Halesowen Academy Road Race, March 15

Mother’s Day weekend saw the Academy’s first road race promotion of 2026, the Halesowen Academy RR on the Welland circuit near Great Malvern, where the National U23 series race was staged last year. The Academy fielded nine riders in a full field of 80, and ended up with Kaleb Herbert a very good 6th out of the winning break, with Luke Mannings just pipped on the line in the bunch sprint to take 8th.

In a nagging chilly breeze, it was a very strong break that dominated the final phase of the race; Kaleb, Luke Brennan, Iestyn Jones, Huw Owen, Sean Dawson and James Bacon. Jones got across to the move late on, and was taken all the way to the line by Brennan in the final sprint outside the little church at Hollybush common.

The remains of the peloton came in at a minute, with Harry, Mikey and Joe safely there behind Luke, along with Ben Harrington and James Saunders, a really good finish for these two first year juniors in their first and second road races respectively. Xander Brandon-Higgs also finished, with Ben Freeman an unlucky victim of an early crash which left him with a bruised sternum and various cuts.

Next weekend the Academy has riders in action on several fronts: circuit racing for the U16s, the Battle on the Beach gravel race for Wilfred, Phoebe and Oliver, the Junior Cicle Classic for Mikey and Joe, and the Abergavenny Valleys Classic for James.

Photos: Matt de-Beger

Instagram: @m.debeger