REPORT/RESULT: National Road Race Championships

A day when four titles were decided and in the first race, Millie Couzens won both in the Womens Championship (U23/ELITE); in the Men’s race, ….

REPORT/RESULT: National Road Race Championships

REPORT: WATSON AND COUZENS VICTORIOUS IN DRAMATIC NATIONAL ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP — (a BC Press Release) The National Road Championships came to a thrilling conclusion on Sunday 29 June as Millie Couzens and Samuel Watson took home the elite national road race titles after dramatic contests on the roads of Aberystwyth and Ceredigion.

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Millie Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck) sealed her first elite national road race title in emphatic fashion, producing a powerful sprint after a number of attacks to beat defending champion Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Picnic PostNL) to the line in Aberystwyth, with Anna Henderson (Lidl – Trek) completing the podium positions.

Under rainy grey morning skies over Ceredigion, the women’s race rolled out along the seafront for a steady opening to the contest. Flurries of attacks were seen on the first climb of the day, however it was on the descent that Lucy Glover (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) and Megan Anderson (Team Boompods) made the first lasting attack of the day, quickly earning 20 seconds on a small chasing group and over a minute on the peloton.

Shortly after, the chasing group made contact with the leading duo to form the day’s breakaway, consisting of Anderson, Glover, Jess Roberts (Spectra Racing), Jo Tindley (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team), April Tacey (Team Coop – Repsol), Matilda McKibben (CJ O’Shea Racing Team), Madeleine Leech (Handsling Alba Development Road Team), Josie Knight (TEKKERZ CC), Cecelia Hime (Brother UK – On Form) and Holly Ramsey (Hess Cycling Team).

Beckie Storrie (Team Picnic PostNL) attempted to bridge the gap to the breakaway from the peloton and spent almost a full large lap hunting the head of the race down, before finally making contact just as Tindley and Hime were dropped, with the breakaways advantage standing at just under five minutes at the beginning of the third and final large lap.

Anderson and McKibben were dropped from the front of the race themselves as Anna Morris followed in Storri’s footsteps with a solo attack herself to join the leading group, as the favourites behind began to make moves of their own including Henderson and Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team), seeing the gap reduce to 2:45.

Further attacks were instigated by Henderson, which meant that Storrie – at the head of the race – possibly anticipated the impending catch, so she launched a bid for glory of her own which was shortlived as she was followed by Roberts. However, the decisive move was made by Couzens who was not far behind, attacking the group of favourites with a devastating acceleration after some impressive work by her teammate Flora Perkins (Fenix – Deceuninck), with only Henderson, Georgi and fellow Team Picnic PostNL rider, Josie Nelson able to follow, where they quickly swallowed up Roberts and Storrie.

Ferguson and Imogen Wolff (Team Visma – Lease a Bike), having missed this move, led the chase behind, but it would be in vain as the leading quartet, driven on by Nelson working for her teammate Georgi, stayed away to enter the final kilometre alone to fight it out for the title.

Nelson, as predicted, led out the sprint but it was Couzens who launched earliest from a long way out, producing dizzying power to remain ahead of the closing Georgi on the line, raising her arms in celebration along the promenade as she sealed her first professional win. Georgi settled for second place ahead of Henderson.

Victory for Couzens – who won the U23 jersey in the Time Trial on Thursday – also saw her secure the U23 road race title, where she was joined on the podium by Time Trial champion Zoe Backstedt (CANYON // SRAM zondacrypto) and Ferguson.

Speaking after the podium, Millie Couzens said: “Nationals is always quite a hard race to play tactically, everyone’s a little isolated and no one wants to commit too much. There was a point when the break had quite a big gap and I was worried, but luckily I had help from a few other teams and Flora [Perkins] to help control it a little bit.”

“I’m so grateful for Flora, without her I don’t think we were going to bring them back. I’m so happy, it’s not the way I thought it was going to go, so it’s a good week.”

MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Samuel Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) produced a stunning final lap solo attack to comprehensively win the elite men’s national road race title with a scintillating performance.

Watson, who had shadowed the leading groups for almost the entire race, launched his attack on the penultimate pass of the finish line, taking an elite group of favourites by surprise to roll back onto the home straight a lap later all alone to seal victory. Pre-race favourite Matthew Brennan (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) won the sprint behind for second place, where he was followed home by Ethan Vernon (Israel – Premier Tech) in third.

The high quality level of the field showed in the early stages of the race, with a number of attacks attempted by a variety of riders, however no attack really looked to have the teeth to stay away during this phase.

A turning point in the race was just before half distance, when a large crash on one of the narrow Welsh lanes caused a blockage, catching a number of riders out and forcing some to withdraw from the competition. The head of the race, containing most of the big names, pushed on ahead, unaware of what was occurring behind.

The breakaway of the day came about on the second lap of the finishing circuit, when Callum Thornley (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies), Owain Doull (EF Education – EasyPost), Oliver Knight (Cofidis) and Jacob Bush (Development Team Picnic PostNL) broke away from the leading group, managing to maintain a gap of between 20 to 40 seconds over the following laps.

Bad luck struck Knight with two and a half laps to go, when his chain bounced and looped, leading to a lengthy mechanical stop, leaving just the trio leading at the head of the race, as the pace increased in the chasing group with the advantage dropping rapidly.

Thornley, Doull and Bush’s three lap odyssey came to an end a lap later, as the leaders finally found themselves caught and the elite group hearing the bell to signal the last lap together, including Knight, who had produced a stunning performance to regain contact with the group. It was here however, that Watson launched his endeavor.

The Yorkshireman had been inconspicuous for much of the race, remaining near the front while saving energy. He used that surplus here to sprint clear of the group along the home straight, with almost no reaction from any other members of the group allowing him to quickly gain over 20 seconds advantage.

A lack of cohesion in the group behind meant that there looked to be no real challenge to the 23 year old’s claim to the title, which proved true minutes later as he entered the finishing straight alone, with plenty of time to soak up the applause of the watching fans, crossing the line in celebration as his run of sparkling form continues.

Brennan’s second place finish provided some consolation as it meant he took home the U23 title, ahead of Thornley in second and Alex Beldon (MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK), whose bronze medal is a magnificent achievement for the National Club level rider competing against some of the finest U23 talent in the country.

Speaking after his victory, Sam Watson said: “It’s pretty unbelievable to be honest, I’m over the moon. It’s a bit of a dream, I’ve always wanted the bands on my sleeves for the rest of my career, and to have at least one year in the national champions jersey is an incredible feeling.”

“I didn’t feel good all race, probably because it was so hard and I was on the limit. That probably helped me because I was willing to lose the race to win, as soon as I had the gap, I just had to go full gas to the line. I didn’t know what the gap was, it was only at 200 metres to go that I realised I would win.”

RESULTS

MEN

National Road Race Championships (Men) – After a brutal race with non stop attacking all race on a tough hilly course, the 2025 champion is Sam Watson!!!! The silver medal won by Matty Brennan winning the sprint from the chase group!

The finishing laps saw a break of four created by a move from Jacob Bush and he was joined by three others; Oliver Knight, Owain Doull and Callum Thornley with many a favourite in the chase group including the defending champion Ethan Hayter. The gap between the break and chasers yoyo’d and out front in the leading break, Oliver Knight had a mechanical with the chain leaving three leaders. The chase behind gathered paced on the penultimate finishing lap and the gap to the three leaders by the likes of Matty Brennan and Sam Watson in the 7 rider chase group came down and soon the junction was made. Max Walker then made a move, as did Sam Watson with the bell ringing for the final lap. Sam, (from Yorkshire) who I spoke to after his TT medal (lovely lad), opened up a big gap despite attacks out of the chase group.

One of the attacks in the chase group was by the youngster Jacob Bush and he was joined by Brennan. They were caught by the rest of the chasers and then the chase was mixed by varying riders, ie, no through and off by all in the chase group. defending champion Ethan Hayter made a quick move but that was soon nullified.

1. Samuel Watson, Ineos Grenadiers 4:08:02
2. Matthew Brennan, Team Visma – Lease a Bike * +0:29
3. Ethan Vernon, Israel – Premier Tech +0:29
4. Ethan Hayter, Soudal Quick-Step +0:29
5. Lewis Askey, GROUPAMA – FDJ +0:29
6. Callum Thornley, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies * +0:29
7. Oliver Knight, Cofidis +0:29
8. Alex Beldon, MUC-OFF-SRCT-STORCK * +0:29
9. Jacob Bush, Development Team Picnic PostNL * +0:29
10. Joseph Blackmore, Israel – Premier Tech * +0:36
11. Max Walker, EF Education – EasyPost +0:38
12. Sean Flynn, Team Picnic PostNL 0:43
13. Owain Doull, MBE EF Education – EasyPost +02:37
14. Jake Stewart, Israel – Premier Tech +02:37
15. Joshua Golliker, EF Education – Aevolo * +03:21
16. Tomos Pattinson, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development * +04:50
17. Mattie Dodd, Tirol KTM Cycling Team * +05:29
18. Danylo Riwnyj, Foran CT +06:53
19. Jack Brough, AVC Aix en Provence * +06:55
20. Euan Woodliffe, Israel – Premier Tech Academy * +06:56
21. Dylan Hicks, Raptor Factory Racing * +06:56
22. Joe Pidcock, Q36.5 Pro Cycling +06:56
23. Elliot Rowe, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development * +06:56
24. Bjorn Koerdt, Team Picnic PostNL * +06:56
25. Alfred George, SCO Dijon Team Materiel-Velo +06:56
26. Calum Johnston, Caja Rural – Seguros RGA +06:56
27. Ben Askey, CC Etupes * +06:56
28. Ben Granger, Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente +06:56
29. Jed Smithson, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development * +06:56
30. Louis Sutton, Euskaltel-Euskadi +06:56
31. Jamie Whitcher, BmthCycleworks VitecFire FordCE * +06:56
32. Oliver Wood, TEKKERZ CC +06:56
33. Adam Lewis, Team Skyline +06:56
34. Adam Mitchell, Vendee U Pays de la Loire +06:56
35. Oliver Peace, Development Team Picnic PostNL * +06:56
36. William Smith, Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development * +06:56
37. Thomas Portsmouth, Wagner Bazin WB +06:56
38. Harrison Wood, Sabgal/Anicolor +07:05

WOMEN
On the final finishing circuit, a breakaway group Pfeiffer Georgi, Anna Henderson, Josie Nelson, and Millie Couzens went clear of the other favourites and they sprinted it out for the title with Couzens the BIG winner!

1. Millie Couzens, Fenix-Deceuninck * 3:28:06
2. Pfeiffer Georgi, Team Picnic PostNL
3. Anna Henderson, Lidl – Trek
4. Josie Nelson, Team Picnic PostNL +0:02
5. Lauren Dickson, Handsling Alba Development Road Team +0:45
6. Zoe Backstedt, CANYON // SRAM zondacrypto * +0:51
7. Cat Ferguson, Movistar Team * +0:51
8. Eilidh Shaw, UAE Development Team * +0:51
9. Imogen Wolff, Team Visma – Lease a Bike * +0:51
10. Grace Lister, Hess Cycling Team * +0:54
11. Kate Richardson, Handsling Alba Development Road Team +0:54
12. Jessica Roberts, Spectra Racing +0:54
13. Robyn Clay, DAS-Hutchinson * +0:54
14. Morven Yeoman, DAS-Hutchinson * +0:54
15. Flora Perkins, Fenix-Deceuninck * +0:54
16. Josie Knight, TEKKERZ CC +0:54
17. Noemie Thomson, Brother UK – On Form * +0:54
18. Anna Morris, Unattached+0:54
19. April Tacey, Team Coop – Repsol +0:54
20. Becky Storrie, Team Picnic PostNL +01:41
21. Frankie Hall, Praties Cycling Team +02:59
22. Jo Tindley, Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team +02:59
23. Madelaine Leech, Handsling Alba Development Road Team * +04:03
24. Isabel Sharp, Lidl – Trek * +06:17
25. Awen Roberts, CANYON // SRAM zondacrypto Generation * +06:17
26. Monica Greenwood, Team Coop – Repsol +06:17
27. Anna Flynn, Spectra Racing +06:17
28. Beth Morrow, Handsling Alba Development Road Team +06:17
29. Lucy Lee, DAS-Hutchinson +06:21
30. Mari Porton, Handsling Alba Development Road Team * +07:21
31. alice mcwilliam, Hess Cycling Team +07:21
32. Isabel Mayes, CJ O’Shea Racing Team * +07:21
33. Arianne Holland, Handsling Alba Development Road Team +07:21
34. Lucy Harris, Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team +07:25
35. Lucy Gadd, Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team +08:17
36. Elizabeth Hermolle, DAS-Hutchinson +08:18
37. Amy Gornall, Handsling Alba Development Road Team +08:44

* U23

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