The Peaks 2 Day is never going to be comfortable. That’s the point.

Stage 1 was a 5.9km time trial on the Longnor circuit in the Peak District. The roads were dusted with snow. It was 3°C. We rode it anyway.

The Time Trial

I went out and put down the fastest time of the day: 13:32. That was enough to take the stage win and pull on the leader’s jersey heading into Stage 2 and the overall classification.

It’s the kind of result that doesn’t happen by accident. The work in training, the willingness to push in the cold when everything in your body is telling you to back off — that’s what those results come from.

The Overall

I ended the Peaks 2 Day 2nd overall, 11 seconds behind Lucy Gadd. Stage 2 was a hard road race where Gadd attacked solo with 18km to go — a decisive move that I couldn’t match on the day.

2nd is not 1st. But it’s a solid platform for the season ahead.

Looking Forward

Early 2025 results like this confirmed the direction. Good legs. Good form. And by September, a national title.

The 2026 season is where things get really interesting.

Thanks to Merlin Cycles and all my partners for the support through the early-season miles.