Matthew Bostock and Josie Nelson take British circuit race titles
Bostock and Nelson edge two frenetic circuit races.
Matthew Bostock (WiV SunGod) took a comfortable victory in the British circuit race this evening ahead of Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ).
The rider from the Isle of Man had his gear selection perfected in the final lap and unleashed a powerful sprint to beat both Watson and junior rider Joshua Tarling (Wales racing Academy). A widely popular winner in Dumfries, Bostock enjoyed a lap of honour receiving congratulations from other riders.
Under the shadow of MacLellan’s Castle, the elite men’s race got underway with plenty of elbow bashing and eagerness to get onto the front of the action from the off. The absence of the defending champion Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) meant that the race would was wide open and a variety of riders clearly fancied their chance at victory.
The opening lap was raced in less than 1-30, meaning that we were in for a relentless evening's racing. Barely 15 minutes into the race riders were struggling.
The bunch was already stretched out due to the vicious pace set by Groupama-FDJ on the front.
With 20 minutes gone, 35 riders were left at the front and Harry Tanfield (Ribble-Weldtite) was picking his way towards the sharp end of the race. Bostock then put in an acceleration and would soon have a huge gap. Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ) buried himself to get across along with Joshua Tarling (Wales Racing Academy). Robert Donaldson (Team Inspired) would join the leaders and they swiftly united in collaboration. The four, riding like a team pursuit, to increased their advantage to 12-9 seconds.
Matt Gibson (Human Powered Health) was doing everything he could on the front of the main group but the chaotic response meant the leaders were getting further ahead. Askey was locked on to any attempt to bridge across, knowing that his teammate, Watson, was up the road. Meanwhile, Donaldson was beginning to grimace in the leading group and would soon be dropped.
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On the final run into the finishing line Bostock unleashed a huge sprint with the line in sight. Watson was rapidly trying to get on terms with the WiV SunGod rider but in the end, Bostock had too much power and had time to punch the air to celebrate a resounding victory.
Nelson triumphant
Earlier on in the evening, Josie Nelson (Coop Hitec) took victory in the women’s circuit race, as she timed her final attack to perfection in the final sprint for the line, which was decided in a photo finish. Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo) rounded out the top three.
The bagpipes rang out through Kirkcudbright as the women ripped through the course. Cams-Basso were one of the main protagonists as they consistently showed they were intent on dethroning last year’s champion, Jo Tindley (Pro Noctis). Tindley along with her Pro Noctis team mates, put in a series of stinging moves looking to stamp their authority on proceedings but Sammie Stuart (Cams-Basso) was having none of it.
Amy Gornell (Pro Noctis) was proving herself to be a superb ally for defending champion Tindley, constantly giving Tindley a wheel to sit on in each of the team’s moves.
As the speed lifted on the 30 minute mark, a huge crash took more than 10 riders out of contention although Tindley (Pro Noctis) was well placed at the front and protected having been hovering between second and fifth wheel throughout the race.
The first hour of racing went by in a frantic blur as the riders realised timing would be everything to get the win.
As they entered their final five laps, Stuart (Cams-Basso) and Tindley were locked in a fierce duel for position in each and every corner. Ultimately the battle with Stuart would be Tindley’s undoing as she took the wrong line in the final lap leaving her out of contention.
That presented an opportunity for Josie Nelson (Coop Hitec) to stamp her mark on the race. Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) and Nelson had a clear run into the finish with Jeffers locked in on Nelson’s wheel.
There would be no stopping Nelson as she held off Jeffers by millimetres to become the new national champion.
RESULTS
BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CIRCUIT RACES 2022: DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY, SCOTLAND
Men’s race:
1. Matthew Bostock (WiV SunGod)
2. Samuel Watson (Groupama-FDJ)
3. Joshua Tarling (Wales Racing Academy)
4. Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran)
5. Lewis Askey (Groupama FDJ
6. Benjamin Peatfield (Vendee U - Pays de la Loire)
7. Jim Brown (WiV SunGod)
8. Matthew Gibson (Human Powered Health
9. Joseph Beckingsale (Wales Racing Academy)
10. Oliver Stockwell (Cycling Team Friuli ASD)
Women’s race:
1. Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec)
2. Emma Jeffers (JRC Interflon)
3. Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo)
4. Eluned King (Le Col-Wahoo)
5. Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team)
6. Charlotte Broughton (Awol-O’Shea)
7. Jo Tindley (Pro Noctis)
8. Amira Mellor (Spectra Wiggle)
9. Sophie Enever (Alba Development Road Team)
10. Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso)
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After previously working in higher education, Tom joined Cycling Weekly in 2022 and hasn't looked back. He's been covering professional cycling ever since; reporting on the ground from some of the sport's biggest races and events, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships. His earliest memory of a bike race is watching the Tour on holiday in the early 2000's in the south of France - he even made it on to the podium in Pau afterwards. His favourite place that cycling has taken him is Montréal in Canada.