Result: Aughton Road Races

Jack Rootkin-Gray wins the Men’s race at the Aughton Road Races in the North West on Sunday, whilst the inform Sammie Stuart won the women’s race

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Result: Aughton Road Races

Sunday, 15 May saw the second round of Cold Dark North’s Proper Northern Road Race Series at Aughton in North Lancashire. Spectators were treated to two fantastic battles for the Men’s and Women’s podiums. Even with a congested race schedule for many top teams in May, particularly around the Tour Series, the fields in both races were strong but saw an opportunity to mix up the individual and team series competitions ahead of the final round at Oakenclough in July.

Sammie Stuart adds to her win in the Tour Series on Tuesday in Sunderland with an attacking solo victory at Aughton in North Lancashire. Photo Ellen Isherwood/Lancsracingscene 

MEN’S RACE

Photo Ellen Isherwood/Lancsracingscene 

The men were first on an unexpectedly dry and sunny May day, where the wind would be the significant factor over 9 laps of Aughton’s relatively steady but exposed gradients. A full field set off and a break quickly formed on the early laps which included Jack Rootkin-Gray (GBCT), Thomas Stringer (Moonglu), Jack Brough and Ross Birrell (both, Team Inspired), Damien Clayton and Josh Whitehead (both WiV Sungod), George Penden (Team PB) and Adam Mitchell (Cycling Sheffield) but as this group was slowly whittled down in the middle stages of the race the peloton began to close the gap which had drifted to over a minute.

Despite the best efforts of Ben Grainger (Zappi), Matti Dobins (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) and the Tactic Sport pair of Lucas Rowley and Joseph Bowers to chase down the leaders it was Rootkin-Gray, Clayton and Brough that took the bell and stayed clear for the last lap. The final sprint into a fierce headwind was won by Rootkin-Gray with Clayton in just behind and Brough making up the podium. The main bunch sprinted for minor places just 90 seconds later.

The Combativity Award was given to Damien Clayton for his repeated attacks in the front group and Rootkin-Gray claimed the KOM. Team Inspired took the team honours and Bjoern Koerdt (Shibden CC) was the leading junior (as he had been at Capernwray’s first round) in 20th place.

WOMEN’S RACE

The women’s field was depleted in numbers but the quality remained high. Clear favourites Mary Wilkinson (Team Boompods) and recent Tour Series winner Sammie Stuart (Team LDN-Brother UK) broke clear of a well organised peloton on the second lap. Wilkinson was joined in the break by teammate Monica Greenwood and the three leaders worked well together in the rising winds to keep the peloton always at around a minute over the course of the 5 remaining laps.

Photo Ellen Isherwood/Lancsracingscene 

It was seemingly inevitable that Stuart and Wilkinson would race to the line together and this was how it came to pass. Turning into the final 600m of headwind torment, they were together but it was Sammie Stuart who managed to get clear and finish a handful of seconds ahead of former teammate Wilkinson. Greenwood put in a fantastic performance for third and the peloton was led home about a minute back by Megan Anderson (Clifton CC), Amy Graham (Boompods) and Lauren Robinson of Team Moonglu. It was Boompods that took the team prize, to extend their lead in the Series, with Stuart claiming the QOM and Christinia Wiejak (St Piran WRT) awarded the combativity award. The leading junior was Freya Whiteside of RFDA ahead of teammate Hebe Picking.

The final round of the Proper Northern Road Race Series is at Oakenclough on 10 July and entries are open already on the British Cycling calendar page

WOMEN
1 Sammie Stuart Team LDN – Brother UK
2 Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods
3 Monica Greenwood Team Boompods
4 Megan Anderson Clifton CC
5 Amy Graham Team Boompods
6 Lauren Robinson Moonglu Race Team
7 Kerry Middleton Team LDN – Brother UK
8 Beth Harley-Jepson Jadan – Vive le Velo
9 Tamsin Miller BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
10 Arianne Holland Alba Development Road Team
11 Maddie Heywood Team Watto-LDN
12 Christina Wiejak Saint Piran WRT
13 Anna Weaver Team Kirkley Cycles
14 Lauren Langham Moonglu CC
15 Sarah Cramoysan Reifen Racing
16 Erin Murphy Alba Development Road Team
17 Freya Whiteside RFDA
18 Hebe Picking RFDA
19 Emma Smith Alba Development Road Team

MEN
1 Jack Rootkin-Gray GBCT
2 Damien Clayton WiV Sungod
3 Jack Brough Team Inspired
4 Josh Whitehead WiV Sungod
5 George Peden Team PB Performance
6 Thomas Stringer Moonglu Race Team
7 Matti Dobbins Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
8 Ross Birrell Team Inspired
9 Adam Mitchell Cycling Sheffield
10 Ben Granger Zappi Racing Team
11 Lucas Rowley Tactic Sport UK Race Team
12 Joseph Bowers Tactic Sport UK Race Team
13 Michael Chadwick Embark – Bikestrong
14 Dean Watson Embark – Bikestrong
15 Ciaran Mc Sherry The Cycling Academy
16 Josh Giddings Team Inspired
17 Toby Jarvis Team PB Performance
18 Matthew Ellis SRCT MUC-OFF
19 Aaron King RT23
20 Bjoern Koerdt Shibden Cycling Club
21 Gregor McArthur The Cycling Academy
22 Carl Potter Lancashire Road Club
23 Hamish Graham Private member
24 Martin Watson Tactic Sport UK Race Team
25 Jacob Gilkes Bridgnorth Cycling Club
26 Jenson Young Saint Piran
27 Tom Merry Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
28 Samuel Jackson Tactic Sport UK Race Team
29 Jonathan Fowles Tactic Sport UK Race Team
30 Joe Kiely VCU Schwenheim
31 Alexander MacRae Private member
32 Josh Charlton GBCT
33 Angus Joshi The Cycling Academy
34 Joseph Wilson Cog Set Papyrus Racing Club
35 Josh Housley Spirit BSS
36 Martin Ford Private member
37 Christopher Humphries Bioracer UK RT
38 Harry Paveley Identity Racing
39 Jacob Smith Spokes Racing Team

 

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