Race Report & Gallery – Nat Women’s Road Series 2017 | Tour of the Wolds

by | Apr 10, 2017

All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk | CyclingShorts.cc

The sun shone brightly for Lizzy Banks of Sunsport Velo RT in the season opener of the HSBC-UK British Cycling 2017 National Women’s Road Series the Tour of the Wolds, won in two-hours and thirty-four minuets and thirty-five seconds.

The first of nine rounds and a new course to the calendar, the Tour of the Wolds covers a distance of one-hundred and one kilometres setting out from Louth North-Westerly through South Elkinton and Binbrooke before turning Northerly at Tealby and onto a circuit through Caistor, then returning back to Louth and a three-kilometre twisty circuit through the town centre streets.

One-hundred riders set off at nine in the morning out of Louth, but split into three groups before arriving at the Caistor loop. The front group of around thirty riders rode up the testing climb at Nettleton Top but as they returned back towards Louth, six girls broke free.

 

Three times series winner Nikki Juniper [Team Ford Ecoboost], National Time Trial Champion Hayley Simmond [Team WNT], Anna Christian [Drops Cycling Team], Lizzy Banks [Sunsport Velo], Chanel Mason [Storey Racing] and Natalie Grinczer [Team WNT] arrived back on the finishing circuit with a one-minuet and ten second lead as Drops Cycling and Cycle Team OnForm drove the chase.

With three-hundred metres remaining, Juniper clipped wheels bringing her down and out of contention leaving five girls to fight for the win. Banks kept out of trouble and maintained her momentum going into the final left-hand corner before sprinting clearly for the line and a marvellous win.

Rebecca Durrell [Drops Cycling Team] brought the chasing bunch to the line some thirty-two seconds down on a beautiful day in Lincolnshire, much to the appreciation of the crowd that had lined the circuit in this first national race in the series.

Lizzy Banks leads the National Women’s Road Series going into round two the Essex Giro on Saturday 22nd April.

Click here to read our interview with Lizzy.

 

Race highlights: Tour of the Wolds – 2017 HSBC UK | National Women’s Road Series

Highlights from the Tour of the Wolds – round one of the 2017 HSBC UK | National Women’s Road Series.

 

Tour of the Wolds Winner – Lizzy Banks Sunsport Velo

1 58 Elizabeth Banks SunSport Velo 2:34:35. 2:34:35
2 82 Anna Christian Drops Cycling Team 2:34:36. +1
3 6 Chanel Mason Storey Racing 2:34:37. +2
4 103 Hayley Simmonds Team WNT 2:34:38. st
5 99 Natalie Grinczer Team WNT 2:34:39. +4
6 20 Rebecca Durrell Drops Cycling Team 2:35:07. +32
7 24 Rebecca Womersley Drops Cycling Team 2:35:08. st
8 22 Rose Osborne Drops Cycling Team 2:35:08. st
9 13 Sian Botteley Cycle Team OnForm 2:35:08. st
10 81 Hannah Payton Drops Cycling Team 2:35:08. st
11 16 Amy Hill Cycle Team OnForm 2:35:09. st
12 15 Anna Henderson Cycle Team OnForm 2:35:09. st
13 30 Jennifer Holden Fusion RT Fierlan 2:35:09. st
14 87 Lucy Horrocks Team Vertex-Biemme 2:35:09. st
15 23 Abigail Van Twisk Drops Cycling Team 2:35:09. st
16 54 Jennifer George Storey Racing 2:35:10. st
17 93 Tamara Davenne Team Vision Innovative Leisure 2:35:10. st
18 9 Charlotte Colclough Bianchi Dama UK 2:35:10. st
19 80 Holly Flannery Team Jadan-Weldtite 2:35:11. st
20 19 Alicia Speake Cycle Team OnForm 2:35:11. st
21 41 Steph Clayton Mammoth Lifestyle Racing Team 2:35:11. st
22 18 Gemma Sargent Cycle Team OnForm 2:35:11. st
23 77 Jennifer Powell Team Ford Ecoboost 2:35:11. st
24 37 Annabel Simpson Drops Cycling Team 2:36:27. +1:52
25 32 Fiona Hunter Johnston Fusion RT Fierlan 2:37:45. +3:10

The Tour of the Wolds has given a boost to businesses in the area as well as significantly raising the profile of the Lincolnshire Wolds as a destination for cycling.

The event saw teams of professional cyclists and spectators staying in the area; and generated lots of exposure for the area through the media.  Feedback received from the competitors is that they enjoyed the challenge the Wolds presented to them; and that it is a great place for cycling.

We’ll now be working with our partners and the event organisers to look at what needs to be done to secure the event for future years.

James Gilbert

Communications and Tourism Manager, East Lindsey District Council

The Magna Vitae Tour of the Wolds has significantly raised the profile of Louth and the Lincolnshire Wolds. It is wonderful to see a sporting event change the face of the town for a day.

We are thrilled that so many local residents and businesses turned out to support the event and hope that everybody enjoyed the weekend.

The coverage that The Tour of the Wolds received online and in the media is testament to the success of this fantastic new event, and the publicity Louth received during the weekend will live on for many months ahead.

We look forward to working with key partners to bring more high-profile sporting and cultural events to the area.

Mark Humphreys

Chief Executive Officer, Magna Vitae

Chris Maher

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

Interview – Tour of the Wolds Winner – Lizzy Banks Sunsport Velo

by | Apr 10, 2017

How does it feel winning the Tour of the Wolds, the first race in the National Women’s Series 2017?

It feels great! I’m so pleased for the Team (Sunsport Velo). It was really good getting a result so early in the season.

How did you find the circuit?

It was really great circuit. We came down and reccy’d it yesterday. It was rolling, it was a bit harder than we thought it would be – looking at the profile. We started at the top corner in Caistor and came south to Louth, so we had a sighting almost the whole circuit. So we knew it was going to be a bit tough. The key areas were going to be positioning coming back through Tealby. So yes! That’s what I did and managed to get into the break.

 

Lizzy Banks Sun Velo Winner Tour Of The Wolds 2017 by Cycling Shorts

Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc catches up with Tour of the Wolds 2017 winner Lizzy Banks of SunSport Velo after her win. Lizzy leads the Tour Series after Round 1. Read and watch more cycling: www.CyclingShorts.cc All content ©CyclingShorts.cc | Chris Maher.

About 30-40 girls got away initially on the run up-to Tealby heading out-bound and you managed to get into that group

I was quite surprised we lost a few people. Again, that was going through Tealby, through the technical section, two tracks either side with grass down the middle. So I think we dropped a lot of people there – and actually it slowed up a lot. So I was trying to hide out of the way, there were eight from Drops (Drops Cycling Team) and seven from Ecoboost (Team Ford Ecoboost) and six or seven from WNT (Team WNT) and I was on my own. So yeh, I was trying to keep safe and follow any dangerous moves that had all three teams in.

Was that your first season win?

Sunsport Velo has had a few wins already. It’s the first national win which is really, really great for the team, but the girls have had wins on the track, in circuit races, I won in Capernwray last week, so yes the teams doing really well.

Lizzy is currently sitting at the top of the 2017 Women’s over 23 BC National Rankings with 110 points. 

You can read the full Tour of the Wolds race report and see the gallery by clicking here.

Chris Maher

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

Dame Sarah Storey hails Stoke-on-Trent’s ahead of Women’s Tour

by | Apr 7, 2017

Dame Sarah Storey hails Stoke-on-Trent’s sporting prowess as they get set to welcome Women’s Tour

Paralympian legend Dame Sarah Storey heaped praise on Stoke-on-Trent’s positive attitude towards sport – as she helped to officially launch Stage 2 of the 2017 Women’s Tour which will start and finish in the city.

Great Britain’s most decorated female Paralympian was speaking at an event where full details were revealed for the The Women’s Tour and The Tour Series.

Sarah, who will have her own team in the Tour Series event and has competed in the city in the past.

Stoke-on-Trent is a fantastic city for hosting cycling events. Having cities like this which are up for it make a huge difference to cycling and sport in general, and people here should be very excited about the events which are coming.

Dame Sarah Storey

Cyclist & Team Manager, Storey Cycling Team

Stoke-on-Trent will welcome the world’s top female cyclists on Thursday, June 8 when the city hosts a stage of The Women’s Tour. Stage Two of the UK’s biggest professional women’s race will start and finish in the city centre, giving people the chance to get up close to the action as elite cyclists battle it out on the roads of the city.

All of the world’s top 15 teams will take part in the race, which will start on Upper Market Square, next to the statue of Sir Stanley Matthews, and finish 144.5km later back in the city with riders sprinting for the finish line outside Hanley Town Hall.

The stage will take riders on an anti-clockwise route through Joiners Square, Bucknall, Bentilee, Adderley Green, Park Hall and Meir. The riders will then head out into Staffordshire before returning to the city centre through Baddeley Green and Abbey Hulton, giving residents plenty of opportunities to catch a glimpse of the action for free.

The Women’s Tour will be the second major cycling event to be held in the city this year, following on from Round Two of The Tour Series circuit race which takes place in the city centre on Thursday, May 11.

The Tour Series, which is coming to the city for the ninth time, will feature seven professional men’s teams (8pm), as well as the women’s Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series (6pm), battling it out on a closed road, city centre circuit which starts and finishes on Town Road. Before the races, the day will feature school activities and a corporate grand prix which local businesses and organisations can take part in. There will also be street entertainment around a promotional zone.

Marianne Vos, Women's Tour Stage 4 2016 - ©www.chrismaher.co.uk

2014 winner Marianne Vos – ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / Cyclingshorts.cc

We’re delighted to be bringing these high quality sporting events to the city this year.

We have a long and successful association with hosting top cycling events in Stoke-on-Trent but this will be the first time we have held a stage start and finish of the Women’s Tour, which is fantastic news. It will give people the chance to see top class cyclists in front of their own eyes for free.

Combined with the Tour Series, these two events – which will both be televised on TV – will show off our city to a national and international audience as being a lively visitor and leisure destination, further supporting our bid to become UK City of Culture 2021. The races will also draw crowds into the city, which is great news for our businesses and economy, and will hopefully inspire more people to take up cycling and get active.

Councillor Terry Follows

Cabinet member for Greener City, Development and Leisure

The Women’s Tour will begin in Northamptonshire on Wednesday, June 7, with the opening stage between Daventry and Kettering and also include stages in Warwickshire and Derbyshire, finishing in central London on Sunday 11 June. A one-hour highlights programme of every stage will be broadcast daily on ITV4 and available on demand via the ITV Hub.

We’re delighted to be bringing our events back to Stoke-on-Trent. We have a brilliant relationship with the council who have an unparalleled ambition for bringing sporting events to the area and we are looking forward to being a part of their plans for 2017.

Mick Bennett

Race Director

The three editions to date, won by Marianne Vos in 2014, Lisa Brennauer in 2015 and Lizzie Armitstead in 2016, have seen hundreds of thousands of spectators turn out at the roadside with many more around the UK watching the ITV4 highlights every evening.

 

Stage 1 – Wednesday 7 June – Daventry to Kettering
Stage 2 – Thursday 8 June – The Stoke-on-Trent Stage
Stage 3 – Friday 9 June – Atherstone to Royal Leamington Spa
Stage 4 – Saturday 10 June – Chesterfield to Chesterfield
Stage 5 – Sunday 11 June – The London Stage

The full list of teams for The Women’s Tour is:

  • Ale Cipollini (Italy)
  • BePink Cogeas (Italy)
  • Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (Netherlands)
  • Canyon//SRAM (Germany)
  • Cervelo Bigla Pro Cycling (Germany)
  • Cylance Pro Cycling (USA)
  • Drops (Great Britain)
  • FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope (France)
  • Hitec Products (Norway)
  • Lares Waowdeals (Belgium)
  • Lensworld Kuota (Belgium)
  • Orica Scott (Australia)
  • Team Sunweb (Netherlands)
  • Team VeloCONCEPT Women (Denmark)
  • Team WNT (Great Britain)
  • Wiggle HIGH5 (Great Britain)
  • WM3 Pro Cycling (Netherlands)
2016 Aviva Women's Tour winner Lizzie Armitstead - ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / Cyclingshorts.cc

2016 Aviva Women’s Tour winner Lizzie Armitstead – ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / Cyclingshorts.cc

 

For more information visit:
Website            www.womenstour.co.uk
Twitter               www.twitter.com/thewomenstour
Facebook         www.facebook.com/thewomenstour
Instagram          www.instagram.com/thetourcycling
YouTube           www.youtube.com/thetourcycling

Aberdeen Tour Series circuit revealed for Round 8

by | Apr 7, 2017

PRESS RELEASE

The challenging circuit for Britain’s fastest elite cycling race taking to the streets of Aberdeen has today been revealed.

Thursday 25 May will see the centre of Aberdeen transformed to welcome The Tour Series for the first time, turning the city centre into a race circuit for the likes of defending champions JLT Condor, 2014 victors Madison Genesis and the returning ONE Pro Cycling.

The 1.2-kilometre circuit around the compact city centre will provide a stunning backdrop to a fast and furious night of criterium racing, with the beautiful architecture and vocal Scottish crowds setting the perfect scene as the race is broadcast around the world.

Aberdeen is hosting Round Eight of the nationwide Series.

This event will ignite the city’s heart as the cyclists are put to the test racing past some of Aberdeen’s historic landmarks, such as Aberdeen Art Gallery, His Majesty’s Theatre with the start and finish on the city’s iconic Union Street.

We are also encouraging the public to take part in a fun filled day of activities that will see the city centre brought to life by this unique cycling spectacle.

Aberdeen’s position as a must-visit destination for high-profile cultural and sporting events is strengthened as the Tour Series kicks off our ambitious summer events programme. This leading cycling race is part of our wider Aberdeen 365 Events Strategy, a City Centre Masterplan initiative, which will see new events such as The Tour Series and Great Aberdeen Run brought to the city over the coming years.

George Adam

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen

In total ten teams will take to the Aberdeen circuit, including a Scottish national team, and race it out in the hour long race starting at 19:30.  Earlier in the day an exciting programme of races will take place on a revised version of  the circuit, with events between 13:00 and 18:00 using a  route, that takes  in Belmont Street and Little Belmont Street that will provide a stunning backdrop to the competitive races across the day.

It is great to be welcoming The Tour Series back to Scotland this year and to Aberdeen for the first time. EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the event that will showcase the area and all it has to offer to a TV audience of cycling enthusiasts.

“The decision by The Tour Series to once again bring two races to Scotland shows why we are the perfect stage for cycling events.

Paul Bush OBE

VisitScotland's Director of Events

We are looking forward to bringing The Tour Series to Aberdeen this May.  The circuit will showcase the heart of Aberdeen combining a very fast, flowing opening half of the lap with a more technical finale, including the slow last corner and a deceptive drag to the finish line on Union Street.

Mick Bennett

Tour Series Race Director

Aberdeen is one of two Scottish venues hosting rounds of The Tour Series in 2017, with Motherwell hosting Round Seven on Tuesday 23 May.  It will be the third time that the Series has visited the North Lanarkshire venue.

The Tour Series will get underway at Redditch in Worcestershire on Tuesday 9 May, finishing three weeks later in Stevenage on Bank Holiday Monday, 29 May.

Highlights of every round of The Tour Series will be shown on ITV4, with programmes also be available on demand via the ITV Hub.  Action from the Aberdeen round will be on ITV4 at 22:00 on Friday 26 May with a repeat the following daytime.

 

Round One    Tuesday 9 May    Redditch
Round Two    Thursday 11 May    Stoke-on-Trent
Round Three    Friday 12 May    Northwich
Round Four    Tuesday 16 May    Wembley Park presented by Jurys Inn
Round Five    Thursday 18 May    Croydon
Round Six    Saturday 20 May    Bath
Round Seven    Tuesday 23 May    Motherwell
Round Eight    Thursday 25 May    Aberdeen
Round Nine    Saturday 27 May    Durham
Round Ten    Monday 29 May    Stevenage

About The Tour Series

2017 will be the ninth season of The Tour Series, a unique team based, televised city centre cycling series organised by SweetSpot Group Ltd, the company behind the organisation and promotion of the Tour of Britain and The Women’s Tour.  The Tour Series brings together the very best in British professional teams and male and female riders, competing on town and city-centre circuits in front of packed crowds as a part of a full day of cycling activities.

You can follow The Tour Series on Twitter @TourSeries #tourseries or Facebook or via the official website at www.tourseries.co.uk

HSBC-UK British Cycling Spring Cup 2017 Rnd 1 | Klondike GP

by | Apr 2, 2017

HSBC-UK British Cycling Spring Cup 2017 Round 1 | Klondike GP

Hoping to carry his winning streak forward, Team WIGGINS Chris Latham takes the inaugural new Klondike GP, the opening race in the 2017 HSBC-UK British Cycling Spring Cup.

Latham travels to Hong Kong next weekend for the UCI Track World Championships April 12-16th missing round two of the four-race early season openers in the Spring Cup Series which moves South to Louth in Lincolnshire for the Tour of the Wolds another new edition.

A large crowd had assembled on Guisborough High Street to watch the one-hundred-and-forty rides get away on the one-hundred-and-forty-nine kilometre race at twelve-noon.

No sooner had the race officially started and a pile-up on the run-in-to Carlin How saw the race halted before re-starting some fifteen minutes later.

Riding an almost anti-clockwise direction the race re-joined the A171 Whitby Road near Scaling Dam before heading back down to the coast and north bound towards Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Three rides went free Sam Harrison for Team WIGGINS, Dan Fleeman for Metaltek Kuota Racing Team and Charlie Tanfield for Brother NRG Driverplan quickly establishing forty-four seconds before joining forces.

As the gap grew to around a minute, Matt Holmes for Madison Genesis bridged across for the second lap and they extended their lead to over five minutes at one point.

Approaching the final lap, a matter of urgency saw the time drop below two minutes advantage before Matt Holmes was the only rider left out front.

The course, a tough start to the season according to local lad Harry Tanfield dwindled the Peloton by half and an attack by Hayden McCormick for One Pro Cycling on the run in was joined by Alistair Slater for JLT Condor, Liam Holohan for Metaltek Kuota Racing Team and Taylor Gunman for Madison Genesis.

With only a few kilometres remaining it looked like a bunch spring was inevitable with the victory going to Chris Latham by a narrow margin.

 

Results:

1: Chris Latham Team WIGGINS

2: Enrique Sanz Team Raleigh GAC

3: Harry Tanfield Bike Channel Canyon

 

U23: ZacMay Metaltek Kuota Racing Team

KOM: Charlie Tanfield Brother NRG Driverplan

Official Results by British Cycling

Chris Maher

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

HSBC UK British Cycling National Track Championships Day 3

by | Feb 9, 2017

All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc

Six titles to be decided on final day of championships.

Men’s and Women’s Team Sprint, Men’s Team Pursuit, Women’s Points Race, Women’s 500m Time Trial and Men’s Scratch titles all on the line.

On the final day here at the HSBC UK | National Track Championships, we celebrated another exhilarating day of racing with another six national titles decided.

Olympic gold medallist Katie Archibald (Team WNT) was crowned national champion in the Women’s Points Race, completing a hat-trick of titles over the weekend.

Matching Archibald’s tally of golds was Dan Bigham (Brother NRG Driverplan), who, along with team-mates Charlie Tanfield, Jacob Tipper and Jonathan Wale, won the Men’s Team Pursuit Title.

Also taking home her third medal of the weekend was Emily Nelson (Team Breeze), who claimed silver in the Women’s Points Race, whilst Neah Evans (Boot Out Breast Cancer CC) rounded off her impressive championships by taking home a bronze medal in the same race.

Sophie Capewell and Lauren Bate-Lowe claimed the Women’s Team Sprint gold whilst Jack Carlin, Ryan Owens and Joe Truman claimed the Men’s Team Sprint gold.

Dani Khan (Boot Out Brest Cancer) took the 500m Time Trial gold setting at 35.495.

The final title of the HSBC British Cycling National Track Championships went to Ethan Hayter (100% ME). Going one better than his last race, it went down to a bunch sprint to wrap up this weekends racing.

1 Brother NRG Driverplan 4.08.373

2 100% ME 4.13.167

3 Scotland Development 4.15.277

4 Secret-Training.cc 4.18.913

5 Wales 4.24.263

6 Landale Lightweights Racing Team 4.29.678

7 Pro Vision Cycle Clothing 4.32.588

8 BC South Region 4.40.204

9 VC St Raphael 4.44.378

10 GB Junior Private Time Trial 4.15.993

Gold Play-off Brother NRG Driverplan V’s 100% ME

Bronze Play-off Scotland Development V’s Secret-Training.cc

Gold Team Terminator Sophie Capewell & Lauren Bateman-Lowe

Silver Scotland A Emma Baird & Lucy Grant

Bronze BC West Midlands Georgia Hilliard & Esme Niblett

4th Scotland B Lauryn Dawber & Jessica Lee

Gold BC North West A Carlin, Truman &Owens

Silver Sportscity Velo Heaton, M Rotherham & T Rotherham

Bronze BC North West B Hutchinson, Oliva & Jolliffe

4th Black Line A Baker, Roper & Mitchell

Gold Dani Khan Boot Out Breast Cancer 35.495

Silver Rachel James Abergavenny RC 35686

Bronze Jessica Crampton 35.803

4th Sophie Capewell

5 Lauren Bate-Lowe

6 Brit Jackson

7 Emma Baird

8 Madeline Moore

9 Jessica Lee

10 Lusia Steele

Gold Brother NRG Driveplan Bigham, Tipper, Tanfield, Wale

Silver 100% ME Bostock, Holt, Hayter, Walls

Bronze Scotland Development Brown, Nally, Claxton, Oliphant

4th Secret-Training.cc Burns, Rutherford, Duggleby MBE, Woofinden

Gold Katie Archibald MBE Team WNT 42
Silver Emily Nelson Team Breeze 37
Bronze Neah Evans Boot Out Breast Cancer 34

4th Elinor Barker MBE

5 Jessica Roberts

6 Eleanor Dickinson

7 Rebecca Raybould

8 Corrine Hall

9 Rhona Callender

10 Anna Docherty

11 Lauren Dolan

12 Dani Khan

13 Amy Hill

14 Pfeiffer Georgi

15 Manon Lloyd

Gold Ethan Hayter 100% ME

Silver Frank Longstaff Team Corley Cycles

Bronze Zach May Metaltek Kuota RT

4 Matt Walls

5 Joe Holt

6 Chris Lawless

7 Ethan Vernon

8 Matt Bostock

9 Angus Gillies

10 Fred Wright

11 Jacob Vaughan

12 Alistair Rutherford

13 Rhys Britton

Chris Maher

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.
Website: www.ChrisMaher.co.uk

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