With a few days to go until the 2026 Lloyds National Cyclo-cross Championships, anticipation is building as riders gear up to compete across two days of intense cyclo-cross action in South Shields. Big names in Thomas Mein, Cameron Mason, Ffion Drake and Xan Crees will all look to battle it out for a chance to take home the striped national champion jersey.
Whether watching course-side, from home with our jam-packed livestream or following our social channels for regular updates, there’s something for everyone this weekend.
The stage
Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 January will see riders brave the mud for two days of action-packed racing. Across both open and female categories, Saturday sees the masters, under-16 and under-14 events take place, while Sunday will feature the junior and elite races.
Taking in the North Sea by Sandhaven beach, Gypsies Green recreation ground sets the scene for the first time at a national championships. A 2.8km circuit awaits, with riders starting on the promenade with a mix of outdoor track and grass verges to follow; it’s expected to be bitterly cold but a fiery atmosphere.
Saturday’s racing will get underway with the female masters from 9.20, before a full day of racing ending with the under-14 youth open at 3.05. On Sunday, the action kicks off at 9.45 with the Junior Open, followed by the Junior female at 10.45, the Elite Female at 13.15 before closing out the weekend with the elite open at 14.30.
The riders
Among those on the start line will be Thomas Mein, who took top spot in the National Trophy series, winning five rounds along the way. Mein will face fierce competition from Cameron Mason who has excelled on the world cup scene over the last couple of months. The 2025 national champion sealed a podium place at the Flamanville event this winter, part of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup series, alongside some other top ten performances. Last year’s junior open national champion Oscar Amey will also be one to watch, making the step up this year into the elite.
An equally dominant force on the women’s domestic scene has been Ffion Drake who earned four Series wins over the winter, and she will face a field which includes 2025 national champion Xan Crees. Zoe Roche, 2025s junior female national champion will also be one-to-watch, with the junior showing what she’s worth in the senior field this time around.
In the junior open, Luke Trafford will compete after dominating in the National Trophy Series, winning four of the six rounds, while runner-up Xander Graham will pose stiff competition. In the junior female, national series winner Katie Colling will look to cap off a brilliant domestic season with a national champion jersey, against a strong field including last year’s under-16 national champion Peggy Knox.
In the veteran categories, a number of national champions will return to defend their stripes, including Nick Craig, John McGrath and Leis Craven in the open categories, and Tracey Fletcher, Alison Kinloch and Kate Eedy in the female categories.
You can find the full start list here
How to watch
This year, the Championships will be live streamed as part of a pilot initiative, accessible by a modest subscription fee of £2.99, with the flexibility to cancel at any time, bringing live action across the elite / U23 and junior races on Sunday 11 January.
Coverage will ensure you don’t miss a second of action, including commentary from Marty MacDonald, pre and post-race interviews with riders and national champions and podium presentations
The dynamic coverage – provided by Monument Cycling – across the weekend will also involve highlights and storytelling content across British Cycling social media platforms which will showcase the behind the scenes moments alongside the race action. A full report and imagery of the National Championships can also be found on the British Cycling website shortly after the last event finishes for each day.
You can sign up to the live stream here
Join the conversation!
Whether you’re in South Shields or watching at home, send thoughts and photos to us on Facebook, X and Instagram, where we’ll be sharing our exclusive content and behind the scenes footage throughout the event.