Junior national champion takes impressive second place in his first ever senior road race

Jacob Vaughan finishes second to Chris Opie at the Perfs Pedal Race

Jacob Vaughan leads the front group at the Perfs Pedal Race
(Image credit: Chris Lanaway)

National junior champion Jacob Vaughan (VC Londres) produced an impressive second place at the season-opening Perfs Pedal Race, his first senior road race, and only his third National B event.

The race, which was won by Chris Opie, saw aggressive racing from the start, as Opie's Bike Channel-Canyon team, the only UCI-registered team in the race, sought to force an early selection with 13 riders going clear.

Those 13 riders controlled the race, with a further split seeing Opie and Vaughan going clear with Opie's team-mates Rory Townsend and James Lowsley-Williams, and Jack Billyard (Zappi Racing Team).

The podium of the 2017 Perfs Pedal Race (Credit: Chris Lanaway)
(Image credit: Chris Lanaway)

Opie, a former winner of the race who rode at Professional Continental level with One Pro Cycling in 2016, jumped clear over the final rise to the finish, with Vaughan rolling in a few bike lengths behind.

However, with some riders complaining about a team of Bike Channel-Canyon's level turning up a relatively lowly National B race, it was Vaughan who took many of the plaudits on social media for his performance in his first senior road race.

See more
See more
See more

Result

Perfs Pedal Race 2017 (76km)

1. Chris Opie (Bike Channel-Canyon)

2. Jacob Vaughan (VC Londres)

3. Rory Townsend (Bike Channel-Canyon)

4. Jack Billyard (Zappi Racing Team)

5. Robert Partridge (Bike Channel-Canyon)

6. Michael Mottram (Morvelo Basso RT)

7. Matthew Clarke (Canyon UK)

8. Louis Rose-Davies (Canyon UK)

9. Chris McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London)

10. Elliot Porter (Neon Velo)

Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.