The University of Nottingham's cycling team delivered their best-ever combined results at the BUCS Road Race Championships 2024, held on May 19th at the challenging Upper Denby Circuit near Huddersfield. This year's competition saw standout performances from both the women's and open categories, with a podium and a top 5 finish highlighting the university's growing talent in road racing.
In the women's race, Lotty Dawson secured an impressive 3rd place, marking the university's first podium finish since 2017. Dawson, racing for her trade team Brother UK - On Form, has had a stellar start to the season. She recently finished in the front group at the Lincoln GP, a National A race and achieved a podium finish at the Twickenham CC Dave Peck Memorial British Cup Race, another National B race. Dawson's exceptional form continued at the BUCS Road Race, where her strategic positioning and sprinting skills secured the bronze medal.
Hannah Clough, participating in her first road race, also put in a remarkable performance, finishing 8th. Clough's race strategy was pivotal in supporting Dawson's podium finish. After securing enough British Cycling licence points just the day before at the Darley Moor Women’s Circuit series, Clough demonstrated exceptional teamwork by leading the response from the peloton to keep DawsSaveon at the front.
Elsewhere, in the open race, George Stephens achieved his best result of the season, finishing 5th. Racing for his trade team HUUB BCC Webuycycle RT, Stephens showcased his endurance and tactical acumen by launching a significant attack with five laps to go. Although the race was highly attritional, with riders being dropped throughout the hilly circuit, Stephens managed to win the sprint from his group to secure his top-five finish.
Matt Brown also delivered a solid performance, finishing 14th, with crucial support from teammates George Cottrell and Will Barham, highlighting the depth of talent within the University of Nottingham's cycling squad.
Reflecting on the team's performance, Head Coach Tom Haines stated:
"It was a great day out for Nottingham. The course was a proper test, and both teams really rose to the challenge. Hannah Clough in her first road race was so strong and really helped Lotty Dawson win the bunch sprint and bronze medal. In the open race, a 5th by George Stephens and Matt Brown sprinting for a top 20 with great support from George Cottrell and Will Barham was fantastic."
Lotty Dawson also shared her experience, saying:
"The course was really challenging for my first BUCS road race. There were a couple of early attacks, but nothing stuck. Unfortunately, I missed the break, and with the bunch making no effort to chase, I made sure to position myself well for the sprint, which paid off."
The team's success at the BUCS Road Race Championships 2024 sets a promising tone for the rest of the British Cycling domestic road racing season. Up next, the team will compete in the rearranged BUCS 10-mile Time Trial, hosted by UoNCC on June 8th, which is the final BUCS race of the season.
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Posted on Friday 24th May 2024