An overcast but dry day at Salt Ayre saw the riders in the Screentek International North West Youth Tour take part in two final stages – both about half the length of the previous day in Preston, but with the two run in opposite directions around the circuit.

The format, the circuit and the effects of tired legs favoured the sprinters and gave a few new names the opportunity to take the glory – although with little impact on the general classification.

Such was the domination of the sprinters that every breakaway – and there were a few – was hauled back before the finish – with just one exception in 20 races! Even then, the bunch closed the winner down so hard in the closing stages that there was still only a couple of seconds in it.

In the Under 8 girls, Anna Lloyd of Lee Valley Youth Cycling had a double win, but it wasn’t enough to overhaul Megan Lloyd of Harry Middleton Cycling Club – event with a nine-second gap in the final race. Elise Hawkins of Palmer Park Velo took third in both and in the GC – just over three and a half minutes behind Anna Lloyd, who had closed the gap to Megan to 14 seconds.

Cian Howard of Team RL360 Isle of Man continued to dominate the Under 8 Boys with a double win – heading Michael Postlethwaite of Mossley CRT and Finn O’Brien of Hillingdon Slipstreamers home in the first race and Ryan Oldfield of Redditch Road and Path and Noah Scott-Wright of Featherstone RC in the second. Oldfield took second on GC – 23 seconds back – with Jackson 13 seconds behind him in third.

It was a similar story in the Under 10 Girls where Bethany Bennett of Towy Riders won a very tight race from team mate Awen Roberts and Lichfield City’s Stephanie Kingston in the first race – the top five riders getting the same time, which is quite remarkable in an Under 10s race. More remarkable was that the top seven shared the same time on stage four. Bennett still took the win, though- ahead of Mille Coleman of Hillingdon Slipstreamers and Roberts. Bennett’s GC win was more comfortable than the day’s stage wins with a 40 second buffer over Coleman with Kingston a further 42 seconds behind.

Jed Smithson of Hillingdon Slipstreamers also did the double in the Under 10 Boys – with Eddie McHugh of Team Terminator and Smithson’s team mate Joseph O’Brien second and third on both occasions. He finished first on GC – 33 seconds ahead of O’Brien with McHugh taking third just two seconds back.

The Under 12 Girls saw some new names to the fore with Alexa Hawkins of Palmer Park Velo taking a win in Stage 3 from Anna Wadsworth of Beeline Bicycles and Natalie Bloomer of VC Londres – and Zoe Backstedt of Maindy Flyers taking the final stage ahead of Eva Young of Royal Albert CC, with Bloomer again taking third. The best overnight GC leader Isabella Escalaera could manage was a fifth place on stage three – but she didn’t need to do any more, taking the overall win by 27 seconds over Wadsworth with Hawkins tied on time in third.

Joshua Giddings of Heanor Clarion and Max Poole of Bike Box Alan/Envelopemaster took the first two places in both stages – Giddings taking the win in the first and Poole in the second – with Bevan Smith of Cardiff JIF third in stage three and Odhran Doogan of Errigal CC taking the final step on the podium in the last race. Just four seconds separated Giddings and Poole on GC – the Heanor Clarion rider taking the win – with Benjamin Peatfield of Bolton Hot Wheels in third, 18 seconds behind the winner.

Ella Barnwell of Cranc Cyclesport did the double in the Under 14 Girls – holding off Anna Armstrong of Border City Wheelers and Becky Surridge of VC Londres on stage three and Surridge and Amelia Sharpe of Team RL360 Isle of Man on stage four.

That left her 19 seconds clear of Surridge on GC with Nottingham Clarion’s Poppy Wildman holding on the third – on the same time as Surridge – despite only taking fourth and sixth on the final day.

Alfie George of Discovery Junior Cycling Club took both Stages in the Under 14 Boys out sprinting Lewis Askey of Lichfield City and Angus Hawkins of Palmer Park Velo on stage three and Jack Cruden of Glasgow Riderz and Askey on stage four. It couldn’t lift him above fifth on GC, though – thanks in large part to the breakaways on stage two.

The solo winner from that stage – Emile Alexander of Lichfield Cuty – took the overall win, seven seconds ahead of Dylan Westley of Albarosa CC and Tosh Teare of Team RL360 Isle of Man.

Rhona Callendar of Stirline Bike Club managed to stay ahead of the charging Lauren Dolan of Giant Cycling Club-Halo Films to pull off the only successful break of the day – although Dolan was just three seconds behind at the line. Jessica Roberts of RST Racing Team took third on stage three and won stage four from Louise Surridge of VC Londres and team mate Jayati Hine.

That was enough to secure Roberts third on GC with Dolan taking the win and Lauren Murphy of Welwyn Wheelers holding on to third – just reward for her part in the all-Lauren breakaway on stage two.

Finally, report-wise, if not chronologically, we had the Under 16 boys – and, again, the sprinters mixed things up a bit. Stage three saw what is, in the British Cycling National Youth Circuit Series, a very rare 1-2-3 finish with Speedflex trio Hamish Turnull, Harry Hardcastle and Thomas Pidcock take over the podium.

In stage four, Hardcastle went one better, holding off Jim Brown of Holmfirth CC and Fred Wright of VC Londres. In what was by far the closest competition of the weekend – the top 6 were separated by just nine seconds – it was Hardcastle who took the overall win with team mate Pidcock in second and Wright third.

The Series moves on the Hillingdon on the 6th of June which should – just about – give the riders time to recover from an enthralling but exhausting weekend of racing.

Results

Under 8
Girls
Stage 3
1 Anna LLOYD Lee Valley Youth Cycling 11:21
2 Megan LLOYD Harry Middleton Cycling Club same time
3 Elise HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT @53 seconds
4 Danielle BARKER Halesowen A & CC @1:05
5 Ella HARRIS Halesowen A & CC at 02:08

Stage 4
1 Anna LLOYD Lee Valley Youth Cycling at 11:17
2 Megan LLOYD Harry Middleton Cycling Club at 9 seconds
3 Elise HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT at 27
4 Danielle BARKER Halesowen A & CC at 1:47
5 Ella HARRIS Halesowen A & CC at 2:26

General Classification
1 Megan LLOYD Harry Middleton Cycling Club 39:01
2 Anna LLOYD Lee Valley Youth Cycling at 14 seconds
3 Elise HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT at 3:38
4 Danielle BARKER Halesowen A & CC at 4:39
5 Ella HARRIS Halesowen A & CC at 7:24

Boys
Stage 3
1 Cian HOWARD Team RL360 Isle Of Man 9:37
2 Michael POSTLETHWAITE Mossley CRT at 3 seconds
3 Finn O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 7
4 Ryan OLDFIELD Redditch Road & Path CC at 9
5 Seth JACKSON Kirklees Cycling Academy at 12
6 Trayden JARRETT Blackpool Youth Cycle Association at 27

Stage 4
1 Cian HOWARD Team RL360 Isle Of Man 10:12
2 Ryan OLDFIELD Redditch Road & Path CC at 3 seconds
3 Noah SCOTT-WRIGHT Featherstone RC at 7
4 Finn O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 9
5 Seth JACKSON Kirklees Cycling Academy at 10
6 Ben SCOTT Newcastle Phoenix Cycling Club at 25

General Classification
1 Cian HOWARD Team RL360 Isle Of Man 33:17
2 Ryan OLDFIELD Redditch Road & Path CC at 23 seconds
3 Seth JACKSON Kirklees Cycling Academ at 36
4 Noah SCOTT-WRIGHT Featherstone RC at 1:04
5 Finn O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers same time
6 Ben SCOTT Newcastle Phoenix Cycling Club at 1:35

Under 10
Girls
Stage 3
1 Bethany BENNETT Towy Riders 11:12
2 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders same time
3 Stephanie KINGSTON Lichfield City CC st
4 Millie COLEMAN Hillingdon Slipstreamers st
5 Carys LLOYD Lee Valley Youth Cycling st
6 Bobbie O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 1:01

Stage 4
1 Bethany BENNETT Towy Riders 6:38
2 Millie COLEMAN Hillingdon Slipstreamers same time
3 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders st
4 Stephanie KINGSTON Lichfield City CC st
5 Carys Lloyd Lee Valley Youth Cycling st
6 Esther Wong Salt Ayre Cog Set st

General Classification
1 Bethany BENNETT Towy Riders 35:55
2 Millie COLEMAN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 40
3 Stephanie KINGSTON Lichfield City CC at 01:22
4 Carys LLOYD Lee Valley Youth Cycling at 1:36
22 Awen ROBERTS Towy Riders at 03:19
23 Greta CAREY Palmer Park Velo RT at 3:23

Boys
Stage 3
1 Jed SMITHSON Hillingdon Slipstreamers 11:02
2 Eddie McHUGH Team Terminator at 3 seconds
3 Joseph O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 5
4 Arlo CAREY Palmer Park Velo RT at 7
5 Kyle JONES Maindy Flyers Youth CC at 8
6 James BROWN Palmer Park Velo RT at 9

Stage 4
1 Jed SMITHSON Hillingdon Slipstreamers 6:25
2 Eddie McHUGH Team Terminator at 3 seconds
3 Joseph O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 5
4 James BROWN Palmer Park Velo RT at 7
5 Scott FISHER Furness Future Flyers at 11
6 Arlo CAREY Palmer Park Velo RT at 12

General Classification
1 Jed SMITHSON Hillingdon Slipstreamers 34:58
2 Joseph O’BRIEN Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 33 seconds
3 Eddie McHUGH Team Terminator at 35
4 James BROWN Palmer Park Velo RT at 40
5 Arlo CAREY Palmer Park Velo RT at 43
6 Kyle JONES Maindy Flyers Youth CC at 46

Under 12
Girls
Stage 3
1 Alexa HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT 18:01
2 Anna WADSWORTH Beeline Bicycles RT at 3 seconds
3 Natalie BLOOMER VC Londres at 5
4 Niamha ALBONES Liverpool Century RC at 7
5 Isabella ESCALERA VC Londres at 8
6 Eva YOUNG Royal Albert CC at 9

Stage 4
1 Zoe BACKSTEDT Maindy Flyers Youth CC 13:08
2 Eva YOUNG Royal Albert CC at 3 seconds
3 Natalie BLOOMER VC Londres at 5
4 Isabella ESCALERA VC Londres at 7
5 Anna WADSWORTH Beeline Bicycles RT at 8
6 Tilly PERCY Salt Ayre Cog Set at 9

General Classification
1 Isabella ESCALERA VC Londres 1:00:05
2 Anna WADSWORTH Beeline Bicycles RT at 27
3 Alexa HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT same time
4 Zoe BACKSTEDT Maindy Flyers Youth CC at 31
5 Eva YOUNG Royal Albert CC at 32
6 Natalie BLOOMER VC Londres at 34

Boys
Stage 3
1 Joshua GIDDINGS Heanor Clarion CC 16:15
2 Max POOLE Bike Box Alan/Envelopema at 3 seconds
3 Bevan SMITH Cardiff JIF at 5
4 Owen LIGHTFOOT Rutland Rouleur at 7
5 Benjamin PEATFIELD Bolton Hot Wheels CC at 8
6 Zachary WALKER Team RL360 Isle Of Man at 9

Stage 4
1 Max POOLE Bike Box Alan/Envelopemas 00:12:11
2 Joshua GIDDINGS Heanor Clarion CC at 3 seconds
3 Odhran DOOGAN Errigal CC at 5
4 Frederick NEWMAN Preston Park Youth CC at 7
5 Benjamin PEATFIELD Bolton Hot Wheels CC at 8
6 Owen LIGHTFOOT Rutland Rouleur at 9

General Classification
1 Joshua GIDDINGS Heanor Clarion CC 1:00:55
2 Max POOLE Bike Box Alan/Envelopemas at 4 seconds
3 Benjamin PEATFIELD Bolton Hot Wheels CC at 22
4 Odhran DOOGAN Errigal CC at 24
5 Owen LIGHTFOOT Rutland Rouleur same time
6 Frederick NEWMAN Preston Park Youth CC at 28

Under 14
Girls
Stage 3
1 Ella BARNWELL Cranc Cyclesport 24:23
2 Anna ARMSTRONG Border City Wheelers CC at 3 seconds
3 Becky SURRIDGE VC Londres at 5
4 Poppy WILDMAN Nottingham Clarion CC at 7
5 Danielle PARKER Towy Riders at 8
6 Freya THATCHER Newport Youth Velo Cycling at 9

Stage 4
1 Ella BARNWELL Cranc Cyclesport 24:21
2 Becky SURRIDGE VC Londres at 3 seconds
3 Amelia SHARPE Team RL360 Isle Of Man at 5
4 Anna ARMSTRONG Border City Wheelers CC at 7
5 Emily BRIDSON JCAYA at 8
6 Poppy WILDMAN Nottingham Clarion CC at 9

General Classification
1 Ella BARNWELL Cranc Cyclesport 1:49:19
2 Becky SURRIDGE VC Londres at 19 seconds
3 Poppy WILDMAN Nottingham Clarion CC same time
4 Anna ARMSTRONG Border City Wheelers CC at 22
5 Amelia SHARPE Team RL360 Isle Of Man at 24
6 Danielle PARKER Towy Riders at 29

Boys
Stage 3
1 Alfred GEORGE Discovery Junior Cycling Club 28:34
2 Lewis ASKEY Lichfield City CC at 3 seconds
3 Angus HAWKINS Palmer Park Velo RT at 5
4 Jack CRUDEN Glasgow Riderz at 7
5 James CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC at 8
6 Samuel WATSON Chevin Cycles.com Trek at 9

Stage 4
1 Alfred GEORGE Discovery Junior Cycling Club 25:23
2 Jack CRUDEN Glasgow Riderz at 3 seconds
3 Lewis ASKEY Lichfield City CC at 5
4 Owain ROBERTS Towy Riders at 7
5 James CODD Maindy Flyers Youth CC at 8
6 Ben TULETT Beeline Bicycles RT at 9

General Classification
1 Emile ALEXANDER Lichfield City CC 2:01:33
2 Dylan WESTLEY Albarosa Cycling Club at 7
3 Tosh TEARE Team RL360 Isle Of Man at 12
4 Jamieson BLAIN Halesowen A & CC at 14
5 Alfred GEORGE Discovery Junior Cycling Club at 1:31
6 Lewis ASKEY Lichfield City CC at 1:38

Under 16
Girls
Stage 3
1 Rhona CALLANDER Stirling Bike Club 30:19
2 Lauren DOLAN Giant Cycling Club - Halo Films at 3 seconds
3 Jessica ROBERTS RST Racing Team at 5
4 Ellie RUSSELL Sportcity Velo at 7
5 Georgia ASHWORTH Cycle Sport Pendle at 8
6 Elizabeth BENNETT Cardiff JIF at 9

Stage 4
1 Jessica ROBERTS RST Racing Team 30:57
2 Louise SURRIDGE VC Londres at 3
3 Jayati HINE RST Racing Team at 5
4 Emily WADSWORTH Beeline Bicycles RT at 7
5 Lucy HORROCKS Cycle Sport Pendle at 8
6 Elizabeth BENNETT Cardiff JIF at 9

General Classification
1 Lauren DOLAN Giant Cycling Club - Halo Films 2:18:14
2 Jessica ROBERTS RST Racing Team at 13
3 Lauren MURPHY Welwyn Wheelers CC same time
4 Rhona CALLANDER Stirling Bike Club at 25
5 Louise SURRIDGE VC Londres at 28
6 Jayati HINE RST Racing Team at 31

Boys
Stage 3
1 Hamish TURNBULL Speedflex Race Team 35:35
2 Harry HARDCASTLE Speedflex Race Team at 3 seconds
3 Thomas PIDCOCK Speedflex Race Team at 5
4 Louis ROSE-DAVIES Hillingdon Slipstreamers at 7
5 Fred WRIGHT VC Londres at 8
6 Jamie RIDEHALGH Speedflex Race Team at 9

Stage 4
1 Harry HARDCASTLE Speedflex Race Team 35:18
2 Jim BROWN Holmfirth Cycling Club at 3 seconds
3 Fred WRIGHT VC Londres at 5
4 Thomas PIDCOCK Speedflex Race Team at 7
5 Richie ALLEN Achieve Northside Skinnergate at 8
6 Daniel TULETT Specialized Racing at 9

General Classification
1 Harry HARDCASTLE Speedflex Race Team 2:34:24
2 Thomas PIDCOCK Speedflex Race Team at 2 seconds
3 Fred WRIGHT VC Londres at 4
4 Hamish TURNBULL Speedflex Race Team at 6
5 Jim BROWN Holmfirth Cycling Club at 7
6 Jake STEWART Solihull CC at 8