Summer Road Races Supported by Pactimo 9th August 2026
Open Cat 2/3/4
52 starters (8 DNS) in the Open 2/3/4 in some beautiful sunshine and less punishing wind than is typical. 50 finishers and zero incidents/accidents which is wonderful to be able to report. Amazing to have so many local clubs supporting the race, a great advert for racing in Yorkshire (Otley CC, Valley Striders, Albarosa).
Three of the same Wheelers pinned numbers on again for us this year, Andrew, Laurie and Joe. The latter pushing some early breaks that didn’t quite stick. In the first couple of laps a break did stick from Eugene Cross Schills Doltcini, Ed Hall Otley CC, Reuben Orr Colina x Ciovita and Sean Dawson Bridgenorth CC and it went out to a minute, then 90 seconds.
The laps kept on passing and the break stood strong, the gap dropped to 30s, then 18s as low as 12s! At the start finish we were unsure if they could hold on….At the bell the breakaway had reduced to two, Eugene and Sean and Eugene had about a 4m lead with the pack closing.
The lead car came round turn 4 for the last time, we could see the fluro yellow on Eugenes kit…there was still a gap but with foreshortening it was impossible to see how much. As they got closer Eugene was just ahead as the sprint started…..ONE second! Eugene crossed the line 1s ahead of the chasing group who had done some serious work to close the gap. Super impressive Eugene held on, such a strong finish for being in the break on a flat course for around 9 laps. Amazing racing, probably our most exciting yet.
Well done all for keeping it safe and rubber side down.
Riders Eye View
1. Eugene Cross – Schils – Doltcini Racing Team (Trophy & £125 Pactimo Voucher)
2. Kyle Houston – Albarosa Cycling Club (£100 Pactimo Voucher)
3. Ewan Whiting – Beeston Cycling Club (£75 Pactimo Voucher)
4. David Shackleton – Wilsons Wheels Race Team (£50 Pactimo Voucher)
5. Kade Straker-Meads – University of Exeter Cycling Club (£25 Pactimo Voucher)
Highest Place Cat 4 Shaun Hutchinson (Trophy and £100 Pactimo Voucher)
Full results and points can be viewed here.
Bernards fantastic flickr album can be viewed here. (Please tag him @bernardmarsden on your shares.)
Open 2/3/4 reel here Joes reel with on board here
Womens Cat 3/4
26 entries and 1 entry on the day (6 DNS) resulted in 21 heroes taking to the start line.
Riders Eye View
“The race started with all the women staying together through the opening 2–3 laps before the attacks and breakaways started to form.
Once the final breakaway established itself (10 riders), the field split into a first and second peloton, with riders moving between the groups as the pace began to take its toll. Around 4–5 women eventually found themselves riding a solo time trial.
I wanted to make the race more of a team effort, so whenever I saw a female rider dropping off the group or caught another woman, I encouraged them to get on my wheel. Before long, we had a group of 4–5 women working together and sharing the effort.
I ended up in the second peloton, which I helped create, and we continued working together until the final lap. The pace really picked up, with a chain gang forming and multiple attacks coming in as we approached the finish.
(The front breakaway eventually reduced to 5 riders and sprint for placings was down to 4 with Ida Burrows pipping Oliva Bates by a bike length) edit
It was a fun, challenging and tactical race, and I really enjoyed racing alongside the other women and working together rather than everyone racing completely individually.
My only wish would be to see more Cat 3/4 women’s races. The more opportunities women have to race, the more competitive and exciting women’s cycling becomes.”
Gemma (Army cyclist )
Fantastic to be able to report zero incidents in the Women’s race as well.
1. Ida Burrows (Trophy & £125 Pactimo Voucher)
2. Olivia Bates (£100 Pactimo Voucher)
3. India Pentland – Team Judge Tyrekey (£75 Pactimo Voucher)
4. Emily Middlebrooke – Otley Cycle Club (£50 Pactimo Voucher)
5. Angela Curtis – Ilkley C.C. (£25 Pactimo Voucher)
Highest Place Cat 4 Phoebe Mountain – Albarosa Cycling Club (Trophy and £100 Pactimo Voucher)
Full results and points can be viewed here.
Bernards fantastic flickr album can be viewed here. (Please tag him @bernardmarsden on your shares.)
Women’s 3/4 reel here
A few kind thoughts from the day…
“…a great starting point for people wanting to dabble in road racing for the first time and giving women opportunities with the 3/4 running shortly after the Open race. A friendly, safe and most importantly fun atmosphere if you are interested in road racing, this is a great place to start.
Big thanks to the organisers and volunteers on the day, the unsung heroes of grass roots bike racing!”
Linx CC
“Seacroft Wheelers, excellent road race organisation…it was so cool to see that about 35% of the Women in my race…for the their first EVER race….Seacroft Wheelers are proving that it can be done well on the road…”
Amber 7Hills CC
“A great day out…for our RT thankyou Seacroft Wheelers!”
Otley Race team
“my first road race, thanks to Seacroft Wheelers for a fun afternoon.”
Angela Ilkley CC
“great race and strong girls, first top 10 in road racing”
Olivia Team FTPFusion
A huge thank you to everyone that supported the race, shared the info. persuaded their friends and club mates, travelled all those miles and pinned on numbers, without the racing community this race would not get started. We also massively appreciate the help of all our volunteers, drivers, marshals, coms who without the race would not get finished 🙂 And lots of love for PACTIMO for supporting our race once more with fantastic kit vouchers for prizes. Bernards pics this year were stunning, thank you sir.
We hope we see you all in 2027, thanks Helen & Craig
