The 2022 National Disability and Para-cycling Road Championships saw the best riders in the country crowned national champions over the bank holiday weekend, with the circuit championships in Rhyl, and the time trial championships in Chester.

Fin Graham claimed two golds across the weekend to add to his accolade of achievements, making him the national, European, and world champion in the same year.

Circuit

Saturday’s action got underway with the tandem races, with supporters lining the Marsh Tracks Circuit in Rhyl to cheer the riders on.

A combined field with a mix of three male and female duos saw Chris McDonald and his pilot Andy Pink show their dominance with an early lead after attacking on the home straight. The pair nearly gained a lap with three laps to go, with world champions Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl chasing behind. McDonald and Pink took the win with ease to claim the national jersey, while Unwin and Holl had to settle for the silver.

The hand cycle and recumbent races were next, with James Coxon putting in a surge early on to breakaway from the field, taking Alex Brooke-Turner with him, but eventually dropped the hand cyclist. Coxon went on to take the win on the road, lapping the field and securing the national jersey for the MT-R category. Brooke-Turner came in second while also gaining the national jersey in his H4 category, and Welshman Luke Jones won the bunch sprint to take third, earning himself the national title in the H3 category.

The afternoon concluded with the C1-5 classes. The C1-3 men’s race saw world champion Fin Graham storm to a sensational win after a dominant performance to secure the C3 national jersey, making him the national, European, and world champion in the same year.

In the women’s C1-5, a long battle ensued between Morgan Newberry and Rebecca Newark that went down to the line to decide the winner, with Newark coming out on top.

In the C4-5 race, a three man break formed of C5 riders within the early stages of the race, with Archie Atkinson, Alex Jones, and William Bjergfelt working well together. Atkinson, making his debut in the national championships, showed his potential by staying with the experienced pair, before being dropped. The two leaders shared the pace, while several attacks were threatened from the peloton, but none came to fruition. It came down to a sprint finish for the duo, with Jones pinching the win on the line, taking home his fifth national title and retaining the jersey for another year. Bjergfelt claimed the silver medal, while Atkinson took the bronze to round off the podium.

Time Trial

Sunday’s time trial saw the riders cross the border into Chester, tackling a brand new 13-mile course around Beeston Castle, containing two hills that maxed out at 5%.

In the tandem time trial, Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holl were looking for redemption after their silver in the circuit race, and just managed to beat Chris McDonald and his pilot Andy Pink for the national jersey to add to their European and world titles.

Fin Graham had another sterling performance to win the C3 time trial and add another national jersey to his collection. Graham was followed by Charlie Stanton Stock in second, and Ben Hetherington in third.

In the women’s C category time trials, Morgan Newberry and Millie Cass both took home national jerseys on joint factored times.

George Peasgood raced in style in his world championship stripes to claim the C4 national time trial title, while also clocking the fastest overall time of the day over all categories, including tandems.

William Bjergfelt added a gold to his C4-5 circuit silver, claiming his fourth national title in the individual time trial.

MC2 rider Matthew Robertson secured another national title in the time trial, following his golden success in the circuit race the day before.

Alex Brooke-Turner took home his second national jersey of the weekend with a win in the H4 time trial.