The HSBC UK National Trophy Series is more or less the United Kingdom’s equivalent of the Vittoria Series in the U.S. The National Trophy series consists of six race weekends with both amateur and Elite racing held across Britain. Like the Vittoria Series, each of the Elite races is a UCI race, and in 2017, the event in Abergavenny was a C1.
A win and some relief for Oliver Stockwell. 2017 HSBC UK National Trophy Series: Bradford. © C. Morley / Cyclocross Magazine
Sunday’s race, the fifth of the six-race series, was at Peel Park in Bradford. With snow and mud starring at the North Carolina Grand Prix and Vlaamse Druivencross, it was only fitting that snow and mud would grace the course at Bradford as well.
Cold, freezing weather was in order in Bradford, as it was elsewhere over the weekend. 2017 HSBC UK National Trophy Series: Bradford. © C. Morley / Cyclocross Magazine
The races primarily draw English riders, but riders from teams such as Telenet Fidea and ERA-Circus have made a few appearances. Tom Pidcock (Telenet Fidea Lions), Ben Turner (Beobank-Corendon), Amira Mellor (PH-MAS/Paul Milnes/Oldfield) and other young British stars have made a few starts — and in the case of Pidcock, gotten a win — in the Elite races as well.
Sunday’s Women’s race was won by Fflon James (Abergavenny Road Club), but Bethany Crumpton (Storey Racing) still holds a comfortable series advantage heading into the last race.
Series leader Bethany Crumpton led the first half of the race before finishing second. 2017 HSBC UK National Trophy Series: Bradford. © C. Morley / Cyclocross Magazine
Braam Merlier (Steylaerts-Betfirst) won the Men’s race, but Ian Field (Hargroves/Ridley/Montezuma’s) locked up the series with a fourth-place finish.
British photographer Col Morley of Colin Morley Photography submitted a gallery of stunning images that capture the snow, mud and triumph of the day of racing in Bradford. For more from Morley, see his photo gallery from earlier this season.
Col Morley Photo Gallery: 2017 Bradford National Trophy Race
Snow falls as riders enter the penultimate lap. 2017 HSBC UK National Trophy Series: Bradford. © C. Morley / Cyclocross Magazine
