by Anna Magrath | Apr 29, 2016
L-R: Christian Prudhomme, Lucy Garner, Caleb Ewan, Lars-Petter Nordhaug, Dani King & Sir Gary Verity.
Saturday the Men’s and Women’s Stages of Champions take place.
Pre Race Press Conference for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire
28 April 2016
Anthony McCrossan welcomes the press on the eve of the Tour de Yorkshire 2016 at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, before introducing Welcome to Yorkshire CEO Sir Gary Verity and A.S.O. Director of Cycling Christian Prudhomme.
Joining them on stage, last years defending champion, winning from start to finish, Lars-Petter Nordhaug of Team Sky and Orica Green-EDGE’s sensational young sprinter Caleb Ewan, making his debut, Olympic Champion, World Champion and European Champion Wiggle High5’s Dani King, and twice Junior World Champion Lucy Garner as the Tour readies itself for the second edition, 29th April to 01st May.
Pre Race Press Conference for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire
28 April 2016
Anthony McCrossan welcomes the press on the eve of the Tour de Yorkshire 2016 at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, before introducing Welcome to Yorkshire CEO Sir Gary Verity and A.S.O. Director of Cycling Christian Prudhomme.
Joining them on stage, last years defending champion, winning from start to finish, Lars-Petter Nordhaug of Team Sky and Orica Green-EDGE’s sensational young sprinter Caleb Ewan, making his debut, Olympic Champion, World Champion and European Champion Wiggle High5’s Dani King, and twice Junior World Champion Lucy Garner as the Tour readies itself for the second edition, 29th April to 01st May.
Anthony McCrossan: “This evening the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour Down Under will sign an agreement to promote each other races across each others territories.”
Sir Gary Verity: The significance of stage two. “Linking Otley, near Leeds, home to our latest world champion Lizzie Armitstead with Doncaster where we pass through Harworth, just to the south, the home of Tom Simpson, our first world Champion.”
“One of the big changes from this year to last is the revolution in women’s cycling.”
Christian Prudhomme applauds 2015 Winner, Lars-Petter Nordhaug, Team Sky.
Christian Prudhomme: “The passion that people from Yorkshire have for cycling is just unbelievable. Huge crowds we saw for the Tour de France! One year after, we thought impossible to have the same for the first edition of the Tour de Yorkshire. But yes, huge crowds again.”
“The second edition of the Tour de Yorkshire is one step forward again. On Saturday we have women and men the same distance, the same media coverage. We don’t know today what Saturday will mean for the future of cycling.”
Lars-Petter Nordhaug: “We hope to win. We are the biggest team here. We really want to make the race.”
Sir Gary Verity welcomes Caleb Ewan (Orica GreenEDGE) to the Tour de Yorkshire.
Caleb Ewan: “I don’t really know how my form is now.” Coming out of a block of training. “I’ve not raced for six weeks.” Calab is hoping to improve towards the end of the race. Although the first stage is billed as a sprinters stage. “It’s not a straight forward sprint as I thought it would be”. Referring to the un-categorised climb on the Settle finish loop!
Dani King: Saturday’s Asda Women’s Race. “I’m really excited to ride here in Yorkshire, we did a reccy today and there were school kids on the side of the road screaming to cheer us.” “I feel proud that Britain is leading the way with the same media coverage.” “It’s amazing the step forward for women’s cycling and I think it’s only going to go further after this race.”
Lucy Garner: Billed also as a sprint finish for the women’s race. “It’s not flat! It’s definitely rolling. I think the weathers going to play a roll in the race, setting off early in the morning”.
by Anna Magrath | Apr 18, 2016
So do you remember just a few weeks ago I brought you the news that our writer Heather Bamforth had been shortlisted for the #BeAGameChanger Women’s Sport Trust – Ambassador of Women’s Sport Award? Well the talented lady has only gone and beaten some formidable talent to the final (Judy Murray being one well know name who has fallen by the wayside). Heather will line up against two very well respected women; Ebony Rainford-Brent (cricketer) and Maureen McGonigle (Scottish Women in Sport advocate) for the final.
But lets not sit back… Heather needs all the support we can muster in the cycling community from both men and women to enable her to lift the trophy to represent all cyclists. So please take two seconds to drop by the Women’s Trust website and cast a well deserved vote in Heather’s direction. We can do this!
If my nagging hasn’t persuaded you here is a bit more about Heather:
Heather Bamforth has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to increase the number of opportunities for women in competitive cycling, and has done so as a volunteer in her spare time.
She joined the Cyclingshorts.cc writing team in 2012 where she actively promotes women’s cycling, and the inaugural North West women’s series in 2013, which featured groundbreaking grassroots road racing for women, this was Heather’s brainchild.
In 2014, along with three others Heather established The Racing Chance Foundation, a registered charity which provides women with a pathway in competitive cycling from novice to elite level.
Racing Chance has already coached over 200 women and inspired similar series across the UK that have resulted in British Cycling seeing an increase in female membership, with female racing licences increasing from 800 in 2012 to over 1,500 in 2015.
Heather spends an enormous amount of time helping to get women cycling by running training rides, with training sessions on closed circuits to help novices build confidence and skills before venturing onto the roads, along with events which are suitable for women who want to try road racing for the first time.
During the day Heather has a full time career, working in Restructuring Services for Mazars LLP, an international accountancy and business advisory firm.
About the Women’s Sports Trust:
Women’s Sports Trust are a charity that identifies and promotes a diverse range of role models, they find ways to shift the funding landscape for women’s sport and increase the percentage and quality of media coverage women receive.
http://www.womenssporttrust.com/ambassador-womens-sport-2016/
While I’ve got your ear cycling feature in the following categories as finalists. Please give them a vote too…
Sporting Role Model – Individual – Helen Wyman
Sponsor Partnership of the Year – Queensway Print/Drops Cycling Team
Inspiring Initative – National Award – Aviva Women’s Tour
Inspiring Initiate Award Local/Grassroots – Abergavenny Road Club
by Anna Magrath | Apr 18, 2016
Chris Maher chats to Nicola after her win at the 2016 Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir 2016.
View the race reports and galleries by clicking below:
ToR 2016 – Stage 1 Race Report & Gallery
ToR 2016 – Stage 2 Race Report & Gallery
by Anna Magrath | Apr 18, 2016
Barnes Stamps On Her Pedals To Victory In The 2016 Alexandra Tour Of The Reservoir Stage Two, Whilst Rowsell Revisits The Podium In Style In A Last Minute Effort For Glory.
Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir stage two.
Brilliant sunshine greeted the Ladies assembling in Blanchland for stage two of the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir 2016.
A steady ride along to the Reservoir circuit saw the group lead by Team WNT’s Hanna Walker before two riders set-about an early lead.
It was Team WNT’s Walker and Jo Tindley that led onto the first of five climbs up to the Manor House by over two minutes before Tindley found herself soloing around the Reservoir for thee laps.
Holding a good One-Thirty-Five lead, several attempts at bridging across the gap failed with Walker marshalling the moves from Henrietta Colborne, Team Ford Ecoboost, Eleanor Dickinson, Drops Cycling Team and Natasha Reddy, RP Vision Racing Team.
The gap closed on the second ascend to the Manor House were all the chasers were reeled in once more.
As the race progressed around the circuit and past the feed zone, Tindley still had a forty-four second advantage, but Drops and Ecoboost were making progress.
By the third ascend and the first Prime, Tindley’s reign was all but over as the race flattened out, Tindley’s gap had shrunk to fifteen seconds.
The race all came back together but crosswinds split the group into-two with around twenty-five going clear. It wasn’t long and they were all back together once more.
The pace had proved too much for race leader Grace Garner, Podium Ambitions p/b Club La Santa who soon found comfort and company from Hannah Walker at a more leisurely pace before retiring.
As the Bell Lap approached Julie Erskine, Team Ford Ecoboost had a ten second lead from two chasers Anna Turvey, Tyneside Vagabonds and Maddi Campbell, Team Footon Velosport. These two had come from an earlier split of twelve escapees, but reformed one final time before the final push to the line.
With around two-minutes advantage, the victory was going to one of the girls from this leading bunch including Nikki Juniper, Eleanor Dickinson, Alice Barnes and Alice Cobb.
Five-Hundred meters remaining, the group had fragmented slightly up the steep climb to the reservoir . It was Alice Barnes, Team 100%ME who’s head came into view firstly, stomping on her pedals with under fifty meters to the finish-line. Unable to match the speed of Barnes, it was left up to Juniper and Lucy Shaw, Drops Cycling to battle for the final podium placements.
Nikki Juniper wins the General Classification for the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir 2016, Eleanor Dickinson, Drops Cycling Development second and Maddi Campbell, Team Footon Velosport third.
After round two of the Women’s Road Series 2016, Nikki Juniper, Team Ford Ecoboost moves up-to the top of the leader board going into round three in the Lincoln Grand Prix in mid May.
Nikki Juniper talked to Cycling Shorts after the Podium Presentation: “So yesterday we got Charline on the podium, which is what we wanted. Job done!”, “And today was more about myself, the girls worked so hard for me to put me in a good position. Kinda wanted to control it (the race) until the last lap, and that’s where we said I would go, on the climb”.
Stage 2 Results
1: Alice Barnes 100% ME
2: Nicola Juniper Team Ford Ecoboost
3: Lucy Shaw Drops Cycling Team
4: Eleanor Dickinson Drops Cycling Development Team
5: Maddi Campbell Team Footon Velosport
6: Emily Wadsworth Beeline-Gener8
7: Jennifer Hudson Fushion RT Fierlan
8: Natalie Grinczer Team WNT
9: Alice Cobb Matrix Fitness p/b Corley Cycles
10: Jennifer Holden Fushion RT Fierlan
General Classification
1: Nicola Juniper Team Ford Ecoboost
2: Eleanor Dickinson Drops Cycling Development Team
3: Maddi Campbell Tean Footon Velosport
4: Emily Wadsworth Beeline-Gener8
5: Alice Cobb Matrix Fitness p/b Corley Cycles
6: Jennifer Holden Fushion RT Fierlan
7: Sophie Wright Renvale RT
8: Anna Turvey Tyneside Vagabonds CC
9: Lucy Shaw Drops Cycling Team
10: Melissa Lowther Team Breeze
11: Alice Barnes 100% ME
12: Jennifer Hudson Fushion RT Fierlan
13: Keira McVitty Team WNT
14: Neah Evans Glasgow Sprint Track Cycling Team
15: Karla Boddy Drops Cycling Team
Motorpoint Spring Cup Tour of the Reservoir Stage Two
Erick Rowsell, Madison Genesis made a brilliant solo charge to victory in the final conclusion of the 2016 Tour of the Reservoir.
The back-end of the race saw two solo rides, firstly been Ryan Perry, Metaltek Kuota, then by Rowsell who charged past Perry with a few kilometres to go. Perry had a one-o-five second lead across the line for the bell lap. Both riders coming from the final seven-man break coming off the large three-lap circuit over Bale Hill.
JLT Condor had set the pace of the main Peloton chasing the seven escapees, not having a man in the break that had two Madison, two Metaltek, Raleigh GAC, NFTO and Pedal Heaven represented.
The wind had picked up significantly from the Women’s Race earlier in the day, and a twelve man group formed in the early stages on the Reservoir circuit.
The group whittled down as race progressed, Briggs sliding out firstly, then re-joining and settling at around two-twenty before moving onto the big circuits.
As the final group of seven had assembled, Cronshaw, Madison Genesis attacked, then Rowsell up the final big climb. Before long, they were heading back down to Reservoir and the final two circuits.
1: Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
2: Dexter Gardias Pedal Heaven
3: James Gullen Pedal Heaven
4: Thomas Traviss-Pollard Metaltek Kuota Racing Team
5: Jack Puller Pedal Heaven
6: Joseph Fry Pedal Heaven
7: Jonny McEvoy NFTO
8: Adria Moreno Sala Raleigh GAC
9: Tom Moses JLT Condor
10: Ryan Perry Metaltek Kuota Racing Team
General Classification
1: Joseph Fry Pedal Heaven
2: Jonny McEvoy NFTO
3: Adria Moreno Sala Raleigh GAC
4: Tom Moses JLT Condor
5: Taylor Gunman Madison Genesis
6: Connor Swift Envelopemaster Giant Sheffield
7: Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis
8: Dexter Gardias Pedal Heaven
9: Jack Pullar Pedal Heaven
10: James Gullen Pedal Heaven
Motorpoint Spring Cup Leader after round three.
1: Jonny McEvoy NFTO
by Anna Magrath | Apr 7, 2016
Aunt Bessie’s unveiled as sponsor of Queen of the Sprint jersey
Flybe and Doncaster Sheffield Airport unveiled as co-sponsors of the Team Classification jersey
Aunt Bessie’s has been announced as the sponsor of the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race. The two-year deal will see Aunt Bessie’s secure exclusive rights of the race’s coveted Queen of the Sprint jersey.
There are two sprints at Scholes and Warmsworth during the 135km stage between Otley and Doncaster.
This is Aunt Bessie’s first sponsorship of a professional cycling race which came about after the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire in 2015 inspired a group of Aunt Bessie’s employees to cycle across the country for charity.
Aunt Bessie’s is part of 165-year-old family business, the William Jackson Food Group. They started making Yorkshire puddings for Butlin’s Holiday Camps in 1974 and has been based in Yorkshire ever since. Aunt Bessie’s has grown considerably and now offers a range of tasty food enjoyed by millions of people up and down the country every week.
Lorraine Rothwell, Marketing Director for Aunt Bessie’s, said:
“At Aunt Bessie’s we’re proud of our Yorkshire roots and of the food that we make. We were avid supporters of the first Tour de Yorkshire and we’re really excited to be sponsoring the Women’s Sprint this year in what will no doubt prove to be another fantastic cycling event.”
Following the news that Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Flybe have become the official airport and airline partner for Welcome to Yorkshire and the unveiling of a cycling themed plane, flying between Yorkshire and European destinations, the airport and airline have teamed up to sponsor the Team Classification jersey.
This jersey will be awarded to the women’s team with the highest ranking total team finish and was selected by Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Flybe to symbolise the fantastic partnership between the two companies that has resulted in an extra 42 flights per week departing from the airport. The one year deal will see Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Flybe secure exclusive rights of the Team Classification jersey.
Steve Gill, Managing Director of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said:
“We are excited to be sponsoring the Team Classification jersey for the Women’s Race in the Tour De Yorkshire along with Flybe.
“This will be a fantastic event for Yorkshire and we are delighted to be further strengthening our relationship with Welcome to Yorkshire to provide our support to this event.
“We are really pleased that through our new Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam routes with Flybe, we can offer international spectators an easy way to come to watch the race and then hopefully stay on for a longer break in Yorkshire.”
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said:
“We already know that the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race is going to take professional women’s cycling in this country to another level and I am delighted to have signed up three more fantastic partners for the race.
“Aunt Bessie’s are a Yorkshire company that takes their community engagement extremely seriously and their new commitment to women’s cycling is an important part of that. The sprint classification will be decided over two challenging sprint sections and I’m sure Aunt Bessie’s will make their presence felt on that part of the race as they join the crowds to cheer on the riders.
“I am thrilled that we have been able to take our partnership with Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Flybe, which is already flying high, to the next level. Their commitment to the Team Classification means that we can showcase some of the superstars of tomorrow.”
Aunt Bessie’s and Doncaster Sheffield Airport/ Flybe will have a vehicle in the Tour de Yorkshire Caravan which will travel in between the women’s and men’s races on Saturday 30 April stopping in approximately six locations along the route, details of which will be announced shortly.
by Anna Magrath | Apr 1, 2016
A cracking start on Easter Sunday for Fusion RT Fierlan’s Angela Hibbs at the MuleBar Tour of Northumberland 2016 Two Day event.
Sprinting up-to the line after a gruelling seventy-seven kilometre Circuit of Whalton four lap race. Angela had timed her effort to perfection to clinch the stage victory over Podium Ambition Pro Cycling p/b Club La Santa’s Amy Gornall and Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com’s Karen Poole, picking up a five-second bonus too, with three for second and two for third.
The blustery winds and threat of torrential downpours all added to the drama as the race un-folded.
The race had set-off hard, but then brought to a halt a couple of miles after the official start that delayed the race for five minutes before re-starting neutralised. The women’s race had been incorporated with-in the third/fourth category race.
They set of again, but not as hard. Once they went up the first drag the group split, leaving many of the third/ forth Cat lads and most of the women in little groups behind.
The trio of women rode the rest of their race in a group of around thirty, rolling through and helping to drive the peloton along.
A couple of the lads went off the front of the group, but strong headwinds made it too difficult to try and bridge any gap alone. So stayed in the shelter of the main group.
As the final kilometre approached, the women were allowed to contest their finish and they looked at each other before Angela set about her final charge to the line. Amy and Karen were close behind, but didn’t have the power to reel her back-in.
Amy Gornall, “I’ll see how my legs feel. I’ll try and hang in as it’s a little hillier and a bit of a harder race tomorrow.”
Karen Poole, “I’ll re-evaluate my strategy for tomorrow, I could have done things better today. My legs are good, and I feel good.”
Angela Hibbs “With half a lap to go two guys went on the attack so I went with them. Then they sat-up and I though ahh! I kept going. When I looked behind, they were on my wheel dragging Amy and Karen along”.
The guys were asked hang back and let the Women contest their race unimpeded on the final run up-to the finish line.
“I didn’t want it to come down to a sprint, I wanted to avoid that at all costs! I just kept the pace high and the power high”, I got to the farm and just upped the pace and the power and hoped they wouldn’t come around”.
Stage One Results
1: Angela Hibbs Fusion RT Fierlan +00.05
2: Amy Gornall Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa +00.03
3: Karen Poole Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com +00.02
4: Anna Turvey Tyneside Vagabonds
5: Rachel Crighton Team22 WRT
6: Sarah Bradford Team Jadan Weldtite
7: Charli Alston Team22 WRT
8: Gemma Sargent Aprire HSS Hire
9: Jennifer Batey Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com
10: Hannah Farran Manilla Cycling
11: Libby Denby Team22 WRT
12: Katharine Broadbent GB Cycles.co.uk
13: Flora Gillies Team22 WRT
14: Nikki Metcalf Manilla Cycling
15: Jessica Millar Johnstone Wheelers CC
Stage Two Results
1: Angela Hibbs Fusion RT Fierlan +00.05
2: Karen Poole Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com +00.03
3: Gemma Sargent Aprire HSS Hire +00.02
4: Anna Turvey Tyneside Vagabonds
5: Sarah Bradford Team Jadan
6: Rachel Crighton Team22 WRT
7: Hannah Farran Manilla Cycling
8: Charli Alston Team22 WRT
9: Jennifer Batey Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com
10: Katharine Broadbent GB Cycles.co.uk
11: Nikki Metcalfe Manilla Cycling
12: Jessica MillarJohnstone Wheelers CC
General Classification
1: Angela Hibbs Fusion RT Fierlan
2: Karen Poole Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com
3: Gemma Sargent Aprire HSS Hire
4: Anna Turvey Tyneside Vagabonds
5: Sarah Bradford Team Jadan
6: Rachel Crighton Team22 WRT
7: Charli Alston Team22 WRT
8: Jennifer Batey Team Vertex-pedalpowersport.com
9: Hannah Farran Manilla Cycling
10: Katharine Broadbent GB Cycles.co.uk
11: Nikki Metcalfe Manilla Cycling
12: Jessica MillarJohnstone Wheelers CC
A double win gives Fusion RT Fierlan’s Angela Hibb the General Classification Victory in the MuleBar Tour of Northumberland 2016. Riding safely within the main bunch on this testing course in the wind, Angela set her plan in motion and executing her move perfectly to add momentum to her early season programme. Angela will be tackling the Manx International GP Feminin Women’s Road Series Season opener, before returning to Northumberland and round two of the Women’s Road Series, the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir.
Angela Hibbs “We had a similar set-up to yesterday, there were three of us [Angela, Karen & Gemma Sargent] in the main group, but we had Gemma this time. The men didn’t seem to have the power to go, and they came back straight away.
On the last lap I kind of knew when I wanted to go! Which was after the climb and you turn left. It was fast with a few up-to drags. I wanted to go with a mile and a half or two miles to go, same as yesterday. My “TT” legs felt good and I wanted to avoid the sprints, so I just went hard”.
“I’m dead chuffed” said Angela afterwards. “I’m doing the Isle of Man in two weeks and the Tour of the Reservoir after that”.
A great effort by Team Jadan Weldtite’s Sarah Bradford in race two sticking with the main bunch until a mechanical on the second lap climb, when her chain dropped hampering her progress. Quickly getting going, Sarah found a difficult head wind and her lower gearing working against her in her effort to catch the main bunch, eventually settling into a small group until the end.
“That was fun” she chuckled heading back to HQ after the race. Sarah had hoped for the weather to deteriorate a little, saying the she preferred slightly harsher conditions.
A good ride by the Team22WRT girls completing the two day event with some good miles in their legs, and practice for the Alexandra Women’s Tour of the Reservoir just along the road in a couple of weeks. That race has a full Women’s field and is part of the 2016 Women’s Road Series.
A great ride by Johnstone Wheelers CC Jess Millar completing her first big race, gaining valuable experience on this demanding course so early in the Season. Jess has also signed up for the Alexandra Women’s Tour of the Reservoir too!
Men’s Nat B Results
Stage One
1: Joshua Jones
2: Harry Tanfield Pedal Heaven
3: David Shackleton Wilsons Wheels Race Team
4: Adan Duggleby The NAB Racing
5: Steven Lawley
6: Martin Ford Planet X Northside Cycling
7: Carl Donaldson GS Metro
8: Richard Jones Planet X Northside Cycling
9: Ben Harrison Prima Team Racing
10: William Brown Planet X Northside Cycling
Stage Two
1: Steven Lawley
2: David Shackleton Wilsons Wheels Race Team
3: Martin Ford Planet X Northside Cycling
4: James Moss MTS Cycle Sport SCott RT
5: Russell Falder Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team
6: Dominic Schils Massi Kuwait Cycling Project
7: Mark Robertson Army Cycling Race Team (ACRT)
8: Richard Jones Planet X Northside Cycling
9: Kieran Savage University of Sheffield
10: Freddie Jagger Muckle Cycle Club
General Classification
1: Steven Lawley
2: David Shackleton Wilsons Wheels Race Team
3: Martin Ford Planet X Northside Cycling
4: Dominic Schils Massi Kuwait Cycling Project
5: James Moss MTS Cycle Sport SCott RT
6: Joshua Jones
7: Richard Jones Planet X Northside Cycling
8: Benedict Spencer Loughborough Students CC
9: Timothy Holme Plant X Northside Cycling
10: Adan Duggleby The NAB Racing
Women’s Road Series 2016
Round One: 10 April, Manx International GP Feminin, 121 Kms
Round Two: April 16 2016, Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir
Round Three: May 15 2016, Lincoln GP
Round Four: May 29 2016, North Bucks Festival of Cycling
Round Five: June 11 & 12 2016, Essex Giro Two Day
Round Six: June 19 2016, Curlew Cup
Round Seven: June 29 2016, Otley GP
Round Eight: July 10 2016, Ryedale GP
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