It might still be March, but it may have been peak season as there was a packed weekend of action with Scots racing at the highest UCI level on knobbly tyres in France and South Africa. While the domestic season is now fully underway with the opening round of the Youth Circuit Series at Fife Cycle Park with the Ben Forsyth CRY race day and the opening round of the SXC Series in Comrie Croft.
Downhill World Cup
The opening round of the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup took place in France, with plenty of Scottish riders in action.
2020 World Champion Reece Wilson (Trek Factory Racing) launched his season with a seventh-place finish in this opening World Cup event in Lourdes, which sets the Scot up well for the season to come and will hope to improve on that for the next round of the UCI World Cup on home trails in Fort William. Fellow Scots Greg Williamson and Jamie Edmondson (RockShox-Trek RT) came home 38th and 52nd respectively.
Mikayla Parton (GreenPower Racing) admitted that she was slightly conservative in her final run down to course, but it was still good enough to score the Fort William native an 11th place finish in the Women’s Elite field.
Phoebe Gale (Canyon Collective FMD) launched her 2022 with a strong second in the Junior Women’s event – six seconds behind the winner, while there was also a solid ride from Aimi Kenyon (Pinkbike Racing) who finished ninth on her debut in the Junior category.
William Brodie admitted he made some mistakes late in his run, but 19th place in the Men’s Junior field will provide him with a solid platform to build upon as we look to return to Anoach Mor for the first time in three years in early May.
SXC Series in Comrie Croft
While the Downhill riders were enjoying the French Pyrenees, the Cross-Country field were basking in the sunshine of Crieff as Round 1 of Scottish XC Series got underway.
A very high-quality field was in action with British Junior Champion Elena McGorum (Peebles CC) dominating the Elite Women’s race beating Scottish National CX Champion Anna Flynn (Edinburgh RC) by nearly six minutes on the rugged, yet technical course, with Joanne Thom (Velocity 44) winning the battle for third. Unfortunately, Isla Short was forced to DNF after suffering a puncture when leading.
Former Junior World Champion Charlie Aldridge (Scott) narrowly beat out Rory McGuire (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) to claim victory in the Elite Men’s event, with Mark Scott getting the better of Gary McDonald to claim third in the unseasonably warm Perthshire sun.
Christina McGorum (Peebles CC) and Rueben Oakley (Edinburgh RC) both won out in the Junior events.
Ben Forsyth CRY – Youth Circuit Series
James Sweeney (Edinburgh RC) and Molly Evans (Deeside Thistle) claimed victory at the first round of the National Youth Circuit Series in Lochgelly.
With both riders taking part in the Youth Tour of Scotland this coming weekend, getting some strong early season form was crucial.
In the Youth A Boys race two riders from the promoting club Edinburgh RC, Sweeney and Ahron Dick, proved too strong for the bunch crossing the line 15 secs clear, with Adam Murray (EKRC) winning the bunch sprint for third.
Meanwhile in the Youth A Girls event, Evans was able to outsprint Isla McCutcheon (Johnstone Whelers CC) and teammate Thea Aitken in the bunch kick to the line. The Youth B events both went the same way with Deeside Thistle winning the Girls race via Melanie Rowe and Edinburgh RC’s Elliot Speedie dominating the Boys’ race – lapping the field on his way to victory.
The Youth riders also got some valuable TTT practice ahead of next weekend’s YTOS up at Strathallan.
Cape Epic
Cameron Mason, along with partner Tristian Nortje, finished 16th in Stellenbosch as they completed the Cape Epic MTB Stage race. The marathon race will act as a brilliant experience for both riders as Mason returns to Europe for his MTB XC and Road seasons with Trinity Racing. Having suffered illness early in the race, Mason got stronger again each day, with top 10 stage finishes showing his calibre amongst the world’s best.
Student Time Trial Championships
Kate Richardson continued her great form to win the Scottish Student Sport Time Trial Championships, representing University of Glasgow, from Alba RT trade teammate Arianne Holland (University of Edinburgh) in second and Miriam Gilbride (Glasgow Uni) in third. In the Men’s event Cameron Richardson (University of Stirling) took the spoils, getting the better of Angus Toms (Edinburgh Uni) and Matiss Robertson (UHI).
Congratulations also to Beth Morrow who won the BUCS TTT Championships with her Loughborough team.
Domestic Road Action
In the senior E123 event at the Ben Forsyth CRY Race Day, Callum Thornley (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) won his first race of 2022 beating Finn Crockett (Ribble-Weldtite Pro Cycling) in the dash to finish line. The two riders, who made the winning the move, had built up a large advantage over the rest of the field, which left Gregor McArthur (The Cycling Academy) to ride away from the peloton to finish third.
While, he missed out on Saturday, Sunday saw Finn Crockett take his second win of the season at the National B Capernwray Road Race in Lancashire. Crockett took full advantage of the work done in an early three-man break, which he’d led together with Callum Thornley. Thornley was dropped late on as Crockett then rode away from his other companion to claim his second victory in as many weeks.
Scottish National Road Race champion Becky Storrie (Cams-Basso) was key to the action in the Women’s event as she attacked from the main group on the final ascent to the line, but was narrowly overhauled by Mary Wilkinson in the final hundred metres to the line, still finishing a fine second place.
Scots ab-road
Three Scots were in action on the hellegen at the Junior Women's Nations Cup race at Gent-Wevelgem (In Flanders Fields), Moven Yeomen turned in a great ride to finish 13th, with Eilidh Shaw in 38th and Emily Carrick-Anderson in 53rd.
In what was a big weekend for African cycling, Edinburgh-based Skye Davidson competed for Zimbabwe at the African Continental Road Race Championships in Egypt. A very decent ride saw her finish in fifth place after the bunch sprint to the line in Sharm-El-Sheikh.
Alfie George made his UCI debut for Vendee-U at the UCI 2.2 Tour de Normandie in France, and while he was on domestique duties for his team, the Scot was able to gain more experience in the pro peloton and continue his development in France.
Also in France, Calum Johnston punctured late on in the UCI 1.1 La Roue Tourangeau and fell out of contention, while Morgan Bown crashed late on in the GP Saint Etienne while fighting for a podium place; he did fortunately get back on his bike to finish in seventh.
