2022 British Circuit Race Championship

After two brilliant races by the best of British circuit race riders, the titles were won by 2022 Cicle Classic winner Josie Nelson and one of the top sprinters in the country, Matt Bostock having a great season

2022 British Circuit Race Championship

Matt Bostock and Josie Nelson took sensational sprint wins in the circuit races on the second day of the British Road Championships. Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) won by the closest of margins in the women’s circuit race to claim her first British champion’s jersey, while sprinter Matt Bostock (WiV Sungod) followed his 2022 Tour Series victory by claiming the men’s crown.

The evening races in Kirkcudbright saw the riders whip around a technical 1km circuit in the town centre for one hour plus five laps, with plenty of excitement for the local crowd.
In the women’s race, Nelson took it on the line in a sprint finish, just edging ahead of junior rider Emma Jeffers (JRC-INTERFLON Race Team) to win by a hair, while third place went to Flora Perkins (Le Col Wahoo).

A fast start saw riders instantly being strung out, with the front group putting on the pace for the entire race. A crash 20 minutes in wiped out four riders and led to a calm few laps with riders coming back together. Jeffers dominated early on, sitting in second position for much of the race. Just before the halfway point, Frankie Hall (Loughborough Lightning) crashed to end her chances of getting on the podium. Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes presented by Heidi Kjeldsen), Jeffers, and Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso) continued to put out attacks in attempts to get away, but none were able to stick as the bunch clung on.

Tindley and Stuart were desperate to play to their strengths and avoid a sprint finish, but the peloton were able to keep the pace high. Stuart led into the final kilometre, followed by Tindley who was at the front on the final bend onto the straight, but the power of the sprinters came through to make it a close finish. Nelson and Jeffers were head and shoulders above the rest, and both launched themselves over the line, with Nelson proving victorious over the 17-year-old. Perkins took third, thanks to the help of her Le Col Wahoo teammates as Eluned King finished fourth.

Nelson said: “It’s really nice – it’s my first national champs jersey so it feels really special. At the end, I just did the lunge of my life! “I’m really excited for the road race on Sunday and it’s good that it’s quite undulating. Hopefully I’ll be back on the podium on Sunday – that’s the aim.”

MEN’S RACE
In the men’s race, a crash in the first lap saw riders become tentative, which gave a great opportunity for Bostock, Josh Tarling (Wales Racing Academy), Sam Watson (GROUPAMA – FDJ), and Bob Donaldson (GB Academy) to get away from the bunch. The four were able to keep up the speed but a flat tyre ended Donaldson’s chances of getting on the podium, along with quite a few other riders who also punctured.

The trio worked nicely together and kept the pace high, getting a gap of 1:04 from the bunch. The peloton continued to chase, with frequent attacks from youngster Callum Thornley (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli), but GROUPAMA – FDJ controlled the bunch well to ensure Watson could be in the top three. Coming into the final five laps, junior rider Tarling put in four solid efforts in attempts to make a solo breakaway, but none came to fruition.

The final bend onto the straight saw Tarling have nothing left, unable to sprint, while Bostock and Watson went hell for leather for the line, with Bostock proving the strongest. Watson managed the silver, while Tarling took the bronze. The bunch sprint saw Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran) take fourth over Lewis Askey (GROUPAMA – FDJ).

Bostock said: “I’m honestly so happy, and also relieved. I knew I could do it – it was just putting pressure on myself to make it happen and obviously there’s a lot of variables in a crit and a lot of tactics so I’m just really happy.”

The championships continue on Sunday with the road races in Castle Douglas, starting with the women’s race at 9:00

The sprint for fourth won by Leon Mazzone from Lewis Askey

…. continued after the advert.

MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Matthew Bostock WiV Sungod 1:06:07.87
2. Samuel Watson GROUPAMA – FDJ +0.14
3. Joshua Tarling Wales Racing Academy +3.21
4. Leon Mazzone Saint Piran +55.18
5. Lewis Askey GROUPAMA – FDJ +55.19
6. Benjamin Peatfield Vendee U – Pays de la Loire +55.53
7. Jim Brown WiV Sungod +55.89
8. Matthew Gibson Human Powered Health +55.97
9. Joseph Beckingsale Wales Racing Academy +56.24
10. Oliver Stockwell Cycling Team Friuli ASD +56.40
11. Joshua Giddings Team Inspired +56.96
12. Robert Scott WiV Sungod +56.98
13. Max Rushby Acrog-Tormans +57.44
14. William Truelove Wales Racing Academy +57.44
15. Joe Wilson Dolan Ellesse Race Team +57.78
16. Callum Thornley Wheelbase CabTech Castelli +58.01
17. Tom Couzens Embark – Bikestrong +58.02
18. Henry Lawton AG2R Citroen U23 Team +58.02
19. Tom Mazzone Saint Piran +58.67
20. Cameron Jeffers Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling +58.71
21. Alec Briggs TEKKERZ CC +58.82
22. Lee Rosie Spokes Racing Team +58.91
23. Jamieson Blain Embark – Bikestrong +58.94
24. Steven Parsonage Richardsons Trek DAS +59.64
25. Nicholas Cooper Sweden Cycling Academy + 1:00.68
26. Jack Crook Dolan Ellesse Race Team + 1:00.95
27. David Duggan Wheelbase CabTech Castelli + 1:01.95
28. Finlay Pickering GROUPAMA – FDJ + 1:02.30
29. Joe Pidcock GROUPAMA – FDJ + 1:02.65
30. Theodor Obholzer Saint Piran + 1:04.57
31. Stephen Bradbury Saint Piran + 1:19.57

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Josie Nelson Team Coop-Hitec Products 1:07:59.31
2 Emma Jeffers JRC-INTERFLON Race Team +0.02
3 Flora Perkins Le Col – Wahoo +0.75
4 Eluned King Le Col – Wahoo +1.08
5 Kate Richardson Alba Development Road Team +1.57
6 Charlotte Broughton AWOL- O’Shea +1.67
7 Jo Tindley Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen +2.50
8 Amira Mellor Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus +3.20
9 Sophie Enever Alba Development Road Team +3.65
10 Sammie Stuart CAMS-Basso +4.18
11 Isabel Darvill Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen +4.53
12 Sophie Holmes Datalynx-Parenesis Cycling +5.21
13 Beth Morrow CAMS-Basso +5.73
14 Lucy Ellmore Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen +6.06
15 Jessica Finney CAMS-Basso +6.16
16 Xan Crees Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus +6.46
17 Robyn Clay Otley CC +6.68
18 Olivia Bent AWOL- O’Shea +6.71
19 Amy Gornall Pro-Noctis – Rotor – Redchilli Bikes p/b Heidi Kjeldsen +7.38
20 Emily Proud Grinta Coaching +7.42
21 Suzetta Guerrini Jadan – Vive le Velo +7.66
22 Sophie Lankford Alba Development Road Team +7.96
23 Samantha Fawcett Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus +8.23
24 Lauren Robinson Moonglu Race Team +8.69
25 Gemma Sargent Saint Piran WRT +10.59
26 Jenny Holl TEKKERZ CC