Fred Wright wins British road race title in rain-lashed Saltburn as Sam Watson and Connor Swift put up strong fight

The 24-year-old Londoner who has made a habit of second-place finishes, including two years ago to Rotherham’s Ben Swift in this very race, at last crossed the line a winner after a gruelling examination over 189km.

He immediately pointed to the sky in tribute to Swiss rider and his Bahrain-Victorious team-mate Gino Mader who died as a result of injuries suffered in a crash at the Tour de Suisse last week.

Wright’s win was a fitting end to a thrilling four and three quarter- hours of racing that began in glorious sunshine and was punctuated by heavy showers.

Yorkshire’s contingent put in a strong effort, not least Sam Watson from Groupama FDJ who finished fifth after being dropped on the final lap of 10. He at least was the first Under-23s rider home to retain that title he won last year when finishing second to Mark Cavendish.

And Connor Swift, British road race champion in 2018, animated the 2023 version throughout, chiefly when leading the breakaway group up Saltburn Bank before eventually fading 20km from home.

But it was Wright’s day. “There’s a lot of emotions,” he said. “I’m thinking about a lot of things…I just wanted to enjoy the day because that’s what bike racing is about. I can’t stop getting emotional…

“(Gino) would have believed in me today, more than I would have believed in myself.”

Wright left behind James Knox and Stevie Williams on the last of 10 laps of a punishing course – including more than 3,500 metres of ascent.

“I was really pleased with the way I rode it,” said Wright. “I probably had the best legs of my life out there. I knew that compared to them I had to edge it on the downhill and the flat so I used that to my advantage to use as little energy as possible. It was just all guns blazing to the finish.

“I still can’t believe I’ve got my first professional win, it’s a monkey off my back.”

Typical of a cycle race in Yorkshire, it was attritional, bordering on brutal.

The roads were grippy, the scenery on the ride into Saltburn was stunning, and the crowds who lined Saltburn Bank for the seven laps of the women’s race and 10 circuits for the men, the last six of which were in intermittent heavy rain, were as passionate and supportive as ever.

Saltburn Bank was the headline act of the 18.9km circuit for its three hairpin bends and 22 per cent gradient at the top, but there were seven other climbs around what was a predominantly rural route through North Yorkshire that meant there was very little rest for any of the riders. If a cyclist did not have 100 per cent faith in their ability and their fitness, they were quickly found out.

Mason Hollyman, 23, of Leeds was one of them.

The Israel Premier-Tech rider has missed a few months with injury and this was his first race after a month’s block of training. Hardly ideal preparation before a test as exacting as this, but one he relished nonetheless, and animated as best he could.

"Nice course,” he said with a laugh. "I think I got halfway and then my glass packed in. I’ve turned 23 today and I’ve got a glass back.

"It was nice in a weird sort of way, for me just nice to be back on a startline after a few months off with injury.

"I was where I needed to be but sometimes it can’t be helped, and I’m just happy I was up there.”

The women’s race, won for a second successive year by Pfeiffer Georgi, was raced in the heat of the day, the mercury touching 27 degrees at some stages.

It proved equally as demanding, with only 33 of the 101 riders making it to the finish line.

One of them was Bradford’s Sophie Thackray, 23, riding for DA-Handsling Bikes.

"It all got a bit savage in the middle, it was a tough day out but it was good,” said Thackray, who rides at the second-tier UCI Continental level.

“It showed how hard it was that in the end six of the top seven were World Tour riders.

"It’s definitely the toughest race we’ve had in the UK as well, just the distance of it. Usually we’re racing 100k, this to get to the end was 140km, which on terrain like this is even harder.”

"I was hoping to get somewhere top 30, it was super hilly, there was no rest on it.

"Saltburn Bank is a nasty one, it’s really steep, but sometimes they’re the easier ones because there a lot of fans out there stood there watching, and they help motivate you, whereas some of the climbs around the back of the course are harder because there was no-one out there, you’re just in your own head.”

Riders and teams from lower down the cycling ladder chanced their arm at winning the British jersey, or just existing in elite company for a few hours.

Cycling Sheffield, an Under-23s developmental team, had two riders in the men’s race, with George Wood the last of the 20 riders from 140-odd who started to reach the finish line.

"It’s been a fantastic week,” said team boss Dave Coulson before the race. “And for us to have a guy at the finish line, and the other timed out on the penultimate lap, is an incredible result for us.”