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<\/a><\/p>\nReport<\/p>\n
Racing at the 42nd Jock Wadley Memorial unfolded across 12 testing laps of the Abberton Reservoir circuit in relatively forgiving March conditions. Without the crosswinds that can shatter the field into fragments along the reservoir\u2019s exposed stretches, the race stayed together longer than it might have \u2013 and stayed correspondingly chaotic, with attacks flying and nothing sticking until late in the day.<\/p>\n
Named for the pioneering British cycling journalist who brought the European peloton to a domestic audience in the post-war years, the Wadley has its own modest but real prestige. Jacob Vaughan\u2019s absence \u2013 the two-time defending champion kept home by a virus \u2013 removed the day\u2019s most anticipated storyline before the flag dropped, and opened the door for someone new to write their name on the roll of honour that includes, among others, the man in the DAS Richardsons team car.<\/p>\n
Early in the race, James Somerfield (Schils\u2013Doltcini Racing Team) was one of the most visibly animated presences, probing for gaps and testing the field\u2019s willingness to respond through the opening two laps. The race was then briefly neutralised on lap three following a collision involving Aaron Freeman (London Dynamo), who struck a stationary vehicle and was taken to hospital; everyone at The British Continental wishes him a full recovery. When racing resumed, the pattern continued: repeated accelerations, repeated closures, a bunch unwilling to let anything go clear.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/JAM6847.jpg\")
Image: Mark James<\/p>\n
With around three laps remaining, the decisive move finally got away. Chris McNamara (Sigma Sports Race Team), Caleb Pain (Ride Revolution Coaching), and Isaac Wright (Strada Wheels RT\u2013Lucentsys) established a gap and held it through the penultimate lap, arriving at the bell with what looked, briefly, like a workable lead. The break had no major team represented \u2013 which, from DAS Richardsons\u2019 perspective, settled the question of what to do about it. Frank Longstaff spoke to his teammates and committed to riding it down. With seven riders at their disposal, the squad set about the chase in the closing kilometres, catching the trio with one or two kilometres remaining.<\/p>\n
Longstaff had already spoken to Olly Curd about the plan. As the two recognised sprinters in the squad, they had agreed that Longstaff would lead out \u2014 a calculation partly tactical, partly honest. \u201cI wasn\u2019t feeling fantastic,\u201d Longstaff recalls, \u201cand I just knew that I would do a better job at positioning and I knew Olly would have the legs to win.\u201d The misdirection may also have helped: most riders, Longstaff suggests, would have assumed Curd was working in service of him rather than the other way around.<\/p>\n
Up the final drag, Longstaff kicked as hard as he could. He looked round, saw Curd on his wheel, and kept going until he was spent \u2013 at which point Curd came round him to take the win. \u201cJust as I was tying up,\u201d Longstaff says, \u201cOlly popped round me and comfortably took the win.\u201d When Longstaff looked back, the pair had a clear gap on the rest of the bunch. They celebrated together.<\/p>\n
James Ambrose-Parish (Ride Revolution Coaching) finished third; Alex Murphy (Stolen Goat 4Endurance), the Portsdown Classic winner and one of the pre-race favourites, came home fourth.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/JAM8251.jpg\")
Image: Mark James<\/p>\n
\u201cThe break of three were always going to get caught,\u201d Curd says. \u201cOn the last lap we could see them closing in \u2013 as a three on that course, it\u2019s hard, and we would have a lot more speed going up the drag on the reservoir. I\u2019m pretty confident in my sprint. Andy really wanted us to win, and then me and Frank pulled it off.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Longstaff, there was an extra layer to the result. DAS Richardsons are an Essex team, and the Wadley is their local race \u2013 yet it had, until today, eluded them. \u201cIt\u2019s something we kind of joke about in the team, that the Wadley is cursed for us,\u201d he says. Manager Andy Lyons has won the race twice as a rider; the team never had. \u201cTo break that curse today, and get a one-two as well \u2013 it\u2019s just the icing on the cake. I don\u2019t think that smile\u2019s disappearing off his face anytime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Results<\/p>\n
Full results will be added when available.<\/p>\n
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