Round 1 of the British Cycling National Cyclocross Trophy took place over the weekend of 17-18 October 2026 at Moorways, Derby. Cycling Ulster had riders there along with Cycling Leinster.
Seven Cycling Ulster youth riders made the trip across the Irish Sea this weekend to compete in the opening round of the British Cycling National Cyclocross Trophy Series.
With some of Britain’s best young cyclocross riders on the start line, Derby provided a fantastic
opportunity for our riders to test themselves against strong opposition and gain valuable experience.
The sheer size of the fields was a challenge in itself, with 99 riders in the Under 14 Open race and 82 in the Under 16 Open – fields many times larger than our young riders are accustomed to racing in at home. With such large numbers, starting grid positions, overtaking opportunities and the ability to work through traffic all played a significant part in the racing.
Under 16 Open
Keelan Doherty – 26th
An excellent performance from Keelan, working his way up from 38th on the starting grid to finish 26th in a highly competitive field. A strong ride and a great result!
Darragh Quigley – 39th
A brilliant effort from first-year U16 Darragh, who made impressive progress through the field.
Starting 76th on the grid, he battled his way through to finish 39th, gaining an incredible 37 places!
Rory McCool – 40th
Rory suffered an unfortunate start when his chain broke just 150 metres into the race, forcing him to run to the pits for a bike change. Rejoining well adrift of the field, he settled into his race and steadily made up ground, eventually finishing 40th. A solid recovery from a difficult start.
Billy Lord – 62nd
Another strong effort from a first-year U16 rider. Billy started 81st on the grid and worked his way forward to finish 62nd, gaining 19 places against a very competitive field. Great experience and plenty to build on!
Under 14 Open
Lewis Bell – 59th
A solid performance from first-year U14 Lewis, finishing 59th after starting 58th on the grid. Valuable experience racing against some of Britain’s strongest young riders.
Nathan Baker – 69th
A tough day of racing for Nathan, who finished 69th in the U14 category. Another opportunity to gain experience at National Trophy level and take lessons forward into the rest of the season.
Under 16 Female
Ava Baker – DNS
Unfortunately, Ava was unable to take the start. Despite completing a few practice laps, she was still suffering from the effects of an injury sustained at the British Cycling Track Inter-Regional Championships in Glasgow. A disappointing weekend for Ava, but her recovery comes first. Wishing her a speedy return to racing!
A weekend to be proud of
Competing at British National Trophy level is a big step for our young riders. The racing is fast, the fields are strong and every position has to be earned. There were some excellent performances, impressive moves through the field and plenty of determination on display. Most importantly, the weekend provided valuable experience of the atmosphere and demands of racing at this level. A special word of thanks to the Cycling Ulster Off-Road Commission, whose support helped make the trip to Derby possible.
The seven riders and their families are extremely grateful for the support and the opportunity to compete at this level. Experiences like these are invaluable in helping our young riders develop, gain confidence and test themselves against some of the best youth cyclocross riders in Britain. A big thank you also to the parents, helpers and supporters who travelled to Derby and helped make the weekend possible. Well done to all seven riders for representing Cycling Ulster with determination and pride! Plenty of positives to take away and lots to look forward to as the cyclocross season continues!
Report by Aidan McCool
