Images: Janice Noble
Published: 2nd September 2022
Aberdeen plays host to the first city-centre Scottish National Circuit Championships for seven years on Saturday, with the roads around Union Street in Aberdeen City Centre playing welcoming Scotland’s best criterium and road racers.
Held the day before the Tour of Britain Grand Depart, the Senior and Junior Circuit Championships will be held on Saturday afternoon as part of the Aberdeen Cycling Festival – which has various fringe events, more of which you can find about here. There is also support events such as the non-Championship criteriums for Youth riders and an open race for 3rd and 4th Category riders.
The Schedule
#SCNatChamps Races
Senior Men’s – 3:50pm
Junior and Senior Women’s – 5:10pm
Junior Men’s – 6:10pm
Support Races
Youth C Boys & Girls – 12pm
Youth A & B Girls – 12:40pm
Youth A & B Boys – 1:30pm
Corporate Race – 2:30pm
Open 3rd and 4th Cat Race – 7:20pm
The Championships
Senior Men’s – 1hr + 5 laps
Jamie Mackenzie (Meta Bike Division) heads into these Championships as the reigning champion having claimed a breakthrough victory last year in Lochgelly.
He’ll have to contend with Ciaran Mc Sherry (The Cycling Academy), who he beat by a mere wheel in a thrilling sprint finish 12 months ago. Ross Birrell (Team Inspired) comes into this weekend in good form having spent the past weeks racing kermesses in Belgium – where he picked up a win in Booischot.
While more suited to longer events – such as his National 100-mile Time Trial Championship victory last month - Lee Rosie (Spokes RT) will be a rider to look out for, the Stonehaven-native looking to impress on home roads.
Senior & Junior Women
Reigning champion Beth Maciver (Alba Development RT) will face stiff opposition to hold onto the national bands, especially within her own team, as Kate Richardson has scored several top 10s in elite criteriums this season, including a fourth place finish at the Tour Series in Stranraer.
Rebecca Saunderson (Studio Velo) was second in the Juniors in Fife last year and has produced some solid rides this season – most notably on home roads at the British Road Race Championships in June. As a senior rider, could Saunderson go one better than last year’s junior silver medal?
Helen Elder (Forth Velo) finished in second place at the Scottish National RR Champs in July and was second in these Championships in 2021, so she’ll be another rider to keep an eye on. Coralie Arthur (Wahoo-Endurance Zone p/b Le Col) is a relative newcomer to cycling, having previously been a triathlete, has claimed a number of top results in circuit races this season, including a win in the Spokes Chase Series in May – could she pull off a surprise result?
In the Juniors, Morven Yeoman (Tofauti-Everyone Active) is the reigning champion and will be aiming to retain her title, but Eilidh Shaw (Tofauti-Everyone Active) and local rider Evie White (Deeside Thistle) will also be looking to pull on that winner’s stripey jersey.
Junior Men
Spokes Racing Team and The Cycling Academy will both be fielding strong outfits that come into Saturday off the back of racing at the Junior Tour of Wales. Archie Ellen (The Cycling Academy) will be one to look out for if recent form is anything to go on, as will Keir Gaffney (Spokes RT) who impressed in Wales before a crash derailed his hopes in the general classification.
AJ Bell Tour of Britain
Once the tight city centre action has concluded, all eyes will switch to the Tour of Britain Grand Depart, the city swapping roles after welcoming the finish of the race 12 months ago. With the full start lists revealed on Thursday, we can’t wait to follow a trio of Scots as they take on some of the best riders in the world, such as Tom Pidcock and Michael Kwiatkowski.
Fresh from his heroic bronze medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games just over a month ago, Finn Crockett was the first name on the Ribble Weldtite team sheet, and will once again be looking to spring a surprise on the more seasoned professional riders. He has already proved that if it comes down to a fast finish, he is dangerous.
Also making their debuts at this weeklong stage race packed full of history are Oscar Onley (Team DSM) and Calum Johnston (Caja Rural). A Kelso boy, Onley will also have the pleasure of passing through his hometown on stage two, which runs from Hawick to Duns in the Borders. Onley, and Johnston possess a very different skillset to Crockett, so watch out for them in a break or two, or perhaps even more so when the road pitches upwards.
Keep your eyes on the Scottish Cycling social media channels across the weekend and into next week, as we bring you live coverage of those #SCNatChamps and the Tour of Britain stages in Scotland. Can’t make it out onto the roadside for the ToB – thankfully ITV will be bringing you every stage fully live, and highlights shows every evening on ITV4.
If you take an image or catch the action at the side of the road, feel free to send it to us - @ScottishCycling or using the #TOBAbdn.
