RR Result: Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix

Harry Birchill lead a 1-2-3-4-5 for @Saint Piran in the Men’s race and 19 year old Millie Couzens won the women’s event at the 2023 Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix national series events

RR Result: Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix

MEN’S RYEDALE GRASSCRETE GRAND PRIX

L-R:  Zeb Kyffin, Harry Birchill and Adam Lewis

I heard a little whisper well before the event that the country’s only UCI conti team, Saint Piran, would be aiming for a 1-2-3-4-5 and with a strong team of eight riders entered, that didn’t look out of the question after a season of racing abroad. The team however only had six riders on the startline so that goal was looking a little difficult but hey ho, they did it with Harry Birchill leading them across the line in ones and twos well clear of the rest of the riders from other teams!

As expected, the race came alive very quickly. Even as they left the start in the neutral zone there were race faces as the pace was seemingly quick as they went past. Guy Drabble (Ribble rechrg Race Team) was the first to take a small group clear before National Road Series leader Zeb Kyffin was soon going clear with Damien Clayton. One of the pre-race favourites from Yorkshire, Rob Scott, back in plain kit after his French team had just folded, as had his first team this year, was in the mix before a puncture took him out of the race.

The race leaves the start line lead by trainSharp’s Ollie Peckover and World Scratch race champion Will Tidball of Saint Piran

At the end of the first of three big laps, Kyffin and Clayton were clear and being chased down by a solo rider. They were soon caught by the peloton and more attacks were launched in the style of a typical British race. No control!

At the end of lap two, Joe Brookes lead the race through on his own ahead of a dozen or so riders including two from Saint Piran, Adam Lewis and Bradley Symonds as well as yet again, Damien Clayton. That group was still clear after three laps but significantly, a number of ‘weapons’ from Saint Piran had joined the group; namely Zen Kyffin, Harry Birchill and Finn Crockett along with Conor McGoldrick and Ed Morgan. They didn’t hang around in the group though and next time through the Abbey grounds, four riders were leading the race, Zeb Kyffin, Harry Birchill, Adam Lewis and Ed Morgan (Wales Academy).

Zeb Kyffin of Saint Piran leads Damien Clayton in the early breakaway

Behind the leaders was another small group with riders from the previous breakaway including Finn Crockett on the front. The gap to the leaders was getting bigger and bigger and next time through, Morgan had been dropped and was about to be caught by the chasers whilst Birchill, Kyffin and Lewis lead the race.

A lap to go and Lewis had been gaped by Birchill and Kyffin whilst the next riders were Crockett and Symonds making it a 1-2-3-4-5 for Saint Piran with the race having just 20 miles left. Unlike previous races such as Lincoln and Lancaster, the Saint Piran riders Birchill and Kyffin tested each other with attacks on that final lap but they were still together for the final sprint and Birchill pulled clear to win by eight seconds (his first nat A win) from series leader Kyffin with Lewis staying clear to finish third after a stunning ride and then Crockett and Symonds completing the promised 1-2-3-4-5 for the Saint Piran team.

A lone chase behind Kyffin and Clayton

Joe Brookes leading the race past the Ampleforth Abbey

Four riders lead the race, Ed Morgan in red with Harry Birchill leading, Zeb Kyffin in the white series leader’s jersey and Adam Lewis on the wheel of Morgan.

And then there were three, Birchill, Lewis and Kyffin

Finn Crockett leads the group behind his three teammates up the road.

Finn Crockett leads Bradley Symonds in fourth and fifth position

Harry Birchill celebrates his first ‘Prem’ win

With second in the race, Zeb Kyffin continues to lead the national road series.

RESULT
1. Harry Birchill (U23) Saint Piran 3:54:58
2. Zeb Kyffin Saint Piran +8
3. Adam Lewis Saint Piran +1:45
4. Finn Crockett Saint Piran +6:49
5. Bradley Symonds Saint Piran st
6. Ed Morgan Wales Racing Academy +7:46
7. Thomas Armstrong Wheelbase CabTech Castelli st
8. Damien Clayton Embark Spirit BSS +7:49
9. George Peden Team PB Performance +7:55
10. Tom Martin Wheelbase CabTech Castelli +8:31
11. Joe Brookes (U23) Halesowen A & CC +9:06
12. Jacob Smith (U23) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli st
13. Zachary Walker (U23) Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23 +9:10
14. Cai Davies Kalas Motip Race Team +9:41
15. Jamie Pullen (U23) TAAP racing st
16. James McKay Cycling Sheffield st
17. Logan Maclean (U23) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli st
18. Joseph Smith (U23) st
19. Thomas Heal StolenGoat Racing Team st
20. Jordan Giles TeamJobs st
21. William Truelove (U23) ROKiT – SRCT st
22. Daniel Barnes (U23) Team Spectra Cannondale st
23. George Kimber Embark Spirit BSS +9:46
24. Mattie Dodd (U23) Tirol KTM Cycling Team st
25. Conor McGoldrick Richardsons Trek DAS +9:47
26. Adam Howell (U23) VC Meudon st
27. James Wordsworth (U23) Cycling Sheffield st
28. Jacques Coates (U23) Team PB Performance st
29. Lee Rosie (U23) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli st
30. David Hird (U23) ROKiT – SRCT st
31. Daniel McDermott Moonglu Race Team +9:51
32. Michael Chadwick Embark Spirit BSS +9:53
33. Oliver Hurdle StolenGoat Racing Team +9:57
34. Oliver Hucks Kalas Motip Race Team +10:03
35. Ben Mewes Moonglu Race Team +12:14
36. MatT Lord (U23) Richardsons Trek DAS +12:18
37. Craig Paterson (U23) Spokes Racing Team +12:45

OVERALL
1 Zeb Kyffin Saint Piran 146
2 Harry Birchill (U23) Saint Piran 138
3 Jack Rootkin-Gray (U23) Saint Piran 92
4 Finn Crockett Saint Piran 86
5 Adam Lewis Saint Piran 84
6 Damien Clayton Embark Spirit BSS 76
7 Bradley Symonds Saint Piran 71
8 Tim Shoreman Wheelbase CabTech Castelli 71
9 William Truelove (U23) ROKiT – SRCT 70
10 James McKay Cycling Sheffield 69

… Continued after the advert … 

WOMEN

Millie Couzens racing for Belgian team Fenix-Deceuninck sprinted to victory just ahead of Tiffany Keep (Hutchinson/ BrotherUK) and many a pre-race favourite such as Mary Wilkinson (2nd in 2022) and Abi Smith (1st in 2022).

Danni Shrosbree (DAS-Handsling) (third in 2022) was the first rider to attack followed by many more as the grippy miles passed under their wheels. As the race re-entered the grounds of Ampleforth Abbey after one big lap, the race was split into two big groups with little between them. Despite the attacking and pace of the race, there was still a big group at the front of the race after the second of the big laps.

After the first of the three 10 mile laps, two riders were clear, the rider who was third in 2022 Dani Shrosbree and Bexy Dew (above). Behind them, there was still a large peloton but as the slo-mo video on VeloUK’s social media shows, there was many a split in the group as they raced up the narrow and tough ‘mini berg’ through Ampleforth Abbey and past the cricket matches.

That breakaway though was eventually brought back and as the bell rung out from organiser Bob Howden, the leading group was still starting to split with two riders Ella Jamieson and Lucy Lee opening up a little gap as they crossed the start finish line with Tiffany Keep (Hutchinson-Brother UK) bridging across and behind her, the riders who would come together after the climb to create the winning breakaway.

Ella Jamieson powering up the Abbey climb with the bell ringing out

They worked together and then things got even hotter as Mary Wilkinson started her moves on the lap’s big climb to try and get clear for a solo win. Mary was unable to open a gap though but still had the legs to go first in the sprint on the climb to the finish line. It wasn’t enough as 19 year old Millie Couzens raced up the climb just ahead of South African rider for Hutchinson-Brother UK with Mary in third. Last years winner Abi Smith was disappointed with fourth after leaving her ‘sprint’ on the climb to late. The series leader in the race, Monica Greenwood held onto that lead with 14th in the race.

Millie wins the uphill sprint to the line

L-R: Tiffany Keep, Millie Couzens and Mary Wilkinson

Series leader Monica Greenwood

There are many video interviews being added to VeloUK’s Facebook page: as well as photos.

1. Millie Couzens (U23) Fenix-Deceuninck 2:56:29
2. Tiffany Keep Hutchinson – Brother UK st
3. Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods st
4. Abi Smith (U23) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB st
5. Lucy Lee DAS – Handsling Bikes +2
6. Ella Jamieson (JR) Liv Cycling Club – Halo Films st
7. Katherine Sheridan Hutchinson – Brother UK +6
8. Grace Lister (U23) DAS – Handsling Bikes +7
9. Lizi Brooke Wahoo +10
10. Lucy Gadd (U23) Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime +17
11. Corinne Side Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee +35
12. Emma Jeffers (U23) DAS – Handsling Bikes st
13. Sannah Zaman (U23) Hutchinson – Brother UK st
14. Monica Greenwood DAS – Handsling Bikes st
15. Amy Gornall Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee st
16. Connie Hayes AWOL OShea st
17. Sophie Enever Alba Development Road Team +38
18. Bexy Dew Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee st
19. Alice Lethbridge Loughborough Lightning +40
20. Amelia Tyler (U23) Alba Development Road Team st
21. Beth Harley-Jepson Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon +41
22. Ruth Shier Hutchinson – Brother UK +42
23. Francesca Hall DAS – Handsling Bikes +44
24. Abi Plowman Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon +46
25. Zoe Langham Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee +48
26. Danielle Khan Saint Piran WRT +1:19
27. Jo Tindley Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee +1:26
28. Frances Owen Wahoo +1:29
29. Danielle Shrosbree DAS – Handsling Bikes +1:35
30. April Tacey Lifeplus – Wahoo +1:40
31. Caitlin Dimbleby Le Col Race Team +2:26
32. Katy Hill LDN-Academy +3:38
33. Gemma Mitchell Team Boompods +4:07
34. Isabel Darvill Team Spectra Cannondale +4:14
35. Annamarie Lipp Saint Piran WRT +4:47
36. Sammie Stuart DAS – Handsling Bikes st
37. Esther Wong (JR) Shibden Hope Tech Apex st
38. Skye Davidson Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon +4:53
39. Anya Tamplin Loughborough Lightning +4:54
40. Rachel Brown Brother UK – Orientation Marketing +5:03
41. Rachel Galler Saint Piran WRT +11:24
42. Ruby Oakes (JR) JRC Interflon Race Team +11:52
43. Sian Botteley Hutchinson – Brother UK st
44. Penny Colloff st
45. Harriet Graham Brother UK – Orientation Marketing +11:55
46. Beth Morrow (U23) DAS – Handsling Bikes +11:57
47. Dannielle Watkinson Hutchinson – Brother UK +11:58
48. Millie Jenkins (JR) Brother UK – Orientation Marketing +11:59
49. Francesca Morgans-Slader AWOL OShea st
50. Rebecca Hair LAKA Pedal Mafia RT st
51. Lauren Robinson Team Boompods st
52. Isabel Mayes (JR) Shibden Hope Tech Apex st
53. Vanessa Fursden Wahoo +12:04
54. Lauren Langham Wahoo +12:05
55. Kiera Bond (U23) Alba Development Road Team st
56. Erin Avill (U23) Storey Racing st
57. Marie-Louise Kertzman FTP – Fulfil The Potential – Racing st
58. Lucy Neatham (U23) LDN-Academy +12:08
59. Rosie Simmons Southampton University Road Club +12:10
60. Lauren Watson Team Boompods +12:13
61. Rebekah Nash Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon +12:17
62. Amber Junker-Brameld (U23) Brother UK – Orientation Marketing +12:19
63. Nicola Greenwood RFDA +12:20
64. Elizabeth Sanders FTP – Fulfil The Potential – Racing +14:51
65. Sian Marsh Team Boompods +16:32
66. Megan Anderson Tactic UK WRT +17:44

OVERALL
1. Monica Greenwood DAS – Handsling Bikes 157
2. Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods 137
3. Robyn Clay (U23) Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee 126
4. Tiffany Keep Hutchinson – Brother UK 122
5. Corinne Side Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee 109
6. Bexy Dew Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee 103
7. Sammie Stuart DAS – Handsling Bikes 101
8. Jessica Finney AWOL OShea 98
9. Lucy Lee DAS – Handsling Bikes 88
10. Jo Tindley Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee 87

 

 

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