SOPHIE Thackray is in something of a sporting limbo.

The 23-year-old from Eldwick is waiting to see the result of talks with her CAMS-Basso team to see if she has a road racing contract for this year.

In the meantime, she reverted to wearing the team colours of Paul Milnes Bradford Olympic RC in winning the women’s race in the final round of the Yorkshire Points Cyclo-Cross Series at Peel Park on Monday to finish third overall behind Victoria Peel and Libby Greatorex.

After winning at the iconic Bradford venue, whose overall titles were the Mike Scott Memorial Races, Thackray said: “I am speaking with the CAMS-Basso team, but for the next few weeks I will be wearing Paul Milnes kit.

“A road contract has been mentioned with CAMS-Basso, who I rode for last year, but I haven’t signed anything.”

Thackray finished in 42min 12.9sec, some 31 seconds ahead of female junior winner Esther Wong (Shibden-Hope Tech Apex) and 1min 36sec in front of women’s runner-up Greatorex (www.cyclocrossrider.com).

The Peel Park course was split into two distinct phases – fast turns and switchbacks above the promenade in a grassy meadow section and tricky off-camber climbs and descents below it on the mud.

Thackray said of her race: “I got a good start but I knew that there was a headwind so I wanted to be second wheel, but then as soon as we got out of the field I wanted to be in front.

“I passed Victoria (Peel) round the first corner, and it was all going well and then I fell off down the first hill, which was a bit annoying, but I didn’t lose much time as I was in front so I just worked my way back through.

“One of the junior girls was with me for a bit, and she was stronger round the top bit but I was stronger round the bottom bit, which is where it counted and I knew that I was faster.

“I had some good lines but I have ridden this venue since I was eight so you get to know the descents and where to go.”

It was her third win of the eight-race series and Thackray added: “I absolutely love it at Peel Park and feel that there should be more races here.

“It is just a brilliant course and you always remember Peel Park and I hope that it is used for the National Trophy in future.”

As for her recovery from Long Covid, Thackray said: “I had a mechanical in the first round of the Series and was about 20th but you can see my progression in the results.

“After round one I was in there but not winning and then I was winning and getting back to where I want to be.”

Thackray has two cyclo-cross races left this season – the final round of the National Trophy this weekend in Gravesend and the National Championships the following weekend in Milnthorpe in Cumbria.

She said: “The course near Kendal is very similar to this – a lot of running and a lot of mud – so I am really looking forward to that.

“Then I will have a full week off the bike and then an easy week before heading off to (road) training.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Riders were out in force at Peel Park, as cyclo-cross stars from far and wide graced Bradford on the second day of 2023.Riders were out in force at Peel Park, as cyclo-cross stars from far and wide graced Bradford on the second day of 2023. (Image: David Enyori.)

She wasn’t the only member of the family to podium at Peel Park as her dad Rob (Paul Milnes Bradford Olympic RC) finished third in the men’s veterans’ 40 race – his fourth Yorkshire Points top-three finish of the season.

He said of his latest race: “I had a disastrous first half – too much Christmas pudding I think and Christmas spirit – but once I got going I was all right and made up a lot of places from 10th.

“It was a really hard course. You had to concentrate so hard on the descents so that you didn’t crash and the climbs were killers on your thighs.”

Eleina McFadden (East Bradford RC) pulled out of the under-16 girls’ race due to illness.