Junior champion takes senior victory

Hattie Harnden wins latest round of cyclo-cross National Trophy in York, writes Snowdon Sports

Off-road all-rounder Hattie Harnden used her technical skill and power to take victory in round four of the National Trophy Cyclo-cross Series in York on Sunday.

The 17-year-old T-MO Racing rider — the reigning national junior cross champion and bronze medal winner at the World Junior MTB Championships in Switzerland in September — crossed the line seven seconds clear of Eileen Roe (Dooley’s Cycles) after a race-long battle.

Meanwhile, women’s series leader Beth Crumpton (Storey Racing) retained top spot with third place.

Harnden, whose only previous senior National Trophy win came in round three at Shrewsbury last season, took her time to reach the front of the race. But once there she and Roe were together until the final lap.

“She definitely made me ride faster than if I was by myself,” said Harnden, from Malvern. “We pushed each other on, which made for a really good race.”

Wet and muddy conditions helped make the off-camber section all the more testing, but for riders of Harnden’s quality it provided opportunities to create gaps.

It was on the hardest section of the testing circuit where she made her move, and with Roe on her wheel the pair powered on together until the final lap when the T-MO Racing rider made the winning move.

“Eileen was really strong and it could’ve gone either way,” added Harnden.

In the elite men’s race victory went to Belgian Gianni Siebens (Young Cycling Talent D&D) by just over a minute from series regular Yorben Van Tichelt (Neon Velo), whose team-mate and series leader Ian Field was away riding the World Cup event at Koksijde.

Siebens and Van Tichelt dominated from the first lap, leaving the English riders to battle for the minor placings. Siebens made his move towards the end of lap three, gapping Van Tichelt and going on to build a lead of more than a minute.

Nick Craig (Scott Racing) eventually took third place, a day after also racing to second in the over-40 veterans race.