RACE REPORT – NATIONAL CIRCUIT RACE SERIES, OTLEY & ILKLEY

 

July sees an action-packed month for our Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team, with a demanding mix of attritional National-level road races at the weekend and mid-week fast, frenetic circuit races, dotted all over the UK within the very highest level of competition. Our lads lined up at Round 1 and 2 of the National Circuit Race Series; first in Otley on Wednesday and then in the beautiful Yorkshire town of Ilkley on the Friday before quickly regrouping for the Stockton GP on the Sunday, an 111 mile road race which is part of the National Road Race Series and is recognised as one of the toughest road races of the season with a packed field of the very best professional teams and riders.

 

National Circuit Race Series, Round 1, Otley, Wednesday 29th June

Arriving on Wednesday evening for the popular Otley Crit the Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team were greeted by huge crowds lining this iconic venue featuring a high-speed circuit that includes a gradual climb to the highest point before a long straight at the rear of the course which stretches out the field, followed by a long, sweeping descent with a wide left hand bend at the bottom which is taken at breakneck speed in the final lap as riders jockey for position to take the sprint to the line.

Always a popular race venue, Otley saw large crowds for a packed evening of racing. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli fielded a reduced team at Otley with Callum Thornley and Logan Maclean making the trip from Scotland following a successful weekend at the National Championships which saw Callum take a brilliant Silver medal in the U23 time trial and Logan bridge across to the main break of the day in the road race, spending time racing alongside eventual winner Mark Cavendish before being reabsorbed by the main bunch. Joining Callum and Logan was our punchy Aussie sprinter Matt Fox who is well-suited to the Crit style of circuit racing and was carrying good from into this block of racing.

Wheelbase’s Callum Thornley was always at the sharp end of the race. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

At just an hour long the racing action started immediately as riders jockeyed for position, with the larger teams dictating the pace as individual riders attempted to attack off the front to establish a breakaway. As the race progressed there were a few impromptu rain showers adding an element of jeopardy on the corners as the large bunch hit the turns at full speed; Callum, Logan and Matt raced intelligentially, keeping themselves well-positioned near the front of the bunch. The hour passed quickly with multiple moves made until two riders established a break at around one minute ahead of the peloton, but as the race came to the final lap the pair only had seconds to contest the sprint before being swamped by the chasing pack which was now opening up the bunch sprint. Callum proved that his great form was still there taking an excellent 6th place, with Matt Fox taking 11th place and Logan taking 21st place. It was a great way to start this demanding block of racing and the lads finished the race already looking forward to moving on to Ilkley to do it all again.

Logan Maclean chasing the moves at Otley. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

National Circuit Race Series, Round 2, Ilkley, Friday 1st July

The Ilkley Circuit Race is always a firm favourite with us, partly down to the fact we have our own Wheelbase Yorkshire store based in the town making this our ‘local race’ despite its national importance. The popular former spa town, just 16 miles from the City of Leeds and nestled in the picturesque Wharfe Valley, boasts elegant Victorian architecture and a multitude of wine bars, restaurants and pubs; the Ilkley circuit race always features a large crowd made up of a mix of genuine cycling fans and curious onlookers who happen to be on a night out meaning this race is popularly referred to as the ‘Posh Crit’.

The Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team calmly preparing for action. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

The Ilkley circuit is made up of a relatively short loop on tightly-packed roads right through the centre of Ilkley. The long start and finishing straight lined with pubs and bars saw crowds of spectators five-people deep shouting encouragement on every lap before riders turned abruptly to the right to sprint out of the saddle up a steep, short & sharp climb before turning right again onto a more gradual but no-less demanding climb to the furthest point of the circuit. This section would see riders attacking off the front and trying to break the will of the peloton before swinging down a long tree-lined descent with a wide, but super-fast corner back onto the finishing straight.

Fraser Martin in action as the rain began to fall. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli fielded four riders at Ilkley, with the reduced team being affected by ongoing illnesses including Covid which has spread throughout the peloton over recent weeks. Hot off his brilliant Silver medal position at the National Time Trial Championships Callum Thornley was looking to cash-in on his good run of form which had already seen him take a fantastic 6th place at Round 1 of the National Crit Series in Otley on Wednesday evening. Alongside him was our Aussie wonder-kid Matt Fox who is really beginning to show his talent for racing at the sharp end as the season continues; he’s got a smart head and knows how to position himself as well as having a great final kick for the sprint at his disposal. Tim Shoreman made the quick transition from his recent track-racing focus for British Cycling back to Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli team duties and we were hopeful that he could capitalise on his leg speed for the Crit. Rounding out our reduced team was Fraser Martin who brought a wealth of racing experience with him, having competed at Ilkley on numerous occasions.

The short, sharp climb influenced the race with riders attacking every lap. Matt Fox is in the chase. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

We expected action from the start and were not disappointed, with moves being made as soon as the gun went off. The nature of the tight, short circuit encourages riders to make sharp accelerations into that steep climb in an effort to break away, and very quickly this is what happened, with the field already splintered into smaller groups by the second lap. As the race settled down a little a group of 6 riders including the National Circuit Race Champion Matt Bostock began to work together to stretch out their lead from the main bunch. Only a few seconds behind we were happy to see Wheelbase’s Callum Thornley chasing hard with a small number of racers, but only time would tell to see if he could make it across to the leading riders.

Callum Thornley taking the long, sweeping turn at full chat. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

The following hour of racing proved to be chaotic and increasingly difficult to keep track of from the road side as racers began to lap the small groups that had lost significant time to this demanding circuit. By this point Callum was isolated with two riders from the same team and looked to be doing the majority of the work on the front of the chase to that small group of riders further up the road. A quick count-back from the leaders confirmed that even if he was beaten in the sprint by both riders Callum would take 9th place on the night with the peloton now too far back to pose any danger to his race position. The race leaders caught the main bunch in the final lap making for a chaotic and confusing sprint for the win which saw Sam Watson from the Groupama FDJ continental team take the win.

Callum would go on to chase the leaders as part of a trio along with the two Team Inspired riders (in green). Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

Close behind Callum was lighting up the sprint against the two riders from Team Inspired; racing for 7th place and up against the duo who had seemed to sit on Callum’s wheel for the majority of the race it was always going to be a tall order to finish ahead of them both but Callum did manage to take a brilliant 8th place on the line, consolidating his high overall position in the National Circuit Series. Elsewhere our squad had mixed results in this chaotic evening of racing with Matt Fox taking 32nd, Tim Shoreman taking 44th and Fraser Martin taking 49th on the night. It was a great showing from the team and as we packed down all of the kit for the journey home our thoughts were already turning to the longer, more demanding National Road Series coming up quickly in Stockton-on-Tees on the Sunday.

Callum Thornley’s streak of good from served him well at the Ilkley Crit. Photo Credit: Warren Davies

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Photos by Warren Davies

 

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