Thomas Mein and Ella Maclean-Howell took solo victories in the final round of the National Trophy Series in Tong, Bradford, while Mein and Elena Day secured the overall series victories ahead of the National Cyclo-cross Championships.

Elite Open

Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing) took a dominant victory at Round 6 of the National Trophy Series in Tong, controlling the race from the start and riding to a solo win ahead of Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport).

Mein and Barnes were both carrying good form from a recent block of racing in Belgium, and they were the clear favourites at the start of the race.

The two competitors were fastest off the line and they quickly set the pace at the head of the field. Mein continued to push on, but further down the line of riders Dan Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale p/b DAS) crashed heavily, holding up the chasers in the woodland section. Mein, Toby Barnes and Lewis Martin (Studio Velo) seized the initiative and entered the second lap with a small advantage.

Mein launched a blistering attack to form a gap that quickly grew to around 30 seconds, with Barnes chasing behind.

Meanwhile, Daniel Barnes had recovered and overtaken Martin in third place. Behind, Jenson Young (Ribble-Verge Sport) found himself moving through the field after the hold-up in the woods, and managed to make up to third position. However, half a lap later he suffered a mechanical issue with his bike and slipped back to fifth.

Young’s misfortune was Daniel Barnes’ gain, and the Team Spectra Cannondale rider settled into third place once again. At the head of the race, Mein was unstoppable and Toby Barnes could do nothing to close the gap to the leader.

Mein crossed the line in a comfortable first place securing the overall National Trophy Series for the first time. Toby Barnes finished in second place a further 30 seconds back, while Daniel Barnes held off a late charge from Martin to take third.

Mein had already sealed the overall National Trophy Series victory after Round 5 and, with the national championships on the horizon, his victory in Tong proved to be a confidence boost in his bid to regain his 2022 national title.

The overall series podium was rounded out by the Barnes brothers - a well-deserved reward for their consistent season-long performances. To add to his third place in the elite category, Dan Barnes also took the under-23 series victory. He was joined on the overall under-23 podium by teammate Simon Wyllie and Scott Fisher (Hope Factory Racing).

Elite Female

In her second National Trophy Series appearance of the season, Ella Maclean-Howell (Hope Factory Racing) took a convincing victory ahead of second place Nikki Brammeier (Mudiiita), while Elena Day (Spectra Cannondale p/b DAS) took the overall series win after a consistently strong season.

The 19-year-old Maclean-Howell won the under-23 British National Cross-country Championships in Tong in 2023 and was determined to take another victory at the venue.

Maclean-Howell and Brammeier were quick off the line, battling each other to take the lead with Brammeier coming out on top in the early stages.

Behind the leaders, the racing was close. Elite and under-23 series leader, Elena Day (Spectra Cannondale p/b DAS), found her rhythm and worked up to third place by the halfway point of the race.

At the head of the field, Maclean-Howell forced the pace and a gap opened up between her and Brammeier. She quickly took advantage of her lead and pushed on. This gap continued to grow over the course of the race, with Maclean-Howell putting her skills to good use in the tricky woodland section.

Undeterred, Brammeier rode smoothly and consistently throughout, with her experience shining through as she fought to control the gap to the leader and hold off a resurgent Elena Day. The Team Spectra Cannondale rider came within 30 seconds of Brammeier and eventually secured her podium position as well as the overall elite and under-23 series win.

Maclean-Howell was imperious at the front, pulling away and building a lead of almost two minutes. She crossed the line to take her first win of the National Trophy Series this season ahead of Brammeier and Day.

There was still a battle for the remaining overall standings in the National Trophy Series - a bad day for either Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing) or Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation) could see them slip out of the podium positions. Both riders executed a strong race and, despite Inglis getting the better of James on the day, it was James who held onto second overall ahead of Inglis.

Junior Open

After a race long battle, Lewis Tinsley (BCC Racing Team) got the better of Oscar Amey (GKR Racing), bookending his National Trophy Series with a second victory after his first at the series opener in South Shields.

Declan Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) set a blistering pace off the line, but it didn’t take long for Tinsley and Amey to move to the front and distance their competitors. The two riders held a slim margin for much of the seven-lap race, working together to hold off Seth Jackson (Acorg-Tormans) and Nathaniel Henderson (Hetton Hawks CC).

Disaster struck for Amey in the final woodland section of the race, missing his pedal after a crucial remount, and Tinsley took his chance to attack. The BCC Racing Team rider carved out a small lead and, from that point on, it was a full gas pursuit to the line for both riders.

In the end, Tinsley managed to hold off Amey by a handful of seconds, with just enough time to raise both hands in celebration. However, not all was lost for Amey as he secured the overall series victory in only his first season in the junior category.

In the closing laps, Jackson proved too strong for Henderson, and he powered away on the deep, muddy section after the second pits, taking third behind Amey.

Amey was joined on the overall series podium by Tinsley in second and his brother, Alfie Amey (GKR Racing), in third to round off a successful season.

Junior Female

Alice Colling (Shibden Cycling Club) took an impressive fourth victory of the series and secured a well-earned National Trophy Series overall title.

Rebecca Woodvine (RR23-runandride.co.uk) launched off the line to set the early pace, but by the close of the first lap it was Shibden CC teammates Alice Colling and Esther Wong who had broken away.

The duo worked together to establish their lead, but it was only a matter of time before Colling attempted to go solo. By the third lap, a series of attacks from Colling saw her alone at the head of the race and growing with confidence as the race went on.

Wong couldn’t let up the chase as a determined Bethany-Ann Jackson (Pine Sport) was closing in fast from behind but, in the end, Wong proved strong enough to secure second and an elated Jackson celebrated her first podium of the series as she crossed the line in third.

Colling comfortably sealed the overall series title despite, in her own words, starting the season with no expectations. She was joined on the podium by Rebecca Woodvine in second and Ellie Mitchinson (Montezuma’s Race Team) in third.

Photo gallery here

Podiums

A full list of podium placings is below:

Elite female

1. Ella Maclean-Howell (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Nikki Brammeier (Mudiiita)
3. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)

Elite open

1. Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport)
3. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)

Under-23 female

1. Ella Maclean-Howell (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
3. Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)

Under-23 open

1. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Simon Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS
3. Scott Fisher (Hope Factory Racing)

Junior female

1. Alice Colling (Shibden Hope Tech Apex)
2. Esther Wong (Shibden Apex RT)
3. Rebecca Woodvine (RR23 - runandride.co.uk)

Junior men

1. Lewis Tinsley (BCC Race Team)
2. Oscar Amey (GKR Racing)
3. Seth Jackson (Acrog-Tormans)

Under-16 girls

1. Zoe Roche (Ribble - Verge Sport)
2. Peggy Knox (ViCiOUS VELO)
3. Aelwen Davies (TORQ Performance)

Under-16 boys

1. Arthur Limb (Matlock CC)
2. Luke Trafford (Shibden Cycling Club)
3. Milo Wills (GKR Racing)

Under-14 girls

1. Aisling Charlesworth (Fibrax Wrexham Roads Club)
2. Olivia Smallshaw (Shibden Cycling Club)
3. Emma  Knox (Verulam - reallymoving.com)

Under-14 boys

1. Zachary Hutchinson (Clifton CC)
2. Rhuairdh Fulton (West Lothian Clarion CC)
3. Wilfred Pugh (One Life Racing)

Female veterans 40-49

1. Helen Jackson (Kendal Cycle Club)
2. Verity Appleyard (Velo Fixers)
3. Jennifer Andrews (Cycle Club Ashwell)

Open veterans 40-49

1. Robert Jebb (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Lewis Craven (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli)
3. Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing)

Female veterans 50-59

1. Alison Kinloch (Shibden Cycling Club)
2. Helen Pattinson (Montezuma's Race Team)

Open veterans 50-59

1. Ian Taylor (Shibden Cycling Club)
2. Stuart Marshall
3. Morgan Donnelly (Kendal Cycle Club)

Female veterans 60+

1. Nicola Davies (www.cyclocrossrider.com)
2. Lesley Wilkinson (Addiscombe CC)

Open veterans 60+

1. Grant Johnson
2. Mick Style (Element Cycling Team)
3. John McGrath Team TMC - Strada Wheels

Series podiums

Elite female

1. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Ruby James (Hope Factory Racing)
3. Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)

Elite open

1. Thomas Mein (Hope Factory Racing)
2. Toby Barnes (Ribble-Verge Sport)
3. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)

Under-23 female

1. Elena Day (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Hope Inglis (Brother UK-Orientation Marketing)
3. Kacey Eyeington (Derwentside CC)

Under-23 open

1. Daniel Barnes (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS)
2. Simon Wyllie (Team Spectra Cannondale P/B DAS
3. Scott Fisher (Hope Factory Racing)

Junior female

1. Alice Colling (Shibden Hope Tech Apex)
2. Rebecca Woodvine (RR23 - runandride.co.uk)
3. Ellie Mitchinson (Montezuma’s Race Team)

Junior open

1. Oscar Amey (GKR Racing)
2. Lewis Tinsley (BCC Race Team)
3. Alfie Amey (GKR Racing)