Strong performances at home and abroad capped a great week of racing for Rapha Condor JLT
![]() |
Team Press Release
Strong performances at home and abroad capped a great week of racing for Rapha Condor JLT, with Richard Handley finishing an excellent fourth overall at the An Post Rás in Ireland, and Felix English scoring a win in the Milk Race, in Nottingham.
Handley, who finished fifth and best young rider in last years Rás, made his bid for overall victory on the hardest stage of the race on stage 4. Handley attacked with teammate Mike Cuming in a pre-planned on the fifth of the eight categorized climbs on the stage, and pushed yellow jersey Marcin Biablocki all the way to the finish.
Team manager John Herety said, “We went into the stage with Rich 47 seconds down on GC, and we knew that was the stage to do something. We planned to send Rich away with Mike (Cuming) early on to try to take yellow. It was a matter of making the race as hard as we could and trying to crack Marcin – but he was really strong, and managed to whittle the gap back down from over a minute to just 28 seconds at the finish.â€
After making his bold move on day four, Handley found that he was naturally a marked man throughout the following four stages of the race. Despite this, Herety insisted that the team keep trying all the way up to the final stage.
“We tried all the way up to the end of the race, but Rich couldn’t make up any more of the time he needed. Ultimately, I am really satisfied with the result because the whole team did all they could. It was really great for us too, to come here with guys like Ed Laverack, and Elliot Porter who were both competing in a race of this distance for the first time and have them not only get round, but contribute to the racing.â€
The only bad news of the race for the team was the loss of Aaron Buggle who was unable to start stage 4 after falling heavily on the previous day, and requiring stitches to his chin.
As the Rás was finishing in Skerries on Sunday, the Rapha Condor JLT criterium squad were themselves competing in another famous event, the Milk Race.
Formerly run as a two-week tour, the Milk Race returned to the UK this year after a twenty-year absence in the form of a criterium in Nottingham city centre.
Felix English has shown signs of top form recently, and the young Irishman took the win after escaping early in the race with Alexandre Blain, and managing to get the better of the Frenchman in the dash for the line. Ed Clancy made it a double celebration for the men in black, by taking the bunch sprint for third.
English was naturally delighted with the win.
“It’s really good for my confidence to take a win tonight. It’s a busy time for the crits, with a lot of races and my form has been where I want it to be. I’ve been quite close in the Tour Series, but I’ve made a few tactical errors. I got it right tonight though, the race was great, and the crowds were huge. I am a pretty enthusiastic guy normally, but I already can’t wait to line up for the next race.â€
English won’t have to wait long, as the racing continues at a pace for the Rapha Condor JLT team, with the Tour Series resuming tomorrow night in Torquay, where the team will be looking to take their first team win of the series.
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: Wolsey RC 10m TT
- TT Result: Seamons CC 25m TT
- STARTLIST: National Youth Circuit Series (Wyke)
- Result: Spring in the Park #8
- Result: National Masters Circuit Championships
- Result: Matlock CC Darley Moor Circuit Race #4
- Result: North East Youth League (NEYL) 5
- Result: West Thames League Rnd 14
- Result: On Yer Bike Crit Series #6
- Men’s Tour of Britain Route Update
- Result: Bath CC Odd Down Mid Summer Series Round 1
- Result: SACA Salt Ayre Tuesday Round 14
- Result: PNE Mountbatten Circuit Series #7
- Result: RL360 Isle of Man Youth League 13
- Result: Sheffield Grand Prix Support Races
- RESULT: Sheffield Grand Prix
- Result: Forge Valley Crits #3 P/B YBC
- Result: Hove Park Crits #2
- TT Result: VTTA (London & Home Counties) 10
- Result: CCA Summer in the City Crits #11
- Result: AIRC Course de Deux #1
- Result: Castle Combe Summer Series 9
- Result: Cream First Criterium Series 10
- Result: Chorley CC UCLAN Series 3
- Result: Cowley Road Condors Road Race (women)
- TT Result: AeroCoach Midland Championships
- TT Result: North Devon Velo 10
- TT Result: Jubilee Rumble Strip 10
- TT Result: Muckle CC TT
- TT Result: Cleveland Wheelers CC 18
- TT Result: Wyre Forest Cycle Racing Club 10
- Result: White Rose Youth League R7
- Result: Surrey League/London Dynamo RR
- TT Result: RTTC National 100 Mile Championship
- TT Result: Zak Carr Memorial 10
- TT Result: Yorkshire Cycling Federation 50
- TT Result: Port Sunlight Wheelers 10
- TT Result: Lindsey Roads CC 10
- TT Result: Lea Valley CC 10
- TT Result: Alltrax 10m TT
Other News on VeloUK
- STARTLIST: National Youth Circuit Series (Wyke)
- Men’s Tour of Britain Route Update
- GB Team for Track Euros
- Opening of Sir Mark Cavendish Raceway
- Bike News: Ribble Cycles Alloy Bikes
- This Weekend: Junior Road Championships
- Wednesday: Otley Cycle Races
- Mid Shropshire Wheelers celebrates 100 Years of Cycling
- Team Feature: Prologue Junior Racing Team Spring Review
- New: Ribble Cycles Ultra-Grit & Allgrit Ranges
- START LISTS FOR BRITISH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- STARTLIST: Two day Giant Tugby Ronde van Wymeswold
- NEWS: MAJOR JUNIOR TEAMS TO MERGE FOR 2026
- Entries Wanted: Ilkley Town Centre Races
- Report/Result: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 2
- Report: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage 1
- STARTLIST: Owen Blower Memorial Road Races
- Events: Halesowen Academy Road Race
- News: May Pedal Club Lunch
- RIBBLE PARTNERS WITH THE BIKE FITTERS
- Monday: Witham Wheelers Road Races
- British Stars for Women’s Tour of Britain
- Women’s Tour of Britain Riders 2025
- BIKES: RIBBLE UNVEILS ULTRA-RACE
- Women’s Tour of Britain Routes
- STARTLISTS: 2025 Lincoln Grand Prix
- STARTLIST: The Witham Hall Grand Prix
- Startlist: Timmy James Memorial Grand Prix
- FEATURE: PEDAL CLUB LUNCH REPORT (APRIL)
- 2025 BRITISH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – ROUTES
- STARTLIST: Sloan Trophy (April 27)
- News: Teams Revealed for the Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: CiCLE Classic International
- Sunday: CiCLE Classic UCI Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage Hosts
- PERTH GRAND PRIX (SCOTLAND)
- April 19: PNE National B Road Race
- STARTLIST: East Cleveland Classic
- Startlists: Witham Hall Junior Two Day (Men & Women)
- Startlist: Totnes-Vire Two Day