Published: Monday 13 November 2023
Images: Monument

Elena Day dominated in Paignton while Thomas Mein came out on top after a fantastic battle with Toby Barnes in Round 4 of the National Trophy Series.

Elite female

Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS) took her second win of the National Trophy Series with an impressive solo ride, beating Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing) and Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing) on a challenging course.

Day’s teammate, Xan Crees was fastest off the line ahead of the Hope Factory pairing of James and Rebecca Preece. The trio led early on, closely followed by Inglis and Alderney Baker (Team Empella).

Halfway through the first lap, it seemed that Inglis and Day were able to handle the boggy ground the best out of the leaders. A long line of riders were already losing contact with the front of the race as the bunch condensed and stretched on the frequent muddy turns and running sections.

After one lap, Inglis and Day were alone at the head of the race, while 10 seconds further back, James led Preece and Baker in the chase as Crees slipped out of contention.

For a few moments, the duo worked together to distance the chasers but, only minutes later, Day’s pace proved too much for Inglis and the Team Spectra Cannondale rider slowly pulled away. She continued to push on and quickly opened up a gap of 15 seconds.

By the halfway point, James was alone in third and steadily reeling back the tiring Inglis, and managed to overtake her in the battle for second.

Despite a spirited effort, the two chasers could do nothing to dent Day’s lead, who had made light work of the sand, mud, and obstacles dotting the course.

By the time Day crossed the line, she had over a minute’s advantage on James, who had pulled away from Inglis to take second and third respectively.

Day’s win means she extends her lead in the overall and under-23 National Trophy Series standings ahead of the next round in Gravesend.

Elite open

Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing) powered to his third victory of the National Trophy Series this season, beating Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport) in their closest battle so far.

The Ribble-Verge Sport duo of Oli Akers and Barnes were quickest off the line, leading into the twists and turns that characterised the first part of the circuit. Mein was close behind, but Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS), leading the under-23 Series at the start of the day, was caught mid-pack after a slow start.

Coming out of the first flurry of corners, Mein accelerated and reasserted himself at the front of the race. 

By the time the lead riders reached the steps halfway around the first lap, Mein was putting the rest of the field under pressure. Only Toby Barnes could follow, and he was struggling to match the ferocious pace that Mein was setting on the front.

Meanwhile, Daniel Barnes was picking his way back through the bunch and trying to get back on terms with the leaders, and overtook Huw Buck Jones (Wales Racing Academy) to claim third out on the course.

Mein and Toby Barnes were in a league of their own, locked in a head-to-head pursuit at the front of the race. At one point, Barnes brought the gap down to less than 10 seconds and it seemed like the duo would come together at the front, but Mein accelerated once again, pulling away and putting a buffer of 20 seconds.

By the halfway point, the situation stabilised, with Mein continuing to lead the race ahead of the Barnes brothers. 

Mein’s victory was never assured, but he rode confidently in the challenging conditions to cross the line with his arms aloft. Toby Barnes cruised in 25 seconds later, while his brother, Daniel, took a well-earned third ahead of Huw Buck Jones.

The overall standings remain unchanged, with Mein leading Daniel Barnes in the elite classification and Daniel Barnes extending his lead in the under-23 competition.

Junior female

Alice Colling (Shibden CC) rode to a second consecutive victory in the junior women’s race, holding off a strong challenge from Rebecca Woodvine (RR23-runandride.co.uk)

The flag dropped and Bethany-Ann Jackson (Pine Sport) was fastest off the line. Colling started well, but Woodvine dominated the early portion of the race, pulling away on the start line and putting the series leader under pressure. Only Colling and Anwen Nesham (Cardiff JIF) could muster any response.

However, the Shibden CC rider held firm under the pressure, and she reeled Woodvine back in by the halfway point, overtaking and accelerating in a fierce counter attack. 

She quickly gained a small advantage, and it seemed like Woodvine had no response. Nesham could not match the pace set by the leaders and she settled into her own rhythm, comfortably in third place on the course.

Now alone at the front, Colling could set her own pace and she started to pull away from the chasers. 

By the end of the race, Colling had a comfortable lead and sat up to enjoy her second victory of the series so far.

Woodvine held on for second while Nesham beat out the early pace-setter, Bethany-Ann Jackson, for third.

Junior open

The national champion Sebastian Grindley (Trinity Racing Cross) fought to victory ahead of Alfie and Oscar Amey (GKR Racing) in the junior men’s race.

The eventual winning trio were all slow off the line, with Grindley losing half a dozen places in the opening melee of the race.

Grindley kept his cool and quickly moved through the bunch, eventually reaching the front of the race before the end of the first lap, closely followed by Alfie Amey.

After a slow start, Oscar Amey showed his class as the current series leader, steadily making his way back through the slower riders, moving into second place, and leading the chase behind Grindley.

With two laps to go, only a handful of seconds separated Grindley and the two Amey brothers. Alfie accelerated and passed Oscar, pulling away and eating into Grindley’s lead.

There was little to separate the three riders, but Grindley managed to hold off the late charge and take the victory by just 12 seconds.

Alfie Amey took second ahead of his brother Oscar, who dug deep once more to sprint to the line ahead of Joe Hurt (Ribble-Verge Sport).

Photo gallery

Podiums

A full list of podium placings is below:

Elite female

1. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing)
3. Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)

Elite open

1. Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport)
3. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)

Under-23 female

1. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)
3. Elizabeth McKinnon (Montezuma's Race Team)

Under-23 open

1. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Huw Buck Jones (Wales Racing Academy)
3. Simon Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale)

Junior female

1. Alice Colling (Shibden Hope Tech Apex)
2. Rebecca Woodvine (RR23 - runandride.co.uk)
3. Anwen Nesham (Cardiff JIF)

Junior open

1. Sebastian Grindley (Trinity Racing Cross)
2. Alfie Amey (GKR Racing)
3. Oscar Amey (GKR Racing)

Under-16 female

1. Peggy Knox (ViCiOUS VELO)
2. Zoe Roche (Ribble - Verge Sport)
3. Aelwen Davies (TORQ Performance)

Under-16 open

1. Leon Atkins (Ribble - Verge Sport)
2. Jim Henderson (Hetton Hawks Cycling Club)
3. Milo Wills (GKR Racing)

Under-14 female

1. Olivia Poole (Deeside Thistle CC)
2. Aisling Charlesworth (Fibrax Wrexham Roads Club)
3. Olivia Smallshaw (Shibden Cycling Club)

Under-14 open

1. Zachary Hutchinson (Clifton CC)
2. James Hardisty (Nottingham Clarion CC)
3. Benjamin Whitehouse (Wolverhampton Wheelers)

Veteran female 40-49

1. Verity Appleyard (Velo Fixers)
2. Jennifer Andrews (Cycle Club Ashwell)
3. Rowena Duffield (Cwmcarn Paragon CC)

Veteran female 50-59

1. Helen Pattinson (Montezuma's Race Team)
2. Lucy Siddle (Reifen Racing)
3. Miriam Whitehurst (Reflex Racing)

Veteran female 60+

1. Lesley Wilkinson (Addiscombe CC)
2. Karen McGrath (Worthing Excelsior CC)
3. Carolyn Speirs (Kendal Cycle Club)

Veteran open 40-49

1. Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Robert Jebb (Hope Factory Racing)
3. Adrian Lansley (Pedalon.co.uk)

Veteran open 50-59

1. Ian Taylor (Shibden Cycling Club)
2. Stuart Marshall
3. Nicholas Whitley (Team Enable M.I.Racing McCann)

Veteran open 60+

1. Grant Johnson
2. John McGrath Team TMC - Strada Wheels
3. Mick Style Element Cycling Team