Gaining experience at both ends of the scale

Summer is coming to an end and so is the road cycling season, and two Academy campaigns closed this weekend, at different ends of the UK cycling spectrum. The team’s strongest U23 of the season Harry Howlett completed his run of National A races with 46^th in the North Yorks GP, while first year juniors James and Xander sealed the team victory in the Wales and West Midlands Cup with the help of U23 Dan.

The National A events or ‘Prems’ are the biggest road races in the UK, a series of 7 tough one day races, predominantly in the north of England, attracting the strongest riders and teams, with fields of up to 150 riders on fully closed roads. Harry has raced the last five since mid-June, completing the Tour of the Reservoir, Beaumont Trophy and – on Sunday – the North Yorks Grand Prix, while he was unlucky to be eliminated by a crash in the South Molton GP in Devon back in July.

His best placing, 32^nd at Beaumont, is consistent with what other Academy riders have achieved in the past, but the key thing is that merely competing in these races and – crucially – getting all the way will be invaluable experience for the future. The courses for these events don’t change that much, the standard is much higher than in the average UK event, and the greater distances – up to 170km for Beaumont – test a rider’s ability to fuel and manage effort.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Wales and West Mids Cup is a new competition for this year over five races across the two regions, specifically aimed at emerging bike racers on a variety of courses from pancake flat to very hilly, in the case of Sunday’s finale at Friz Hill in Warwickshire. As first year juniors James and Xander have raced most of the rounds, with the best ride coming in the Glasbury RR where Xander finished second to super-strong Wrexham racer Matt Wales who won the series overall.

James raced consistently throughout with best placings of 12^th in two rounds, and was rewarded with 2^nd overall, while Xander wound up 7^th overall.  With the support of U23 riders Luke Harris and Dan Ascroft they managed to win the team prize, and crucially both Luke and Dan brought their experience to bear in helping the younger members understand team work and race tactics, for example at Glasbury where James led out Luke for 3^rd place, and at Friz where Dan got the two juniors involved in chasing behind the winning break. This is great learning for the future, which is what these two campaigns have in common.