The Race

This is a race that I love dearly, a local based big race. For the mens it's a 1.2 UCI race, the only UCI 1 day in the UK for the past 20 years. For the women it's the start of the National Road Series, and a National A where all the best domestic racers are out at. Topping all that off, as if it wasn't enough, it's a classic style off road sectors brutal hills and never flat agressive all out possible mudfest and I LOVE IT!

I highly recommend people check out their local racing. It's always a good watch, and the people that hang out at these things are great. Here's a link to The British Continental's race calendar

So? What about me hanging out at the 2025 edition?

Womens

This was a while ago now, so I might forget some details because I forgot to write about it, but it was a good day that's for sure.

Last year this race was a pure mudfest, with teams having to get info to riders about which side of puddles were safe, and which were deep potholes to Australia.

This year though, the weather was good. It was cool, but not cold, especially for the racers. I headed out to the feedzone between Owston and Borough for my first pass of the race. I got there a bit early and vaguely infiltrated chatting with the Boompods team, partially because they were stood on the end of the line where I knew I could get out the way once riders came through, and partially because they had dogs I could pat :3

The race was "All together at the front" going through Borough, which was the call that told us they would soon be passing. No feed on the first lap as they were going down the hill, but teams were wanting to find out where their riders were, and had wheels ready just in case.

When the race came through it was indeed "all together at the front" but that was only about half the bunch, the back was anything but together. It's always interesting watching the teams trying to get info to riders at these points in the race, and also talk to team cars as they pass slightly later. Then it slows down, and eventually the broom wagon comes through.

After the broomie it was quick onto the bike and chase it down to Owston for a cheeky extra half view by taking the shortcut through Green Lane (2nd half of the Manor Farm sector when they come from Owston centre out to Newbold). Then a gentle hop over the road to watch from the Sommerberg.

It was a great day for the Sommerberg. Wet, but not completely boggy as it was the previous year. Definitely some bonus for the CX riders. A small part of it had recently been regravelled. That part was honestly the hardest. In the centre, where nothing had driven on it, it was roughed up and deep gravel you could sink into, but where it was packed down was arguably harder to ride on. It was flattened, and all the small silt and sand had come to the top to form, mixed with the water, a super slick slippery layer. It was slippery with gravel tyres (Schwalbe CX Comp) for me, so I can only imagine what riders on 25mm slicks were having.

A rider from the Hope team had a puncture somewhere up it, and was running as she came around the corner to where I stood. The hill is so steep, and was so slippery that running in road cleats was faster than riding. The wheel change came quick and easy for her though, and she powered off to try and catch. At this point in the race there was barely a bunch left, it was just scatterment of riders and I believe it went from a 10 minute timecut to an 8 and then 5 minute over the next shorter laps of Owston.

From that coming through I rode down the other side of the Sommerberg (effectively having ridden straight over, backwards to the way I'd seen the riders, and the same way they would take it next lap), swooped into Sommerby, then down into Owston to catch 2 more laps. One I caught on Green Lane, hidden in a hedge, watching the incredible cornering and handling skills of the riders, and the next lap I caught in the same(ish) place that nearly 20 years before a rider had slammed to a halt for a wheel change in the mens race. A lot of good memories around these gravel tracks, and I definitely took full advantage of being able to ride through the usually blocked off Manor Farm sector.

After the race had been past twice here I went home, a great race watched, and some good riding done. On the way home I pass through the feed zone, and took a look for bottles (none found) and saw some poor guys stuck in the mud, waiting for a farmer. Rolled out of there and over to the litter dropping zone, where I found 1 full bottle on the way over, and in the drop zone found only broken bottles. I was, once home, able to put together an extra bottle from a broken lid, and a broken bottle (and using the good bits). I'd not expected to find that, and knew I'd be killed if I took a load of good bottles back home to Mums so I gave the good bottle I'd found to Simon as I passed on the way home! A good 50km ride and a bunch of racing watched.

If you'd like more info on the race itself, I'll link The British Contintentals coverage here

Mens

A few months later, and it's time for the mens edition! A full UCI 1.2 race, racers not just from the UK but all over, and this time I wasn't even alone as my Dad came with me. The weather for this one was HOT, incredible changes from the day before where I was out on the group ride in gillet and coat. The Sunday race I was only wearing arm warmers to not get sunburned!

The same start to this one as the Womens, heading over to the feed zone and looking around. Much different feelings there though, as there were far more people hanging around. This time the riders would be coming up the hill, and be able to feed. A good time to see what was going on as it was going slower. The break had already got away here, a group of around 10 or so. 45 seconds after came the big bunch, all together for the most part, with Alec Briggs smashing to fuck on the front up the hill. It's a narrow lane, so it's an important segment to get in front on, and a lot of steep short sprints where gaps can easily be made (plus with the downhills the other side of those, it'd be easy to get held up behind a slip of wheels).

The lap sizes for the mens race were much bigger than the womens, and tended to be heading the opposite way to the way I wanted to go, so it was much easier to get between sections to watch. After the feedzone first lap we went to watch one lap in Owston, getting there just as the road was blocked off for the first riders to come through a few minutes later (admittedly a lot quicker than I thought, they really smashed that section, but it was mostly downhill and I suspect some attacks were launched on the litter drop hill into Borough, so they'll have largely outpaced the average expected 37.5kmh I was basing timings off)

This was a great bit to watch at, the turn onto Green Lane, full speed and beautiful handling. Spectators, and even the marshal, scared for the riders as they flew in fast as anything. A stunning display of bravery and handling, with barely a "woah" or slowdown for any riders.

At the end of this part, just in front of the Broom Wagon was a strange, non competing rider, who'd snuck into the race! Later found out even worse happened at Women's Leige Bastogne Leige (he wasn't with the riders, just annoying a medical car). Please, if you go to watch one of these races (which I highly recommend you do), wait for the Broom Wagon. The roads are closed until that car comes past (at least for UCI races with full police involvement). After that more chaos was caused by a confused Uber delivering a lady over from Ireland to watch her son Leo Doyle compete. She was confused, but helped to get to the main Owston laps to watch the full 7 times (though she'd missed one) and then off to Owston. I did ask for his number (37) but never caught him in the race itself (didn't help we were looking for the 34, and the Cycling Leinster team, where he was on the next team after that, which wasn't obviously Irish)

From here we went through the Green Lane and over to the Sommerberg with a fair wait for the first lap. Chatted to a few of the filmers, and the Scotland photographers. It's always a good hangout at bike races waiting for the race. The riders came through, kicking up dust and flying over. The break was still away, still around a minute, but there was no peloton anymore.

The next part, both between laps, and the other pass was much more exciting. We moved over to the other side of the hill, as the race passed the other way for the next lap, and stood near to the Cycling Scotland photography car where there was a rider out of the race. When the race finally came past (I messed up, we should have gone back to Owston for a lap, then back to Sommerberg because they did two laps of Borough Hill in that time) out the front of the bunch was a flying Scotland rider who shouted for a wheel.

The rider in the car was caught off guard, he was just out of the race, not really checking much. He went to get a wheel, went to take his wheel off, and eventually gave his bike over hoping it was the right size. The rider who took it (#104, Alfred George) shouted "I'll pay for any damage" as he took off, and the pushing rider said "no worries". Always a strange mix on these kinds of teams. Fortunately for Alfred, it was the right size, unfortunately for him the brakes were backwards as William Taylor tried to figure out what was wrong with the bike. He tried the brake and realised the back brake didn't work, but it wasn't because of that. We found out Alfred did just fine getting down the hill, which is good. Backwards brakes can be very confusing! The reason was a simple puncture. It'd half sealed from being tubeless, but was soft enough to notice when riding, but not obvious in the grass. Alfred George managed a 9th place in the race after that!

I spoke for a little bit with William Taylor, the #106 rider who was sat in the car, and eventually asked for a photo which he was fine with, but a bit confused. Hopefully it was good for him. I just kinda wanted a photo with someone, it's always good to get the pics. Even the Scotland official photographer got a snap of it (which if theys see this, it's fully fine to use!) My Dad was even cheeky enough to get a bottle!

After that it was just to ride home and hope to collect more bottles from the feed zone. Dad found one on the tail of the Sommerberg, then I grabbed one bottle and one unopened gel in the feed zone (not quite sure when I'll use it, or if I'll give it to someone who I know uses that brand). They'd already cleared it as it'd been a bit since everyone had gone home, and since the Sommerberg was after the final pass of Owston we were coming through after the Owston crowd had left. Still went to check the litter drop zone, but no luck this time. I think there was a car at the top that was collecting the mess, so we were too late.

We went back through the non-raced off road bridleway near the feedzone, which has a nice river crossing. On the downhill we had to carefully overtake a young horse rider, and then after hopping the bridge I raced as hard as I could up the other side. Took a nice 3rd place on the uphill section, and could definitely find better if I ran the downhill (I just about held pace with the KOM on the full down and up during the up, so I think I can get a nice top 10 there. Will have to go back soon)

All over, a brilliant race! Again, here's the link to The British Continentals coverage which is great to read, and my favourite way to see these local races.

Hope to see it all again next year! Next up there's the Owen Blower memorial race, and the Ronde van Wymeswold to watch.