Welcome to our latest race report, written by Iwan from Team PAU’s junior cycling team.
This post provides a great insight into the experiences and challenges faced by a junior rider during a national road race. Join us as Iwan recounts the team’s journey through the Bath Junior National Road Race.
TEAM PAU RACE REPORT: BATH JUNIOR NATIONAL ROAD RACE
Five members of Team PAU’s junior cycling team – Sion, Felix, Callum, Lucas, and I (Iwan) – attended the Bath Junior National Road Race, which despite its name, took place in Milton Keynes. Here’s a recap of our weekend filled with team spirit, strategic planning, and intense racing.
Saturday: Course Recon and Team PAU Talk
We met at the race HQ on Saturday for a course recon with all team members and our coaches, including Graham Briggs on his fancy new Pinarello Dogma. Having travelled from Lincoln, Doncaster, and God’s country (Wales), our journey was relatively short compared to previous races. After our activation ride, we enjoyed a meal at an Italian restaurant next to the MK Dons stadium.
Upon returning, we had a team talk for the next day’s race with our coach, Ali Slater, while Alec, Graham, and Dave worked tirelessly to ensure our bikes were spotless and race-ready. We discussed our plan to be aggressive and stay at the head of the race. We socialised a bit more as Felix and Sion put on their Wallace and Gromit trousers (compression boots) in preparation for the next day. By 10 PM, we all went to bed.
Race Day: Pre-Race Routine and the Start
We woke up around 7 AM to eat our pre-race meal of porridge and rice (beige as Callum prefers) and then packed up our things. At the HQ, we got our numbers and signed in. During the eventful briefing, someone’s phone loudly blared Lewis Capaldi in the background, ha!
The race started off chaotic and fast. Twenty minutes in, it was stopped due to riders crossing lines, leading to several disqualifications and some amusing protests. We also had a run-in with a combine harvester driver who refused to pull over.
The Race: Chaos and Determination
Despite our numerous attempts to break away from the peloton, nothing stuck. The frenetic pace saw many riders shelled, but the main group clung on. On the last lap, we missed a crucial move when three riders bridged to the lone leader in an impressive kamikaze breakaway.
A tree branch, taken down by a passing tractor, fell on Sion, causing a minor crash. We remained positive and aggressive, with Sion and I attacking off the front in the last lap. About 3 km from the finish, Felix made a daring solo move but was caught at the bottom of the final climb. Me, Callum and Sion (despite nursing a slightly dodgy shoulder) contested the sprint with Callum 19th , me 23rd , Sion 37th , and Felix 45th.
Reflections and Team PAU Celebrations
Although our results were slightly disappointing, we raced strongly as a team. After cooling down, we had a quick debrief and celebrated Dave’s (affectionately known as “Spanners”) birthday with a card and present. We then headed our separate ways until our next race, the Junior Tour of Mendips in three weeks.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who ensure our races are possible and to all team members for creating a great atmosphere throughout the weekend. Stay tuned for more updates from Team PAU’s junior cycling adventures!
JOIN TEAM PAU
We’re now recruiting junior riders to join our fully funded cycling team for 2025.
Accepting applications from male and female riders who are Junior or Youth A category.