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Sixteen-year-old Ezra Bateman won the junior boys’ title at the British National Hill Climb Championships and recorded the day’s fastest time, 14:31.08, on a Van Rysel RCR-R Pro. His father said the SRAM Force AXS-equipped bike weighed 6.9kg; the setup included 50mm-deep wheels and Continental GP5000 S TR tyres.
Sixteen-year-old Ezra Bateman recorded the fastest time at the British National Hill Climb Championships on a Van Rysel RCR-R Pro, winning the junior boys’ title at Porlock Toll Road. Cycling Weekly reported his time as 14 minutes, 31.08 seconds, fractions of a second ahead of senior champion Ed Laverack and runner-up Andrew Feather.
Bateman, a Scarborough rider with the Decathlon CMA CGM U19 team, rode a team-issue RCR-R Pro fitted with a SRAM Force AXS groupset. His father, Jon Bateman, told Cycling Weekly the bike weighed 6.9kg. The report described it as close to stock, with the bottle cages removed. The weight figure is attributed to his father rather than presented as an independently verified measurement.
The bike used 54/41-tooth chainrings with an integrated power meter, rather than the single-chainring setup some competitors chose to reduce weight and wind resistance. Cycling Weekly said the rear cassette was probably a 10-33-tooth model; that specification was an estimate from the bike photographs, not a confirmed detail. In a post-race interview with Monument HQ, Bateman did not disclose his power data. The report suggested this may have been in line with team instructions, but did not confirm the reason.
Bateman’s wheels were 50mm-deep Swiss Side Hadron rims, paired with Continental GP5000 S TR tyres. Cycling Weekly noted that the wheel depth could help reduce drag at the reported average speed of about 27km/h. The race was wet and the road had storm debris, conditions that informed the tyre choice. The article said lower-rolling-resistance GP5000 TT TR tyres might have been considered in different conditions, but Bateman raced on the S TR model.
A Junior Sets the Day’s Pace
Bateman’s result stands out because he was not only the junior boys’ winner: his time was also the fastest of the day, narrowly ahead of the senior men’s leading riders. It puts a young competitor’s performance alongside the established senior field, while offering a concrete look at the equipment used to achieve it.
The bike details also complicate the assumption that a hill-climb winner must use an extremely stripped-down, lightweight setup. Porlock’s long, relatively steady gradient and a headwind late in the course made aerodynamics relevant, according to Cycling Weekly. Bateman used deep-section wheels and a standard double chainring arrangement rather than pursuing every possible weight saving. The report does not establish that any one equipment choice caused his result: his time reflects the rider, course, conditions and equipment together.
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Porlock’s Longer, Windier Climb
The championships took place on Porlock Toll Road in Somerset, a 6.6km ascent averaging 5.5%. Cycling Weekly contrasted the route with steeper, shorter hill-climb courses, where riders often focus more heavily on reducing bike weight. The route’s length and profile, combined with a strong headwind in the closing kilometres, made aerodynamic equipment an option for some competitors. The publication reported seeing time-trial bikes, aero bikes and deep-section wheels among the field.
Bateman’s performance followed a strong season of climbing and road racing, according to Cycling Weekly. He came within seconds of beating Laverack on Snake Pass and matched Tom Bell’s course record on Prospect Hill. He also raced at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. That earlier form provides context for his national-championship result, but the supplied report does not give the dates or full results for those races.
The RCR-R Pro is described by Cycling Weekly as Van Rysel’s current lightweight climbing bike. The publication expects it may be replaced by a more aerodynamic-looking prototype raced by Paul Seixas at the Tour de France. That is a forecast from the report, not a confirmed product announcement from Van Rysel.
“The SRAM Force AXS build weighs 6.9kg.”
— Jon Bateman, Ezra Bateman’s father, speaking to Cycling Weekly
Unverified Setup and Power Figures
Some equipment details are not confirmed. Cycling Weekly described the cassette as probably 10-33 teeth, based on the available images, and the report does not provide a published measurement independently confirming the bike’s 6.9kg weight. Bateman’s power data was not disclosed, so readers cannot compare his output with other riders’ figures.
The supplied report also does not state the race date, provide a complete set of official timings, or detail the precise time gap between Bateman, Laverack and Feather. It says the margin was fractions of a second. The reasons for Bateman’s equipment choices, beyond the weather and course considerations discussed by the publication, are not established.
Results and Bike Details to Watch
The immediate next step for readers seeking a fuller comparison is an official results sheet with exact timings and gaps for the leading riders. Further reporting or team confirmation could also establish the cassette specification, provide a verified bike weight, or clarify whether Bateman’s power data will be released. None of those details is included in the source report.
Van Rysel’s next move for the RCR-R Pro is also unconfirmed. Cycling Weekly anticipated a possible replacement based on the more aerodynamic-looking prototype Paul Seixas raced at the Tour de France, but the report did not cite a company announcement or launch schedule. Until the manufacturer confirms a change, the prototype remains a possible indicator rather than a definitive successor.
Key Questions
What bike did Ezra Bateman ride?
He rode a Van Rysel RCR-R Pro, a team-issue bike fitted with SRAM Force AXS components.
What was Bateman’s time?
Cycling Weekly reported a time of 14 minutes, 31.08 seconds, the fastest of the day and fractions ahead of the top senior riders.
How much did the bike weigh?
Bateman’s father told Cycling Weekly that the bike weighed 6.9kg. The report does not say that the figure was independently verified.
What wheels and tyres did he use?
The setup included 50mm-deep Swiss Side Hadron wheels and Continental GP5000 S TR tyres, according to Cycling Weekly.
Did Bateman reveal his power numbers?
No. Cycling Weekly said he declined to disclose his power data during a post-race interview with Monument HQ. The reason was not confirmed.
Source: rss
