The Season drew to an end for 2022 with a first National Road Series win for Jack Rootkin-Gray [Saint Piran] and Alice McWilliam [Bianchi Hunt Morvelo].
Words & Images by Chris Maher 09 October 2022
Run later in the season than anticipated. The women’s Curlew Cup and the men’s Beaumont Trophy brought the British Cycling National Road Series to its conclusion – in Northumberland – with Rob Scott [WIV Sungod] and Sammie Stuart [CAMS Basso] taking the overall Leaders Jerseys.
The course as usual took several ascends of the Ryals, the place where decisive breaks were forged as each race drew to its conclusion. For the Women, it came down to a select group at the head of the race with a fast run into the finish in Stamfordham. McWilliam claiming the win just ahead of Elinor Barker [Uno-X Pro Cycling] and Monica Greenwood [Team Boompods].
Sammie Stuart was a little further back in the bunch, with arms aloft over the line secured the series lead. Connie Hayes [AWOL O’Shea] the first U23.
It was a one-two for Saint Piran’s Jack Rootkin-Gray and Alex Richardson, a reversal of the Ryedale GP, this time without the drama. The only other ride able to match the pair was Ross Lamb [Ribble-Weldtite Pro Cycling]. Jack claimed the U23 prize to as Josh Whitehead [WIV Sungod] and Jim Brown also WIV Sungod rounding out the top five.
Race Reaction.
Curlew Cup 2022 Race Winner Alice McWilliam after the race said; “It was a bit steady first time over the Ryals. We pressed on over the Ryals and maybe dropped one or two riders.
There were a few attacks. Then a group of three got away. They got quite a gap as well. I was a little worried that we couldn’t catch them. But then we caught them on the second time up the Ryals over the top.We pressed on then from the Ryals with a smaller group. Coming in [to the finish], it was pretty hectic, a tail wind an all.”
Sammie Stuart after the race said when asked what it meant to her taking the Women’s National Road Series Overall Title 2022. “It meant the world to me that. It’s one of my greatest life time achievements.
I think the race today was really tough. I managed to have a mechanical, my chain came off. I managed to blow a rim to. I’m just happy to finish.”
Curlew Cup
1 4 Alice McWilliam BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO 3:32:22
2 51 Elinor Barker MBE Uno-X Pro Cycling Team st
3 20 Monica Greenwood Team Boompods st
4 26 Lucy Lee Team LDN – Brother UK st
5 1 Connie Hayes (U23) AWOL O’Shea st
6 15 Sammie Stuart CAMS-Basso st
7 28 Alex Morrice (U23) Team LDN – Brother UK st
8 21 Lucy Harris Team Boompods st
9 24 Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods st
10 8 Jessica Finney CAMS-Basso st
11 25 Dannielle Watkinson Team LDN – Brother UK st
12 5 Tamsin Miller BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO st
13 27 Kerry Middleton Team LDN – Brother UK st
14 44 Miriam Jessett StolenGoat Race Team st
15 32 Emma Jeffers (JR) JRC-INTERFLON Race Team st
16 23 Keri Parton Team Boompods st
17 37 Katarzyna Madej Onyx Racing Team st
18 45 Erin Avill (U23) Storey Racing st
19 47 Anna Weaver Team Kirkley Cycles st
20 42 Rachel Galler Saint Piran WRT st
21 17 Harriet Wilson Jadan – Vive le Velo st
22 22 Sian Marsh Team Boompods st
Race Reaction
Talking to Alex Richardson & Jack Rootkin-Gray afterwards when asked how the race unfolded.
“Yes, he has won today, he fully deserved it” said Alex, going on to say “We rode a great race. We were dominant [Saint Piran] all the time. The team road super-well. The guys did everything all day long, and in the end, Jack went with Ross Lamb [Ribble-Weldtite Pro Cycling] who also rode a great race.
I jumped across to that group from six or seven riders. From there, we opened a gap of nearly 3 minutes.”
Jack went on to say. “It’s been a thing for me to do since Ryedale didn’t happen [taking his first National Series Road Race Win] crossing the line first.
It’s been a great second half of the season. I’ve really enjoyed it.” He went on to say that they will be back next season, bigger & better.Rob Scott reflecting on the day & the overall National Road Series Title 2022 [Wiv-Sungod]. “It’s a nice day to finish the season off [the Beaumont Trophy]. I didn’t have the best day for myself today on how the race went. I went into the race with a bit of an illness, so it was always going to be hard.
Either way, we had the Team Series wrapped up and the overall. It just depended on which Scott [Jacob or Rob] got it. It’s nice to finish off the year on a good note.”
Beaumont Trophy
1 49 Jack Rootkin-Gray (U23) Saint Piran 4:16:32
2 51 Alexandar Richardson Saint Piran st
3 35 Ross Lamb Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling +1:16
4 7 Josh Whitehead (U23) WiV Sungod +2:27
5 2 Jim Brown (U23) WiV Sungod +3:37
6 52 Cooper Sayers Saint Piran st
7 132 Ben Granger (U23) Zappi Racing Team st
8 34 Zeb Kyffin Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling st
9 100 Thomas Armstrong Electro Hiper Europa – Caldas st
10 47 Adam Lewis Saint Piran st
11 87 Edward Morgan (U23) Wales Racing Academy +3:40
12 36 Matthew King Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling +5:15
13 37 Red Walters Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling st
14 1 Jacob Scott WiV Sungod st
15 25 Sebastian Garry Nopinz Motip Race Team +5:18
16 88 William Roberts Wales Racing Academy +6:22
17 4 Damien Clayton WiV Sungod st
18 70 George Peden Team PB Performance +7:09
19 108 Rowan Baker (U23) London Dynamo +8:04
20 111 Matthew Houlberg (U23) Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT +8:54
Women’s Ranking 2022
1 Sammie Stuart CAMS-Basso 133
2 Alice McWilliam BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO 125
3 Lucy Lee Team LDN – Brother UK 120
4 Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods 89
5 Jessica Finney CAMS-Basso 78
Men’s Ranking 2022
1 Robert Scott WiV Sungod 140
2 Jacob Scott WiV Sungod 136
3 Finn Crockett Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling 110
4 Matthew Bostock WiV Sungod 91
5 Zeb Kyffin Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling 84
6 Jack Rootkin-Gray (U23) Saint Piran 82
7 Alexandar Richardson Saint Piran 80
8 Toby Barnes (U23) WiV Sungod 78
9 Jim Brown (U23) WiV Sungod 72
10 Harry Birchill (U23) Saint Piran 62
