Strong start to the season at Evesham Vale Road Races

Last Sunday 8 March saw the first racing of the season in the West Midlands for Halesowen Cycling Academy with the Evesham Vale Nat B and regional B support race on the classic Inkberrow course. In spite of several late withdrawals due to various illnesses, the team was well represented in both, with Ben Arey and Kaleb Herbert taking on the Nat B. Both rode strongly with Kaleb involved in many moves, and Ben making a strong late attack from the kilometre with Lewis Tinsley. Kaleb ended up 24th, Ben 44th, both in the main group that contested 5th place behind winner Oliver Snodden of Mandene Racing. Last year’s Academy U23 star Piers Mahn, now racing for Richardson’s DAS was fourth out of the break.

The Regional B was a road racing debut for three of the Academy’s first-year juniors, Xander Brandon-Higgs, Wilfred Franklin and James Saunders. The race was disrupted by a mid-race crash that resulted in a delay, then re-started after an hour. James was riding strongly, chasing the winning break at the point the race was stopped, and wound up a promising 12th out of the bunch that contested third behind winner Matthew Wales of Wrexham. Xander was also in that bunch, with Wilfred a bit further back after being caught in a split. The upshot was that in the first standings of the inaugural Wales and West Midlands Cup, the three lads lead the Team Prize from Rugby RCC.

Elsewhere, Rosie Ratcliffe continued her sparkling track form with a strong showing in the Monsters of Track meeting at Glasgow, a PB by 2sec in the pursuit and 12th overall out of 25, 2nd first year girl. And over in France, former academy rider Joe Brookes continued his excellent start to the season with his first win of 2026 at the Grand Prix Pierre Pinel.

Next Sunday brings the opening round of the West Midlands Road Race League 2/3/4 races, the club’s own race at Welland in Worcestershire. Down to ride among an 80-strong field are: Kaleb, Harry Howlett, Luke Mannings, Ben Freeman, James, Xander, Ben Harrington, Joe Egan and Mikey Ratcliffe.

Photos by Peloton Pix