Performance Stage Race last weekend, where he won the time trial and held the leader’s jersey going into the final stage, shows his form is improving. Teammate Will Truelove finds himself in a similar situation after coming within a whisker of winning the National Road Series title last year – a third place here one of his standout results. He will be hoping those memories can help him kick-start a late season charge.
Danylo Riwnyj is enjoying a breakthrough season of titanic proportions, rising from National B contender to National Road Series winner in just twelve months. An untimely mechanical ended the Londoner’s Lincoln Grand Prix bid having made the winning move with Wood, Armstrong, and Jack Rootkin-Gray, although he fired back to win solo at the Tour of the Reservoir. Having been racing in France over the past two weeks he should arrive in good form having missed the National Circuit Series – his aim will be to make the race as hard as possible and isolate the sprinters.
The same can be said of former WorldTour rider Jack Rootkin-Gray who continues to make his way back through the sport having suffered a broken leg during his final year with EF Education-EasyPost. He won this race in 2022 as part of the all-conquering Saint Piran juggernaut, and although a lot has changed over those four years, he arrives in Stamfordham well rested and on the back of a strong first half of the season where he dipped his toe back in the world of UCI racing.
BCC RT have grown into genuine contenders for National A glory courtesy of Lewis Tinsley, the 19-year-old West Midlander delivering on the promise he showed in the Dudley Grand Prix as a first year junior three seasons ago. 6th in Lincoln and South Molton, on top of 5th in the Tour of the Reservoir, he is maturing into a rider suited to hard days out and, having missed the Yorkshire U23 Classic last weekend, should arrive rested and primed for a breakthrough result.
By his own admission, Callum Laborde (Ornata Factory Racing) has been in and out of the sport in the past couple of seasons, but the National Circuit Series showed what he can achieve when he is able to fully commit to a goal – a string of consistent performances landing him the title. Tactically astute, and a good bike handler with the nous to position himself well, he was close to making it across to the winning move in the Lincoln Grand Prix, and will be in the mix should a move go on the Ryals. A win would represent a step up from his previous results, falling just short of victory on multiple occasions in this company.
James McKay has endured an injury hit season in his debut year with Belgian UCI outfit Atom 6 Bikes-Cycleur de Luxe-Auto Stroo, and should he start the Beaumont Trophy it would mark his first race day since fracturing his arm at the GP Nogent-sur-Oise a month ago.
On paper the race suits the Sheffield rider down to the ground, his fast finish and ability to survive the toughest of days, such as the wet CiCLE Classic where he was third three years ago, demonstrate that he has the characteristics to profit from a course like this one, although a race of 183km is a tall order coming back from injury.
There will be no such question marks over Mark Lightfoot (AVC Aix Provence-Dole) with the UCI Continental rider making the most of his trip back home from France with a 4th place in the Yorkshire U23 classic on Sunday, where he formed part of strong chasing group that battled it out for the podium on a climb similar to the Ryals.
As for the outsiders, Damien Clayton (Private Member) is a rider who shone at UCI level until his retirement, and has shown glimpses of his ability in the years since, most notably when finishing on the podium of the Wentworth Woodhouse Grand Prix last year after a typically aggressive ride, whilst James Jobber (Hurricane and Thunder CT) comes into the race off the back of a National B win at the Sam Robinson Memorial Trophy in Scotland.
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