Interview – Abi Smith – Winner 2021 Curlew Cup
Post race interview with Abi Smith at the Curlew Cup after her winning ride.
Questions asked by Larry Hickmott (VeloUK.net).
Footage and images by Chris Maher (CyclingShorts.cc / chrismaher.co.uk)
AJ Bell Tour of Britain – Yves Lampaert Takes Edinburgh Stage Win
SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2021
YVES LAMPAERT TAKES EDINBURGH STAGE WIN IN AJ BELL TOUR OF BRITAIN
Belgian rider Yves Lampaert took Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s first victory of the AJ Bell Tour of Britain in Edinburgh on Saturday at the end of a stage dominated by a six-man breakaway group.
Lampaert outsprinted Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar Team) and Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling’s Matt Gibson in the world-famous Holyrood Park after the trio broke away on the outskirts of the Scottish capital.
INEOS Grenadiers rider Ethan Hayter finished safely within the peloton to retain his overall lead and move to within a day of becoming the first British winner of the national tour in five years. Hayter has also sealed the Sportsbreaks.com Points jersey with an insurmountable lead going into the final stage, providing he finishes the race.
It was a good day all round because we kept the jersey and have one day left to go. Having a strong team is probably more important than being a strong rider at the end of the day like today – Richie [Porte] and Owain [Doull] have ridden on the front for the past two days, which is pretty impressive,
It’s probably going to kick off tomorrow, it always does on the last day of a stage race. I’ll do my best to beat Wout if it does come to a sprint.
Lampaert, Jorgenson and Gibson had been part of a six-rider group that broke away early on the stage from Hawick, along with Lampaert’s Deceuninck – Quick-Step teammate Davide Ballerini, Pascal Eenkhoorn (Jumbo Visma), and TRINITY Racing’s Christopher Blevins.
The sextet built a lead of nearly 10 minutes and were allowed their head coming into Edinburgh as INEOS Grenadiers controlled the gap to ensure the race didn’t come back together and that Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) couldn’t collect any time bonuses to threaten Hayter’s lead.
Blevins was the first to be distanced with 20 kilometres to go on an unclassified climb out of Ford before Lampaert attacked with 8.5 kilometres to go splitting the group. Jorgenson reacted first to get onto the former Belgian champion’s wheel with Gibson putting in a concerted effort to then get across to the pair reaching them with five kilometres remaining.
It was quite nervy. There were three of us in the lead, so it’s always difficult to finish it off. But I took the wheel of Gibson – I heard on the radio that he was quite fast. I did quite a long sprint; I started at 250 [metres] to go and I held it to the line.
I’m really happy. I’ve worked to a make a lot of team victories but today I could finish it off for myself. That’s a huge relief. Every victory has a special place in my heart, and it’s not that I win every week, so I’m really happy.
The trio then worked well to distance Eenkhoorn and Ballerini but coming into Holyrood Park it was the Ribble Weldtite rider on the front with his two World Tour rivals using their experience to force Gibson to lead out the sprint to the line.
Jacob Scott (Canyon dhb SunGod) retains both the ŠKODA King of the Mountains and Eisberg Sprints jerseys and will win both providing he finishes Sunday’s stage.
The AJ Bell Tour of Britain concludes with Stage Eight from Stonehaven to Aberdeen over 173 kilometres (107.6 miles) including the famous ŠKODA King of the Mountains climb of Cairn o’Mount early in the stage plus intermediate Eisberg Sprints, with their time bonuses, at Finzean, Aboyne, and Ballater.
In addition to hosting the final stage of the 2021 AJ Bell Tour of Britain, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will host the opening stage of the 2022 Tour with Scotland’s continuing support of the AJ Bell Tour of Britain Tour of Britain signalling the country’s commitment to hosting world-class racing ahead of the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds in the country.
Results
STAGE 7 RESULTS
AJ BELL LEADER'S JERSEY
SPORTSBREAKS.COM POINTS JERSEY
SKODA KING OF THE MOUNTAINS JERSEY
EISBERG SPRINTS JERSEY
TEAM CLASSIFICATION
Tour of Britain - Round 8 Preview
The Aberdeenshire coastal town of Stonehaven will play host to the stage start, with the route also featuring a much-anticipated ascent of the famed Cairn o’Mount climb in the opening kilometres.
This year’s overall winner will be crowned on Aberdeen’s picturesque Esplanade after a scenic and challenging route. Building on the success of the Tour Series, which has taken place in Aberdeen City since 2017, the UK’s biggest and longest-running international cycle race is also planned to host the following year’s Grand Départ in the region.
All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
AJ Bell Tour of Britain Stage 6 – Wout Van Aert takes win at Gateshead
FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2021
WOUT VAN AERT STRIKES BACK AT GATESHEAD FINISH OF AJ BELL TOUR OF BRITAIN
A day after losing the AJ Bell Tour of Britain race lead, Belgian star Wout van Aert struck back by winning stage six in the shadow of the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead.
The Belgian national champion sprinted home ahead of Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) as a 10-rider group contested the finish after a thrilling finale on the roads into Gateshead that saw multiple riders trying to go clear for the stage victory.
Hayter retains his race lead, although now trimmed to just four seconds over van Aert [Team Jumbo Visma] thanks to the time bonus at the finish line, with Alaphilippe slipping back slightly to plus 21 seconds.
It’s great to keep the jersey. The gap is now four seconds so if he [van Aert] wins the race on time bonuses there’s not much we can do about it. I’m happy to be leading the Tour of Britain still, it’s amazing.
It all kicked off with about 15 kilometres to go on that climb and actually I wasn’t playing it cool. I was on the limit, but Carlos [Rodriguez] kind of saved me because otherwise I would’ve been open to a lot more attacks. He was closing stuff and setting a good tempo, and, in the end, it put everyone off attacking, especially in the last couple of kilometres.
To keep the jersey and be second on the stage is a very good result for me and I’m looking forward to the next two days.
The group of ten had formed as an earlier breakaway, containing Mark Cavendish and Deceuninck – Quick-Step team-mate Tim Declercq, was caught and James Shaw (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) attacked, with first Matteo Jorgensen (Movistar) and then eight others following, including all of the overall contenders.
Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) put in a concerted effort on one of the many small climbs littering the final ten kilometres, building a 15 second advantage which was steadily eroded before Shaw and Mikkel Honoré (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) each made their own efforts to go clear.
With a second group of just over 20 riders closing on them rapidly, Jorgensen kept the pace high, aided by INEOS’ Carlos Rodriguez before Honoré opened up the sprint to lead out Alaphilippe. On the gradual drag up to the line however the fast finishers of van Aert and Hayter could come around the World champion under the watchful guise of the Angel of the North.
It was a nice course with a nice opportunity in the end – a steep kicker with 14 kilometres to go. I thought it would be nice to make the race a bit harder and maybe even surprise some other guys, but we ended up with all the main favourites in the front group. From then on it was quite clear for me that it would be a sprint because Ethan[Hayter] and the also the guy from Movistar [Matteo Jorgenson] had a team-mate in the group who would keep it together.
“I’m focusing on this race and the opportunities we will have here, so I think for sure it has been good preparation for the Worlds. But for now I’m more focused on the racing day by day. It will all come down to the bonus seconds. Maybe there will be some other opportunities along the way, so we need to be focused and hopefully we can try something again.
Hayter retains the Sportsbreaks.com Points jersey thanks to his string of top five results this week while Jacob Scott (Canyon dhb SunGod) keeps both of the ŠKODA King of the Mountains and Eisberg Sprints jerseys for a sixth consecutive day, and now only needs to finish the AJ Bell Tour of Britain to retain his ŠKODA jersey.
The event moves to Scotland for the final two stages of the 2021 race. Saturday (11 September) sees a 194.8-kilometre (121.1-mile) Stage Seven from Hawick to Edinburgh with a picturesque route through the Scottish Borders before the AJ Bell Tour of Britain concludes with Stage Eight from Stonehaven to Aberdeen over 173 kilometres (107.6 miles) including the famous climb of Cairn o’Mount.
Results
AJ BELL LEADER'S JERSEY
SPORTSBREAKS.COM POINTS JERSEY
SKODA KING OF THE MOUNTAINS JERSEY
EISBERG SPRINTS JERSEY
TEAM CLASSIFICATION
STAGE 6 RESULTS
Tour of Britain - Round 7 Preview
Hawick and Edinburgh will play host to stage seven of the 2021 Tour of Britain on Saturday 11 September, as the race culminates with two full stages in Scotland for the first time ever.
While the Scottish Borders is no stranger to the race, Hawick will make its debut as a host venue in September, joining Jedburgh, Peebles and Kelso in welcoming the UK’s most prestigious cycle race to town.
The historic city of Edinburgh will then host its first stage finish of the modern Tour of Britain, having previously welcomed the race for stage starts in 2015 and 2017, the latter as part of a Scottish Grand Départ. Holyrood Park will provide the backdrop to what promises to be a truly unforgettable finale.
All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Men’s Grasscrete Ryedale GP 2021 Gallery and Race Report
Round Two in both the Women’s & Men’s British Cycling National Road Series 2021 started in the grounds Ampleforth College with Ampleforth Abbey as the backdrop to a gruelling gritty 60 mile Women’s Race and 95 mile Men’s Race.
Alex Peters [SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling] took the bunch sprint in round two of the British Cycling Elite National Road Series 2021. A close second for Toby Barnes [) Crimson Orientation Marketing RT] and third for [Oliver Rees (U23) Trinity Road Racing].
The race pace was kept high with Canyon DHB Sungod & SwiftCarbon fielding a good presence at the front of the race.
Eventually a two-man-break formed with Canyon DHB SunGod’s Thomas Mein and Zappi Racing Team’s Matthew Kingston gaining over three minutes at one point. The two were caught crossing the finish-line with two laps remaining and as the miles drew down it was left to a six-man-group to sprint for the glory with Peters taking the win.
Canyon DHB Sungod after all their hard work left the race with the Series Leader’s Jersey on the back of Jacob Scott going into the final round in September.
“I’ve ridden Ryedale before & I knew how tough it is – if you go too early, then the legs can explode.
I was thinking I wasn’t strong & I got lots of encouragement from Ross (Lamb) my team-mate. Saying Alex, you are one of the strongest in the race. You can win this! And that encouraged me, helped me big-time”.
Results
- Men's Ryedale GP Results
- National Series Standings
- Men’s National Road Series round 1 - Lancashire GP Men’s Results 2021
1 Alex Peters SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling 3:47:30
2 Toby Barnes (U23) Crimson Orientation Marketing RT st
3 Oliver Rees (U23) Trinity Road Racing st
4 Isaac Mundy Richardsons-Trek DAS st
5 Max Stedman Canyon DHB Sungod st
6 Callum Macleod (U23) Canyon DHB Sungod +14
7 Oliver Peckover (U23) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling +18
8 Isaac Peatfield (U23) Crimson Orientation Marketing RT +20
9 Jacob Scott Canyon DHB Sungod +26
10 Finn Crockett (U23) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli st
11 Matti Dobbins (U23) RT23 st
12 Steve Lampier Saint Piran st
13 Ross Lamb SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling st
14 Owain Roberts (U23) Wales Racing Academy +29
15 Michael Chadwick Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy st
16 Leon Mazzone Crimson Orientation Marketing RT st
17 George Kimber (U23) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor +36
18 Samuel Beckett (U23) Wales Racing Academy st
19 Ryan Christensen Canyon DHB Sungod st
20 Damien Clayton Canyon DHB Sungod st
1 Jacob Scott Canyon DHB Sungod 42
2 Isaac Peatfield Crimson Orientation Marketing RT 40
3 Finn Crockett Wheelbase CabTech Castelli 38
1. Josh Whitehead Team PB Performance Finished 2nd 100
2. Jacob Scott Canyon DHB Sungod Finished Elite 85
3. Finn Crockett Wheelbase CabTech Castelli Finished 1st 75
4. Isaac Peatfield Crimson Orientation Marketing … Finished 1st 66
5. Ben Granger Zappi Racing Team Finished 1st 58
6. Ryan Christensen Canyon DHB Sungod Finished N/A 0
7. George Kimber Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor Finished 2nd 45
8. Samuel Beckett Wales Racing Academy Finished 1st 39
9. Leon Mazzone Crimson Orientation Marketing … Finished 1st 34
10. Daniel Tulett Canyon DHB Sungod Finished 1st 29
11. Owain Roberts Wales Racing Academy Finished 1st 25
12. James Shaw Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling Finished Elite 21
13. Adam Mitchell Crimson Orientation Marketing … Finished 2nd 18
14. Matti Dobbins RT23 Finished 1st 15
15. Cameron Biddle Vredestein Basso Finished 1st 12
16. Conor McGoldrick Primera-TeamJobs Finished 1st 10
17. Steve Lampier Saint Piran Finished Elite 8
18. Oliver Hucks Nopinz Motip Race Team Finished 2nd 6
19. Peter Cocker Richardsons Trek DAS Finished Elite 4
20. Matthew King Team PB Performance Finished Elite 2
All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Women’s Grasscrete Ryedale GP 2021 Gallery and Race Report
Round Two in both the Women’s & Men’s British Cycling National Road Series 2021 started in the grounds Ampleforth College with Ampleforth Abbey as the backdrop to a gruelling gritty 60 mile Women’s Race and 95 mile Men’s Race.
The usual early damp start welcomed around sixty-five riders to the start-line with a forecast of improving condition as the day went on. A circuit not for the fainthearted brought several tumbles & a splits into several groups on the earlier of the larger 2 circuits for the women.
With CAMS Basso Haley Simmonds & Pro-Noctus – Redchilli Bikes Jo Tindley setting the early pace & still a sizable group. The numbers dropped to around Thirty girls by the end of lap two.
An alliance formed on the smaller circuits when recently crowned Scottish Cycling’s National Women’s Champion Becky Storrie [Brother UK – Cycle Team OnForm] & Illi Gardner [CAMS Basso] forged ahead quickly establishing over a two minutes advantage.
With CAMS & OnForm out front, it was left to Storey Racing & AWOL-O’Shea to do the chasing.
The race approached the final drag up to the line with 500 metres remaining & a hefty lead for Storrie & Gardner. With two evenly matched riders – It was going to be the one with strongest legs that would take victory, and Gardner had the legs to finish it off for CAMS.
After a little wait. Pro-Noctis got a third place with Corrine Side for all their hard work whilst AWOL-O’Shea’s Francesca Morgans-Slader & Connie Hayes took fourth & fifth.
Preparing for the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Val di Sole, Italy 25-29 Aug, U23 Women’s Event Anna Kay took sixth.
CAMS-Basso’s Natalie Grinczer collected the Series Leaders Jersey going into the final round, the Curlew Cup in Northumberland on Sunday 26th September.
Speaking to Larry Hickmott (VeloUK.net) & myself after the race.
“This is probably my favourite National Series Race. I’ve been looking forward to it all year. I was nervous coming in. So, I’m really happy with the win.
It stayed together longer than I thought when it got to the Climbs it split, but then came back together.
We had a couple of goes to get away but it kept coming back. I sort of attacked coming up here [On the finish straight with 3 laps remaining.]”.
Illi Gardner & Becky Storrie – Ryedale GP 2021 Interview by Cycling Shorts
Post race interview with Illi Gardner (U23 – CAMS-Basso)and Becky Storrie (Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnForm)after battling their way to the top two podium positions at the Ryedale GP 2021. Post race interview by Larry Hickmott (VeloUK.net) and Chris Maher (CyclingShorts.cc) Image by Chris Maher
“It was tough! It was my first-time doing Ryedale, but I hadn’t looked at the course. I’d heard all about it – thought it was right up my street.
I knew going in that I wanted to force a breakaway, especially with somebody like Illi – cos – in Capernwray (Road Race) we were in a breakaway there. So, I knew she would be the perfect person to ride away with”. Going on to say about Illi “She was like a little Mountain Goat going up the climbs – I was struggling Lol”.
Results
1 Illi Gardner (U23) CAMS-Basso 2:44:37
2 Becky Storrie Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnForm +4
3 Corinne Side (U23) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -Heidi Kjeldsen +2:12
4 Francesca Morgans-Slader AWOL OShea st
5 Connie Hayes (U23) AWOL OShea st
6 Anna Kay (U23) Team Rupelcleaning – Champion Lubricants st
7 Lucy Ellmore (U23) Skoda DSI Cycling Academy +2:15
8 Danielle Shrosbree Team LDN – Brother UK st
9 Natalie Grinczer CAMS-Basso st
10 Beth Morrow (U23) Storey Racing st
11 Nicole Coates (U23) Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar +2:21
12 Morven Yeoman (JNR) Tofauti Everyone Active +2:27
13 Jo Tindley Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -Heidi Kjeldsen st
14 Megan Barker CAMS-Basso +4:11
15 Eilidh Shaw (JNR) Tofauti Everyone Active +4:33
16 Jessica Finney CAMS-Basso +4:35
17 Lucy Gadd (U23) Storey Racing +4:36
18 Francesca Hall Loughborough Lightning TRG +4:38
19 Lucy Lee Team LDN – Brother UK st
20 Charlotte Colclough Bianchi Dama st
21 Alice McWilliam Grinta Coaching st
22 Alice Lethbridge AWOL OShea +4:40
23 Bexy Dew Saint Piran Womens +4:43
24 Hayley Simmonds CAMS-Basso +4:46
25 Matea Deliu Team Watto-LDN +4:50
26 Jessie Carridge Watts Up Performance +6:53
27 Samantha Stuart Crimson Orientation Marketing RT +8:23
28 Hannah Bayes (U23) AWOL OShea +11:32
29 Hannah Lancaster (U23) Loughborough Lightning TRG st
30 Poppy Thompson Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -Heidi Kjeldsen +11:36
31 Imani Pereira-James (JNR) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnForm st
32 Katie Scott (U23) CAMS-Basso +11:40
33 Heather Mayer Team Watto-LDN +11:43
34 Elizabeth Sanders Avid Sport +11:47
35 Jihanna Bonilla-Allard PMRR +12:52
36 Gemma Sargent Saint Piran Womens st
37 Jasmine Jones Bianchi Dama +12:55
38 Melissa Greaves Crimson Orientation Marketing RT +12:57
39 Holly MacMahon Bianchi Dama +13:09
40 Ellen Inglis (U23) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnForm +13:48
41 Erin Murphy (JNR) Deeside Thistle CC +14:01
— Erin Avill Storey Racing Did not finish
— Alderney Baker Loughborough Lightning – TRG Did not finish
— Daisy Barnes Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor… Did not finish
—Olivia BentAWOL- O’SheaDid not finish
— Olivia Bentley Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands Did not finish
—Charlotte BerryPro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…Did not finish
— Sian Botteley Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor… Did not finish
—Sarah BriggsRFDADid not finish
—Polly BurgeJadan – Vive le VeloDid not finish
—Anna ChristianDROPS-LE COL SUPPORTED BY TEMP…Did not start
—Francesca CuttsTeam LDN – Brother UKDid not finish
—Isabel DarvillTeam BoompodsDid not start
—Megan DickersonSKODA DSI Cycling Academy
— Sophie Earl Crimson Orientation Marketing … DNS
— Isabel Ellis Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands Did not start
—Hannah FarranTeam BoompodsDid not finish
—Samantha FawcettPro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…Did not finish
—Olivia FrenchSKODA DSI Cycling AcademyDid not finish
—Madeleine GammonsJadan – Vive le VeloDid not finish
—Amy GornallPro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…Did not start
—Amy GrahamTeam BoompodsDid not finish
—Marine GuerinTeam Watto-LDNDid not finish
—Beth Harley-JepsonJadan – Vive le VeloDid not start
—Louise HartCampinense – Velo PerformanceDid not finish
—Maddie HeywoodTeam Watto-LDNDid not start
—Lauren HighamTeam LDN – Brother UKDid not finish
—Georgia HilleardTeam BoompodsDid not finish
—Anna Marie Hughes1904 RTDid not start
—Emma JeffersJRC-Shutt-Ridley Race TeamDid not finish
— Millie Jones Manilla Cycling Did not finish
—Dannielle KhanIsorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling T…Did not Finish
—Flora KnightLoughborough Lightning – TRGDid not finish
—Sophie LankfordJadan – Vive le VeloDid not start
—Abbie ManleyMontezuma’s Race TeamDid not start
—Amy MarksTeam LDN – Brother UKDid not start
—Phoebe MartinAWOL- O’SheaDid not finish
—Polly MasonTeam LDN – Brother UKDid not finish
—Ellen McDermottTeam BoompodsDid not finish
—Shona MosleyJRC-Shutt-Ridley Race TeamDid not start
—Georgina PanchaudBianchi DamaDid not start
—Georgina PaulRoss On Wye & District CCDid not finish
—Laura PittardBrother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…Did not finish
—Jennifer PowellPro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…Did not finish
—Natasha ReddyBianchi DamaDid not start
—Rebecca RichardsSKODA DSI Cycling AcademyDid not finish
—Kate RichardsonDid not finish
—Louise ScuphamAWOL- O’SheaDid not finish
—Rebecca SealTorelli-Assure-Cayman IslandsDid not start
—Ruth ShierTeam LDN – Brother UKDid not finish
—Millie SkinnerPro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -…Did not finish
—Meg SmithLoughborough Lightning – TRGDid not start
—Abbie TaylorSpectra Wiggle p/b VitusDid not start
—Sophie ThackrayCAMS-BassoDid not finish
—Vivienne TomlinAvid SportDid not finish
—Chloe VickersLoughborough Lightning – TRGDid not finish
—Christina WiejakSaint Piran WRTDid not finish
— Mary Wilkinson Crimson Orientation Marketing … Did not start
1 Natalie Grinczer CAMS-Basso 36
2 Illi Gardner CAMS-Basso 30
3 Abi Smith Team Breeze 30
4 Corinne Side Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -Heidi Kjeldsen 30
5 Becky Storrie Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnForm 28
6 Ellen McDermott Team Boompods 28
7 Eluned King Team Breeze 26
8 Jo Tindley Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes -Heidi Kjeldsen 26
9 Francesca Morgans-Slader AWOL OShea 24
10 April Tacey Drops-Le Col supported by Tempur 24
11 Connie Hayes AWOL OShea 22
12 Danielle Shrosbree Team LDN – Brother UK 21
13 Anna Kay Team Rupelcleaning – Champion Lubricants 20
14 Amira Mellor Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus 20
All images ©CyclingShorts.cc | www.chrismaher.co.uk
Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Champions Crowned at Tour Series in Dumfries – Galleries & Race Reports
CAMS – Basso and Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling took the women’s and men’s Tour Series titles at the final round of the 2021 series in Castle Douglas.
Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling held on to their overall lead despite stiff opposition from defending champions Canyon dhb SunGod, whose dominant performance took them to within one point of retaining their title with the individual race win for Charlie Tanfield as consolation. The victory was Tanfield’s first since competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Meanwhile 2019 women’s champions CAMS – Basso retained their title, overturning the lead of Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen thanks to a strong performance on the streets of Dumfries & Galloway as Megan Barker took her second individual win of the week.
Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen) took second on the night and ensured the runners up spot for her squad, as well as clinching the blue Freewheel.co.uk Sprints jersey.
CS: That’s two wins in a row!
M: “Yeh! I was on the back foot & I managed to salvage it.”
CS: Did you feel like you weren’t quite on form? We were wondering whether you were holding back a little?
M: “No not really. I’m ok on the hard drag bit, but the technical bit around the back of the course is my downfall. I’ve been working on that. The last five laps I just moved up to the front, led it out for a while & managed to hang on.”
After a rest this weekend. You can catch up with Megan (CAMS – Basso) the following weekend at the Ryedale GP in Ampleforth, part of the Women’s BC National Road Series
In the men’s competition it was Guisborough race winner Matt Gibson (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) taking the Sprints jersey, a competition he also won in the 2018 Tour Series.
Gibson’s performance in the Castle Douglas round was key to Ribble Weldtite retaining their Freewheel.co.uk yellow jerseys, with the Warrington-born rider the only member of his five-rider team to make the front group that had been driven away by Canyon dhb SunGod.
Having had their chances of a historic hattrick of Tour Series titles damaged by losing a pair of riders to a crash in Round One in Guisborough, Canyon dhb SunGod knew that they needed to put significant distance and other teams between themselves and Ribble Weldtite on the night.
CS: Here you come using what looks like Tokyo form (After infamously being crashed into by the Danish Team Pursuit Squad on the Izu Velodrome Track). How did that feel?
C: “Yeh Amazing! The lads did a great job all night, so if anyone could finish it off for the Team on the night. The goal was to get the Team win – so fingers crossed with a lap to go I knew it would be amazing.
After a rest this weekend. You can catch up with Charlie (Canyon dhb SunGod) at the Ryedale GP in Ampleforth, part on the Elite BC National Road Series.
Strong performances from the Wales Racing Academy and Crimson Orientation Marketing RT nearly helped Canyon dhb SunGod achieve that. But ultimately the efforts of Gibson, Charles Page, Freddie Scheske, Cameron Jeffers and Will Brown was enough for a first Tour Series title for Ribble Weldite.
Highlights of the Castle Douglas races are on ITV4 at 7pm on Friday 13 August with a repeat at 6.55am on Saturday 14 August and available for 30 days via the ITV Hub.
Final Results
Women’s team result
1) CAMS – Basso Bikes, 15pts
2) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldesen, 14pts
3) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus, 13pts,
4) Team LDN – Brother UK, 12pts
5) Jadan – Vive le Velo, 11pts
Click here to download the full results
Women’s individual result
1) Megan Barker, GBR, CAMS – Basso Bikes, 50:13.725
2) Jo Tindley, GBR, Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjelldsen, + 0.344
3) Jessica Finney, GBR, CAMS – Basso Bikes, + 0.650
4) Frankie Morgans-Slader, GBR, AWOL O’Shea, + 1.654
5) Samantha Stuart, GBR, Crimson Orientation Marketing RT, + 4.336
Click here to download the full results
Brother UK Fastest Lap
Megan Barker, GBR, CAMS – Basso Bikes, 2:05.709
Freewheel.co.uk sprints competition
Jo Tindley, GBR, Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjeldsen, 40pts
Click here to download the full results
Women’s team standings
1) CAMS Basso, 42pts
2) Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes – Heidi Kjelldsen, 42pts
3) Team LDN – Brother UK, 32pts
4) Jadan Vive Le Velo, 30pts
5) Team Boompods, 30pts
Click here to download the full results
Men’s team result
1) Canyon dhb SunGod, 13pts
2) Wales Racing Academy, 12pts
3) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, 11pts
4) Crimson Orientation Marketing RT, 10pts
5) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus, 9pts
Click here to download the full results
Men’s individual result
1) Charlie Tanfield, GBR, Canyon dhb SunGod, 1:06.32.015
2) Alec Briggs, GBR, TEKKERZ, + 0.486
3) Jim Brown, GBR, Canyon dhb SunGod, + 1.019
4) Leon Mazzone, GBR, Crimson Orientation Marketing RT, + 1.498
5) Matt Gibson, GBR, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, + 1.509
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Brother UK Fastest Lap
Charlie Tanfield, GBR, Canyon dhb SunGod, 1:49.570
Freewheel.co.uk sprints competition
Matt Gibson, GBR, Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, 35pts
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Men’s team standings
1) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling, 35pts
2) Canyon dhb SunGod, 34pts
3) Wales Racing Academy, 33pts
4) Crimson Orientation Marketing, 32pts
5) Team Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus, 23pts
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Chris Maher
Photographer & Writer
Based in the North East of England; photographer Chris Maher specialises in sports photography with his main interests in Cycling and Super Bikes. Chris has covered sports events from local and national level right up to the Olympics for CyclingShorts.cc.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk
Anna Magrath
Editor & Writer
Anna Magrath founded CyclingShorts.cc in 2008 and invited some of her cycling friends; coaches, photographers, writers and pro cyclists of different disciplines to join her, bringing you all things cycling related.
Over the years Anna has supported grass roots cycling events, riders and teams. Anna has a particular interest in Track, Road, womens cycling, recreational cycling and cycling related art. She has reported from the top cycle races on the world calendar including the Tour de France, Olympics, World Cups & World Championships.
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