Road Race Report 2022

Men’s Race

Temperatures were already running high pre race with 20-25 degrees forecasted in the morning for the 54 men (after D.N.S. ill, withdrawn, etc) that lined up on the start line for 11 laps 59 miles of the Bishop Wood course. Zero, none at all, nothing, stirring the normally bent over feather flags for the first time ever on a normally windy circuit, it was going to be a hot race!

Two of Seacrofts own Adrian Evans and Chris Ashe pinned numbers on and dived in for their fist race, chapeaux gents 🙂 Another big turnout from Cliff Pratt racing, regular supporters of the race and also from our new friends at COBL following on from Maz’s win in the women’s race in 2022, along with lots of riders from local clubs and teams

The view from within the peloton…

“The race was full gas from the minute the flag dropped with riders flying off the front every minute or so. None of them stuck…the racing was just too fast and nothing got away. This was the pattern for 4 or 5 laps of the 11. Then mid race there was a real lull and it seemed everyone had accepted this was going to be a bunch sprint.
However, with two laps to go it lit up again. Moves flying off the front! This time a group of about 4 riders got about 30 seconds. Knowing teams (with more numbers CPR and COBL) had missed it I stayed as close to the front as possible Knowing they would chase. Which they did. The gap came down to no more than 50 or so metres and it seemed those chasing where happy with that until a counter attack came (from eventual winner) with two on his wheel. They bridged and went over the original break. I was boxed in on the left hand side of the ride with no way to move so was immediately on the back foot. I must have slipped back 15/20 places in the blink of an eye.
With just over a lap to go it was pretty much lined out with everyone on the limit chasing.
Last few KMs and it bunched slightly as we went down a slight hill which was my chance to keep on the pedals and move up on the outside. Still in the top third of the bunch I was desperately trying to move further up. I had kept my outside line but approaching one of the last left handers I again lost places to riders bombing up the inside. By this point it was full gas. As we approached the start finish I started sprinting earlier than usual but had no other choice. I managed to nip past a few riders and a few dropped off.
I eventually came over the line mid 20s in a field of just short of 60 riders. Apart from a couple of mistakes in the final part of the race I was really happy with my race especially given some of the cat 2 quality riders I was up against.
A great workout and learning experience on longer road races! That heat though 🥵”
Shaun Burke Airedale Olympic

As is often the case on our pan flat race loop, despite the breaks mentioned by our on the bike reporters above, the inevitable bunch sprint for the line ensued with honours going to James McKay from Cycling Sheffield, happy to report zero incidents.

Result 

Seacroft Wheelers Men’s cat 2/3/4 regional A road race 17th July 2022 Bishop Wood Course near Selby
59 miles 11 laps
1st James McKay Cycling Sheffield
2nd Hamish Graham
3rd Carl Potter Lancashire Road Club
4th Jake Jackson Rose Race Team
5th carl Stubbs COBL

Highest Place Cat 4 Angus Sinclair COBL (amended after reviewing the footage)

Team Prize Wold Top The Edge

British Cycling results men’s points to 15th and placings to 39th are here.

Women’s Race

When the 52 heroes (after D.N.S. ill, withdrawn, etc) lined up for the 38 mile, 7 lap women’s race  they got the worse of the conditions again ! Hotter, temps. raising to around 30 degrees and windier 🙂 Great to see around half the field were cat 4/first timers /new racers, supporting riders as they take, what can be a daunting step into racing, is how the sport grows.
Humbled once again by the distance travelled by some of these riders, all over Yorkshire and surrounding regions, North East, North West and from one coast to the other. Special mentions go to Jess from Athlon CC based in Essex and Steph from WahooEZLecol who came up with her bike on the train from London to Selby, cycled to Wistow, raced and then rode back to Leeds to get the train home ! This is incredible example of desire and commitment will remain as a very fond race memory , thank you. I mentioned this to her DS and they simply said “Jess just loves riding her bike” 🙂

The weather conditions certainly curtailed what is often an immediately fragmented pack but as the laps ticked over gradually groups formed up, with around 24 in the race convoy and some smaller groups battling it out around the course.  For the first time in the women’s race, sadly there were 2  racing incidents to report, the first at the S-bend where Hannah McClorey RFDA and Shona Mosely JRC Interflon ended up in the brambles and on the inevitable bunch sprint Amy Mourne RFDA and Jen McMahon Jadan collided with Jen requiring medical assistance, we wish them all a speedy recovery. As the rest of the pack hurtled towards the finish Georgia narrowly beat Maya to the line and there was half a wheel between 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Result

Women’s cat 3/4 regional B road race 17th July 2022 Bishop Wood course near Selby
38 miles 7 laps
1st Georgia Lancaster Sleaford Wheelers
2nd Maya Branfoot Cowley Road Condors
3rd Emily Robinson
4th Adele Battersby WahooezLecol
5th Izzy Ash University of Manchester Cycling Club

Highest Place Cat 4 Rachel “The Team” Brown Team Kirkley Cycles

Team Prize WahooEZLecol

British Cycling Women’s points to 10th and placings to 24th here.

Thanks to Antony for organising another great race and very grateful for the assistance of all marshals, drivers and helpers without which this event would not happen. Another special mention to Elle Klatsch for helping fill the Women’s race for the 3rd year running (just amazing) and to everyone, that entered, shared, promoted the event it really does mean the world 🙂

Men’s 2/3/4

Women’s 3/4

Craig Zad’s are here.

William Jeffery here.

Some more snaps and videos on our facebook page here.

Seacroft Wheelers Summer Road Races 2022